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Simmons Bank Tower
Metropolitan Bank Tower.png
General information
Status Complete
Type Office, retail, restaurant
Location 425 West Capitol Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Construction started 1984
Completed 1986
Opening 1986
Height
Antenna spire 547 feet (167 m)
Technical details
Floor count 40
Floor area 624,996 sq ft (58,064.0 m2)
Design and construction
Architect Harwood K. Smith & Partners

The Simmons Bank Tower is a very tall building, called a skyscraper. It has 40 floors and is located in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. Standing at 547 feet (167 m) high, it is the tallest building in the entire state of Arkansas!

Building a Giant: How It Was Made

MetroBankLR
The Simmons Bank Tower under construction.

Building this huge tower started with an idea from two business leaders, John Flake and Jerry Maulden. Construction began in 1984. It cost about $72 million to build.

By 1986, the building was finished. It was first called The Capitol Tower. Today, Simmons Bank has its main office here. They have branches in Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee. Kelley Commercial Partners helps manage and rent out spaces in the tower.

In April 2014, the building's name officially changed to Simmons Tower.

A Tower's Story: Name Changes Over Time

When the building opened in 1986, it was named Capitol Tower. It immediately became the tallest building in Arkansas. It was 92 feet (about 28 meters) taller than the Regions Center across the street. The Simmons Bank Tower has been the tallest building in Arkansas ever since!

Over the years, the tower has had a few different names:

  • TCBY Tower: In 1991, a frozen yogurt company called TCBY moved in. They bought the rights to name the building, so it became TCBY Tower. TCBY later moved out in 2000.
  • Metropolitan Tower: In August 2004, Metropolitan National Bank bought the naming rights. They moved their main office into the building, and it was renamed Metropolitan Tower. In 2005, Metropolitan Bank added special lights to the outside of the tower. These lights can shine in any color to celebrate holidays!
  • Simmons Tower: In 2014, Simmons Bank bought Metropolitan National Bank. That's when the building got its current name, Simmons Tower.

The building has a large parking garage across the street. A special walkway connects the garage to the tower's lobby. Simmons Tower also has 17 elevators to help people get around quickly. On its roof, there are antennas and satellite dishes. These are used for radio, cell phone communication, and local TV stations.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Simmons Tower para niños

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