Rainier Tower: Difference between revisions

Rainier Tower
Rainier Tower
	Location within downtown Seattle
Former names	Rainier Bank Tower (1977–89); Security Pacific Tower (1989–95)
Alternative names	Rainier Square
General information
Type	Commercial offices
Location	1301 Fifth Avenue; Seattle, Washington
Coordinates	47°36′32″N 122°20′03″W / 47.60902°N 122.33405°W
Completed	1977
Owner	Unico Properties
Height
Roof	156.67 m (514.0 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	41; 2 below ground
Floor area	538,000 sq ft (50,000 m2)
Lifts/elevators	13
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Minoru Yamasaki; NBBJ
Structural engineer	Magnusson Klemencic Associates
References

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Rainier Tower is a 41-story, 156.67 m (514.0 ft) skyscraper in the Metropolitan Tract of Seattle, Washington, at 1301 Fifth Avenue. It was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who designed the World Trade Center in New York City as well as the IBM Building, which is on the corner across the street from Rainier Tower to the southeast. Its construction was completed in 1977.^[6]

The skyscraper has an unusual appearance, being built atop an 11-story, 37 m (121 ft) concrete pedestal base that tapers towards ground level, like an inverted pyramid.^[7] Architect Yamasaki chose the design in order to preserve the greenery of downtown Seattle and allow more ground space to be devoted to a retail shopping plaza.^[8]^[9]

Beneath the tower was Rainier Square, an underground shopping mall connecting with One Union Square, which is owned by the University of Washington (UW).^[10] This shopping center was demolished in 2017. Both the mall and tower were originally named after Rainier Bank, which was merged in the 1980s into Security Pacific, which was eventually merged into Bank of America.^[11] The tower was named after Security Pacific in 1989 until UW chose to rename it back to the more familiar "Rainier Tower" in 1995.^[5]

Locals often refer to it as the "Beaver Building" as its physical appearance looks like a tree being felled by a beaver.^[12] It had also been referred to as the "golf tee" building.^[9]

In 2015, the University of Washington proposed the Rainier Square Tower, an 850 ft mixed-use tower, to occupy space on the same block as the Rainier Tower. Construction began in September 2017,^[13]^[14] and completed in 2020.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]

References

^ "Rainier Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
^ "Emporis building ID 119487". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ "Rainier Tower". SkyscraperPage.
^ Rainier Tower at Structurae
^ ^a ^b "It's A New (Old) Song: Rainier Tower Gets Its Name Back". The Seattle Times. September 23, 1995. Archived from the original on December 27, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
^ Woodridge, Sally B.; Roger Montgomery (1980). A Guide to Architecture in Washington State. University of Washington Press. p. 127. ISBN 0-295-95779-4.
^ "Rainier Tower". buffaloah.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
^ "PCAD - Marine Bancorporation, Rainier National Bank, Headquarters Building, Downtown, Seattle, WA". pcad.lib.washington.edu. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Gallagher, John (2015). Yamasaki in Detroit : a Search for Serenity. Detroit, Michigan: [Wayne State University Press]. ISBN 978-0814341209.
^ Bhatt, Sanjay (October 3, 2013), "UW has big plans for its prime downtown Seattle real estate", The Seattle Times, archived from the original on October 5, 2013, retrieved October 6, 2013
^ Glenn R. Pascall (May 8, 1998). "Too Big To Fail – To Too Big To Succeed?". The Puget Sound Business Journal. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
^ Lonely Planet Pocket Seattle. Lonely Planet. June 2017. ISBN 9781787010864. Archived from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
^ Rainier Square Bank Tower, Yamasaki Inc., archived from the original on January 5, 2016, retrieved January 15, 2015
^ Rainier Square Hotel, Emporis, archived from the original on January 16, 2019, retrieved January 15, 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ "Rainier Square - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
^ "Rainier Square Tower". Emporis. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Russel Fortmeyer (May 1, 2021), "Rainier Square by NBBJ", Architectural Record, retrieved April 24, 2022
^ Brian Miller (August 5, 2021). "400 University is done, says Wright Runstad, and ready for tenants". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved April 24, 2022.

External links

Rainier Tower at Wright Runstad and Company

[1] "Rainier Tower". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.

[2] "Emporis building ID 119487". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[3] "Rainier Tower". SkyscraperPage.

[4] Rainier Tower at Structurae

[names-5] "It's A New (Old) Song: Rainier Tower Gets Its Name Back". The Seattle Times. September 23, 1995. Archived from the original on December 27, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.

