Built on land that once was Miami pioneer Julia Tuttle’s orange orchard, the building now known as the TotalBank Miami Tower was once the pride and joy of downtown Miami.
Touted as a key part of the city’s revitalization in the 1980s by then-Mayor Maurice Ferre, the tower was built as a trophy befitting the era of extravagance during which it rose. An opulent sky lobby with a reflecting pool on the 11th floor was a favorite downtown meeting place a generation ago, kept in top shape by a building management that spared no expense making sure the tower stood out. To vary the color on the nighttime illumination that made the I.M. Pei building a landmark, the lenses on 381 1,000-watt halide lamps were changed by hand to fit the occasion.
