RSA Battle House Tower
Encyclopedia
The RSA Battle House Tower is located in Mobile, Alabama
and is Alabama
's tallest building. The building is owned by the Retirement Systems of Alabama
(RSA). It is the tallest on the Gulf Coast of the United States
outside of Houston. It replaces the Wells Fargo Tower
in Birmingham
as the tallest building in Alabama and the RSA–BankTrust Building as the tallest in Mobile. The AT&T City Center
in Birmingham remains as the largest Alabama skyscraper by square-feet. The building is named for the neighboring Battle House Hotel, which is now part of the tower complex. The Battle House Hotel was restored and renovated as part of the tower project.
, installed by a Sikorsky S-61
helicopter
on Saturday, 16 September 2006, brought the building to its finished height of 745 feet (227 m). During construction, 5 hurricanes affected Mobile, causing delays in the construction of this building: Hurricane Frances
and Hurricane Ivan
in 2004, as well as Hurricane Cindy
, Hurricane Dennis
, and Hurricane Katrina
in 2005.
on a clear night.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and is Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
's tallest building. The building is owned by the Retirement Systems of Alabama
Retirement Systems of Alabama
Retirement Systems of Alabama is the administrator of the pension fund for employees of the state of Alabama. It is headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama. David G. Bronner is the chief executive officer....
(RSA). It is the tallest on the Gulf Coast of the United States
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
outside of Houston. It replaces the Wells Fargo Tower
Wachovia Tower (Birmingham)
The Wells Fargo Tower is a 34 story, 454 foot tall office building located in Birmingham, Alabama. Built in 1986 as the corporate headquarters for SouthTrust Corporation, the building was originally known as the SouthTrust Tower until 2005 when SouthTrust completed its merger with Wachovia and was...
in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
as the tallest building in Alabama and the RSA–BankTrust Building as the tallest in Mobile. The AT&T City Center
AT&T City Center
The AT&T City Center, is a 30 story, 390 foot office building located in Birmingham, Alabama. Completed in 1972,the building was originally known as the South Central Bell Building and served as the corporate headquarters for South Central Bell and its five-state operating territory.In 1998 the...
in Birmingham remains as the largest Alabama skyscraper by square-feet. The building is named for the neighboring Battle House Hotel, which is now part of the tower complex. The Battle House Hotel was restored and renovated as part of the tower project.
Construction
The building began with foundation slab concrete being poured during the weekend of 7 November 2003. The foundation slab is over 7 feet (2.1 m) thick, with just over 5 feet (1.5 m) of it resting below the natural water table of downtown Mobile. The spireSpire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
, installed by a Sikorsky S-61
Sikorsky S-61
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
on Saturday, 16 September 2006, brought the building to its finished height of 745 feet (227 m). During construction, 5 hurricanes affected Mobile, causing delays in the construction of this building: Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto...
and Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
in 2004, as well as Hurricane Cindy
Hurricane Cindy
The name Cindy has been used for eight tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean.* 1959's Hurricane Cindy – caused minor damage to South Carolina.* 1963's Hurricane Cindy – caused $12 million damage and three deaths in Texas and Louisiana....
, Hurricane Dennis
Hurricane Dennis
Hurricane Dennis was an early-forming major hurricane in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico during the very active 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Dennis was the fourth named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season...
, and Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in 2005.
Facilities
The tower consists of 25 office floors, 3 lobby floors, 4 hotel floors, and 1 service floor, together with 20 elevators and 570000 square feet (52,955 m²) of column-free floorspace. The lighted crown is visible from 30 miles (48 km) away along Mobile BayMobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the...
on a clear night.