Bank of America Plaza facelift will change the look of Trade and Tryon

It’s one of uptown’s original office towers, standing 40 floors at the corner of Trade and Tryon. You might recognize it as the building near the big gold disc thingy — AKA Il Grande Disco.

And now it’s getting a facelift. Construction on Bank of America Plaza’s $20 million renovation begins this month and should finish by the first quarter of next year, Ely Portillo reported.

Right now, the ground floor of the building has dark windows that you can’t see through.

When it’s done, you can expect:

– 4 new retail spaces (much more inviting and good for uptown than secret reflective glass) totaling 20,000 square feet.

– An expanded lobby

– New exterior facade

“We have created a more pedestrian-friendly area with smaller shop fronts, outdoor seating areas, and a new, extended main building entry to engage the public plaza,” the company’s lead designer Richard Boswell said in a statement.

Some renderings:

Quick history lesson:

The building opened in 1974 as the tallest tower in North Carolina at the time and served as the new headquarters for Bank of America predecessor NCNB. It was part of an effort to revive uptown and lure businesses back to the area.

It’s now the sixth tallest building in Charlotte.

Photo: Ely Portillo. Renderings: Redline.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 9:52 PM with the headline "Bank of America Plaza facelift will change the look of Trade and Tryon."