Georgia-Pacific Tower
Encyclopedia
Georgia-Pacific Tower is a 212.45 m (697 ft) skyscraper
in downtown Atlanta
. It contains 52 stories of office space and was finished in 1982. Before the six year era of tall skyscrapers to be built in Atlanta, it was Atlanta's second tallest building from 1982 to 1987, and during that time period, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel was the tallest building in Atlanta. Including the extra 6 years which were 1976-1982 before the Georgia Pacific tower opened. It has a stair-like design that staggers down to the ground, and is clad in pink marble quarried from Tate, Georgia.
The tower is on the former site of the Loew's Grand Theatre
, where the premiere
for the 1939 film Gone with the Wind
was held. (133 Peachtree St. NE, near intersection of Peachtree and Forsyth streets) The theatre could not be demolished because of its landmark
status; when it burned down in 1978, clearing the way for the tower, some locals found the circumstances to be mysterious and perhaps more than coincidental.
The architectural firm that built it was Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
. The tower is the world headquarters
of Georgia-Pacific
. Other tenants include consulting firm McKinsey & Company
and the downtown branch of the High Museum of Art, which opened in 1986.
On March 14, 2008, the tower sustained minor damage when a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta. A number of windows were blown out. It was the first tornado to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s.
The Consulate-General of the United Kingdom is located in Suite 3400 in the Georgia-Pacific Tower.
The building served as a filming location for the 1985 action film Invasion U.S.A starring Chuck Norris and Richard Lynch, in which it served as the setting for the final battle between the U.S army and the army of international terrorists.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
. It contains 52 stories of office space and was finished in 1982. Before the six year era of tall skyscrapers to be built in Atlanta, it was Atlanta's second tallest building from 1982 to 1987, and during that time period, the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel was the tallest building in Atlanta. Including the extra 6 years which were 1976-1982 before the Georgia Pacific tower opened. It has a stair-like design that staggers down to the ground, and is clad in pink marble quarried from Tate, Georgia.
The tower is on the former site of the Loew's Grand Theatre
Loew's Grand Theatre
Loew's Grand Theater, originally DeGive's Grand Opera House, was a movie theater at the corner of Peachtree and Forsyth Streets in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, where the premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
for the 1939 film Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
was held. (133 Peachtree St. NE, near intersection of Peachtree and Forsyth streets) The theatre could not be demolished because of its landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
status; when it burned down in 1978, clearing the way for the tower, some locals found the circumstances to be mysterious and perhaps more than coincidental.
The architectural firm that built it was Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
. The tower is the world headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
of Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals. As of Fall 2010, the company employed more than 40,000 people at more...
. Other tenants include consulting firm McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
and the downtown branch of the High Museum of Art, which opened in 1986.
On March 14, 2008, the tower sustained minor damage when a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta. A number of windows were blown out. It was the first tornado to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s.
The Consulate-General of the United Kingdom is located in Suite 3400 in the Georgia-Pacific Tower.
The building served as a filming location for the 1985 action film Invasion U.S.A starring Chuck Norris and Richard Lynch, in which it served as the setting for the final battle between the U.S army and the army of international terrorists.