Aon Center

Aon Center. The Aon Center is a prominent skyscraper located in the heart of Los Angeles, California, and is one of the tallest buildings on the West Coast. It was developed by William Zeckendorf and Webb and Knapp, and designed by renowned architect Charles Luckman. The building's construction was completed in 1973 and was originally known as the United California Bank Building, named after its primary tenant, United California Bank, which was later acquired by First Interstate Bancorp.

● History

The Aon Center has undergone several name changes throughout its history, with its name being changed to First Interstate Tower in 1981 after First Interstate Bancorp became the building's primary tenant. In 2003, the building was renamed the Aon Center after Aon Corporation, a global insurance and reinsurance company, acquired the building's naming rights. The building has been owned by several prominent real estate investment trusts (REITs), including Equity Office Properties and Blackstone Group. Notable business leaders, such as Henry Kravis and George Roberts, have been involved in the building's ownership and management. The Aon Center has also been home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.

● Architecture

The Aon Center is a modernist skyscraper designed by Charles Luckman and William Pereira, and features a distinctive granite and glass exterior. The building's design was influenced by the works of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The Aon Center stands at a height of 858 feet and has 62 floors, making it one of the tallest buildings in Los Angeles. The building's design has been praised by architectural critics, including Ada Louise Huxtable and Paul Goldberger, and has been recognized with several awards, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Honor Award. The Aon Center has also been compared to other notable skyscrapers, such as the Seagram Building and the Chrysler Building, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and William Van Alen, respectively.

● Location

The Aon Center is located in the Financial District of Los Angeles, near the Los Angeles City Hall and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. The building is situated on a 2.5-acre site and is bounded by Wilshire Boulevard, Hope Street, and Flower Street. The Aon Center is also close to several other notable landmarks, including the Los Angeles Central Library, designed by Bertram Goodhue, and the Broad Museum, founded by Eli Broad. The building's location provides easy access to several major transportation hubs, including Union Station and the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is served by several major airlines, including American Airlines and United Airlines.

● Tenants

The Aon Center is home to several prominent companies, including Aon Corporation, Lehman Brothers, and Merrill Lynch. The building has also been occupied by several notable law firms, including Latham & Watkins and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Other tenants include Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and KPMG, which are all Big Four accounting firms. The building's tenants also include several investment banks, such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, and several hedge funds, including Bridgewater Associates and BlackRock. The Aon Center has also been home to several non-profit organizations, including the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the United Way.

● Incidents

The Aon Center has been the site of several notable incidents, including a fire in 1988 that damaged several floors of the building. The building was also evacuated in 2001 due to a bomb threat, which was later determined to be a hoax. In 2013, the building's elevator system malfunctioned, causing several people to be stranded for several hours. The Aon Center has also been the site of several protests and demonstrations, including a labor union protest in 2011 and a climate change rally in 2019, which was organized by Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion. The building's security measures have been praised by law enforcement officials, including the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Category:Skyscrapers in Los Angeles