JPMorgan Chase Tower At 600 Travis St.

[Amlaham]

17 hours ago, Twinsanity02 said:

I just saw a youtube video of the skydeck views ( there are several)  from the One Vanderbilt in NYC. It is impressive. Got to pay though.

 

Its incredible!! I don't think theres anything in the world that can compare! I wish we had "a" skydeck or any observation deck :/ we have multiple beautiful skylines!

[hindesky]

Patio area.

[hindesky]

[H-Town Man]

Got a chance to walk around this neighborhood on a trip to town the other day. I was not overwhelmingly impressed by the new buildings by Hines, but when I got to the corner of Milam and Capitol next to this little plaza and looked around, that is when everything sort of came together. All the new buildings in this area of downtown combined to frame the plaza in such a way that I got a very exciting feeling of being in the center of a dynamic place. The feeling was similar to some of the great small plazas in Chicago like the Federal Plaza, Richard J. Daley Plaza, or the little plaza in front of the Wrigley building (probably better than the first two and not as good as the last).

I walked through the Gulf Building and over to Main Street and the feeling continued. Just felt great being downtown. I walk around downtown Austin a few times a week and downtown Houston just has a more mature and ennobling feel - everything in Austin is haphazard and chaotic, whereas the continuous vertical building faces defining the streetgrid in Houston give a sense of assurance and solidity, which stirs the heart in a way that only great downtowns can. The canyon effect of distant sirens and voices evoked thoughts of being in New York.

I stood at the corner of Texas and Main, admiring the front of 609 Main, and as my glance turned, I couldn't believe the sight of the dumpy old Binz Building. What a great candidate for redevelopment! The owners have about half the block, and it could connect to the tunnel system. If Skanska can build on such a narrow site at Discovery Green, someone could surely make a great thin office tower right here.

Walked a block north on Main and as I passed the Rice, I was struck by how tattered everything suddenly looked. It's sort of the feeling you get in the suburbs when you cross that invisible line between a "desirable" and a "not desirable" school district - the life just seems to get sucked out of everything. I've walked here a hundred times and never quite felt it in this way. Developing the parking lot at Main and Prairie would change this area considerably and extend the effect of the central part of Main Street.

As a final note, it was sad how few people were out on the streets at lunch hour on a business day. Makes me wonder if downtown has come as far as I thought it had, but I had to keep reminding myself, "It's the pandemic." Downtown Austin for that matter has about the same level of pedestrian activity at lunchtime, except maybe along Congress. Went to check out POST and although it wasn't exactly bustling, it had more human life than the historic district. Just have to keep improving.

[j_cuevas713]

2 hours ago, H-Town Man said:

Got a chance to walk around this neighborhood on a trip to town the other day. I was not overwhelmingly impressed by the new buildings by Hines, but when I got to the corner of Milam and Capitol next to this little plaza and looked around, that is when everything sort of came together. All the new buildings in this area of downtown combined to frame the plaza in such a way that I got a very exciting feeling of being in the center of a dynamic place. The feeling was similar to some of the great small plazas in Chicago like the Federal Plaza, Richard J. Daley Plaza, or the little plaza in front of the Wrigley building (probably better than the first two and not as good as the last).

I walked through the Gulf Building and over to Main Street and the feeling continued. Just felt great being downtown. I walk around downtown Austin a few times a week and downtown Houston just has a more mature and ennobling feel - everything in Austin is haphazard and chaotic, whereas the continuous vertical building faces defining the streetgrid in Houston give a sense of assurance and solidity, which stirs the heart in a way that only great downtowns can. The canyon effect of distant sirens and voices evoked thoughts of being in New York.

I stood at the corner of Texas and Main, admiring the front of 609 Main, and as my glance turned, I couldn't believe the sight of the dumpy old Binz Building. What a great candidate for redevelopment! The owners have about half the block, and it could connect to the tunnel system. If Skanska can build on such a narrow site at Discovery Green, someone could surely make a great thin office tower right here.

Walked a block north on Main and as I passed the Rice, I was struck by how tattered everything suddenly looked. It's sort of the feeling you get in the suburbs when you cross that invisible line between a "desirable" and a "not desirable" school district - the life just seems to get sucked out of everything. I've walked here a hundred times and never quite felt it in this way. Developing the parking lot at Main and Prairie would change this area considerably and extend the effect of the central part of Main Street.

As a final note, it was sad how few people were out on the streets at lunch hour on a business day. Makes me wonder if downtown has come as far as I thought it had, but I had to keep reminding myself, "It's the pandemic." Downtown Austin for that matter has about the same level of pedestrian activity at lunchtime, except maybe along Congress. Went to check out POST and although it wasn't exactly bustling, it had more human life than the historic district. Just have to keep improving.

