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Wells Fargo Plaza: Office Skyscraper At 1000 Louisiana St.


Montrose1100

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The Wells Fargo Plaza:

Location: Street 1000 Louisiana Street

Postcode: 77002

Neighborhood: Downtown

Borough: Inner Loop East

City: Houston

Country: U.S.A.

Technical Data:

Height: 972 ft (296 m)

Floors: 71

Construction: Built in 1983

Style: Modern

Facts

- Inside, two double-decked skylobbies offer public views from different heights uring business hours.

- The building's footprint is in the shape of a dollar sign.

- Tallest all-glass building in the Western Hemisphere.

- Wells Fargo Center is located in Houston's Central Business District on the corner of Rusk and Travis Streets.

- The 71-story building features a warm bronze glass facade and a main lobby adorned with terrazzo tile accented with incandescent lighting.

- Wells Fargo Center's convenient location offers Metro Bus Service and direct access to downtown Houston's 2.5-mile climate controlled underground pedestrian system.

- The design partner for Wells Fargo Plaza was Richard Keating.

- This is the second tallest building in Houston and Texas.

Companies:

owner: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company

owner: Metropolitan Tower Realty Company, Inc.

developer: Century Development Corporation

design architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

associate architect: Lloyd Jones Brewer & Associates

general contractor: Turner Construction Company

structural engineering: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

tenant: Wells Fargo Bank

http://www.budowle.pl/najwyzsze/grafika/wells_fargo_plaza_2.jpg

http://www.budowle.pl/najwyzsze/grafika/wells_fargo_plaza.jpg

http://home.t-online.de/home/highrises/hou1intb.jpg

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I have a sort of emotional attachment to this building -- my mom used to work on the 69th floor (she now works on the sixth), and I would go to work with her quite often when I was younger. I loved to just sit at the window and look out to the world around us lol.

It's a pretty cool building.

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It is a bit dated, but I like Wells Fargo more than its contemporaries (e.g. Chase Tower). The design in plan is two offset quarter-circles, although it is often said to be based on a dollar sign. While it lends some visual interest to the exterior, the shape to me makes the interior spaces a bit awkward.

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Wells Fargo Plaza is a Perfect TEN! Well set apart from the others in the skyline with the dollar sign shape, the blue-green tint on the glass and the sleek and clean feel to it. <_<

At first I assumed it was the tallest -- until I found out neighboring JP Morgan Chase had that honor. Chase is so obscure when viewed from the west at Buffalo Bayou Park.

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I remember when this building was going up, and how impatient everyone was for them to complete it. The external construction elevator remained for months after the rest of the building had been clad with its distinctive green glass.

Finally, in early August of '83, the construction elevator was removed and the last glass panels were installed. So beautiful!

Three weeks later, Hurricaine Alicia hit, and smashed out dozens and dozens of panes of glass. For nearly a year the exterior was a patchwork of glass and plywood. Fortunately they were able to match the glass so that the damage is now undetectable.

I wonder if they'd be able to do the same if another hurricaine should hit - glass tends to change color over the years.

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I remember when this building was going up, and how impatient everyone was for them to complete it. The external construction elevator remained for months after the rest of the building had been clad with its distinctive green glass.

Finally, in early August of '83, the construction elevator was removed and the last glass panels were installed. So beautiful!

Three weeks later, Hurricaine Alicia hit, and smashed out dozens and dozens of panes of glass. For nearly a year the exterior was a patchwork of glass and plywood. Fortunately they were able to match the glass so that the damage is now undetectable.

I wonder if they'd be able to do the same if another hurricaine should hit - glass tends to change color over the years.

I believe much of the glass breakage was due to loose gravel on the roof of the Tenneco (now El Paso) building being whipped up by the wind. If I remember correctly, the glass damage alone went into seven figures. Needless to say, the lawsuits and embarassment have ensured there won't be a repeat of that.

Now, as for the building's design -- as 2112 will tell you, it is ground zero for upskirt shots on even moderately windy days. The facade swirls winds around more than any other building in town. So, it's possible that enough negative pressure could be generated to blow a some windows out in a strong hurricane. I doubt it would be anything close to the rain of glass during Alicia, though.

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I believe much of the glass breakage was due to loose gravel on the roof of the Tenneco (now El Paso) building being whipped up by the wind. If I remember correctly, the glass damage alone went into seven figures. Needless to say, the lawsuits and embarassment have ensured there won't be a repeat of that.

Now, as for the building's design -- as 2112 will tell you, it is ground zero for upskirt shots on even moderately windy days. The facade swirls winds around more than any other building in town. So, it's possible that enough negative pressure could be generated to blow a some windows out in a strong hurricane. I doubt it would be anything close to the rain of glass during Alicia, though.

Dall!!! Youre back!!!

Good to hear from you! Hey, youre making me look like some kinda' prevert! Generally, I dont like my name associated with the phrase "upskirt", although, in the event that one is presented to me, I may have no choice but to look. Its who I am.

Its whats for dinner.

Anyways, hope the magazine and all is doing well. Oh, and, Montrose1100 says hello.

Laters.

:unsure:

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Here are some night shots I took last year on a very cloudy night hence the orange sky from all the city lights. I wonder how come they weren't lighting the top for awhile, then after the Super Bowl its been lit ever since? I like it better at night now, makes downtown more visible from a far.

3995p1010056.jpg

3995p1010062.jpg

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