History U.S. Bank Center (Milwaukee)

1 history

1.1 first wisconsin center
1.2 firstar center
1.3 u.s. bank center

history

plans announced first wisconsin national bank construct new headquarters building on august 21, 1969. although no architectural designs complete @ time of announcement, bank officials indicated rise @ least 40 stories. on march 18, 1971, bank officials unveiled final design 42-story, 601-foot (183 m) skyscraper, encompassing full block fronting on east wisconsin avenue. designed james destefano of chicago office of skidmore, owings & merrill, fitzhugh scott architects of milwaukee serving associate planner project, name of tower announced first wisconsin center.

the building topped-out on august 29, 1972, installing of final 20-foot (6.1 m) steel beam atop tower. along bank officials, mayor henry maier, county executive john doyne, , wisconsin governor patrick lucey attended ceremony.

near end of construction in 1973, 2 fatalities occurred @ work site. in may, foreman died after being struck dump truck. in july, 1 worker died , 4 others injured when derrick used in installing 175-pound (79 kg) aluminum panel broke free , fell 41 floors ground.

the building occupied on september 4, 1973, , celebrated official opening on october 6, 1973.

first wisconsin center

while still under construction in september 1972, group of local developers responsible neighboring juneau square development filed suit against first wisconsin. $138 million suit alleged bank acted in monopolistic manner control office development, in effort derail plaintiffs proposed 25-story office tower project on property adjacent first wisconsin center. after several years of litigation, suit went trial in may 1976. following october, court found first wisconsin guilty , awarded plaintiffs $6 million in damages tripled $18 million due federal laws on damages awarded antitrust suits. first wisconsin appealed ruling, , in august 1977, federal court ruled case retried due complexity of original trial, along plaintiffs being allowed more time , admission of hearsay testimony. upon appeal, in june 1978 court ruled in favor of first wisconsin in clearing company of charges.

after remaining under ownership of first wisconsin since opening, in june 1987 announced tower purchased $195 million dallas development company trammell crow. @ time of announced sale, trammell crow unveiled plans construct 50-story tower southeast of first wisconsin center in overtaking state s tallest building. has since remained unbuilt. sale completed in january 1988 trammell crow paying $195 million complex, subsequently sell investment partnership $220.9 million.

firstar center

in december 1988, first wisconsin changed name firstar corporation operations expanded beyond state of wisconsin. in may 1992 first wisconsin brand dropped , retail banking operations unified under name firstar bank. result, on september 14, 1992, building renamed firstar center. in 1996, $1.2 million skywalk constructed on van buren street connect tower neighboring lewis center. addition funded in part city of milwaukee economic development project firstar had significant operations in both tower , neighboring lewis center.

in 1998, ownership partnership of equitable life assurance society of united states, state of wisconsin investment board, , california public employees retirement system (calpers) decided place center on market. following november star banc of cincinnati announced re-purchase of tower company hands $200 million @ time of purchase of firstar.

u.s. bank center

in october 2000, firstar corporation announced purchase of u.s. bancorp , stated new company take u.s. bank moniker. firstar-u.s. bancorp merger approved in february 2001, , on may 3, 2002, firstar center became u.s. bank center when rebranding completed in wisconsin. in april 2008, panel in center s adjacent parking garage fell , crushed car. result of incident, building owners decided tear down garage constructed in 1973 , replace six-story, precast concrete garage. 1,000 parking space garage opened in june 2010.

the windows on u.s. bank center used display lighted messages, during significant events in milwaukee. in 2003, letters hd , harley davidson, displayed during harleyfest signify 100th anniversary. in 2005, letters uwm , university of wisconsin–milwaukee, displayed during milwaukee panthers men s basketball team s sweet sixteen run in 2005 ncaa men s division basketball tournament. visible trusses @ top of building near u.s. bank sign lit in germane colors signify events such holidays. in week leading 2007-08 nfc championship game lit in green , yellow in tribute green bay packers. done again during week leading packers appearance against chicago bears in 2010 nfc championship game on january 16, 2011 in chicago, illinois.