Three decades ago, famed architect César Pelli revealed plans for a skyscraper that's now an iconic part of a North Carolina city's skyline. Here's what the top is actually meant to resemble. Really.
Around 1999-2000, my daughter was attending NCSA. She and some friends were driving around Winston and got lost. She called me for help and I asked if she saw any landmarks. "Sure. I can see the penis building from here."
That building is the culmination of a literal pissing match between NCNB in Charlotte (today's Bank of America) and Wachovia. The two banks were business and architectural rivals for decades, and Pelli designed a beautiful building for NCNB, which was becoming Nations Bank at the time. In aesthetically disastrous move, which you've documented here, Wachovia tried to keep up or maybe even out-do NCNB by also hiring Pelli.
Later, First Union chewed up Wachovia (keeping the name because Wachovia is a 1000% more memorable than First Union) and pooped it out to Wells Fargo, which then finished the job. (Translation and correction to your story: Wachovia didn't fail. First Union/Wells Fargo did.)
I first went to W-S in 76 as a kid visiting my big brother. The original Wachovia building was a marvel to me as I'd never seen a 'skyscraper'. I moved to W-S permanently in '81 and joined the USAF in '85. In the 90's, my brother told me they were building a new skyscraper and it looked like a tube of toothpaste with the top off...today, I suspect he used that description because his extremely pious wife would not have appreciated any other, more accurate description. Anyways, earlier this month I returned home to W-S for the first time in decades. My 18 y/o son was playing in a soccer tournament in Clemmons and it was an ideal opportunity to show him all the old haunts (Hanes Mall...what happened?!?!). Driving into downtown on our first day, I looked over at him to see if there would be any reaction. He never mentioned it, but the furrowed brow, squint and scrunched up nose let me know he was clearly thinking..."what the..." to the "tube of toothpaste".
Love your work, Jeremy...thank you for all you do.
Hey Chris...I guess we can chalk it up to the general decline of the mall in the US since 2000. Hanes was a destination...the fountains...the food court...the Christmas tree at center court...my first job ever was at R & M Sporting Goods (upper level in corner next to one of the anchors -JCPenny maybe) and spent an entire paycheck on the original Air Jordans...(red/black)..$64.99 IIRC...wore them at Sprague Street gym and couldn't walk for a week (*AWFUL* to play ball in)...change is inevitable but I walked into Hanes Mall last month and was out in less than 15 minutes...my memories are far better than the reality.
I completely agree. I was there the first day the mall opened in August of 1975. I don't remember ever seeing that many people. And the fountains and stores seemed so "big city." I lived in nearby Knollwood Manor and would walk over to the mall frequently. What's interesting is how things have come full circle. When the mall opened, it drew so many stores from downtown. The downtown area began a steep decline. Now downtown is bustling and new businesses open frequently and Hanes Mall is just a sad shell of its former self. The closure of Sears and Macy's was just the beginning. It looks like management has given up. Even the parking lot and grounds look horrible. And I fondly remember R & M Sporting Goods.
Right after the building was complete, everyone started talking about the view from a certain section of Reynolds Park Road which is just to the east of Winston-Salem State University and downtown. Because of the geography including hills and trees, as you head west towards downtown on Reynolds Park Road, the building rises above the trees giving the distinct impression of a slow erection. You can get a sense of what it is like by checking out Reynolds Park Drive on Google Street View.
Around 1999-2000, my daughter was attending NCSA. She and some friends were driving around Winston and got lost. She called me for help and I asked if she saw any landmarks. "Sure. I can see the penis building from here."
A public service phallus
That building is the culmination of a literal pissing match between NCNB in Charlotte (today's Bank of America) and Wachovia. The two banks were business and architectural rivals for decades, and Pelli designed a beautiful building for NCNB, which was becoming Nations Bank at the time. In aesthetically disastrous move, which you've documented here, Wachovia tried to keep up or maybe even out-do NCNB by also hiring Pelli.
Later, First Union chewed up Wachovia (keeping the name because Wachovia is a 1000% more memorable than First Union) and pooped it out to Wells Fargo, which then finished the job. (Translation and correction to your story: Wachovia didn't fail. First Union/Wells Fargo did.)
I've always felt the Winston-Salem Dash were bold in honoring the building with their first logo:
https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/winstonsalem2-converted-b21f17e4ce9b1bee43e9caf9f9869efd.jpg
“What if that building fell over” -the dash
I first went to W-S in 76 as a kid visiting my big brother. The original Wachovia building was a marvel to me as I'd never seen a 'skyscraper'. I moved to W-S permanently in '81 and joined the USAF in '85. In the 90's, my brother told me they were building a new skyscraper and it looked like a tube of toothpaste with the top off...today, I suspect he used that description because his extremely pious wife would not have appreciated any other, more accurate description. Anyways, earlier this month I returned home to W-S for the first time in decades. My 18 y/o son was playing in a soccer tournament in Clemmons and it was an ideal opportunity to show him all the old haunts (Hanes Mall...what happened?!?!). Driving into downtown on our first day, I looked over at him to see if there would be any reaction. He never mentioned it, but the furrowed brow, squint and scrunched up nose let me know he was clearly thinking..."what the..." to the "tube of toothpaste".
Love your work, Jeremy...thank you for all you do.
Matt Armstrong
You are very right about Hanes Mall. I ask that same question each time I visit. What the heck happened to something that used to be so wonderful?
Hey Chris...I guess we can chalk it up to the general decline of the mall in the US since 2000. Hanes was a destination...the fountains...the food court...the Christmas tree at center court...my first job ever was at R & M Sporting Goods (upper level in corner next to one of the anchors -JCPenny maybe) and spent an entire paycheck on the original Air Jordans...(red/black)..$64.99 IIRC...wore them at Sprague Street gym and couldn't walk for a week (*AWFUL* to play ball in)...change is inevitable but I walked into Hanes Mall last month and was out in less than 15 minutes...my memories are far better than the reality.
I completely agree. I was there the first day the mall opened in August of 1975. I don't remember ever seeing that many people. And the fountains and stores seemed so "big city." I lived in nearby Knollwood Manor and would walk over to the mall frequently. What's interesting is how things have come full circle. When the mall opened, it drew so many stores from downtown. The downtown area began a steep decline. Now downtown is bustling and new businesses open frequently and Hanes Mall is just a sad shell of its former self. The closure of Sears and Macy's was just the beginning. It looks like management has given up. Even the parking lot and grounds look horrible. And I fondly remember R & M Sporting Goods.
I remember us JV boys soccer team bus riders giving the building an obligatory hand gesture salute from US-52 on the way to/from games.
Right after the building was complete, everyone started talking about the view from a certain section of Reynolds Park Road which is just to the east of Winston-Salem State University and downtown. Because of the geography including hills and trees, as you head west towards downtown on Reynolds Park Road, the building rises above the trees giving the distinct impression of a slow erection. You can get a sense of what it is like by checking out Reynolds Park Drive on Google Street View.