U.S. Bank Tower, Postmodern skyscraper in Downtown Los Angeles, United States
U.S. Bank Tower is a 1,018-foot (310.3 m) skyscraper in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles, designed by Henry N. Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Its cylindrical shaft rises in stepped, rounded setbacks, each tier ringed by a projecting band, and the upper sections narrow toward a circular glass crown. The facade is a dense grid of small square windows in light gray or beige.
Construction began in 1987 and ended two years later as part of a financing program for the Central Library renovation. The building was the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River for several decades.
The tower is still locally called the Library Tower, from its origin in the 1986 Central Library redevelopment after two library fires. It became the U.S. Bank Tower in March 2003, when U.S. Bancorp leased the property. Its glass crown is lit at night and sometimes in colors for celebrations.
The 69th-floor observation deck closed permanently in October 2020, and the Skyslide was removed in 2021 when the space reverted to offices. The 71Above restaurant on the 71st floor remains open. Visitors heading higher change elevators on the 54th floor, now a co-working lounge with workstations and food and beverage options.
A rooftop helipad serves emergency operations and sits higher than any other helicopter landing site in the city. The structure was designed with a special steel core to withstand earthquakes and moved during the 1994 Northridge event without structural damage.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,637 contributors worldwide.