[woodridge-6] Woodridge, Sally B.; Roger Montgomery (1980). A Guide to Architecture in Washington State. University of Washington Press. p. 127. ISBN 0-295-95779-4.

[7] "Rainier Tower". buffaloah.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.

[8] "PCAD - Marine Bancorporation, Rainier National Bank, Headquarters Building, Downtown, Seattle, WA". pcad.lib.washington.edu. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2021.

[Gallagher-9] Gallagher, John (2015). Yamasaki in Detroit : a Search for Serenity. Detroit, Michigan: [Wayne State University Press]. ISBN 978-0814341209.

[bhatt-10] Bhatt, Sanjay (October 3, 2013), "UW has big plans for its prime downtown Seattle real estate", The Seattle Times, archived from the original on October 5, 2013, retrieved October 6, 2013

[11] Glenn R. Pascall (May 8, 1998). "Too Big To Fail – To Too Big To Succeed?". The Puget Sound Business Journal. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2011.

[12] Lonely Planet Pocket Seattle. Lonely Planet. June 2017. ISBN 9781787010864. Archived from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2020.

[13] Rainier Square Bank Tower, Yamasaki Inc., archived from the original on January 5, 2016, retrieved January 15, 2015

[14] Rainier Square Hotel, Emporis, archived from the original on January 16, 2019, retrieved January 15, 2019{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[15] "Rainier Square - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved April 24, 2022.

[16] "Rainier Square Tower". Emporis. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[17] Russel Fortmeyer (May 1, 2021), "Rainier Square by NBBJ", Architectural Record, retrieved April 24, 2022

