urbanMSP

I think the Sears/Willis Tower fiasco in Chicago has pretty clearly shown the limited value of getting the rights to rename an iconic building. Even if there were someone interested in renaming the IDS Tower, I suspect their calculus would be affected by the fact that no one would really use the new name.

I very much agree with you there. Icons are Icons, you never forget them, but I rarely call the Sears Tower the Willis Tower because it was an Icon for a few decades. Still find myself calling Macy's Daytons most of the time.

At the same time it only took a few years to call norwest wells Fargo and usbank 225 s 6th/ capella. And I'd known all those buildings by name since elementary school.

At the same time it only took a few years to call norwest wells Fargo and usbank 225 s 6th/ capella. And I'd known all those buildings by name since elementary school.

But I wouldn't call either of those nearly as iconic as IDS... Mostly the whole "first" thing and the legend of it being the tallest and all...

It's partly an age thing. When you get in the habit of identifying something with the same name for a very long period of time, your brain becomes very conditioned and it's hard to adjust to a new name. I'll still find myself calling Macy's "Dayton's" and Wells Fargo " Norwest Center" sometimes. Wedgeguy and I are in our 50's. This all happens when you reach your 40's...most of you aren't quite there yet.

Ditto John.

But that's what I'm saying. They've all been around in my experience and i personally think wells Fargo is more iconic than the ids. Those who continue to call it the old name will die off sooner than the rest. Lol. None of our buildings were ever the tallest in the country for long periods of time line the sears tower.

i personally think wells Fargo is more iconic than the ids.

Really? When you think of Minneapolis you think of the Wells Fargo tower? Just seems weird to me, IDS seems to have been the landmark tower here since it was built...

i personally think wells Fargo is more iconic than the ids.

Really? When you think of Minneapolis you think of the Wells Fargo tower? Just seems weird to me, IDS has been the landmark tower here since the 70's...

It's definitely more beautiful and graceful than the IDS.

i personally think wells Fargo is more iconic than the ids.

Really? When you think of Minneapolis you think of the Wells Fargo tower? Just seems weird to me, IDS has been the landmark tower here since the 70's...

It's definitely more beautiful and graceful than the IDS.

Right, but that doesn't define an icon...

norwest center (then) was built as a complimentary partner to IDS. and it works perfectly. this is a seamless partner to IDS. our own rockefeller center. the way it steps up at the top. and it's evening lighting is magical. it's iconic in it's own right but adds to our wedding cake of towers.

the magic of the IDS center is the crystal court. to this day it is an event entering this light filled space via the skyway level. over 40 years on and it still has this luster. we need another building with the quiet elegance of IDS and Wells.

The Wells Fargo tower looks beautiful in the Mpls skyline especially at night, however I think the IDS is the better building all around, especially at street and skyway level. I never thought the Wells Fargo tower worked very well at street level. The 6th street entrance and rotunda are actually rather awkward looking.

Have you all ever seen our skyline at night? Let me tell you no one is drawn to IDS like they are Wells Fargo or Capella. Wells Fargo takes the night time "Icon" cake no doubt. I love the IDS don't get me wrong. But if someone like Taget moved in and made it theirs it would be hard to stop the branding naming machine that is a single prominent tenant.

Based on the reactions from out of town friends and family - the Wells Fargo tower is the city's most iconic tower and I agree with them.

Due to the shape of the IDS I don't see many corporate giants taking over the building. This building was designed when corner offices were a big deal. This is not what corporation want now days. This is why so many small companies that want that Big address, find the IDS as a place to call home. The corner offices make much more sense for them.

You guys know iconic doesn't mean the most good-looking, right... ?

You guys know iconic doesn't mean good-looking, right?

Regardless of looks Wells Fargo is always travelers and new people's favorite and most characteristic building in Minneapolis. If you're thinking of iconic as in notorious it's probably cedar riverside.

You guys know iconic doesn't mean good-looking, right?

Regardless of looks Wells Fargo is always travelers and new people's favorite and most characteristic building in Minneapolis. If you're thinking of iconic as in notorious it's probably cedar riverside.

Eh, I just always hear people talk about the IDS in Minneapolis, from pop culture in Prince, Mary Tyler Moore, Fargo, etc... I haven't met a Chicagoan who knows what the Wells Fargo Tower is, but when I ask about the IDS Center their eyes will light up. Just my anecdotal experiences, I guess, but I'd just argue that significantly more people know the IDS as a signature Minneapolis building than those that know Norwest/Wells Fargo...

Don't get me wrong, it's interesting to hear what people are saying and I love that people love Wells Fargo. But the IDS has always seemed so beloved by Minnesotans..

But I'm just splitting hairs. My main point is that I think people would still call the place IDS.

Sears Tower and John Hancock Tower are iconic. Trump Tower is more asthetically appealing to most, especially at night.

If the right tenant moved into IDS, the community would support a name change. It would not be easy, but could be done. Per the Norwest to Wells Fargo change- that is unique because it is still the same anchor tenant. Like American Express (former IDS) spinning off again to Ameriprise- it is still the same company so the name change isn't such a big transition.

I think it is harder when it is a totally different company than before- and much harder if the new tenant doesn't feel like a true anchor. I still say the "Pillsbury" building because saying USBank Plaza is confusing- they may own the building and are the largest tenant, but most people think about their headquarters building on Nicollet when you mention USBank. And as mentioned before, Capella, which was First Bank/Firststar/USBank has moved on and people don't think of that as First Bank.

Simply put- if a new name is more memorable than the old name, people will remember it and use it.

So what will the new Wells Fargo buildings be nick named since we already have a WF Tower?

The WF twins! That is what I've been calling them since they broke ground!