Alright, take a look straight ahead-see that tall, silver building with the neat rows of windows shooting up into the sky, the edges squared and sharp against Denver’s skyline? That’s 621 17th Street, the one with “Bank of the West” and a bear on the corner. It’s hard to miss, with its clean, grid-like metal and glass face-you might feel like you’re looking up the neck of a giant robot!
Now, picture it’s the late 1950s. Cars are shiny and a bit boxy, people are rushing around in suits and swirly skirts, and right here, this tower has just been completed. At 385 feet tall with 28 floors, it was the King of the Denver Skyline, the skyscraper everyone in town would point to and say, “That’s the big one!” For eleven years, nothing topped it. Kids probably craned their necks and tried to count the windows-and honestly, you might too, if you’re feeling competitive.
Back then, it was called the First National Bank Building. The name sounded important because, well, it was. This was where big deals went down, where you might imagine briefcases full of who-knows-what bustling through the doors. In the 90s, First Interstate merged with Wells Fargo, and suddenly all the big names on this building turned into just… its address. 621 17th Street. Sometimes even the most glamorous towers get a little humble with age.
But hold up, there’s more-a twin! Right next to this building, in 1974, another tall neighbor popped up: First Interstate Tower North, now called 633 17th Street. Together, they form the “First of Denver Plaza.” Maybe you can imagine the buildings sharing secrets at night, gossiping about which TV star walked by during the day. And speaking of TV, if the opening credits of “Dynasty” pop into your head, you’re not imagining things. The First of Denver logo on this building made a cameo on that classic show.
So next time you walk by, maybe give 621 17th Street a little nod. For years, it watched Denver grow, and it’s still standing tall, eyeing the city with all those windows, as if it’s got a thousand stories to tell. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll be in the background of someone’s TV show opening too!
