View source for Columbia Center

{{Short description|Skyscraper in Seattle, Washington}}
{{other uses|Columbia Center (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox building
| name               = Columbia Center
| former_names       = Bank of America Tower<br>Columbia Seafirst Center
| logo               = Columbia center logo.svg
| logo_size          = 215
| image              = Columbia center from smith tower.jpg
| image_size         = 250
| caption            = Seen from [[Smith Tower]] in August 2007
| location           = 701 Fifth Avenue<br>[[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], U.S.
| coordinates        = {{coord|47.60453|-122.33069|region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}
| map_type           = Seattle WA Downtown
| map_caption        = Location within downtown Seattle
| start_date         = 1982
| completion_date    = January 12, 1985
| opened_date        = March 2, 1985
| architect          = Chester Lindsey Architects
| owner              = [[Gaw Capital Partners]]
| cost               = [[US$]]200 million (approx. ${{Formatprice|{{inflation|US|200000000|1985}}}} in {{inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| floor_area         = {{convert|1538000|sqft|abbr=on}}
| floor_count        = 76<br> (76 & 7 below ground)
| references = <ref name=emporis>{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119427 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018003250/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119427 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 18, 2015 |title=Emporis building ID 119427 |work=[[Emporis]]}}</ref><ref>{{Glass Steel and Stone|570}}</ref><ref>{{SkyscraperPage|52}}</ref><ref>{{Structurae|20008027}}</ref><ref name=skyscraperCenter>{{cite web |url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/columbia-center/611|title=Columbia Center |work=The Skyscraper Center | publisher=Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat}}</ref>
| highest_region = [[Seattle]] and [[Washington (state)|Washington state]]
| highest_reflabel = emporis
| highest_prev = [[Safeco Plaza (Seattle)|Safeco Plaza]]
| highest_start = 1985
| highest_end = 
| highest_next = 
| building_type      = Commercial offices
| architectural      = {{convert|933|ft|abbr=on}}
| tip = {{convert|967|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| roof               = {{convert|937|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| observatory        = {{convert|902|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| elevator_count     = 48
| structural_engineer= [[Magnusson Klemencic Associates]] (formerly Skilling Helle Christiansen Robertson)
| main_contractor    = [[Howard S. Wright Construction]]
| developer          = [[Martin Selig]]
| management         =
|website      = {{URL|https://columbiacenterseattle.com/}}
}}

The '''Columbia Center''' or '''Columbia Tower''', formerly named the '''Bank of America Tower''' and '''Columbia Seafirst Center''', is a [[skyscraper]] in downtown [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. The 76-story structure is the tallest building in the state of Washington, reaching a height of {{convert|933|ft|m|abbr=on}}. At the time of its completion in 1985, the Columbia Center was the tallest structure on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]]; {{as of|2017|lc=y}}, it is the fourth-tallest, behind buildings in [[Los Angeles]] and [[San Francisco]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/city/101029/los-angeles-ca-usa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321201459/http://www.emporis.com/city/101029/los-angeles-ca-usa |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 21, 2015 |title=Los Angeles Buildings |publisher=Emporis |access-date=2017-01-15}}</ref>

