The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the country's leading architectural firms, and constructed from 1965 to 1967.

The building was the tallest in the state of Virginia from 1967 to 1971, when it was surpassed in height by Richmond City Hall.

In 2010, the building was losing tenants to newer office towers in Downtown Norfolk, including the Wells Fargo Center,[3] while the Maersk Line Limited shipping company retained its headquarters there.

[4] In late 2015, developers announced plans to convert the building to a 300-unit luxury apartment tower with ground-level retail.

[5] In August 2016, Bank of America announced its relocatation to 999 Waterside Drive, the former Dominion Tower, several blocks away.