Riverplace Tower

Last updated
Riverplace Tower
Riverplace Tower in Jacksonville.jpg
Jacksonville Urban Core.png
Red pog.svg
Location within Central Jacksonville
USA Florida location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Riverplace Tower (Florida)
Former namesGulf Life Tower
General information
TypeCommercial offices
Architectural style Mid-century modern / Structural expressionism
Location1301 Riverplace Boulevard Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Coordinates 30°19′10″N81°39′24″W / 30.319403°N 81.656541°W / 30.319403; -81.656541
Construction started1966
Completed1967
Opening1967;56 years ago (1967)
Owner1301 Riverplace Owner, LLC
Greenwich, CT
Height
Roof432 ft (132 m) [1]
Technical details
Floor count28 [1]
Floor area542,000 sq ft (50,350 m2)<
Lifts/elevators8 [1]
Design and construction
Architect(s) Welton Becket
Architecture firm KBJ Architects
DeveloperCapital Partners [1]

The Riverplace Tower is a 28-floor office building on the south bank of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. At the time of its construction, it was the tallest building in the state of Florida and was the defining landmark in Jacksonville's skyline. [1] [2] On April 18, 2012, the American Institute of Architects's Florida Chapter placed the building on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places as the Riverplace Tower / Formerly Gulf Life Tower. [3]

Contents

History

Gulf Life Tower in 1968. GulfLifeJAX.jpg
Gulf Life Tower in 1968.

The Auchter Company, Jacksonville's oldest general construction contractor, built the 542,000 ft2 Gulf Life Tower for the Gulf Life Insurance Company in 1966. It was designed by the notable architect, Welton Becket and KBJ Architects. When completed in 1967, it was the tallest precast, post-tensioned concrete structure in the world. [4]

It remained Florida's tallest for five years until Miami's One Biscayne Tower was constructed in 1972. [2] It was Jacksonville's tallest for eight years until the Independent Life Building (now the Wells Fargo Center) was built in 1974. In 2007, 40 years after its construction, Riverplace Tower was still the fifth tallest building in Jacksonville. [1]

Gulf Life Insurance Company was merged into American General Life of Houston in 1991 and the Jacksonville Gulf Life Tower was unneeded and destined to be sold. [5] American General wanted $30 million, but the building was 24 years old and no longer a class "A" property. Several prospective buyers looked at the building, but the property stayed on the market for more than two years. For tax reasons, American General was desperate to sell during 1993 and accepted a cash offer of $9.0 million from Gate Petroleum. [6] [7] Shortly thereafter, Gate began a multimillion-dollar renovation of the entire building and renamed it Riverplace Tower. [8]

Building occupancy was 40% when the sale closed; within two years from the completion of the renovation, it had soared to nearly 95% and the building was restored to its former prominence. [9]

The banner sign at the top of the building originally displayed "Gulf Life" in 1967. After Gulf Life was acquired by American General in 1991, it was changed to "SouthTrust", and the structure was known as the SouthTrust Building. When SouthTrust and Wachovia merged in 2005, "Wachovia" signage was installed, but it was removed January 22, 2011. [10]

Since 1968 until its closure in 2016, the University Club of Jacksonville occupied the building's top floor. There were approximately 1,300 members: business executives of both genders; older, long-term associates; and young professionals. The private club was available to members and their guests, or ClubCorp affiliates. The facility was a hub for networking and entertaining clients, as well as providing conference rooms and offices for conducting business in private. The club also offered two full service athletic facilities; one co-ed and one for men only. [11] [12]

Gate Petroleum sold the building on October 31, 2014 to CFLC Replace LLC in Glen Allen, Virginia for $29.0 million. [13]

The building was sold on December 1, 2016 to LCP Riverplace LLC in Glen Allen, Virginia for $53.4 million. [14]

The building was sold on December 22, 2021 to 1301 Riverplace Owner, LLC in Greenwich, Connecticut for $73.2 million. [15]

Design

The structural system consists of precast concrete floor plates and a poured concrete core. The building is an example of a suspended structure. The building gets structural support from the central core and the external vertical beams, which leaves a more open internal space. There are two tapered columns on each side of the building. Cross beams connect the vertical columns to create a skeleton which allows the cantilevered floors. [16]

The concrete grid on the outside of the building is the only support needed to hold up the structure, leaving the interior completely available for use. Each of the exposed beams consist of fourteen precast units held together with high strength post-tensioned steel cables. The beams cantilever 42 feet from the columns as they taper upward and inward. The color of the concrete façade comes from White quartz sand and white cement bonded to the surface. [17]

The Gate River Run Hall of Fame was established in 2002 and is permanently located on the concourse level. Memorabilia from the event, which began in 1978, is on display, and a five-minute video gives visitors an overview of the race. Plaques for each of the 12 persons inducted into the HOF are on display. [18]

The Village Bread Cafe is a public restaurant located on the second floor of the tower, and it offers an excellent view of the river and northbank through its glass, north-facing wall.

