Regions Center (Birmingham) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Regions Center |
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Corporate Headquarters |
| Location | 1900 Fifth Avenue North Birmingham, Alabama, USA |
| Coordinates | 33°31′07″N 86°48′28″W / 33.5186°N 86.8078°W |
| Opening | 1972 |
| Owner | Regions Financial Corporation |
| Management | Cushman & Wakefield |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 390 feet (119 m) |
| Top floor | 30 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 30 |
| Floor area | 630,000 square feet (58,529 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Welton Becket & Associates |
The Regions Center is a really tall office building in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. It stands 390 feet (about 119 meters) high and has 30 floors! This impressive tower is located at the corner of 20th Street and 5th Avenue North.
Over the years, this building has had a few different names. It was once known as the AmSouth Center, and before that, the AmSouth-Sonat Tower. When it was first built, it was called the First National-Southern Natural Building.
From 1972 until 2006, the building was the main office for a company called AmSouth Bancorporation. Another company, Sonat, Inc., also had its main offices here from 1972 until 2007. Today, the Regions Center is the main office for Regions Financial Corporation.
Contents
Building History: From Start to Today
This amazing skyscraper was finished in 1972. It was designed in a modernist style by a company called Welton Becket & Associates from Houston. A local company, Charles H. McCauley Associates, also helped with the design.
Original Design and Partnership
The building was a team effort between First National Bank and Southern Natural Gas Corporation. That's why its first name was the First National-Southern Natural Building.
The outside of the building is covered in shiny glass. This glass is set between a large black granite base and a special steel cover at the top. The building is set back a bit from the street, creating a raised area with a terrace. There's also a banking lobby on one side and a sunken courtyard with a cafeteria downstairs.
Changes in Names and Ownership
In the early 1980s, the companies that owned the building changed their names. First National Bank became AmSouth Bancorporation. Southern Natural Gas changed to Sonat, Inc.. Because of these changes, the building got a new name: the AmSouth-Sonat Tower.
Around 1986, Sonat thought about selling its half of the building to AmSouth. But in the end, they decided to keep their share.
In 1999, Sonat joined with a company from Houston called El Paso Corporation. El Paso continued to use a lot of space in the building. Their Southern Natural Gas division even kept its main office there.
Finally, in 2001, Sonat sold its half of the building to AmSouth. So, in 2002, the building's name changed again to the AmSouth Center.
Becoming the Regions Center
In November 2006, AmSouth and Regions companies joined together. Because of this, the building's name officially changed to the Regions Center. The new Regions logo was put up where the AmSouth logo used to be.
On January 29, 2007, Southern Natural announced they would move their main office. They moved to the Colonial Brookwood Center in a nearby suburb. After that, Regions fixed up the old offices. Now, Regions is the only company that uses the building.
Cool Lighting Displays
The Regions Center has a really cool lighting system. During the Christmas season, 2,200 colored lights shine in each glass panel. This creates a giant, bright picture that you can see from far away!
- The east side shows a Christmas tree.
- The south side lights up as a wreath.
- The west side looks like a candy cane.
- The north side shows a stocking.
Since 2007, the building also lights up every May. This is for the Regions Tradition golf tournament. Before that, it was for the Regions Charity Classic. All four sides of the building light up to show a golfer hitting a golf ball!
