With its long, skinny body and aerial globe, Reunion Tower might just seem like the tallest building in Dallas from close-up. But zoom farther out, and it becomes obvious that that honor belongs solely to the impressive Bank of America Plaza. Located on 901 Main Street, this 72-story structure rises a jaw-dropping 921 feet into the air, making it not only the tallest building in our city, but the third-tallest in Texas and the 31st tallest in the country. Encased in floor-to-ceiling silver reflective panels, this skyscraper doesn’t just stand proud — it shines.
Constructed in 1985, the Bank of America Plaza took three full years to complete, plus a cool investment of $146 million. Originally coined “Dallas Main Center” by developers, the tower was actually supposed to be one of two 72-story structures, plus a 600-room hotel and large parking garage. However, when prices for oil, real estate and banking crashed throughout Texas in the mid-1980s, plans for the second tower and hotel were scrapped, leaving the city with the sole structure we know today.
But that wasn’t the only unforeseen change. The building also went through numerous renamings during its first decade due to constant mergers and acquisitions within the banking industry. Since its construction, the building has been called InterFirst Bank Plaza, First Republic Bank Plaza, NCNB (North Carolina National Bank) Plaza, NationsBank Plaza and, finally, the Bank of America Plaza, which it was officially renamed in 1998.
Today the Bank of America Plaza houses mostly private businesses and corporations, as well as the building’s numerous amenities. The City Club, one of Dallas’ oldest and most prestigious private clubs, currently sits on the 69th floor. Founded in 1918, City Club hosts exclusive dinners and private parties for its members in addition to providing a first-class venue for weddings, receptions and other non-member events.
The building’s other offerings include 901FiT, a full-service fitness facility, visitor, valet and garage parking and even a bicycle share program. There are also amenities housed on the lower level, including full-service banking, a dry cleaner, a shoe shine and repair service, plenty of restaurants and cafes and a sizable collection of modern American art, which can be found in the lobby.
And thanks to its central location — the building is bounded by Elm, Griffin, Main and Lamar Streets — the Bank of America Plaza also provides access to Downtown Dallas’ underground tunnel system, with weather-protected entry points to buildings such as Renaissance Tower, One Main Place and Hilton Homewood Suites.
But what makes the Bank of America Plaza truly iconic is its distinctive lighting, which includes two miles of multi-colored LED tubing that outline and illuminate this massive skyscraper against the night sky. Though the lights are usually set to their signature bright green, the color will occasionally change in honor of an event or holiday or to bring attention to a charitable cause.
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