Wells Fargo Tower, Modern skyscraper in Birmingham, United States
The Shipt Tower, formerly the Wells Fargo Tower, is a 34-story, 454-foot (138 m) postmodern office skyscraper at 20th Street North and 5th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with Giattina, Fisher & Aycock, it has 51,189 m² of floor space and a hidden 35th floor reached only from the 34th.
The building was designed by Skidmore Owings Merrill and completed in 1986 during a major urban renewal period for Birmingham's downtown. Its construction marked an important moment in the city's efforts to develop a modern commercial district.
The tower became a symbol of Birmingham's transformation into a modern business center, reflecting how the city reinvented itself after decades of industrial decline. Its presence in the downtown area helped establish a new visual identity for the city.
The tower stands at 420 20th Street North in downtown Birmingham, between 4th and 5th Avenues North. It is an office building with a lobby, not a public attraction, so viewing is from the surrounding streets and sidewalks. The 35th floor, reached only through the 34th, held executive offices for SouthTrust and is not open to visitors.
The glass exterior creates changing visual effects throughout the day, shifting from warm golden tones in the morning to cooler reflections in the afternoon. This constant transformation makes the building look different depending on when you pass by it.
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