Best Southern Skyscraper

[Charles Pearson]

What do you think is the South's best skyscraper?

I picked only the ones that either knew had historical value or looked the most visually appealing to me.

If your skyscraper is not listed, please vote "Other".

I did not include Texas towers because I always thought of it as not in the traditional South (The Deep South, Florida, and Louisiana).

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Four Seasons Hotel & Tower, Miami gets my VOTE.

[catdaddy]

I give my vote to BofA HQ i just love how it stands out and the colors at the top. It also has a nice design. It was just beutiful 4th of july.

[Rickydavisfan21]

Here she is, the "Grande Dame" of Columbia, The ornate Palmetto Building (c 1912). It is currently being renovated into a hotel from office space. It was Columbia's 3rd skyscraper after the Barringer Building (f/k/a National Loan and Exchange, 1903) and the Number One Main Street (f/k/a American Sentinal Life, 1911).

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I have never seen this building before its absolutely gorgeous

[Rickydavisfan21]

I Just wish First Union 4 had been built because thats what we'd all be saying.

oh and one more thing, the batman building is most likely the ugliest building I've ever seen in my life

[cheeriokid61]

^Riiiigghht! Just joking, I guess I just have a different opinion about the Batman Building than you.

Does anyone have any pictures of First Union 4?

[dgreen]

The Concourse Buildings I was talking about.

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=330744

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Concourse made the list? That's where i worked until recently.

Miami's Espirito Santo Plaza is a nice one.

I like the Batman building in Music City and Modis in Jax as well.

What was the Modis bldg before? Prudential?

[scongro]

Concourse made the list?  That's where i worked until recently. 

Miami's Espirito Santo Plaza is a nice one.

I like the Batman building in Music City and Modis in Jax as well.

What was the Modis bldg before?  Prudential?

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The Modis building was the Independent Life build when it opened in 1975 until 1998. Accustaff was atop the building for what seemed like a couple of months, until Modis was spun off by Accustaff.

[Tayfromcarolina]

I like the frost tower in Austin, TX.

[cheeriokid61]

Me too. It should definately be on this list.

[cosmoboy]

I really liked the "pencil tower" in Atlanta but it kind of looks outdated. So I had to choose the BOA HQ cause I liked the color and its design plus it also has a modern performing arts center which I like ALOT!

[NCtarheel]

There are too many to choose from!

BofA and Hearst in Charlotte, Frost tower in austin, b of a in atlanta, etc etc

[suburban george3]

OK, I voted for other. The original R.J. Reynolds Building in downtown Winston-Salem. It was the tallest building of it's time in the SE (believe it or not Atlantans and Charlotteans), it was designed by the architects of the Empire State building (before the Empire was built, maybe kinda a trial run?), and it's truly a beautiful building.

more at Emporis

It's also beautiful lit up all colorful at night!

[cheeriokid61]

Very nice. Wonderful example of Art Deco. I love it!

[goodbye]

Chalk up another one for "The Queen City!" B)

[RiversideGator]

Chalk up another one for "The Queen City!" cool.gif

Funny how Charlotte seems to win all such polls. Could it have anything to do with a numerical advantage in forumers?

[GaTechGuy]

Funny how Charlotte seems to win all such polls.  Could it have anything to do with a numerical advantage in forumers?

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Careful I made that assertion once and got jumped all over. I'd say its partially due to that though...

[goodbye]

Yes, I do love Charlotte's skyline, but from the list above I see no better choice than the Bank of America Headquarters. I've been to many other cities across the U.S. and have seen lots of beautiful towers. There is just something extra special about that one though. That new Signature Tower in Nashville may become the best-looking soon.

[A2]

Yes, I do love Charlotte's skyline, but from the list above I see no better choice than the Bank of America Headquarters.  I've been to many other cities across the U.S. and have seen lots of beautiful towers.  There is just something extra special about that one though.  That new Signature Tower in Nashville may become the best-looking soon.

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I agree Skyliner. I am becoming quite jealous of the proposed Signature Tower in Nashville. It looks a hell of a lot taller than 700 feet to me. Maybe it is because the tallest in Nashville is a little over 600 ft (the Bell South bldg).That alone makes the bldg stand out quite nicely.

Plus this: For comparison purposes, the BellSouth Tower, downtown

[Plasticman]

I like the Concourse Towers in Atlanta. They look like chess pieces and are called the King and Queen Towers as nicknames.

Second would be BOA Charlotte but I don't like the top. It looks like it wasn't finished.

Third is the old L & C Tower in Nashville as it was the tallest building in the Southeast when completed in 1957 (409 feet )

But Signature Nashville has to be the most incredible looking building I've ever seen. When it gets built, it will be a shining star in the south.

[Mr.Marc]

I like the BOA building in Charlotte. The one in Atlanta is okay, but personally I think the one in Charlotte looks better.

[triadcat]

I like the BOA building in Charlotte. The one in Atlanta is okay, but personally I think the one in Charlotte looks better.

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I also think the BOA in Charlotte is a very classy, clean looking building. I do think the top (crown) looks weird with the spikes on top.........it looks like they were about to put rings around the top connecting the spikes/spires.

[atlrvr]

All I can say about the Signature Tower is what a waste of an extremely beautiful tower design on a residential tower. They had to modify several aspects that have ruined what could have been one of the best towers in the country.

They opted not to do gradual setbacks, but instead one large setback near the top to I assume provide common area. Also, if there is one way to ruin a clean soaring facade with strong vertical lines it's adding balconies.

[Plasticman]

All I can say about the Signature Tower is what a waste of an extremely beautiful tower design on a residential tower.  They had to modify several aspects that have ruined what could have been one of the best towers in the country.

They opted not to do gradual setbacks, but instead one large setback near the top to I assume provide common area.  Also, if there is one way to ruin a clean soaring facade with strong vertical lines it's adding balconies.

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Everyone has an opinion and Signature Tower is an extremely good use of space. Unnecessary setbacks reduce the amount of useable floor space and would look ridiculous on that facade. It was okay as originally planned but ultimately boring to look at. The only thing it had going for it was some impressive height. Now it will have even more height and a much nicer look.

[atlrvr]

I'm not sure how setbacks reduces the amount of "useable" floor space. If you simply were implying that it is a reduces the floor plates as the building increases, then you are correct.....but by the same logic, anything other than a tower shaped into the footprint of the site is a inefficient use resources.

The increasing cost of adding 1-2 floors at the reduction in size of some floor plates is minimal on a building of this scale. There are few expenses realized going upwards rather than outwards such as elevator shafts and stairs, and facade.

On the flip side, too large of floorplates makes buildings difficult to market because much of the space is interior with no exposure to natural light, views, etc. which command premiums.

Again, I think that this is an attractive building, but it seems to me that the architect has had this design stored away, and is perhaps under-utilizing it on a residential project.

[ralex231]

I love the modis building in jacksonville