Quote:
Originally Posted by pianowizard
Are you one of the kids in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJnNN4wHSCA
The Prudential Building was clearly the tallest (by roof height) and biggest building at that time. Vista Tower will be almost exactly twice as tall. |
I'm pegging my Prudential experience at about 1960 or '61, since I would only have been three in 1956. My parents brought my sister and me into the city often as kids. I also remember the beacon on top of the Palmolive Building being visible all over the city and from many miles away.
Having gone to the John Hancock observatory when it first opened, a friend and I a few years later were scoping out the Standard Oil of Indiana tower (AON Center) as it was in the finishing stages of construction. While walking around a small part of the recessed plaza that was newly accessible, we noticed no one was minding a fence gate. We walked through the remainder of the plaza, into the lobby being completed, then to the high rise elevator bank where one of the unfinished cars was open. Being teenagers, we took it to the top floor. It was completely open and free of interior partitions. No one was there, so we walked around all sides looking at the views before deciding we'd pressed our luck long enough. We took the elevator back to the lobby nonstop and walked out. No one ever questioned or paid any attention to us.
I've obviously always been interested in skyscrapers and am thankful that we finally have a supertall in San Francisco, and that I have a direct view of it from my place. We don't have as many tall buildings, but we do have a very dense skyline from many angles.