Editing Transamerica Pyramid (section)

==History==
The Transamerica building was commissioned by Transamerica CEO [[John R. Beckett|John (Jack) R. Beckett]], with the claim that he wished to allow light in the street below. Built on the site of the historic [[Montgomery Block]], it has a structural height of {{convert|853|ft}} and has 48 [[storey|floors]] of [[retail]] and [[office]] space.

Construction began in 1969 and finished in 1972, and was overseen by San Francisco–based contractor Dinwiddie Construction, now Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company. Transamerica moved its headquarters to the new building from across the street, where it had been based in a [[wikt:flatiron|flatiron]]-shaped building now occupied by the [[Church of Scientology]] of San Francisco.<ref>[http://www.scientology.org/david-miscavige/churchopenings/san-francisco-a-scientology-new-church-in-a-world-class-city.html?video=org-sfo_tour A Landmark Church at the Golden Gates]. scientology.org</ref>

Although the tower is no longer [[Transamerica Corporation]] headquarters, it is still associated with the company and is depicted in the company's logo. The building is evocative of San Francisco and has become one of the many symbols of the city.<ref name=emblem>{{cite news|author=Carolyn Said|title=Transamerica Pyramid From corporate emblem to city landmark|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/05/29/BUGO76TPTR1.DTL|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=May 29, 2004|access-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> Designed by architect [[William Pereira]], it faced opposition during planning and construction and was sometimes referred to by detractors as "Pereira's Prick".<ref>{{cite book|last=Sorkin|first=Michael|title=Exquisite Corpse: Writing on Buildings|location=New York; London|publisher=Vers0|year=1991|isbn=0-86091-323-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HfADWI2MnyIC&q=%22pereira%27s+prick%22&pg=PA295|access-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> John King of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' summed up the improved opinion of the building in 2009 as "an architectural icon of the best sort – one that fits its location and gets better with age."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Pyramid-s-steep-path-from-civic-eyesore-to-icon-3277598.php#ixzz2TsY84YFr|title=Pyramid's steep path from civic eyesore to icon|author=King, John|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=December 27, 2009|access-date=2013-05-20}}</ref> King also wrote in 2011 that it is "a uniquely memorable building, a triumph of the unexpected, unreal and engaging all at once. ... It is a presence and a persona, snapping into different focus with every fresh angle, every shift in light."<ref name=cityscapes />

The Transamerica Pyramid was the tallest skyscraper west of Chicago when constructed, surpassing the then [[555 California Street|Bank of America Center]], also in San Francisco. It was surpassed by the [[Aon Center (Los Angeles)|Aon Center]], [[Los Angeles]], in 1974.

The building is thought to have been the intended target of a terrorist attack, involving the hijacking of airplanes as part of the [[Bojinka plot]], which was foiled in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Irving|first1=Reed Irvine|last2=Kinkaid|first2=Cliff|work=Media Monitor|title=Bojinka Back In The News|url=http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/bojinka-back-in-the-news|publisher=Accuracy in Media|date=March 28, 2002|access-date=2010-01-16}}</ref>

In 1999, Transamerica was acquired by [[Netherlands|Dutch]] insurance company [[Aegon N.V.|Aegon]]. When the non-insurance operations of Transamerica were later sold to [[GE Capital]], Aegon retained ownership of the building as an investment.<ref name=emblem/> In 2020, the building was purchased by [[SHVO]] and [[Deutsche Bank|Deutsche Finance America]] for $650 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Shvo, Deutsche Finance close on Transamerica Pyramid for $650M |url=https://therealdeal.com/2020/10/29/san-franciscos-transamerica-pyramid-sells-for-650m/ |access-date=1 July 2021 |publisher=The Real Deal |date=29 October 2020}}</ref> In 2022, SHVO and partners hired architect Norman Foster to undertake a $250 million renovation.<ref name="San Francisco Chronicle"/>

The Transamerica Pyramid was the tallest skyscraper in San Francisco from 1972 to 2017, when it was surpassed by the under-construction Salesforce Tower.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/07/salesforce-remakes-san-francisco-skyline-with-tallest-west-coast-office-tower/|title=Salesforce remakes San Francisco skyline with tallest West Coast office tower|date=2017-04-07|website=The Mercury News|access-date=2017-07-29}}</ref> It is one of 39 San Francisco high rises reported by the U.S. Geological Survey as potentially vulnerable to a large earthquake, due to a flawed welding technique.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/us/california-earthquakes-high-rises.html|title=At Risk in a Big Quake: 39 of San Francisco's Top High Rises|date=2018-06-14|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2021-10-04}}</ref>