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Friday, August 2, 2002 - 12:00 a.m. Pacific

SHOWING OFF
We're here to help you show off the Seattle area to your summertime visitors — and teach even you locals a few things.

Other ways to show off:

Floating a few facts on the state's ferries

Trimming the stars

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A world-class skyscraper

By John Wolfson
Seattle Times staff reporter

OK, so you knew it was big, but that big? At a massive 967 feet, the Bank of America Tower isn't just the tallest building in Seattle, it's the 12th tallest in the country — and the 30th tallest in the entire world (for now).

The spirit of 76: Initially planned for 1,005 feet, the tower was shortened because of FAA concerns about flight paths at SeaTac Airport. Designers simply shaved six inches off each story, thus preserving all 76 floors.

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MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The women's restroom on the 76th floor of Bank of America Tower has sweeping views.
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Double down: The BOAT was completed in 1985 for $200 million. The current owner paid $404 million for the building in 1998. Of course, merely doubling your money during those 13 years may have actually seemed like a loser investment.

Come on baby, light my tower: In 2000, the BOAT drew 31 million kilowatt-hours of power through its 600 miles of electrical wire. City Light says that's about three times more than Safeco Field uses, five times more than KeyArena and the same amount as 2,595 single-family homes.

From where I sit: Of the tower's 8,816 windows, four are legendary. They peer out, one each, from the stalls of the women's bathroom at the Columbia Tower Club. Seventy-six floors up, they frame dramatic views of the Cascade Mountains and Seattle's skyline. Thanks to those four windows, the restroom is said to have been voted America's best, but that's apparently urban legend.




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