The Aon Center at 707 Wilshire in Los Angeles is a large non-descript box anchoring the south end of the LA skyline. The building is important due to the fact that it served as the tallest building in the city from 1974 until the completion of the Library Tower in 1989. The bronze-glass clad tower is 62 stories, totalling some 1,500,000SF and was built as the headquarters for the United California Bank. In 1981, the bank changed its name to First Interstate, and the tower served as the headquarters of that bank until its demise in 1992 (taken over Wells Fargo). The building went by its address until AON bought naming rights in 2001.
Designed by Charles Luckman (who also did the Prudential Center in Boston), the tower has notched aluminum clad corners which rise and culminate in an aluminum crown, which has held some sort of corporate logo since the building was opened.
When completed in 1974, the tower was the 9th tallest in the world and the tallest outside New York and Chicago.
There was some discussion about an exterior renovation in the early 90's (by either Richard Keating or Peter Pran, I forget which), but it was never completed. I've seen a rendering of it somewhere and was rather underwhelmed (not that there's much to work with).
Pictures:
source: my postcard collection
Under Construction in 1973
source: my postcard collection
Towering over the city in 1984 (note the Olympics logo)
source: my postcard collection
circa 1984
source: First Interstate Bank brochure
circa 1989
On May 4, 1988 this building had a major fire (covered heavily by the news).
From the LA Fire Department:
"During the late evening of May 4, 1988, and the early morning of May 5, 1988, members of the Los Angeles City Fire Department successfully battled what has proven to be the worst, most devastating high-rise fire in the history of Los Angeles. Extinguishing this blaze at the 62-story First Interstate Bank Building, 707 West Wilshire Boulevard, required the combined efforts of 64 fire companies, 10 City rescue ambulances, 17 private ambulances, 4 helicopters, 53 Command Officers and support personnel, a complement of 383 Firefighters and Paramedics, and considerable assistance from other City departments.
It is humbling and terrifying to realize how close we came to losing control of this fire! Had it not been for the extraordinary commitment to duty, staunch determination to extinguish the fire at all costs, and unabated heroism and courage of our brave Firefighters, I am convinced that the fire would not have been contained as it was in 3-1/2 hours. In most other cities, the building could have become a charred skeleton and, even worse, Firefighters would have lost their lives. In my view, our City is blessed with the most professional and dedicated Firefighters in the world, and this is why only one civilian life was lost and only four floors were gutted."
A TV movie was made about the fire (IIRC, the fire chief was played by the dude who was The Fall Guy).
source: LA Fire Department
source: LA Fire Department
the remaining photos are from my personal collection over the years
The building serves as a nice counterpoint to the towers on Bunker Hill
I loved that logo...I miss that logo...
Down Hope Street
From the roof of the Oviatt
Once upon a time, both of these were crowned with First Interstate logos...
Brutal and unapologetic...
defining verticality...
I have to admit I have a soft spot for this building. It isn't architecturally special in any way, but for some reason it's clean slender vertical lines resonate with me. It's a brutal building of course...but still interesting.