You nailed it. I think the Rice Hotel will pick back up but many of these places are operating on pandemic hours. You aren't wrong about how far we've come, it's just that right now things are moving slow, especially for the hospitality business. POST really did a nice job bringing life to the north side of city center and Common Desk hasn't even moved in yet. Downtown isn't slowing down either. We still have a few projects to expect the next few years, and who knows what that will spur as well.

Edited January 13, 2022 by j_cuevas713

[Nate99]

Quote

Walked a block north on Main and as I passed the Rice, I was struck by how tattered everything suddenly looked. It's sort of the feeling you get in the suburbs when you cross that invisible line between a "desirable" and a "not desirable" school district - the life just seems to get sucked out of everything. I've walked here a hundred times and never quite felt it in this way. Developing the parking lot at Main and Prairie would change this area considerably and extend the effect of the central part of Main Street.

 

The restaurants and bars up that way were hit hard during all of the shutdowns and the reduced worker traffic during the week hasn't helped either.  The blocks from Prairie to Congress have always been pretty dingy by day.

 If the (State National?) bank refurb to Hotel ever gets going, that could help, and the parking lot could be a grocery store for the three residential towers that are nearby, but dealing with the homeless in the area would be a challenge for any retail. 

[j_cuevas713]

4 hours ago, Nate99 said:

 

The restaurants and bars up that way were hit hard during all of the shutdowns and the reduced worker traffic during the week hasn't helped either.  The blocks from Prairie to Congress have always been pretty dingy by day.

 If the (State National?) bank refurb to Hotel ever gets going, that could help, and the parking lot could be a grocery store for the three residential towers that are nearby, but dealing with the homeless in the area would be a challenge for any retail. 

Honestly I haven't seen many homeless lately. And areas around the old Cotswold fountains have surveillance now. The most I've seen still hang around the church but it hasn't been as packed or crazy. As far as the hotel is concerned, I see work is still being done so that's a positive. 

[samagon]

On 1/13/2022 at 10:45 AM, H-Town Man said:

As a final note, it was sad how few people were out on the streets at lunch hour on a business day. Makes me wonder if downtown has come as far as I thought it had, but I had to keep reminding myself, "It's the pandemic." Downtown Austin for that matter has about the same level of pedestrian activity at lunchtime, except maybe along Congress. Went to check out POST and although it wasn't exactly bustling, it had more human life than the historic district. Just have to keep improving.

I have an office downtown, while the office isn't closed, the mask requirements in place by my company has encouraged my boss to say we don't need to go in until they change their mask rules. at the moment, the expectation is March, but who really knows.

[hindesky]

Some dude broke out a window on the 24th floor and his throwing random things out the window. Swat is there now.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/02/05/man-throwing-random-objects-from-chase-tower-in-stand-off-with-officers-police-say/

[hindesky]

According to the Houston Chronicle....

"Man throwing debris from Chase Tower stated he wanted to take his own life, police say"

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/Man-throwing-debris-from-Chase-Tower-stated-he-16834365.php

[urbanize713]

Couldn’t get a pic but this looks really sharp with the blue lighting on the pyramid. Def gives it an extra edge that was not there before. 

[Montrose1100]

On 2/11/2022 at 7:29 PM, urbanize713 said:

Couldn’t get a pic but this looks really sharp with the blue lighting on the pyramid. Def gives it an extra edge that was not there before. 

I caught the LEDs in red but forgot to share with class.

[editor]

I like that there's public seating in the plaza now.  Looks like it could be a nice place for lunch, even though the chairs are of the spindly Luxembourg Garden variety. 

With about 10,000 more people working in downtown's towers this month, street-level foot traffic has picked up quit a bit.  And now I stay out of the tunnels around lunch time because it can get a bit too congested for me.  I've seen people waiting in line for 40 minutes to get Treebeards.  Crappy way to spend a lunch hour.

[j_cuevas713]

Yeah downtown is def picking back up. The energy seems to be consistent all week. 

[Triton]

Really exciting to see all the work they've been doing here to the plaza. I'll actually begin working at the JP Morgan Chase tower in April and I've heard they've even done major renovations inside too:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Chase-unveils-tech-hub-in-downtown-s-tallest-16441466.php

 

[Triton]

7 hours ago, Triton said:

Really exciting to see all the work they've been doing here to the plaza. I'll actually begin working at the JP Morgan Chase tower in April and I've heard they've even done major renovations inside too:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Chase-unveils-tech-hub-in-downtown-s-tallest-16441466.php

 

Photos I took this afternoon

 

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

[mfastx]

Looks really nice and I like the plaza out front too. 

[BEES?!]

I actually really like how this turned out! I think maybe the glass pyramid could’ve maybe been a bit bigger, but honestly, it looks really much more inviting with the plaza out front. 
 

projects like this are great steps toward making street level downtown feel less cold and impersonal. Sorta reminds me of the reno they did at  Allen Center with the plaza and seating outside. 

Edited March 19, 2022 by BEES?!

[wilcal]

Status as tallest building in Texas looks to be challenged in Austin.

