110 Plaza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 110 Plaza
110 Plaza Building looking east on A street
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Office
Location	110 West A Street, San Diego, California, United States
Construction started	1970
Completed	1971
Height
Roof	266 ft (81 m)
Technical details
Floor count	18

The 110 Plaza building, also known as the Commonwealth Building, is a tall office building in downtown San Diego, California, United States. It is located at 110 West A Street. This building stands 266 feet (about 81 meters) tall and has 18 floors. It is a great example of modern architecture.

When the building first opened in 1971, it was special because it was San Diego's first high-rise building made entirely of glass. The outside of the 18-story building is covered in bronze-colored glass. You can easily spot it by the Commonwealth Financial Network sign at the very top.

Today, the building is owned by Forester Properties, Inc. A company called Cushman & Wakefield helps find businesses to rent offices there.

Building History

The 110 Plaza building officially opened its doors on September 14, 1971. It was built very quickly, in less than a year, and cost about $14 million. The building was originally constructed by the Bank of California. It became famous for its unique look, with 142,000 square feet of bronze glass.

When it was new, some people worried that an all-glass building might be an easy target for trouble. However, these concerns were not needed, and the building remained safe.

Special Features

One amazing part of the building, which is still impressive today, is the 32 tons of granite used in its upper sections. This granite came all the way from Quebec, Canada. It was then sent to Italy to be cut and polished.

There was a shipping strike that stopped the granite in Central America. To make sure the building could be finished on time, the granite had to be flown to Los Angeles. From there, it was trucked to San Diego.

Early Innovations

The building also had a special restaurant on its top floor, called an "executive dining room." It served fancy meals, like "Green Turtle Soup" and "Frog Legs." This restaurant was mainly for bank leaders and their guests.

The 110 Plaza also introduced the world's first fully automatic banking machine. This machine was located outside the building's entrance. It was like an early version of today's ATMs. People could use their Master Charge card and a special code to deposit or withdraw cash, pay bills, and move money between accounts.

Who Works Here?

Many different companies and organizations have offices in the 110 Plaza building. Some of the current tenants include:

• Voice of San Diego
• Commonwealth Financial Network
• State of California Attorney General's Office
• Sempra Energy
• Parsons Infrastructure & Technology