225 South Sixth

225 South Sixth is a skyscraper in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The building opened in 1992 with the First Bank Place being the headquarters for First Bank. In 1997, First Bank acquired U.S. Bancorp and changed the name of the building to U.S. Bancorp Place. The headquarters of U.S. Bancorp moved into the newer (and much smaller) US Bancorp Center in 2000, whereupon the tower changed to its present name. The building is scheduled to be renamed the Capella Tower sometime in early 2009.

The ranking of the building as the tallest in Minneapolis is somewhat in dispute. The IDS Center is usually said to be taller by one foot (specific numbers are never given), even by the owners of 225 South Sixth. It was initially said to be built one foot shorter out of respect for the IDS Center. In February 2005 The IDS counted a 17 foot (5.2 m) tall washroom garage on it is actual height making it convert|14|ft|m taller than 225 South Sixth. This ambiguity between official measurements and public relations statements might be due in some part to the "halo" that extends out from the roof, which is apparently included in the building's official height (though this is unclear).Nick Coleman, [http://www.startribune.com/local/16942626.html Capella Tower sports a cap, but it can’t topple the IDS] , "Star Tribune", March 24, 2008.]

The IDS is definitely taller on two measures. The IDS's communications spires add a significant amount of height making it convert|910|ft|m, and it remains the tallest building in Minneapolis if measured by number of stories (57 vs. 56; actually tied for first with neighbor Wells Fargo Center).Nick Coleman, [http://www.startribune.com/local/16942626.html Capella Tower sports a cap, but it can’t topple the IDS] , "Star Tribune", March 24, 2008.]

The building's total office space is convert|1400000|sqft|m2.Burl Gilyard, [http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2008/03/21/Capella-inks-major-expansion-in-downtown-Minneapolis-Renewal-includes-naming-rights-deal-at-225-Sout Capella inks major expansion in downtown Minneapolis] , "Finance and Commerce", March 20, 2008.]

Capella Tower

In March 2008, Capella Education Co., longtime occupant the building and owner of the for-profit online Capella University, signed a lease that will change the name of the tower to Capella Tower; the name of the project will remain 225 South Sixth. Running through 2015, the new lease expands Capella's square footage in the building from convert|203000|sqft|m2 to about convert|400000|sqft|m2, making it the largest tenant in the building. The expanded facility will house all of the company's 1,150 downtown Minneapolis employees; as the online school does not have classrooms, the space houses administrative staff and faculty. The name change is scheduled to take place on March 2009.Sam Black, [http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2008/03/17/daily35.html Capella lease to rename 225 South Sixth] , "Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal", March 20, 2008.]

Design

The office building, designed by Pei, Cobb, Freed & Partners [http://www.pcf-p.com/a/p/8826/s.html] , is laid out on an L-shaped site with the 56-story tower connected to the 20-story Park Building by a corner winter garden. The building combines six-story cubes and various round towers which echo the different styles of buildings in downtown Minneapolis. The illuminated semi-circle located atop the tower is not only decorative but also housing an antennae farm and communications network. This feature has given the building the nickname, the "Halo Building".

ee also

*List of tallest buildings in Minnesota

References

External links

* [http://www.225southsixth.com/ 225 South Sixth]
* [http://www.pcfandp.com/ Pei Cobb Freed & Partners]