US Bank Tower Los Angeles: History, Height, and the Iconic Tower of DTLA
The complete guide to US Bank Tower — formerly the tallest building in California, 1,018 feet tall, located in downtown Los Angeles. History, height, design, and gift ideas tied to the tower.
US Bank Tower Los Angeles: History, Height, and the Iconic Tower of DTLA
Quick answer: US Bank Tower (originally First Interstate World Center, also known as Library Tower) stands 1,018 feet (310 meters) and was completed in 1989. It was the tallest building in California until 2016 when Wilshire Grand Center surpassed it. Located at 633 West 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles, it remains the most architecturally iconic tower in the DTLA skyline. The 9 best gift ideas inspired by the tower include a 3D LA skyline sculpture (where the tower sits at the center), vintage construction photos, and architectural prints.
US Bank Tower is the visual anchor of downtown Los Angeles. The cylindrical, glass-skinned design topped by an illuminated crown reads as the LA equivalent of New York's Chrysler Building — distinctive silhouette, architectural ambition, and a complicated commercial history. This guide covers the essential facts, the lesser-known history, and the best gift ideas tied to the tower.
Essential facts about US Bank Tower
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Architect | Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (Henry Cobb, lead) |
| Construction | 1987 to 1989 |
| Opened | 1989 |
| Height to roof | 1,018 feet (310 meters) |
| Floors | 73 above ground, 2 below |
| Architectural style | Postmodern with cylindrical massing |
| Tallest in California | 1989 to 2016 (27 years) |
| Surpassed by | Wilshire Grand Center (1,100 feet, 2017) |
| Currently tallest in LA | No (second after Wilshire Grand) |
| Currently tallest west of Mississippi | No |
| Address | 633 West 5th Street, Los Angeles |
| Coordinates | 34.0507°N, 118.2543°W |
| Earthquake rating | Designed for 8.3 magnitude (Pacific Rim's strongest) |
The tower was originally named First Interstate World Center, then renamed Library Tower because it sits adjacent to the Los Angeles Central Library (the historic 1926 Bertram Goodhue building). The current name reflects US Bank's 2003 naming-rights acquisition.
Why US Bank Tower is iconic
Three reasons it anchors the LA skyline despite no longer being the tallest:
- The cylindrical form. Most American skyscrapers are rectangular boxes. US Bank Tower's circular cross-section creates a distinct silhouette readable from any angle.
- The illuminated crown. The lit ring at the top of the tower glows different colors for events (purple for the Kings, blue for the Dodgers). It functions as a civic flag.
- The earthquake engineering. Designed for the strongest Pacific Rim earthquakes, the tower represented a major engineering statement when built.
The tower also has popular culture significance — it appears in Independence Day (1996, where it gets blown up), The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, and many other disaster films. The tower's destruction in film became enough of a cliché that LA architecture critics have written about it.
How to spot US Bank Tower in the LA skyline
US Bank Tower sits between the Wilshire Grand Center (the new tallest) and the Aon Center. Its cylindrical glass form is distinctive — most skyscrapers around it are rectangular. The illuminated crown is the easiest identifier at night.
In our 3D-printed LA skyline sculpture, US Bank Tower sits in the centerpiece of the DTLA silhouette. The model captures the cylindrical form and the crown.
The 9 best gift ideas inspired by US Bank Tower
1. A 3D-printed LA skyline sculpture
Hand-finished sculpture of the actual DTLA skyline with US Bank Tower at the center, alongside Wilshire Grand, Aon Center, Library Tower, City National Plaza. Medium $69, Large $99. LA collection. Hand-printed in the US, ships in three to five days, free US shipping over $50.
2. A framed vintage construction photograph
Real archival photos from the 1987-89 construction. $40–$120 framed.
3. A book about Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
The firm's monographs. $40–$80.
4. A vintage LA Times issue from 1989 (opening year)
$40–$80.
5. A signed print from a contemporary DTLA photographer
Browse Etsy LA photographers. $80–$300 framed.
6. Jewelry with US Bank Tower coordinates (34.0507°N, 118.2543°W)
$60–$150 from Etsy jewelers.
7. A vintage Los Angeles Magazine cover from a meaningful year
$25–$80.
8. A book about LA architecture
City of Quartz (Mike Davis). Modern Architecture in Los Angeles (Esther McCoy). $40–$80.
9. A vintage Pacific Electric Railway "Red Car" map
The 1940s-50s LA transit network — pre-dates US Bank Tower but anchors the same DTLA. $40–$120 framed.
FAQ
How tall is US Bank Tower?
US Bank Tower stands 1,018 feet (310 meters) to its roof, with 73 floors above ground. It was the tallest building in California from 1989 to 2016 — a 27-year tenure that ended when Wilshire Grand Center (1,100 feet) was completed.
What was US Bank Tower originally called?
The tower was originally First Interstate World Center (1989), then renamed Library Tower (after the adjacent LA Central Library), then US Bank Tower (2003) after the bank acquired naming rights. Locals often still call it Library Tower because of the LA Central Library underneath it.
Why is US Bank Tower famous?
US Bank Tower is famous for being the tallest building in California for 27 years, for its distinctive cylindrical form in a city of rectangular towers, and for its frequent appearance in disaster films (most notably Independence Day, where it is destroyed). It is the visual anchor of the DTLA skyline.
Is US Bank Tower still the tallest in LA?
No. Wilshire Grand Center surpassed it in 2017 at 1,100 feet. US Bank Tower remains the second-tallest in Los Angeles and one of the most architecturally distinctive towers in the DTLA cluster.
What is the best gift for someone who loves US Bank Tower or DTLA?
The best gift is a 3D-printed LA skyline where US Bank Tower sits at the center of the silhouette, with the rest of DTLA around it. Pair with an architecture book or jewelry referencing the building's coordinates. The standalone-building model often reads as tourist; the contextual skyline reads as taste.
Who designed US Bank Tower?
The architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners designed US Bank Tower, with Henry N. Cobb as lead architect. The firm is known for several iconic American towers including the John Hancock Center in Chicago. The tower was a 1980s-era postmodern statement built during downtown Los Angeles's late-20th-century vertical expansion.
What are US Bank Tower's coordinates?
34.0507°N, 118.2543°W. The tower is located at 633 West 5th Street between Hope Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles' Bunker Hill financial district.
Related reading
- Los Angeles skyline buildings guide — every DTLA tower
- Best Downtown LA office decor
- Best gifts for someone from Los Angeles
- Best Hollywood gifts
- LA souvenirs that aren't tacky
Browse the LA skyline collection. Medium $69 most-shipped, Large $99 statement piece. Free US shipping over $50.