SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today guests and dignitaries kicked off a series of celebrations marking the grand remastering of Transamerica Pyramid Center at a morning ceremony hosted by luxury real estate development firm SHVO. The program, held in the newly reopened Transamerica Redwood Park, included remarks from Former California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, Mayor London Breed, Pritzker Prize Laureate Lord Norman Foster and Michael Shvo, Chairman and CEO of SHVO. A fifty-year old time capsule unearthed at the base of the Pyramid, was also revealed for the first time along with plans to put the contents on public display. Guests enjoyed performances by Kronos Quartet, a string quartet founded at the time of the Pyramid’s construction, while indulging in signature dishes from Cafe Sebastian and Ama, two eagerly anticipated food concepts scheduled to open in the coming weeks at Transamerica Pyramid Center by James Beard Nominee and Finalist Chef Brad Kilgore.
Celebrations are set to continue throughout the evening against a private concert and light show that will fully engulf the Pyramid in immersive laser projections as its famous spire is re-lit for the first time with over 1300 feet of newly installed LED lights. The Pyramid’s famous spire will also be re-lit for the first time with over 1,300 feet of newly installed LED lights, as part of a comprehensive lighting design—from the base to the spire, both interior and exterior—by the globally renowned firm L'Observatoire International.
Transamerica Pyramid Center, an historic block on the northern edge of San Francisco’s Financial District, is reopening following a $1 billion dollar investment by SHVO and Deutsche Finance in partnership with Lord Norman Foster and his global design firm Foster + Partners. The iconic Transamerica Pyramid, long a symbol of resilience and architectural ingenuity, and two adjacent buildings at Two and Three Transamerica, have been reimagined with a hotel-like aesthetic that welcomes tenants and guests with luxurious private amenities and expanded public spaces. Features include a renovated grand lobby, exclusive top-floor bar, sky lounge, gym, spa, conference spaces, and more. Transamerica Redwood Park, an urban oasis in the heart of the City, has also been meticulously restored and expanded with new sidewalks, seating and landscaping.
Transamerica Pyramid Center’s reopening is also marked by the launch of SHVO’s Pyramid Arts, a new series of public exhibitions celebrating innovation and creativity across the arts and sciences. The first installations, both curated by Lord Norman Foster, will be on view to the public from September 12, 2024–January 28, 2025: The Vertical City, a selection of his architectural achievements focused on skyscrapers, and Les Lalanne at Transamerica Redwood Park, an outdoor exhibition honoring the work of iconic French artists Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne.
"The Transamerica Pyramid has always been ahead of its time, and now it always will be. The remastering of this historic block will mark a new chapter for this iconic landmark, ensuring it remains a vibrant hub for creativity, business, and community," stated Michael Shvo, Chairman & CEO of SHVO.
"We are delighted to see Transamerica Pyramid Center entering a new era," commented Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, the architect for the renovation project. "Our transformation honors the building's history while creating interior spaces that are world class and outdoor public gardens that reconnect with the city."
"The Transamerica Pyramid is more than just a building, it’s part of our story as a City committed to rebuilding and reinventing itself, and a symbol of San Francisco's spirit," said Mayor London Breed. "This renovation not only cements an iconic building to continue as a landmark site for generations to come, but it also is creating a thriving hub for businesses and fostering a vibrant public space for everyone to enjoy. I want to thank Michael Shvo, Lord Norman Foster and all of our partners who are shaping San Francisco's legacy and helping build a better future."
For images and video, click here. CREDIT: David Lipman
For more information visit: www.TransamericaPyramid.com
About SHVO
SHVO is a luxury real estate development and investment firm built on the vision of Chairman & CEO Michael Shvo to create culture-defining experiences in iconic properties. Headquartered in New York City with offices in Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago, SHVO owns and operates a national portfolio valued at more than $8 billion and 4.5 million square feet across commercial office and retail space, hospitality, and luxury residential assets.
The firm’s selective portfolio of architecturally significant properties, from innovative ground up new developments to revitalized landmarks that define skylines in the world’s leading cities, includes the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach, 333 South Wabash Avenue (‘The Big Red’) in Chicago, Mandarin Oriental Residences at 9200 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, Mandarin Oriental Residences Fifth Avenue in New York City and the AMAN New York Hotel and Residences at the Crown building.
Renowned for its expertise, SHVO is fully integrated with highly diversified industry experience in every aspect of acquisitions, finance, development, design, sales, leasing, property management, hospitality, and sustainability.
ABOUT TRANSAMERICA PYRAMID CENTER
The Transamerica Pyramid opened in 1972 at 600 Montgomery Street, long known as the "Wall Street of the West" and the gateway to San Francisco's Financial District. The quartz-studded concrete tower has over 3,000 windows, rises 853 feet, and was designed by William L. Pereira & Associates, the famed firm that helped pioneer California's distinctive modernism in the second half of the 20th century. It is currently the tallest pyramid structure on the planet.
The Complex covers an entire city block and includes three buildings totaling approximately 750,000 square feet – the iconic pyramid-shaped tower, the office building at 505 Sansome Street, and a site set for approximately 100,000 square feet of office redevelopment at 545 Sansome Street. Anchoring the three buildings is the Redwood Park, an urban oasis featuring a grove of mature redwood trees shading public open space.
In 2020 the building was sold for the first time in its history to SHVO and Deutsche Finance America for $650 million, the United States' largest commercial transaction to occur amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Complex is slated for a multi-phase renovation estimated at $400 million, intended to elevate the Pyramid from a visual marvel into a magnetic destination for both tenants and the public.
www.transamericapyramid.com
Contact:
Mason Harrison, mason@brandpolicy.co, 209.743.9439