[hindesky]

38 minutes ago, wilcal said:

Status as tallest building in Texas looks to be challenged in Austin.

Whoever posted that on the r/austin said 70 stories 1000', JP Morgan Chase is 75 stories 1002'. Not sure if the op know the correct height though. @Urbannizer what is the actual height of it?

[wilcal]

22 minutes ago, hindesky said:

Whoever posted that on the r/austin said 70 stories 1000', JP Morgan Chase is 75 stories 1002'. Not sure if the op know the correct height though. @Urbannizer what is the actual height of it?

Looks like we actually have a thread here on it: 

74 floors / 1025'

 

 

 

[Triton]

They had food trucks and a farmer market out today. 

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

JP Morgan Chase Tower by Marc longoria, on Flickr

[ttuchris]

I tried to walk through this new plaza last weekend on my way to AMC.  Security quickly told me to leave and that the plaza was closed to the public.  It was bizarre.  There are no fences and they had music playing.  

[editor]

More like a farmerless farmers market.

Glad to see something happening with that space, though.  Such a massive change from the old days when if you even lingered too long on the open space, the security guards would move you along.

Lots of these little markets popping up around downtown lately.  I went to one in 609 Main yesterday, and there was one earlier in the week in Understory. 

At 609, I bought good olive oil, bad cookies, and not great coffee cake.  It's surprising how every single vendor takes tap-to-pay payments, but only maybe half of them have business cards so you can find them after the pop-up market is over.

[editor]

17 hours ago, ttuchris said:

I tried to walk through this new plaza last weekend on my way to AMC.  Security quickly told me to leave and that the plaza was closed to the public.  It was bizarre.  There are no fences and they had music playing.  

Maybe they were getting ready for a private event.  They really should put up signs, though.

[samagon]

looks like the proposed tower in Austin that would have been taller than this one has been reduced in height, so Houston will retain the tallest tower in Texas.

[Montrose1100]

50 minutes ago, samagon said:

looks like the proposed tower in Austin that would have been taller than this one has been reduced in height, so Houston will retain the tallest tower in Texas.

The Wilson Tower (1035ft), which was supposed to be the new tallest, had it's height cut. The Waterline (1,022ft), is still under construction, which will be the new tallest. So as of now, JP Morgan Chase Tower will be #2.

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://realtynewsreport.com/tenants-consume-downtown-office-space/

"Hines and Cerberus Capital Management, global real estate firms, announced a total of 152,946 SF of lease expansions at JPMorgan Chase Tower, an iconic 75-floor, 1.65 million-SF office tower located at 600 Travis Street in downtown Houston. The building is currently 84 percent occupied."

[HoustonMidtown]

Ask 2: What is the tallest building in Houston?https://www.click2houston.com/features/2020/01/05/ask-2-what-is-the-tallest-building-in-houston/

[Highrise Tower]

Hines is letting the bank use the meeting facilities at 600 Travis.  I haven't been inside since the ZC renovations.  Very nice!! 

One of the conference rooms on the second floor is called IM Pei. Awesome!!

[HoustonIsHome]

On 3/26/2022 at 8:33 PM, wilcal said:

Status as tallest building in Texas looks to be challenged in Austin.

Looks like they went through all sorts of gymnastics to get up to that height. Looks like two separate towers, on stilts, on top of a massive podium, which itself is on stilts.

 

Chase tower rises from street level all the way to its tippy top. Chase should just add a crown after that Austin tower is completed and say nice try, but sorry.

 

But then again, Chase was originally planned to be taller, but FAA restrictions resulted in a shorter building.  I wonder if the FAA would block a 25 ft crown. 

[rechlin]

1 hour ago, HoustonIsHome said:

But then again, Chase was originally planned to be taller, but FAA restrictions resulted in a shorter building.  I wonder if the FAA would block a 25 ft crown. 

I've seen as many people claim this as people who say it's an urban legend and false.  Does anyone know the real story?

[Brooklyn173]

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/Houston-Hobby-airport-downtown-tallest-building-16360235.php

[Montrose1100]

On 9/8/2023 at 5:35 PM, Brooklyn173 said:

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/Houston-Hobby-airport-downtown-tallest-building-16360235.php

The Chron is the almighty truth. The Chase Tower is standing pretty at 1,049ft.

On 9/8/2023 at 2:37 PM, rechlin said:

I've seen as many people claim this as people who say it's an urban legend and false.  Does anyone know the real story?

E-mailed the architects well over a decade ago. Like back in AOL times. Advised the building grew and shrunk before they settled at the current height/floor count. Have yet to see any solid proof (from either perspective), that there was an official FAA statement blocking the height of the tower - let alone the proposed BOTSW Tower. They did tell me the FAA were concerned about the flight path into Hobby.

A 75 floor count cap by the FAA is strange. Floor height varies. There would be a definitive height cap, like San Diego, or Singapore, in feet/meters.

For now, I'd say it's an urban legend. Wouldn't put it past the Chron to peddle it.