ExxonMobil Building

The ExxonMobil Building (formerly the Humble Building) was built in 1963 in Houston. At that time it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at 606 ft (185 m), surpassing the Southland Center 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.

ExxonMobil Building
Former namesHumble Building
Humble Oil Building
Alternative namesExxon Building
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeCommercial offices
Location800 Bell Street
Houston, Texas
Coordinates29.7535°N 95.3694°W / 29.7535; -95.3694
Completed1963
Height
Roof184.71 m (606.0 ft)
Technical details
Floor count44
Design and construction
Architect(s)Welton Becket and Associates
George Pierce-Abel B. Pierce
Golemon & Rolfe Associates
DeveloperDel E Webb Corporation[1]
Structural engineerMcClelland Engineers
Main contractorW. S. Bellows Construction
References
[2][3][4][5]

As of 2011, ExxonMobil is the owner of the building.[6] One of the most distinctive features of the building is the cantilevered seven-foot-wide shades (2.1 m) on each floor that protrude from the side of the building to provide shade from the daytime sun.

Currently, the JPMorgan Chase Tower, completed in 1982 is Houston's tallest building, and the tallest building in Texas, at 1,002 ft (305 m).

The building is two blocks east of 1500 Louisiana Street; a parking lot is between the two buildings.[7]

The architect of the International style structure was Welton Becket and Associates.

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.[8]

In 2011 the company announced that all employees in the ExxonMobil building are moving to the new ExxonMobil office in Spring. ExxonMobil did not state what it plans to do with the building after the employees leave.[6]

In January 2013, Shorenstein Properties announced it had acquired the property for an undisclosed amount. ExxonMobil immediately leased back the entire building into 2015. Shorenstein Properties announced plans to undertake significant improvements following ExxonMobil's departure.[9]

In 2015 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]

Tenants

The top two floors were formerly dining space for the Petroleum Club of Houston, which had moved to the ExxonMobil Building in 1963.[12] The club was accessible through elevators on Bell Street.[13] Because of the sale and scheduled renovation of the ExxonMobil Building, the club was forced to find a new location. In late January 2015 it was scheduled to move to Total Plaza.[14]

References
  1. "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)
  2. "ExxonMobil Building". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.
  3. "Emporis building ID 117636". Emporis. Archived from the original on January 20, 2016.
  4. ExxonMobil Building at Glass Steel and Stone (archived)
  5. "ExxonMobil Building". SkyscraperPage.
  6. Connelly, Richard. "ExxonMobil Making Big Move To North Houston Archived 2011-09-04 at the Wayback Machine." Houston Press. Tuesday June 7, 2011. Retrieved on March 4, 2012.
  7. Nancy Sarnoff (February 8, 2002). "ExxonMobil may be frontrunner for Enron Center South building". The Houston Business Journal. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  8. "ExxonMobil Building 800 Bell St Houston, TX". TheSquareFoot. 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  9. "Shorenstein Properties Completes Purchase of 800 Bell Street in Houston - High Rise Facilities". Archived from the original on 2013-03-27.
  10. Morris, Mike. "Questions emerging over plans to move justice complex to Exxon tower." Houston Chronicle. March 12, 2015. Retrieved on March 13, 2015.
  11. Morris, Mike. "Parker halts plans to turn Exxon tower into police, courts complex." Houston Chronicle. September 25, 2015. Retrieved on September 16, 2015.
  12. "Petroleum Club of Houston". Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2013. ()
  13. "Contact." (Archive). Petroleum Club. Retrieved on June 4, 2014.
  14. Sarnoff, Nancy. "Bucks for the memories: Petroleum Club auctions off some of its relics." Houston Chronicle. November 13, 2014. Retrieved on March 9, 2015.
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