Contemplate the towering skyscraper before you. This is 611 Place. It stands at 611 West 6th Street. It is a significant landmark in Downtown Los Angeles.
Welcome to 611 Place. It is a 42-story skyscraper. It reaches a height of 189 meters. That is 620 feet. The building’s story is quite interesting.
611 Place was completed in 1969. William L. Pereira & Associates designed it. The Crocker Citizen’s Bank commissioned the building. It served as their Southern California headquarters. This was until 1983. The bank then moved to Crocker Center. Today, it is known as Wells Fargo Center. AT&T later acquired 611 Place.
Upon completion, 611 Place was Los Angeles’ tallest building. It was the first to surpass City Hall in structural height. Other buildings had exceeded City Hall with spires before. The Richfield Tower was the first.
Notice the building’s unique design. It has a cross-shaped tower. It is clad in vertical aluminum beams. An immense concrete slab supports the west side. This slab runs the building’s entire height. It once displayed corporate logos.
611 Place showcases Pereira’s design trademarks. Look for cleft vertical columns. Admire the grid-patterned ceilings. Note the architectural lanterns on the exterior.
Interestingly, 611 Place has appeared in many movies. It was in “The Day After Tomorrow”. It showed up in shots of Manhattan. The building was also in “Along Came Polly.” It was the starting point for a BASE jump. In “Con Air” you could see the building as a body fell from a plane. The body landed on a car nearby. This was supposed to be Fresno. It was destroyed in the movie “Epicenter”. It also made an appearance in “The Morning Show”. It was shown as UBA’s headquarters.
In 2023, 611 Place was described as long-vacant.
611 Place stands as a testament to architectural design. It also reminds us of its cinematic appearances. It is an integral part of Los Angeles’ skyline. Its history reflects the city’s dynamic changes. It also reflects its enduring presence in popular culture.