Wells Fargo Center (originally Norwest Tower) was commissioned by Norwest Bank after one of the worst high-rise fires in US history destroyed the Northwestern National Bank Building on Thanksgiving Day 1982.

The second design presented by Cesar Pelli is the one that was built. The first design presented looked very similar to the Pelli-designed Key Tower which was built 3 years later in Cleveland.

The building's facade is of Kasota Stone, a buff-colored limestone quarried southwest of the Twin Cities in the Minnesota River Valley.

This is the tallest building completed in Minneapolis during the 1980s.

In addition to connecting to City Center through the south block of the Gaviidae Common shopping center, the building is connected to Northstar West by a skyway bridging Marquette Avenue.

The building's architecture takes cues from art-deco design, as seen in the nearby Foshay Tower, Rand Tower, and Qwest Building.

The upper setbacks are illuminated at night and can easily be seen for miles.

The building received the Urban Land Institute's Award for Excellence in Large Scale Office Development in 1989.

The 6th Street entrance is a 4-story extension of the main tower, and is topped by a large glass rotunda.

Until completion of the Minneapolis Central Library in 2006, this was the only building designed by Cesar Pelli in Minneapolis.

The pedestrian bridge over Marquette Avenue was designed by Iranian-born artist Siah Armajani. He also designed a bridge connecting Loring Park with the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden next to the Walker Art Center.