The ExxonMobil Building (also known as Exxon Tower, and formerly as Humble Oil Building) at 800 Bell Street in Houston, Texas is a 45-story, 1,200,000 sq ft (110,000 m2) skyscraper built in 1963, designed by Welton Becket & Associates.[1] The building is known for its “fins” which protrude from the building’s exterior to provide shade from the sun.[1]
| ExxonMobil Building | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Former names | Humble Building Humble Oil Building |
| Alternative names | Exxon Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | 800 Bell Street Houston, Texas |
| Coordinates | 29°45′13″N 95°22′10″W / 29.7535°N 95.3694°W |
| Completed | 1963 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 184.71 m (606.0 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 44 |
| Floor area | 1,200,000 sq ft (110,000 m2)[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Welton Becket and Associates George Pierce-Abel B. Pierce Golemon & Rolfe Associates |
| Developer | Del E Webb Corporation[2] |
| Structural engineer | McClelland Engineers |
| Main contractor | W. S. Bellows Construction |
| References | |
| [3][4][5][6] | |
At the time of its construction, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at 606 ft (185 m), surpassing the Republic Bank Tower in Dallas (the previous record holder). It remained the tallest building west of the Mississippi only until 1965, when Elm Place was built in Dallas.
History
edit800 Bell Street was built in 1963 as the headquarters of Humble Oil Company, a predecessor of Exxon.[1] In 1973 Humble's parent company Standard Oil of New Jersey rebranded nationwide as Exxon and discontinued the Humble name.
During the Houston Astros' 2004 NLCS run (playoffs), the top of the building was crowned by hundreds of tiny blue lights while an enormous Astros star (logo) made of white lights was hung on the south side of the building.[7]
In 2011 the company announced they would relocate all employees in the building to a new ExxonMobil office in Spring.[8]
In January 2013, Shorenstein Properties acquired the property for $50 million.[1] As part of the deal, ExxonMobil leased back the entire building through 2015.[1] Shorenstein Properties announced plans to undertake significant improvements following ExxonMobil's departure.[9]
In 2015, as ExxonMobil's lease expired, oil prices crashed. This caused petroleum companies to shed excess office space, leaving the property vacant for almost the next decade.[1]
Mayor of Houston Annise Parker proposed moving municipal court and Houston Police Department operations into the ExxonMobil building. Charles McClelland, the head of HPD, stated that having so many law enforcement and public safety agencies concentrated in a single building may be a safety risk, citing the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.[10] In September 2015 Parker's administration announced that the plan would not move forward due to concerns over costs.[11]
In late 2022, the 1.2 million square foot building was sold to developers with plans to convert the vacant office building to residential units.[1]
Location
editThe building is two blocks east of 1500 Louisiana Street; a parking lot is between the two buildings.[12] The building is situated about five blocks north of the Pierce Elevated freeway, which is slated to be re-routed and removed as part of a Texas Department of Transportation Plan.[1]
Petroleum Club
editThe Petroleum Club of Houston moved into the top three floors of the ExxonMobil Building in February 1963.[13][14] The club was accessible through elevators on Bell Street.[15] In January 2015, due to ExxonMobil's lease expiration, the club relocated to Total Plaza.[13][16]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Realty News Report (17 January 2023). "Exxon Skyscraper Sold for Apartment Conversion". Realty News Report. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "ExxonMobil Building". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
- ^ "Emporis building ID 117636". Emporis. Archived from the original on January 20, 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ ExxonMobil Building at Glass Steel and Stone (archived)
- ^ "ExxonMobil Building". SkyscraperPage.
- ^ "ExxonMobil Building 800 Bell St Houston, TX". TheSquareFoot. 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
- ^ Connelly, Richard. "ExxonMobil Making Big Move To North Houston Archived 2011-09-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Shorenstein Properties Completes Purchase of 800 Bell Street in Houston - High Rise Facilities". Archived from the original on 2013-03-27.
- ^ Morris, Mike. "Questions emerging over plans to move justice complex to Exxon tower." Houston Chronicle. March 12, 2015. Retrieved on March 13, 2015.
- ^ Morris, Mike. "Parker halts plans to turn Exxon tower into police, courts complex." Houston Chronicle. September 25, 2015. Retrieved on September 16, 2015.
- ^ Nancy Sarnoff (February 8, 2002). "ExxonMobil may be frontrunner for Enron Center South building". The Houston Business Journal. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ a b "History". The Petroleum Club of Houston. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Petroleum Club of Houston". Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2013. ()
- ^ "Contact." (Archive). Petroleum Club. Retrieved on June 4, 2014.
- ^ Sarnoff, Nancy. "Bucks for the memories: Petroleum Club auctions off some of its relics." Houston Chronicle. November 13, 2014. Retrieved on March 9, 2015.
External links
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