Honors

In honor of its 50th anniversary, the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute went through the arduous process of selecting the Seven precast concrete "Wonders". Their choices were: the Department of Housing and Urban Development Headquarters in Washington, D.C.; Gulf Life Tower in Jacksonville; Disney World Monorail in Orlando, TransAmerica Pyramid in San Francisco; Aurora Justice Facility and Municipal Center in Aurora, Colorado; Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida; and the Blue Cross-Blue Shield Parking Structure in North Haven, Connecticut. [19]

According to an Architecture article in Time Magazine, "(the) Gulf Life, placed in a shoddy, chaotic part of Jacksonville, is a tonic for its area, acts as an organizing beacon. And the bold Alcoa building…makes a positive contribution to San Francisco. Both buildings thus achieve excellence." [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Financial Center</span> Real estate development in Miami, Florida

Southeast Financial Center is a two-acre development in Miami, Florida, United States. It consists of a 765 feet (233 m) tall office skyscraper and its 15-story parking garage. It was previously known as the Southeast Financial Center (1984–1992), the First Union Financial Center (1992–2003) and the Wachovia Financial Center (2003–2011). In 2011, it retook its old name of Southeast Financial Center as Wachovia merged with Wells Fargo and moved to the nearby Wells Fargo Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Precast concrete</span> Construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold

Precast concrete is a construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold or "form" which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and maneuvered into place; examples include precast beams, and wall panels for tilt up construction. In contrast, cast-in-place concrete is poured into site-specific forms and cured on site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bank of America Tower (Jacksonville)</span> Commercial office in Jacksonville, Florida

Bank of America Tower is a skyscraper in the downtown area of Jacksonville, Florida, at the northwest corner of Bay and Laura streets. At 617 ft (188 m), it is the tallest building in Jacksonville, and the seventeenth-tallest in Florida. It was built as the headquarters of Barnett Bank and originally named Barnett Center, but the name was changed to NationsBank Tower in 1998 after Barnett Bank was acquired by NationsBank. NationsBank was soon acquired by Bank of America and the building's name was changed to Bank of America Tower in 1999. The 42-floor structure was designed by German-American architect Helmut Jahn, and is constructed of reinforced concrete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Carling</span> United States historic place

The Carling, formerly known as the Carling Hotel and Hotel Roosevelt, is a historic building in Jacksonville, Florida, United States built in 1925. It is located at 31 West Adams Street in Downtown Jacksonville. As its former names indicates it was originally a hotel, and was used for that purpose until 1964; it currently serves as a residential building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11 East Forsyth</span> United States historic place

11 East Forsyth, formerly known as the Lynch Building and the American Heritage Life Building, is a historic structure in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally developed by Stephen Andrew Lynch, as its current name suggests, it is located at 11 East Forsyth Street in Downtown Jacksonville. On December 23, 2003, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wells Fargo Center (Jacksonville)</span> Skyscraper in Jacksonville, Florida

Wells Fargo Center is a skyscraper in the downtown area of Jacksonville, Florida, at the southeast corner of Bay and Laura streets. Standing 535 feet tall, it is the city's second-tallest building. It was formerly known as the Modis Building until 2011, when Wells Fargo acquired the naming rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">550 South Tryon</span> Office skyscraper

550 South Tryon is a 786-foot (240 m) tall, 48-floor skyscraper in Charlotte, North Carolina. When completed in 2010, it was the largest building in Charlotte, second tallest building in Charlotte, 63rd tallest building in the United States, and the tallest in the world to use precast double tees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eight Forty One</span> 309 feet (94 metres), 22-floor office building on the south bank of St. Johns River

Eight Forty One is a 309 feet, 22-floor office building on the south bank of St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. Completed in 1955, it was the tallest building in the city for 13 years until surpassed by the Riverplace Tower. It was "The Tallest Office Building in the South" and the tallest in Florida until NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building was completed in 1965. The building's former names include the Aetna Building, Prudential Plaza I or One Prudential Plaza, and the Prudential Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Street Trio</span>

The Laura Street Trio is a group of three historic buildings located on and near Laura Street in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. The Trio consists of two perpendicularly arranged skyscrapers, the Florida Life Building and the Bisbee Building, plus a third structure, the Old Florida National Bank, which is framed by the other two in a unique pattern. The three buildings, constructed in the wake of the Great Fire of 1901, are architecturally significant, but are currently endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">121 Atlantic Place</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wells Fargo Tower (Baltimore)</span> Commercial skyscraper in Baltimore, Maryland

