444 South Flower
Citigroup Center
(formerly Wells Fargo Bank Building)
The former Los Angeles headquarters building for Wells Fargo Bank (renamed Citigroup Center) is set back from the northeast corner of 5th and Flower Streets, in the heart of the central city. This 1,264,550 SF, stepped tower rises 48 stories above a four-level, tiered base interwoven with garden offices, plazas and pedestrian bridges. These bridges connect with the City National Plaza Garage on the north and the Bonaventure Hotel across Flower Street. The site is handled as a transitional development, connecting upper Bunker Hill with the downtown financial community.
Energy efficient design solutions for the steel framed structure include mirrored insulating glass windows, and a stainless steel skin for more effective atmosphere corrosion resistance. With the stepped tower design, the facade steps counter the elevator bank drop-offs, as the building rises, providing constant lease depth. There are four elevator banks with a total of 22 elevators in all (5 low-rise, 6 low-mid-rise, 5 mid-high rise, 5 high-rise and 1 freight elevator.) The leasing depths vary from 49 feet in parts of the low-rise floors, to 35 feet in parts of the high-rise floors. The gross square footage per floor is 23,765 in the low -rise floors; 22,865SF in the mid-low; 19,140 SF in the mid-high rise, and 15,415 SF in the high-rise floors. A substantial amount of on-site parking is provided by a three-level parking structure under the tower.
In 2008 the Hines Company acquired the property and AC Martin designed the renovation for the plaza, transforming it into an exciting new public space for the building and the city.
