US Bancorp Center

Of the office tower’s 30 stories, the first 13 are occupied by Piper Jaffray, the investment arm of US Bancorp. Its top three floors are home to the stock traders, necessitating a very large floor plate and column-free design. The building anchors a three-block development along the Nicollet Mall commercial district. Ground-level stores and an up-scale restaurant look out onto the mall and their primary entrances face the street. Even at skyway level, the atrium design connects retail and food service with pedestrian traffic. The underground parking garage accommodates 320 cars.