The Columbia Center, developed by [[Martin Selig]] and designed by Chester L. Lindsey Architects, began construction in 1982 and was completed in 1985. The building is primarily leased for [[Office#Grading|class-A office]] spaces by various companies, with the lower floors including retail space and the upper floors featuring a public [[observatory]] and private club lounge.<ref name="emporis"/> The tower has the highest public viewing area west of the [[Mississippi River]]. It occupies most of the block bounded by Fourth and Fifth Avenues and Cherry and Columbia Streets.<ref name="skyviewobservatory.com">{{Cite web |url=http://skyviewobservatory.com/ |title=Sky View Observatory |access-date=July 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124011103/http://skyviewobservatory.com/ |archive-date=January 24, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Design==
Columbia Center was designed by Washington architect Chester L. Lindsey.<ref name="Lindsey obit">{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Chester-Lindsey-dead-at-76-Architect-changed-1122076.php |title=Chester Lindsey dead at 76: Architect changed the look of Seattle's skyline |author=Susan Phinney |date=August 18, 2003 |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The base of the building is clad in Rosa Purino Carnelian [[granite]]. The building's structure is composed of three geometric concave facades with two [[setback (architecture)|setbacks]], causing the building to appear like three towers standing side by side.<ref name="Howard S. Wright">{{cite web |url=http://www.howardswright.com/projects/detail/bank-of-america-tower-formerly-columbia-seafirst-tower/ |title=Bank of America Tower (formerly Columbia Seafirst Tower) |publisher=Howard S. Wright |access-date=June 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116181007/http://www.howardswright.com/projects/detail/bank-of-america-tower-formerly-columbia-seafirst-tower/ |archive-date=January 16, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Ground level elevation on the Fifth Avenue side of the building is higher than on the Fourth Avenue side; the part of Cherry Street it faces was identified as one of the steepest streets in the [[Downtown Seattle|Central Business District]] with a slope of 17.1%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/steepest.htm |title=Steep Streets in Seattle |work=Seattle Department of Transportation |access-date=June 11, 2012}}</ref> The tower was originally designed to be about {{convert|306.5|m|abbr=on}}, but federal regulations by the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) would not allow it to be that tall so close to the nearby [[Sea-Tac Airport]]. Although city [[land use]] regulations at the time were intended to limit skyscrapers to about 50 stories, the developer, Martin Selig, obtained the necessary permits for a 76-story skyscraper due to a part of the law that allowed bonus height for providing retail space with street access. Because three separate stories could access the street on the sloped site, the developers were allowed a bonus for each of the three stories they set aside for retail, which was reportedly an unintended loophole in the law.<ref>{{cite news |title=Building towers over Seattle |date=May 3, 1984 |newspaper=Anchorage Daily News |agency=UPI |author=Terry Finn |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8B8fAAAAIBAJ&pg=1536,1141837&dq=columbia-center+land-use+loophole&hl=en}}</ref><ref name="Egan 1986" /> There is an observation deck on the 73rd floor which offers views of Seattle and environs. The top two floors of the building (75th and 76th) are occupied by the private Columbia Tower Club, which houses a restaurant, bar, library, and meeting rooms. An underground concourse connects the building to the nearby [[Seattle Municipal Tower]] and [[Bank of America Fifth Avenue Plaza]].

The tower, originally proposed as Columbia Center, opened under the name Columbia Seafirst Center after its largest tenant and financier, [[Seafirst Bank]], and then changed to the Bank of America Tower, when Seafirst, which had been owned by [[Bank of America]] since 1983, was fully integrated into Bank of America. That name gave it the nickname "BOAT" ('''B'''ank '''o'''f '''A'''merica '''T'''ower). In November 2005, the building's name was changed back to Columbia Center after the bank reduced its presence in the building. Bank of America still maintains office space within the building, but has since closed the bank branch at the base of the tower.<ref name="naming">{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002638565_columbiatower22.html |title=Region's loftiest building renamed |date=November 22, 2005 |author=Tom Boyer |newspaper=Seattle Times}}</ref>

==History==

===Development and construction===
[[File:Columbia Center under construction, Dec 1983.jpg|thumb|upright|Under construction in late 1983]]

[[Martin Selig]], a local real estate developer who had recently opened the [[Fourth and Blanchard Building]], announced plans for a 75-story office building at 4th Avenue and Columbia Street in October 1980. The $120 million project, named the "Columbia Center", would be funded by the [[Seafirst Bank|Seafirst Mortgage Company]] and constructed by [[Howard S. Wright]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Polly |date=October 28, 1980 |title=75-story office tower planned for downtown |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 10, 1981 |title=Selig gets permit for Columbia Center |page=C30 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Selig borrowed $205 million in 1981 to develop the property.<ref name="Egan 1986">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/29/realestate/focus-seattle-creating-an-office-empire.html?pagewanted=all |title=Creating An Office Empire |date=June 29, 1986 |author=Timothy Egan |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The Columbia Seafirst Center, as it came to be known, was constructed by Howard S. Wright starting in 1982 with a {{convert|120|ft|adj=on}} deep excavation hole that required {{Convert|225000|cuyd}} of dirt and soil to be removed. This was one of the largest foundations for a building in [[Seattle]] along with concrete footings extending {{convert|134|ft}} below street level. While the structural steel of the building was built at a rate of 2 floors per week, the building itself was completed on January 12, 1985,<ref name="Howard S. Wright"/> and opened on March 2 of that same year.<ref name="Lindsey obit" /> [[U.S. Steel Corporation]] was contracted to provide {{convert|16,000|ST|MT}} of steel for construction.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/26/business/us-steel-move-draws-fire.html |title=U.S. Steel Move Draws Fire |date=February 26, 1983 |agency=AP |work=The New York Times}}</ref> It was approximately 50% taller than the previous tallest skyscraper in Seattle, the {{convert|630|ft|m|adj=on}} [[Seattle First National Bank Building]] (now Safeco Plaza) that opened in 1969.