The Wells Fargo Tower, formerly known as the First Union Signet Tower, Wachovia Tower, and Union Trust Building, is a commercial high-rise in Baltimore, Maryland. The building rises 24 floors above street level and is 330 feet (101 m) in height; it is tied with Charles Center South as the 17th-tallest building in the city. The structure was completed in 1985. The Wells Fargo Tower was developed by the Dallas-based Trammell Crow Company, and is currently owned by the Wells Fargo and Company. The structure is an example of modern architecture, and has a glass, steel and concrete façade. The Wachovia Tower rises from the site formerly occupied by the Calvert Building and 7-9 Saint Paul Street. The building, formerly housing offices for Wachovia, is now home to the regional office of Wells Fargo and Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida National Bank</span>

Florida National Bank (FNB), founded in 1905, was the second largest commercial bank in Florida. Florida National Group was acquired in 1990 by First Union Corporation, which was renamed Wachovia in 2001; Wachovia was subsequently acquired by Wells Fargo in 2008.

KBJ Architects, Inc. (KBJ) is an American architectural firm based in Jacksonville, Florida. The firm designed 17 of the city's 30 tallest buildings and "created Jacksonville's modern skyline", according to The Florida Times-Union newspaper. The firm designed the first high-rise in downtown Jacksonville, the 22-story Aetna Building, which opened in 1955. It took pride in "having the second-largest number of architects of any Florida firm", according to a 1997 article in The Florida Times-Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gevora Hotel</span> Tall hotel along Sheikh Zayed Road in the city Dubai, UAE

Gevora Hotel is a 1,168 ft (356 m) tall hotel along Sheikh Zayed Road in the city Dubai, UAE. That height has given the skyscraper the title of tallest hotel building according to Guinness World Records. The four-star hotel opened in February 2018 after a construction period of twelve years. It has 528 rooms spread over 75 floors and a number of facilities including restaurants and a pool on top of its parking garage building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Jacksonville</span>

The architecture of Jacksonville is a combination of historic and modern styles reflecting the city's early position as a regional center of business. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, there are more buildings built before 1967 in Jacksonville than any other city in Florida, though few structures in the city center predate the Great Fire of 1901. Numerous buildings in the city have held state height records, dating as far back as 1902, and last holding a record in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Street</span> Street in Jacksonville

Laura Street is a north–south street in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, named for the daughter of the city's founder, Isaiah D. Hart. Historically, the downtown portion of Laura Street has been considered the financial district of Jacksonville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suspended structure</span> Suspended structure architecture

A suspended structure is a structure which is supported by cables coming from beams or trusses which sit atop a concrete center column or core. The design allows the walls, roof and cantilevered floors to be supported entirely by cables and a center column.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Ball Building</span> 141 feet (43 metres), 11-floor low-rise building in downtown Jacksonville

Edward Ball Building is a 141 feet, 11-floor office building at 214 North Hogan Street in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. It presently serves as the Jacksonville City Hall Annex, housing several departments that were displaced in 1997 when city government moved to the St. James Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gate Petroleum</span> Diversified corporation in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.

Gate Petroleum is a privately held diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the 11th largest in Florida in 2022. In FY 2022, the company ranked No. 338 on the Forbes list of America's Largest Private Companies and had sales of $1.44 billion and employment of 3,500.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Riverplace Tower". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  2. 1 2 "Riverplace Tower" Skyscraper Page website, Database
  3. ↑ Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places
  4. ↑ British Library Direct: Concrete Products 2004, VOL 107; NUMB 10, pages 52-52
  5. ↑ AIG website: Company history
  6. ↑ "Special Warranty Deed". OR.Duvalclerk.com. Duval County Clerk of the Court. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "Special Warranty Deed". OR.Duvalclerk.com. Duval County Clerk of the Court. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Peyton, H: "Newboy", page 159. Edwards Brothers, 1997
  9. ↑ Brune-Mathis, Karen: "Barnett's buildings in question" Florida Times-Union, September 3, 1997
  10. ↑ Fletcher, Jon M.: "Watch: Wachovia Signage Removed from Riverplace Tower" Florida Times-Union, January 23, 2011
  11. ↑ Capullo, Lori: "Private Business Clubs in Florida" Florida Trend magazine, September 1, 2011
  12. ↑ Virtual tourist.com: Skyscrapers & Architecture: Riverplace Tower and its little known dining spots
  13. ↑ "Special Warranty Deed". OR.Duvalclerk.com. Duval County Clerk of the Court. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  14. ↑ "Special Warranty Deed". OR.Duvalclerk.com. Duval County Clerk of the Court. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  15. ↑ "Special Warranty Deed". OR.Duvalclerk.com. Duval County Clerk of the Court. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "Riverplace Tower". Riverplace Tower. Gate Riverplace Company. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  17. ↑ Emporis.com [ dead link ]
  18. ↑ "Hall of Fame" Gate River Run website
  19. ↑ Precast Concrete Institute publications: Issue 23
  20. ↑ Time Magazine: Aug. 02, 1968- To Cherish Rather than Destroy
Records
Preceded by Tallest Building in Jacksonville
1967—1974
132m		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.