100 West Washington is a high-rise skyscraper in

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ...

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. Formerly known as Wells Fargo Plaza, it opened as the First National Bank Plaza on October 25, 1971 and was later known as the First Interstate Bank Building. It is 356 feet (109 m) tall. It is designed in the Brutalist style, an architectural style spawned from the International Style. The “raw concrete” element of

Brutalist architecture Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ...

allows for no exterior finish which exposes the rough

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...

columns and beams. The tower was designed by the Phoenix office of Charles Luckman and Associates and constructed by the Henry C. Beck Company. The tower sits on a base three stories high, then rises to its full height. The repetitive angular windows add another Brutalist element of blocky appearance and expression of structure. The

Wells Fargo History Museum The Wells Fargo History Museum is a museum operated by Wells Fargo in its corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California that features exhibits about the History of Wells Fargo. It includes original stagecoaches, photographs, gold nuggets a ...

was located on the first floor, but closed in 2020. Exhibits included an extensive collection of western-themed art depicting Wells Fargo's role in the mines of Arizona, a 19th-century

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are dra ...

telegraph Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...

equipment and minerals. After anchor tenant

Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...

departed for its suburban campus located in nearby Chandler, the Phoenix City Council voted in July 2021 to purchase the building for $46.5 million. The primary motivation at the time was to relocate the City's 911 operations and other city departments as needed. The large yellow Wells Fargo logo that had adorned the building's north and south facades for years was removed in late 2021, reflecting the change in ownership. In June 2022, the City of Phoenix began soliciting bids to relocate the

Phoenix Police Department The Phoenix Police Department is the law enforcement agency responsible for the city of Phoenix, Arizona. As of October 2021, the Phoenix Police Department comprises just under 2,800 officers, some 350 below authorized strength of 3,125 and mo ...

to the tower at an estimated

renovation Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, ...

cost of $90 million. No other city departments are programmed for the building.

References

External links

* http://www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/museums_ph.htm
Emporis.com
* http://www.coppersquare.com {{s-end Skyscraper office buildings in Phoenix, Arizona Office buildings completed in 1971 Wells Fargo buildings Bank buildings in Arizona Charles Luckman buildings 1971 establishments in Arizona