[[File:Seattle_skyline_at_sunset,_circa_1983.jpg|left|thumb|225px|The Columbia Center (then Columbia Seafirst Center) under construction {{Circa|1983}}]]

===Financial issues and height controversy===
Selig continued to own and manage the building until 1989 when financial problems forced him to sell it to Seafirst Corporation for $354 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-20-fi-194-story.html |title=Selig Undaunted After Selling His Seattle Skyscraper |date=November 20, 1989 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |author=Bill Dietrich}}</ref> Management was taken over by the Tishman West Company of Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19900202/1053906/tishman-west-to-manage-columbia-seafirst-center |title=Tishman West To Manage Columbia Seafirst Center |date=February 2, 1990 |newspaper=Seattle Times}}</ref>

Controversy regarding the skyscraper's size contributed to the passage of a 1989 law called the Citizen's Alternative Plan (CAP) that enforced more stringent restrictions on the size of buildings in Downtown Seattle.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/26/realestate/national-notebook-seattle-project-tailored-to-space-limits.html |title=Project Tailored To Space Limits |date=November 26, 1989 |author=Harriet King |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> In 1990, after rejecting earlier plans for {{convert|300|ft|m|adj=on}} antennas,<ref>{{cite news |title=Height plan reduced on Seattle towers |date=August 7, 1984 |agency=UPI |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oUAeAAAAIBAJ&pg=6962,3986417&dq=columbia-seafirst-center&hl=en}}</ref> Seattle and the FAA granted permission to erect two {{convert|192|ft|m|adj=on}} antennas on top of Columbia Center, which were expected to be used for broadcasting radio and television throughout the region.<ref name="antennas">{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19900105/1049301/tallest-building-to-reach-higher----city-issues-permit-for-seafirst-antennas |title=Tallest Building To Reach Higher -- City Issues Permit For Seafirst Antennas |date=January 5, 1990 |author=Robert T. Nelson |newspaper=Seattle Times}}</ref> Though the FAA was originally worried about the tower's height encroaching the airspace, they deemed the addition of the antennas not problematic.<ref name="antennas" /> The antennas were not built before the permits expired in 1994, however.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/08/02/daily18.html |title=Taller antennas sought for Columbia Center |date=August 6, 1999 |newspaper=Puget Sound Business Journal}}</ref>

===Ownership changes===

[[EQ Office]] bought Columbia Center from Seafirst in 1998 for $404 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Interested-in-share-of-76-story-tower-1217207.php |title=Interested in share of 76-story tower? | first=Andrea | last=James |date=October 13, 2006 | work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> The New York State Common Retirement Fund bought a 49.9% stake in the building and then several years later sold its share back to EQ Office.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20061013/columbia13/pension-fund-puts-stake-in-columbia-center-up-for-sale |title=Pension fund puts stake in Columbia Center up for sale | first=Amy | last=Martinez |date=October 13, 2006 |newspaper=Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://blog.seattlepi.com/eastsideinside/2012/11/07/grand-re-opening-at-one-of-seattles-biggest-landmarks-columbia-tower-club/ |title=Grand Re-Opening at one of Seattle's Biggest Landmark's – Columbia Tower Club! | work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] | date=November 7, 2012}}</ref> In 2007, Columbia Center was sold by EQ Office to Boston-based [[Beacon Capital Partners]] for $621 million;<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/seattles-columbia-center-cost-621-million/ |title=Seattle's Columbia Center cost $621 million | work=[[Seattle Times]] | date=April 25, 2007}}</ref> Beacon later defaulted on a loan in 2010, the height of the [[Great Recession]], at a time when vacancies reached 40%.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011431935_columbia25.html |title=Columbia Center misses mortgage payment |date=March 24, 2010 |author=Eric Pryne |newspaper=Seattle Times}}</ref> On August 7, 2015, Hong Kong-based [[Gaw Capital Partners]] purchased the building for $711 million.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stiles |first=Marc |date=August 7, 2015 |title=Columbia Center sells to Hong Kong company for $711 million |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2015/08/columbia-center-sells-to-hong-kong-company-for-711.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=August 8, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bhatt |first=Sanjay |date=August 7, 2015 |title=Columbia Center sold to Hong Kong investors |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/columbia-center-sold/ |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=August 8, 2015}}</ref>

