Umpqua Bank Plaza
| Umpqua Bank Plaza | |
|---|---|
Umpqua Bank Plaza from Waterfront Park
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 Location within Portland, Oregon
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| Former names | Benjamin Franklin Plaza |
| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°30′48″N 122°40′31″W / 45.5133467°N 122.6752496°WCoordinates: 45°30′48″N 122°40′31″W / 45.5133467°N 122.6752496°W |
| Completed | 1974 |
| Opening | 1975 |
| Cost | US$16 million |
| Owner | Zeller Realty Group |
| Height | |
| Roof | 263 feet (80 m) |
| Top floor | 20 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 19 |
| Floor area | 265,000 square feet (24,600 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | ZGF Architects |
Umpqua Bank Plaza is a 19-story office building in Downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Faced with red brick, the structure is 263 feet (80 m) tall and has 265,000 square feet (24,600 m2) of space. Opened in 1975 at a cost of $16 million, the building was designed by Wolff, Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca (now known as ZGF Architects). Originally named the Benjamin Franklin Plaza after tenant Benj. Franklin Savings and Loan, the building was later renamed after current tenant Umpqua Holdings Corporation.
Construction began in 1974 on the 19-story structure, with plans to name it after a construction materials company that was to call it home. Construction ended in 1974 on the $16 million project, but the namesake suffered economic setbacks and did not move into the building, leaving it nameless. The building opened in 1975, and Benjamin Franklin Federal Savings and Loan Association moved their headquarters to the building and were able to get the building named as the Benjamin Franklin Plaza. When Benjamin Franklin moved into the 19th floor, cast iron pieces from the demolished Ladd Building were added as the CEO was a fan of the old look. Additionally, part of the stained-glass ceiling from the old Washington Hotel was on that floor housing the executive offices of the thrift.
In 1983, RREEF Funds purchased the building for about US$35 million. Benjamin Franklin Savings & Loan was closed by the federal government in 1990 and liquidated, but the name of the building remained. Nichiei America Corporation, a subsidiary of Nichiei Co. Ltd., purchased the building in 1990 from RREEF Funds for $34 million. In 1997, the Plaza was remodeled at a cost of $2.7 million and won Office Building of the Year from the Building Owners and Managers Association of Portland. Sportswear company Fila opened a design office in the building in 1997.
In 1998, Spieker Properties bought the tower from Nichiei at a cost of $50 million. Spieker Properties later merged and became part of Equity Office Properties Trust. Following the attacks on the morning of September 11, 2001, the structure was one of many taller buildings to be temporarily closed to the public due to security concerns. The accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP opened an office in the building in 2003.
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