View source for Comerica Bank Tower

{{Short description|Office skyscraper in Dallas, Texas}}
{{distinguish|One Detroit Center}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name               = Comerica Bank Tower
| logo               = Comerica Bank Tower logo.png
| image              = Bank One Center.jpg
| image_size         = 250px
| caption            =
| alternate_names    = Bank One Center<br />Chase Center<br />Momentum Place
| location           = 1717 [[Main Street, Dallas, Texas|Main Street]]<br />[[Dallas, Texas]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|32.78157|-96.7966|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| start_date         = February 1985
| completion_date    = 1987
| building_type      = Commercial offices
| antenna_spire      =
| roof               = {{convert|239.88|m|abbr=on}}
| top_floor          =
| floor_count        = 60
| elevator_count     = 32 <ref>{{cite web|title=Comercia Bank Tower|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/comerica-bank-tower/984|website=Skyscraper Center|publisher=CTBUH|accessdate=2017-07-21}}</ref>
| cost               =
| floor_area         = {{convert|142,200|m2|abbr=on}}
| architect          = [[Philip Johnson|Johnson/Burgee Architects]]
| structural_engineer=
| main_contractor    = [[The Beck Group|HCB Contractors]]
| developer          =
| owner              = 1717 Dallas Partners LLC
| management         =
| references         = <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/118428 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306205035/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/118428 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 118428 |work=[[Emporis]]}}</ref><ref>{{SkyscraperPage|225}}</ref><ref>{{Structurae|20012161}}</ref><ref name="comericahq"/>
|website = {{URL|https://comericabanktower.com/}}
}}

'''Comerica Bank Tower''' (formerly '''Momentum Place''', '''Bank One Center''' and '''Chase Center''') is a 60-story [[Postmodern architecture|postmodern]] [[skyscraper]] located at 1717 Main Street in the [[Main Street District, Dallas, Texas|Main Street District]] in [[downtown Dallas]], Texas.<ref name="comericahq">{{cite news|title=Comerica Announces Site of New Corporate Headquarters in Texas |url=http://comerica.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=832 |publisher=Comerica Inc. |date=2007-08-13 |accessdate=2007-08-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030093619/http://comerica.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=832 |archivedate=2007-10-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Standing at a structural height of {{convert|787|ft|m|0}}, it is the third tallest skyscraper in the city of Dallas. (If the antennas and spires of [[Renaissance Tower (Dallas)|Renaissance Tower]] were excluded, Comerica Bank Tower would be the second tallest.) It is also the [[Tallest buildings in Texas|sixth tallest]] building in Texas and the [[Tallest buildings in the United States|61st tallest building]] in the United States.{{as of?|date=July 2018}} The building was designed by [[Philip Johnson]] and [[John Burgee]], and was completed in 1987.  The structure has {{convert|1500000|sqft|m2|-5}} of office space.

== History ==
Originally known as '''Momentum Place''', the tower was built as the new headquarters of MCorp Bank. The site, which included the [[Woolf Brothers]] and [[Volk Brothers]] department stores, was one of the busiest blocks in downtown Dallas. Adjacent blocks included the [[Neiman Marcus Building]], [[Wilson Building (Dallas, Texas)|Wilson Building]], [[Titche-Goettinger Building]] and [[Mercantile National Bank Building]]. The entire block from Ervay to St. Paul was leveled to make way for the new tower. The original design as proposed by Johnson called for several office buildings, a hotel and a large shopping mall designed in an ornate classical style. MCorp Bank instead desired a more restrained office tower without any retail; the design for the banking hall was also scaled down.<ref>David Dillon. "PHILIP JOHNSON - The flamboyant architect has transformed skylines from New York to Houston. What's in store for Dallas?." The Dallas Morning News 28 Apr. 1985, HOME FINAL, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT: 1C. NewsBank. Web. 4 Jan. 2010.</ref>

Construction began in 1985 and the tower opened in 1987, with MCorp initially leasing {{convert|600000|sqft|m2}} of space after moving from the [[Mercantile National Bank Building]]. At time of completion it was the most legally-contested building on the Dallas skyline due to the economic downturn of the late 1980s and the [[savings and loan scandal]]. MCorp Bank collapsed shortly after the building's opening and the bank was dissolved by [[Bank One]]. Developers and financial backers sued over ownership of the tower. Other parties defaulted on loans, and the building went into foreclosure in 1991 and again in 1995, the two largest in city history.<ref>https://www.flickr.com/photos/fatguyinalittlecoat/3043650509/in/pool-dallasurbanhistory {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> Without a lead tenant, the tower was remarketed into fully leasable class AA office space. Due to [[History of Dallas, Texas (1986-1995)|the economic downturn]], this was the last high-rise to be completed in [[Downtown Dallas|downtown]] in the 1980s.<ref name="Emporis">{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130409024603/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&id=118428 Emporis.com]}} Emporis Facts</ref>

In 1997 Crescent Real Estate Equities, in partnership with the financer Trizec Properties, bought the Bank One Center from [[Cigna]] and the [[Teacher Retirement System of Texas]] for $238 million.<ref>Brown, Steve. "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D9587A46DDA2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Crescent, TrizecHahn buy Bank One Center]." ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]''. October 24, 1997. Retrieved on March 31, 2010.</ref>

