kids encyclopedia robot

Truist Plaza facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Truist Plaza
Suntrust-plaza-atlanta.jpg
Alternative names One Peachtree Center, SunTrust Plaza, 303 Peachtree
General information
Type Commercial offices
Architectural style Postmodernism
Location 303 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia
Coordinates 33°45′47″N 84°23′13″W / 33.763°N 84.387°W / 33.763; -84.387
Construction started 1989 (1989)
Completed 1992 (1992)
Height
Antenna spire 274.9 m (902 ft)
Roof 265.48 m (871.0 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 60
Floor area 111,400 m2 (1,199,000 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators 28
Design and construction
Architect John Portman & Associates
Developer John Portman & Associates

Truist Plaza is a 265 m (869 ft) 60 story skyscraper in downtown Atlanta. It was designed by John C. Portman, Jr. of John Portman & Associates and built from 1989 to 1992. In the mid-1990s, Portman sold half of his interest in the building to SunTrust Banks, which then moved its headquarters to the building and prompted a name change from One Peachtree Center to SunTrust Plaza. In 2021 the building changed its name to Truist Plaza, following a merger between SunTrust Banks and BB&T. The building is also known as 303 Peachtree. The building has a roof height of 871 feet (265 m) and stands a total of 902 feet (275 m) tall, including its antenna. When completed, Truist Plaza stood as the world's 28th tallest building and 21st tallest building in the United States. Now it is not in the top 400 in the world, and it is currently the 55th tallest building in the United States and 2nd tallest building in Atlanta.

History

Architect and developer John C. Portman, Jr. originally conceived this building in the 1980s commercial real-estate frenzy as a speculative office building. Its basic design elements, a postmodern square tower with an elaborate base and crown, represented a departure for Portman from his earlier International-style work, and are said to have been inspired by Philip Johnson's wildly successful design for midtown Atlanta's One Atlantic Center.

Ground broke in 1989 with great fanfare, but by completion in 1992, the bottom had fallen out of Atlanta's real estate market and the building sat largely empty, nearly forcing Portman into bankruptcy and causing him to lose control of most of his real estate holdings. His architectural firm, John Portman & Associates, located their headquarters in the building.

The two-level lobby is filled with many works of art, sculpture and furniture designed by John Portman. The light rotates.

Recent events

The building was one of several struck by the mid-March 2008 Atlanta tornado, however it did not sustain damage as severe as most of the other buildings just south of it. Several offices had to be temporarily relocated within the building due to broken windows.

LPTV station WDTA-LD relocated to the top of the building, from the even-taller Bank of America Plaza. Despite long being Atlanta's second-tallest skyscraper, this is its first broadcast antenna.

The building has been since its construction the home of John Portman & Associates Architects.

Atlanta's Truist Plaza building is home to a peregrine falcons' nest in planters on a balcony more than 50 stories above ground. High above any natural predators, the planters offer soft substrate and afford some protection from harsh weather. Peregrine falcons have been nesting at Truist Plaza since 1997. This Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division web-camera offers viewers a unique look at the peregrines nesting activities in real-time. (Note: The balcony is private and not open to the public.)

In October 2021, Truist announced plans to install signage on the crown of the building. The new signage was installed on January 23, 2022, which necessitated the closure of streets and sidewalks surrounding the skyscraper.

Gallery

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: SunTrust Plaza para niños

kids search engine
Truist Plaza Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.