On the Rise, Standing Tall

On the Rise, Standing Tall

On the Rise

OneAmerica's moves set foundation for 140 years of business

OneAmerica associates appreciate our high-rise heritage, and as the decades have passed, we're proud of what our Tower has meant to others.

“It was a good move,” remembers associate Rex Gregory, who started work at our company a day after graduating from IU on May 13, 1973. He was among the associates who uprooted from our previous five-story building near Fall Creek and Meridian Street, now Ivy Tech Community College. “To this day, when I tell people that I worked at OneAmerica Tower, they say, ‘Yeah, I know that place.’ “

That “place” is arguably one of Indianapolis’ iconic identifiers. The massive roof-top American flag flies proudly overhead, sometimes accompanied by a flag showcasing one of our local sports teams during a home game. Our building is often a backdrop in photographs used for high-profile events, such as when the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Show used it during a run of 2012 Super Bowl broadcasts. Photos or artist’s renderings of the Tower have been seen in company reports, food packaging, on the front exterior of Indianapolis’ Sun King Brewery, and even on a deacon’s robe.

Carl Leck of CBL Imagery, painted the mural of the city skyline (pictured left)  on the exterior front of Sun King in 2015, and the six-sided OneAmerica Tower is included.  “The shape of the building in general is recognizable to most who are familiar with downtown Indy,” he told us.

Our first headquarters was the Pythian Building, which is no longer standing, at Pennsylvania and Massachusetts streets from 1910-1926. The Tower is the fifth location we’ve called home.

At One American Square (which has its own zip code, 46282) we built what was the state’s tallest building (it’s still No. 2), and one of the most technically and aesthetically advanced in the Midwest. It’s our home, and a who’s who of national and international companies have been tenants.  Since 2014 it’s also enjoyed a multi-million dollar makeover, including a refreshed lobby and exterior.

“Our Tower meant, and continues to mean, a great deal to both OneAmerica and the City of Indianapolis,” said Jim Freeman, recently retired as vice president of community affairs after 27 years with the company. “For years we were the keynote of the city's skyline, and we continue to be one of the most recognizable buildings, especially when we are depicted with the American flag or the flag that flies underneath of one of our local sports teams to signify a home game.”

As a mutual insurance holding company still headquartered in the city where it was created, we take great pride that we stand tall.

"Those who participated in Indianapolis' revitalization back in the ‘70s were thrilled to watch such a pioneering insurance company as AUL climb high in national prestige while not abandoning its Circle City roots," said Bob Schultz, senior vice president of marketing and events for the nonprofit Downtown Indy. "It is clear that the addition of the AUL Tower led to a construction renaissance of the urban core, resulting in an ever-impressive skyline. We so appreciate the steadfast and continued leadership of then-AUL, now OneAmerica."

Beyond the 533-foot Tower, our Downtown campus includes two additional office buildings and a parking area flanked by twin signboards that, beyond mere characters, reflect our love of the city.

“The OneAmerica Tower has been transformative for downtown Indianapolis. A catalyst for the revitalization of our downtown core when it was built, today it means even more as we tout our city as a destination for Hoosiers, businesses, and visitors,” says Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Without the OneAmerica Tower, Indianapolis’ story wouldn't be the same."

Share your skylines with us. Have you seen OneAmerica Tower in a standout photograph or a mural? Email corporatecommunications@oneamerica.com or post it on social media with the hashtag #OAat140.