===Renovations===
On July 1, 2013, the Columbia Center's observation deck, known as the Sky View, was remodeled from 270 degrees to a 360-degree viewing area.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/06/06/columbia-center-renovates-observatory.html?page=all | title=Columbia Center renovates observatory, views will span 360 degrees}}</ref> The observation deck underwent further renovations in 2018, adding two express elevators and a new lounge. The 4th Avenue entrance was also renovated.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brodeur |first=Nicole |date=June 16, 2018 |title=Visit Sky View Observatory on top of Seattle's tallest tower |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/visit-sky-view-observatory-on-top-of-seattles-tallest-tower/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=June 16, 2018}}</ref>

===September 11 attacks===
On June 16, 2004, the [[9/11 Commission]] reported that the original plan for the [[September 11 attacks]] called for the hijacking of 10 planes, to be crashed into targets including the "tallest buildings in California and Washington state," which would have been the [[U.S. Bank Tower (Los Angeles)|U.S. Bank Tower]] in [[Los Angeles]] and the Columbia Center, respectively.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Outline of the 9-11 Plot, Staff Statement No. 16 | page=13 | publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks | url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_16.pdf | date=June 16, 2004 | access-date=June 10, 2012}}</ref>

==Events==
Columbia Center plays host to the largest on-air [[firefighter]] competition in the world, the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb. About 2,000 firefighters from around the world yearly make the trek up 69 floors and 1,311 steps in full structural turnout gear while on air. This event benefits the Washington/Alaska chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.<ref>{{cite news |title=Firefighters climb Columbia Tower, raise funds for cancer research |url=https://komonews.com/news/local/firefighters-conquer-columbia-tower-raise-funds-for-cancer-research-03-12-2017 |access-date=25 July 2018 |publisher=Komo News}}</ref>

Big Climb is the sister event to the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb. About 6,000 participants race and climb to the top of Columbia Center, raising more than $3 million for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This event is open to the public and anyone 8 years of age or older can participate.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Seattle palace2.jpg|Columbia Center
File:Columbia Center in Seattle.jpg|Columbia Center when it was called the Bank of America Tower
File:Seattle_Columbia_centre.jpg|Columbia Center from below
File:Field of buildings with the pagoda (Japanese Temple to Buddha) inspired Space Needle, Seattle, Washington.jpg|The [[Space Needle]] from the observation deck
File:Seattle-Columbia-Center-looking-north-2320.jpg|[[Downtown Seattle]] from the observation deck
File:Columbia Center, by Ww7021.jpg|Beneath Columbia Center
File:Bank-of-america-seattle.jpg|Panorama from the observation deck
File:Columbia_observation_deck.jpg|Inside the observation deck
File:Seattle seen from Rizal Park area.jpg|Columbia Center seen from Rizal Park
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of tallest buildings in Seattle]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in the United States]]
* [[List of tallest buildings by U.S. state]]
* [[Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park]]
* [[List of buildings]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Columbia Center (Seattle)|Columbia Center}}
* [http://columbiacenterseattle.com/ Columbia Center Official Website ]
* [http://www.skyviewobservatory.com/ Columbia Center Sky View Observatory Website ]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131201043052/http://skyscrapercenter.com/seattle/columbia-center Columbia Center] on [[CTBUH]] Skyscraper Center
* [http://www.openmondays.com/colcen.html Columbia Center construction photographs ]

{{Downtown Seattle}}
{{Buildings in Seattle and Washington timeline}}
{{Seattle skyscrapers}}
{{Tallest Buildings by U.S. state|state=autocollapse}}
{{Beacon Capital Partners}}

[[Category:Bank of America buildings]]
[[Category:Office buildings completed in 1985]]
[[Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Seattle]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Downtown Seattle]]
[[Category:1985 establishments in Washington (state)]]