Bank of America Tower (Providence)
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| Begun: | 1925 |
| Opened: | 1928 |
| Height: | 428 (130 meters) |
| Floors: | 26 |
| ZIP Code: | 02903 |
| City Rank: | 1st (as of early 2006) |
| Location: | Kennedy Plaza |
| Architect: | Walker & Gillette, George Frederick Hall |
| Developers: | Industrial Trust Company |
The Bank of America building (or "The Superman Building" to locals) is the tallest building in the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island. Standing at 428 feet (130 m) and comprising 26 floors, it was the third tallest building in New England when completed, behind the Traveller's Tower in Hartford, CT[1] and the Custom House Tower in Boston[2].[3][4].
[edit] Historical Context
The building was built as the Industrial Trust Tower in 1927, and designed in the Art Deco style popular at the time. Stepped buildings in New York had been architects' solution for Manhattan's strict zoning regarding adequate amounts of light and air. Facing no such restrictions in Providence, the New York architects, Walker & Gillete, chose to keep the stepping. The base and the trim at the base's top was built to match the cornice height of existing adjacent (now gone) four-story buildings.[5] The building was previously known as the Fleet Bank Tower.
[edit] Trivia
- The Bank of America building is one of three Providence buildings commonly shown in the background of outdoor scenes in the television series Family Guy, in company with 50 Kennedy Plaza and One Financial Center.
- During the 1950s, it was rumored that the Daily Planet building[citation needed], from the Superman comics, was modeled after this building. Even though this is untrue - the actual model was the Ohio Bell Building in Cleveland, Ohio (finished that same year)[6] - the building is still referred to as the Superman Building by locals for its resemblance in the comics and the 1950s television series.[7]
- The Bank of America building will cease to be the tallest in Providence following completion of the high-rise residential tower OneTen. OneTen's developers aim to have the building ready for occupancy in 2008. This will end what will be an 81-year hold on the title of tallest in Providence for the Bank of America Tower.
[edit] References
- ^ [1] Emporis.com, Traveller's Tower, Hartford, CT
- ^ [2] Emporis.com, Custom House Tower, Boston, MA
- ^ Superman Building. Pdvbldgs.com. Accessed April 7, 2006.
- ^ Woodward, Wm McKenzie. Guide to Providence Architecture. 1st ed. United States: 2003. p101.
- ^ Woodward, Wm McKenzie. Guide to Providence Architecture. 1st ed. United States: 2003. p101.
- ^ Ohio Bell Huron Building, Cleveland. Emporis.com. Accessed June 5, 2005
- ^ Bank of America Building. Emporis.com. Accessed June 5, 2006.
| Providence skyscrapers Downcity: OneTen Westminster Street | Bank of America Building | One Financial Plaza | The Residences at the Westin | The Westin Providence |Textron World Headquarters | 50 Kennedy Plaza |Waterplace 1 | Rhode Island State House | Omni Biltmore Hotel |Providence County Courthouse | Waterplace 2 | Brown University Sciences Library | The Sister Dominica Manor | The Empire at Broadway |