[18] Brian Miller (August 5, 2021). "400 University is done, says Wright Runstad, and ready for tenants". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved April 24, 2022.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|41-story skyscraper in the Metropolitan Tract of Seattle, Washington}}
+{{Short description|41-story skyscraper in Seattle, Washington}}
 {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}}
 {{Infobox building
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 | owner              = [[Unico Properties]]
 | management         =
-| references         = <ref>{{CTBUH|3568}}</ref><ref>{{Emporis|119487}}</ref><ref>{{SkyscraperPage|3542}}</ref><ref>{{Structurae|20027203}}</ref><ref name="names">{{cite news |url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950923&slug=2143082 |title=It's A New (Old) Song: Rainier Tower Gets Its Name Back |date=September 23, 1995 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=December 26, 2015 |archive-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227154637/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950923&slug=2143082 |url-status=live }}</ref>
+| references         = <ref>{{CTBUH|3568}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119487 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307023638/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/119487 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 119487 |work=[[Emporis]]}}</ref><ref>{{SkyscraperPage|3542}}</ref><ref>{{Structurae|20027203}}</ref><ref name="names">{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19950923/2143082/its-a-new-old-song-rainier-tower-gets-its-name-back |title=It's A New (Old) Song: Rainier Tower Gets Its Name Back |date=September 23, 1995 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |access-date=December 26, 2015 |archive-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227154637/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19950923&slug=2143082 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 }}
 '''Rainier Tower''' is a 41-story, {{convert|156.67|m|abbr=on}} [[skyscraper]] in the [[Metropolitan Tract (Seattle)|Metropolitan Tract]] of [[Seattle, Washington]], at 1301 Fifth Avenue. It was designed by [[Minoru Yamasaki]], who designed the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] in [[New York City]] as well as the [[IBM Building, Seattle|IBM Building]], which is on the corner across the street from Rainier Tower to the southeast. Its construction was completed in 1977.<ref name=woodridge>{{cite book | last=Woodridge | first=Sally B. |author2=Roger Montgomery  | page = 127 | title=A Guide to Architecture in Washington State | publisher= University of Washington Press | year=1980 | isbn=0-295-95779-4}}</ref>
-The skyscraper has an unusual appearance, being built atop an 11-story, {{convert|37|m|abbr=on}} concrete pedestal base that tapers towards ground level, like an [[Inverted pyramid (architecture)|inverted pyramid]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rainier Tower|url=https://buffaloah.com/a/virtual/us/seatt/rain/rain.html|access-date=2021-09-07|website=buffaloah.com|archive-date=January 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106063000/https://buffaloah.com/a/virtual/us/seatt/rain/rain.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Architect Yamasaki chose the design in order to preserve the greenery of downtown Seattle and allow more ground space to be devoted to a retail shopping plaza.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PCAD - Marine Bancorporation, Rainier National Bank, Headquarters Building, Downtown, Seattle, WA|url=http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/5087/|access-date=2021-09-07|website=pcad.lib.washington.edu|archive-date=December 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203082456/http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/5087/|url-status=live}}</ref>
+The skyscraper has an unusual appearance, being built atop an 11-story, {{convert|37|m|abbr=on}} concrete pedestal base that tapers towards ground level, like an [[Inverted pyramid (architecture)|inverted pyramid]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rainier Tower|url=https://buffaloah.com/a/virtual/us/seatt/rain/rain.html|access-date=2021-09-07|website=buffaloah.com|archive-date=January 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106063000/https://buffaloah.com/a/virtual/us/seatt/rain/rain.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Architect Yamasaki chose the design in order to preserve the greenery of downtown Seattle and allow more ground space to be devoted to a retail shopping plaza.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PCAD - Marine Bancorporation, Rainier National Bank, Headquarters Building, Downtown, Seattle, WA|url=http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/5087/|access-date=2021-09-07|website=pcad.lib.washington.edu|archive-date=December 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203082456/http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/5087/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Gallagher">{{cite book |last1=Gallagher |first1=John |title=Yamasaki in Detroit : a Search for Serenity |date=2015 |publisher=[Wayne State University Press] |location=Detroit, Michigan |isbn=978-0814341209}}</ref>
 Beneath the tower was '''Rainier Square''', an underground shopping mall connecting with [[One Union Square]], which is owned by the [[University of Washington]] (UW).<ref name=bhatt>{{citation |last=Bhatt |first=Sanjay |title=UW has big plans for its prime downtown Seattle real estate |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=October 3, 2013 |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021960534_mettractxml.html |access-date=October 6, 2013 |archive-date=October 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022707/http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021960534_mettractxml.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This shopping center was demolished in 2017. Both the mall and tower were originally named after [[Rainier Bank]], which was merged in the 1980s into [[Security Pacific]], which was eventually merged into [[Bank of America]].<ref>{{cite news | author=Glenn R. Pascall | title=Too Big To Fail – To Too Big To Succeed? | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1998/05/11/editorial3.html | work=The Puget Sound Business Journal | date=May 8, 1998 | access-date=January 17, 2011 | archive-date=May 25, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525131701/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1998/05/11/editorial3.html | url-status=live }}</ref> The tower was named after Security Pacific in 1989 until UW chose to rename it back to the more familiar "Rainier Tower" in 1995.<ref name="names" />
-Locals often refer to it as the "Beaver Building" as its physical appearance looks like a tree being felled by a beaver.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lonely Planet Pocket Seattle|date=June 2017|publisher=[[Lonely Planet]]|isbn=9781787010864|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WIMlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT214|access-date=September 20, 2020|archive-date=June 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625203759/https://books.google.com/books?id=WIMlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT214|url-status=live}}</ref> It had also been referred to as the "golf tee" building.
+Locals often refer to it as the "Beaver Building" as its physical appearance looks like a tree being felled by a beaver.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lonely Planet Pocket Seattle|date=June 2017|publisher=[[Lonely Planet]]|isbn=9781787010864|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WIMlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT214|access-date=September 20, 2020|archive-date=June 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625203759/https://books.google.com/books?id=WIMlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT214|url-status=live}}</ref> It had also been referred to as the "golf tee" building.<ref name="Gallagher" />
-In 2015, the University of Washington proposed an [[Rainier Square Tower|850&nbsp;ft office tower]] to occupy space on the same block as the Rainier Tower. The project also includes a twelve-story hotel. Construction began in September 2017 with completion projected in 2020.<ref>{{citation|title=Rainier Square Bank Tower|publisher=Yamasaki Inc.|url=http://yamasaki-inc.com/corp_rainier.html|access-date=January 15, 2015|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105072919/http://yamasaki-inc.com/corp_rainier.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Rainier Square Hotel|publisher=Emporis|url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1224713/rainier-square-hotel-seattle-wa-usa|access-date=January 15, 2019|archive-date=January 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116200709/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1224713/rainier-square-hotel-seattle-wa-usa|url-status=live}}</ref>
+In 2015, the University of Washington proposed the [[Rainier Square Tower]], an 850&nbsp;ft mixed-use tower, to occupy space on the same block as the Rainier Tower. Construction began in September 2017,<ref>{{citation|title=Rainier Square Bank Tower|publisher=Yamasaki Inc.|url=http://yamasaki-inc.com/corp_rainier.html|access-date=January 15, 2015|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105072919/http://yamasaki-inc.com/corp_rainier.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Rainier Square Hotel|publisher=Emporis|url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1224713/rainier-square-hotel-seattle-wa-usa|access-date=January 15, 2019|archive-date=January 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116200709/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1224713/rainier-square-hotel-seattle-wa-usa|url-status=usurped}}</ref> and completed in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rainier Square - The Skyscraper Center |url=https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/rainier-square/16751 |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=www.skyscrapercenter.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rainier Square Tower |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/1224712/rainier-square-tower-seattle-wa-usa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705112429/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/1224712/rainier-square-tower-seattle-wa-usa |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 5, 2015 |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=Emporis}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Rainier Square by NBBJ |url=https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/15099-rainier-square-by-nbbj |access-date=2022-04-24 |work=[[Architectural Record]]|author=Russel Fortmeyer|date=May 1, 2021|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=400 University is done, says Wright Runstad, and ready for tenants | date=August 5, 2021|author=Brian Miller|url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12142238.html |access-date=2022-04-24 |newspaper=[[Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce]]|language=en}}</ref>
 ==See also==
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 ==External links==
 {{Commons category|Rainier Tower}}
-*[http://www.unicoprop.com/prop/rainier_tower.aspx Rainier Tower] at Unico Properties
+*[https://wrightrunstad.com/properties/rainier-tower/?type=managed-properties Rainier Tower] at Wright Runstad and Company
-*[http://www.nordarts.com/seattle2Web/pages/seabldg3.html Rainier Tower] at Nordarts
+{{Downtown Seattle}}
 {{Seattle Skyscrapers}}
 {{Minoru Yamasaki}}
 [[Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Seattle]]
-[[Category:Downtown Seattle]]
+[[Category:Buildings and structures in Downtown Seattle]]
 [[Category:Bank of America buildings]]
 [[Category:Bank of America legacy banks]]

