Ušće Tower

Infobox Skyscraper


building_name=Ušće Tower
use=Office
location=Belgrade, Serbia
floor_count=27
spire=141 m
antenna=175 m
built=1961 (badly damaged by NATO bombing in 1999)
2003 - 2005 (Reconstructed)
architect=Mihailo Janković
contractor=European Construction
developer=MPC Holding

Ušće Tower (Serbian Cyrillic: "Ушће") is the tallest building in Belgrade, Serbia. It was the tallest building in the Balkans until the construction of the Avaz Twist Tower in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Built in 1964, the glass building overlooks the Danube and Sava rivers. It was originally 105 meters tall and used as the headquarters of the Central Committee of the League of Communists in the former Yugoslavia.

The building was the intended target of a terrorist attack planned by Nikola Kavaja. His intention was to kill Yugoslav leader Tito. However, Kavaja was talked out of executing his plan, and the tower became a symbol of communist pride until the occupation of the Socialist Party of Serbia during the 1990s.

Ušće was frequently leased out to commercial interests until April 21, 1999, when it was badly damaged by successive NATO air-strikes as part of the Kosovo War. Beginning in 2003, the tower was reconstructed, including a 4 floors increase in height. The new tower, Ušće Office Tower 1, is now being rented out to tenants. The Ušće Complex, a modern business center, is also due to be completed within the next three years.

History

Ušće Tower was built in 1964 to serve as headquarters of the Central Committee of the League of Communists in the former Yugoslavia. The building was exclusively used for the Communist party.

The original building was 105 m tall. Even today many people still call it CeKa which is the acronym for "Centralni Komitet" (Central Committee).

Failed terrorist attack

A World Trade Center style destruction nearly occurred. During the 1970s Nikola Kavaja planned to board a Boeing 747 in Chicago, hijack it and hit the CK tower (the name of the building until 2003). He planned this to happen during a meeting of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and would therefore kill the president Josip Broz Tito who would be speaking to his ministers at the time and this would signal the end of communism in the country. However, minutes before he planned to hijack the plane a priest named Stoiljko Kajević (who was also supposed to be his accomplice) talked him out of doing such a thing. Kavaji spent 23 years in prison for his unsuccessful plan. He also served time for his planned attempt to assassinate Josip Broz Tito during his friendly visit to the United States of America.

ymbol of communist pride

During the "golden years" of Yugoslavia the lights were left turned on in the building so at night it would spell out "TITO".Fact|date=January 2008 The building was a symbol of a strong communist country. The building at the time was of the latest architectural modernity. The foundations and the skeleton of the building were so strong that they would later survive multiple bomb blasts.

Take over

After the death of Josip Broz Tito and the election of Slobodan Milošević as the president of Serbia in 1990 the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) moved into the building unlawfully.Fact|date=December 2007 The party leased out many of the floors to domestic companies. They kept however 9 levels as offices for their party. The cabinet of Josip Broz Tito (which he rarely used) was cleared out.Fact|date=December 2007

Later in the 90’s 3 Serbian television stations occupied some of the levels in the building: BKTV, RTV Pink and TV Košava.

NATO Bombing

On April 21, 1999 NATO air strikes hit the building, setting the upper floors on fire. Several days later NATO repeated the attack. In total 12 Tomahawk missiles were fired at this building. Amazingly the structure was so tough that it withstood these attacks. The bombing of this building and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia caused protests across the world. No one was hurt in the attack as the building was unoccupied at the time of the attacks (during the early morning hours). The explosions were heard across Belgrade and caused panic.

Reconstruction

Reconstruction work on the building started in early 2003 and was carried out by European Construction. The reconstruction was completed in 2005 and the official opening took place in July that year. The multi-million dollar project has 25 stories (above ground), totalling around 25,000 square meters of office space. An observation deck, fitness area and cafe are located on the last level of the building.

The building was originally supposed to be 105 meters however a late change occurred during the construction and additional floor was added making the Usce tower about 40m taller than original 105 meters. The facade got a new look and it's all glass now. The reconstruction is referred to by many as the re-birth of Serbia (as democratic parties were finally in power in Serbia).

Ušće Office Tower 1

Hypo Alpe Adria bank is now renting out the first ten floors of the building and has become the anchor tenant. This bank also has a light-ad on the building roof.

The building is located in Blok 16 of Novi Beograd municipality, near the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers ("Ušće" means confluence).

Ušće Centre

Construction of Ušće center started in September 2006. The shopping center will have over 180,000 square meters of commercial space. The center is placed in front of Ušće Office Tower 1 and will be opened in October 2008.The source close to MPC told that first Starbucks and Burger King in Serbia won't be opened in this shopping mall, as it has been previously rumored, but there is another possibility of opening first H&M in Serbia. There are several confirmations about locals in Usce Shopping Centre, like ,,Kolosej Cinema & Bowling" and brands which are part of ,,Cortefiel Group", because of contract which MPC has with them, like Springfield , Pedro del Hierro , Cortefiel, Women's secret , and many more.Fact|date=July 2008

Ušće Complex

Plans exist for a second twin building, construction should be complete by 2010.

The planned area for a rent at the complex should be in a region of 180,000 square meters with a construction cost 160 million Euros.

A hypermarket exceeding 120,000 square meters is already under construction (look above). The shopping mall will have a total commercial space area of 360,000 square meters and will feature cafes, restaurants, boutiques, stores, furniture stores, banks, and pharmacies. The third part of the complex will have a multiplex theater and sports recreation center.

Gallery

ee also

* Belgrade
* Novi Beograd
* List of tallest buildings in Serbia
* List of tallest structures in former Yugoslavia

External links

* [http://www.uscetower.com/ Ušće Tower]
* [http://www.vreme.com/cms/view.php?id=302824 Overavanje CK (Vreme)]