Colocation America (Aon - LADC2) Data Center

The Aon Center, situated at 707 Wilshire Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles, stands as a prominent example of modernist skyscraper design. Completed in 1973 and designed by architect Charles Luckman, the 62 story structure reaches a height of 858 feet. It is characterized by its rectangular black facade framed by a white border and is noted for its remarkably slender profile, an impressive engineering feat for a building located in a seismically active region. Currently the second tallest building in Los Angeles, it features the red Aon Corporation logo at its summit.

Originally inaugurated as the United California Bank Building, the tower has undergone several identity shifts, becoming the First Interstate Tower in 1984 before its current iteration. Upon its completion, it held the title of the tallest building west of the Mississippi River until 1982. It also maintained its status as the tallest building in Los Angeles for sixteen years until it was surpassed by the U.S. Bank Tower in 1989. Interestingly, the building’s exterior remained devoid of corporate logos for a five year period between 1998 and 2003.

On the night of May 4, 1988, the building was the site of a catastrophic fire that originated on the 12th floor. The blaze burned for four hours, destroying five floors and resulting in 40 injuries and one fatality. The severity of the incident was largely attributed to the fact that the fire sprinkler system was disconnected for construction at the time. The fire caused 50 million dollars in damages and required a four month restoration period, eventually leading to a landmark change in Los Angeles building codes that mandated fire sprinklers for all high rise buildings.

Beyond its office space, the facility offers comprehensive data center solutions tailored to various business scales. Clients can utilize a range of housing options, from full and partial cabinets to shared rackspace for smaller deployments. For organizations requiring higher levels of security or larger footprints, the center provides private cages, dedicated suites, and customizable footprints. These options are supported by Remote Hands services, ensuring technical assistance is available without the client needing to be physically present.

The technical infrastructure of the Aon Center data facility is designed for high availability and resilience. It operates with a Tier 3 design and holds Tier 3 certification, ensuring a high standard of uptime and concurrent maintainability. The power systems feature 2N plus 2 redundancy for standby power, providing a significant buffer against electrical failures. This robust engineering ensures that mission critical data remains accessible even during external power fluctuations or equipment maintenance.

Security and data integrity are prioritized through rigorous physical controls and industry certifications. The facility is protected by 24/7 on site security staff, CCTV surveillance, and multi layered entry protocols including biometric and card access controls. Furthermore, the center meets stringent regulatory requirements, being DSS PCI certified for financial data, HIPAA compliant for healthcare information, and SAS70 Type 2 certified. These measures, combined with 24/7 network provider availability, create a highly secure environment for sensitive digital assets.