The JPMorgan Chase Tower formerly Texas Commerce Tower
The JPMorgan Chase Tower formerly the Texas Commerce Tower is one of the largest buildings in Houston. It is located in the northern downtown district. This tower is a major landmark for the city and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Learn more in Houston Tx.
It was the tallest granite-clad building in the world when it was constructed. After it was completed, it was the eighth tallest structure in the United States and the tallest in the West.
Initially, the Chase Tower was slated to be an 80-story structure. But the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decided that the extra five stories would be a hazard for aircraft. Instead, the building was built at 75 stories. Today, the tower is a five-sided granite-clad Class-A office tower, which is 305.4 meters tall.
At the time of construction, the building was referred to as the Gulf Building. It was designed by noted architect I.M. Pei and Partners. It is now owned by Prime Asset Management.
The JPMorgan Chase Tower is also the tallest building in the state of Texas. In the year 2006, it was ranked as the ninth-tallest building in the nation. Also, it has been awarded LEED(r) Gold certification.
The building has a total of 1,660,488 square feet of rentable space. Besides the office space, there are also two retail banking centers. The first is located on the ground floor, where you can find large stained glass windows and marble finishes. You can also go to the observation deck on the 60th floor of the Chase Tower. A free service is available Monday through Friday.
The JPMorgan Chase Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Houston, and is situated along Travis Street in the central business district. It is a Class-A office tower with dramatic views of the city. Among its features are an express elevator that uses thirteen-foot ceilings and wide glass spans. Additionally, there are several creative space planning options.
Its Sky Lobby is a level with extra-tall windows that serves as an observation deck for the public. During working hours, the Sky Lobby acts as a transfer point for the upper floors. There is an express elevator in the sky lobby that provides a panoramic view of the city.
Another notable feature of the JPMorgan Chase Tower is the connection it has to the Houston Downtown Tunnel System. The tunnel system is a series of 25 city blocks of subterranean pedestrian walkways. While the tunnels are not connected directly to the JPMorgan Chase Tower, it is close enough to the building that visitors can take a shuttle from there to get to the tower.
The JPMorgan Chase Tower has a five-story glass wall that spans almost 85 feet in the front entrance. This wall is supported by a stainless steel space frame, making the lobby area light and airy.
Besides its modern building standards, the JPMorgan Chase Tower has been damaged by hurricanes. Fortunately, the building has been repaired to a certain degree, but its steel frame is going to eventually corrode and fail. Learn more about The Campus of Rice University.