v t e Seattle skyscrapers and towers
Current	Columbia Center Rainier Square Tower 1201 Third Avenue Two Union Square Seattle Municipal Tower F5 Tower Safeco Plaza Space Needle Russell Investments Center U.S. Bank Center Docusign Tower 800 Fifth Avenue 901 Fifth Avenue Madison Centre Qualtrics Tower Doppler Day 1 re:Invent Rainier Tower Fourth and Madison Building 1918 Eighth Avenue Hyatt Regency Seattle 1600 Seventh Avenue 1000 Second Avenue Henry M. Jackson Federal Building Smith Tower One Union Square 1111 Third Avenue Westin Seattle North Tower McKenzie Apartments AMLI Arc Arrivé Cirrus Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue Helios Insignia Towers Kinects Modern Nexus Premiere on Pine Ren Spire Stratus The Emerald West Edge Tower Kiara Onni South Lake Union Westin Building Aspira Tower 12 United States Courthouse Seattle Tower UW Tower 1200 Fifth Exchange Building
Under construction	WB1200
Proposed	4/C 3rd & Cherry The Net 8th & Pine The Langham, Seattle
Never built	1015 Second Avenue
Demolished	McGuire Apartments
See also: Tallest buildings in Seattle

v t e Minoru Yamasaki
Skyscrapers	One Woodward Avenue (1963) IBM Building (1963) The Century Plaza Hotel (1966) M&T Bank Center, Buffalo (1967) World Trade Center Tower 1, Tower 2, Buildings 4, 5 and 6 (1970–1971) Montgomery Ward Corporate Headquarters Tower (1972) Century Plaza Towers (1975) Bank of Oklahoma (1977) Rainier Bank Tower (1977) Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (1978) 100 Washington Square (1981) Torre Picasso (1988) Columbia Center (1989–2000)
Airports	St. Louis Lambert International Airport main terminal (1956) Dhahran International Airport terminal (1961) Eastern Airlines terminal at Logan Airport (1969) King Fahd International Airport master plan (1977)
Houses of worship	North Shore Congregation Israel (1964) Temple Beth El (1974) Shinji Shumeikai Founder's Hall (1982)
Other buildings	Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building annex (1951) Pruitt–Igoe housing project (1954) Grosse Pointe University School (1954) Military Personnel Records Center (1955) McGregor Memorial Conference Center (1957) Prentis Building and DeRoy Auditorium Complex (1959) Pacific Science Center (1962) Irwin Library at Butler University (1963) Oberlin Conservatory of Music (1963) Northwestern National Life Building (1965) Robertson Hall at Princeton University (1965) Quo Vadis Entertainment Center (1966) Dr. John Archer Library (1967) Japan Center (1968) Tulsa Performing Arts Center (1976) Istanbul Cevahir (1987)
Landscape architecture	Wascana Centre and University of Regina - Regina Campus (1961–1967)
List of works by Minoru Yamasaki