On December 14, 2006, Crescent sold the structure for [[United States dollar|US$]]216 million to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]]–based Metropolitan Real Estate Developers.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Brown |title=Bank One Center sold to investors |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/realestate/stories/121506dnbusbankone.2ef031c.html |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |publisher=[[Belo Corp.]] |date=2007-12-15 |accessdate=2007-08-16 |archive-date=2007-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014629/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/realestate/stories/121506dnbusbankone.2ef031c.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On March 6, 2007, [[Comerica]] announced its decision to relocate its corporate headquarters to Dallas.<ref>[http://comerica.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=31806&item=108777 "Company Press Release - Comerica to Relocate Corporate Headquarters to Dallas"] ([https://archive.today/20131123065626/http://comerica.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=31806&item=108777 Archive]) Comerica Bank. March 6, 2007. Retrieved on November 23, 2013.</ref> In August the company announced that it selected 1717 Main Street in [[Downtown Dallas]] and that the tower would be renamed Comerica Bank Tower.<ref>[http://comerica.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=31806&item=108828 "Company Press Release - Comerica Announces Site of New Corporate Headquarters in Texas"] Comerica Bank. August 13, 2007. Retrieved on March 8, 2014.</ref> The company executives began moving into 1717 Main Street in November 2007.<ref name=Hetchcockp2>Hethcock, Bill. "Large ad agency cites area's vibrancy in decision to return." ''[[Dallas Business Journal]]''. December 9, 2007. p. [http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/12/10/story2.html?page=2 2]. Retrieved October 17, 2010. "In August, Comerica Inc. announced it would move into the skyscraper, formerly known as Bank One Center, when the banking and financial firm relocated its headquarters from Detroit. Comerica leased five floors -- 164,000 square feet -- and the building was renamed to reflect its new lead tenant. Comerica executives began moving in last month."</ref>

The firm [[TM Advertising]] planned to move into the building on January 2, 2008. It was scheduled to take four floors,<ref name=Hetchcockp1>Hethcock, Bill. "Large ad agency cites area's vibrancy in decision to return." ''[[Dallas Business Journal]]''. December 9, 2007. p. [http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/12/10/story2.html 1]. Retrieved October 17, 2010.</ref> with a total of {{convert|130000|sqft|sqm}} of space.<ref name=Hetchcockp2/> 340 employees were scheduled to move there.<ref name="Hetchcockp1"/> The space TM moved into was previously occupied by [[TXU Energy]].<ref name=Hetchcockp2/>

==Design==
* The tower uses a traditional three-sectioned skyscraper form with upper level setbacks. A modern interpretation of the classic barrel vault is used throughout the structure, giving the building an overall art deco style. The setbacks carve a cross shape from the building's top section, but sheets of glass descending like a waterfall from the vaults continue the illusion to street level.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/491.php |title=Bank One Center (Dallas) : 1717 Main Street, Dallas, Texas :: Glass Steel and Stone |accessdate=2009-08-12 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104030846/http://glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/491.php |archivedate=2010-01-04 }}</ref>
* The first five floors contain a massive banking/stock exchange hall with a vaulted ceiling and skylight.<ref name="Emporis"/>
* The building contains a 3 level underground parking garage and is connected to the Elm Street Garage, giving tenants 1,530 parking spaces.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comericabanktower.com/home/pages/about.asp |title=Comerica Bank Tower - Building Description |accessdate=2009-08-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109023221/http://www.comericabanktower.com/home/Pages/about.asp |archivedate=2009-11-09 }}</ref>
* Comerica Tower is a main hub in the [[Dallas Pedestrian Network]] and features several retail spaces below ground.
* The east side of the building features a small plaza with a grid of trees and benches facing the [[Titche-Goettinger Building]].
* The building has been criticized heavily for its poor urban environment at street level. The lack of retail, block-long walls of polished granite and dark glass cause the tower to seem very formidable. The west side entrance plaza, located at one of the busiest corners in downtown Dallas, isolates the building from the street instead of acting like a true public space. At the time of opening, MCorp stated that the stolid exterior was intended. "We wanted a banking building, not an office building,' says MCorp chairman Gene Bishop. "We didn't want the block to be crowded. And we prevailed.'<ref>David Dillon. "A BUTTON-DOWN BUILDING - Momentum Place is grand and elegant, but uninviting." The Dallas Morning News 30 Aug. 1987, HOME FINAL, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT: 1C. NewsBank. Web. 4 Jan. 2010.</ref> In 2009 a small restaurant extension was constructed along Main Street in the east plaza, hoping to mitigate some of these problems.

== See also ==

* [[List of tallest buildings in Dallas]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in Texas]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://comericabanktower.com}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060227142901/http://www.dallasarchitecture.info/bankone.htm Dallasarchitecture.info Comerica Bank Tower]

{{Downtown Dallas}}
{{Dallas skyscrapers}}

[[Category:Bank buildings in Texas]]
[[Category:Downtown Dallas]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dallas]]
[[Category:John Burgee buildings]]
[[Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Dallas]]
[[Category:Philip Johnson buildings]]
[[Category:Office buildings completed in 1987]]
[[Category:1987 establishments in Texas]]