Schlumberger Building At 5000 Gulf Fwy.

[kayzer]

<Boy, sure can tell it's the same architects that designed the Pasadena Bank Bldg. >

Good call, NenaE! I like them, though. I love the futuristic mid-century look.

[Vertigo58]

Here's a slide that my Dad took during Christmas 1958:

Incredible photo! There once was a time people.

[svensson]

I recently toured and photographed the building complex for a film shoot. Lots of empty mid-century wood panel/green shag rug offices - and lots of spacious warehouses. Many of the warehouses were used to repair oil field trucks. Has a military base feel. My tour guide showed me some fifties vintage air raid sirens he found and old telephones. Very cool place. I can post a link if anyones interested.

[Vertigo58]

Its well lit at night and that is a good thing. Guess all the little gold fish are gone from that front entry fountain?

This would serve great as a film studio it seems! Location, location....

[sevfiv]

A link to more information/pictures would be great...thanks!

[svensson]

here's some more pics of Schlumberger bldg:

http://homepage.mac.com/tarsky1/schlumberger/

[Dan the Man]

Wow, I didn't know the facility was vacant. It looks kind of creepy in its empty state, but would make a great set for a movie. I though UH was using the buildings for additional office space?

What the heck are those giant bowl-like things in the restroom, and why are there so many benches in the restroom?!

[Subdude]

here's some more pics of Schlumberger bldg:

http://homepage.mac.com/tarsky1/schlumberger/

Great shots, thanks.

Does anyone know if the building has asbestos?

[SecondTour]

What the heck are those giant bowl-like things in the restroom,

Sinks for handwashing. You step on the black foot bar near the floor and water comes out in an arc from several holes just above the basin. I worked in a printing plant when I was young that had those. Several people could wash their hands at one time.

[TexasVines]

Paul Revere Middle school had half round sinks like those, but you had to push the spring loaded button and they ran for a short period of time so kids could not overflow them .....they kind of sucked

the benches are probably for people changing out of work coveralls into the civies before going home so they do not coat the interior of their car with oily crap

[Ross]

When I worked at Hughes Tool as a Summer job in 1979, we had the same sort of hand washing facilities. Worked really well. That was at teh HTC plant on Polk. Cool buildings built during WWII. No steel in the structure, but lots of wood. The floors were wood blocks. Worked pretty well, although some areas were starting to get torn up. Way more comfortable than standing on concrete.

[readam]

Kinda reminds me of the Shell Research facility on Holcombe that will be put out to pasture in the near future. Great old buildings that have used up their usefulness according to higher ups and/or financial strategists. Oh I forgot that's just the norm

[NenaE]

Wow, thanks for posting those "inside the gate" shots, svensson. Can't get over how it's been maintained, outside landscaping. Sure the office bldg. has some issues. Those interior design shots are great, color schemes and all. The 1950's Sears bldg. in Pasadena had those same pink/tan bricks & stalls in the women's bathrooms.

[Bo Svensson]

It's immaculately clean in there. My theory is that they're hoping to lease to another oil & gas outfit. I saw students milling around but not much other activity. The guy at the guard shack had been there since the early '60s.

Sad to hear that the Shell facility on Holcombe is going away. I'd love to photograph it before the wrecking ball arrives but it takes an act of congress to get into active petro facilities unless you are working directly for them.

[Hunter]

I had also heard at one time that the land was offered to HCC. I'm suprised it's still standing and that nothing has been done to the property.

I cannot speak for the back side of the property but the front main building is currently being used and renovated by the Houston area Gulf Coast Head start program as well as several similar agencies.

[Vertigo58]

Sinks for handwashing. You step on the black foot bar near the floor and water comes out in an arc from several holes just above the basin. I worked in a printing plant when I was young that had those. Several people could wash their hands at one time.

There were several of these kinds used at the old Stewart & Stevenson facility on Harrisburg at least around 1981-82. Every break and lunch time every one walk up to washed up and then time to eat! Regimentation & military-like it seemed, but it was the norm. Most of the guys were always covered in grease from head to toe. In the middle there was a soap white powder dispensed.

[NenaE]

Good call, NenaE! I like them, though. I love the futuristic mid-century look.

I didn't mean that in a derogatory way. The style is so identifiable, has always drawn me in. Love it, as well.

[mwest]

I love this building! It was always a landmark on the way to my grandma's house or if we were coming home from a trip. I went there once with my dad for something, but I don't know what it was--I was only about three or so.

[theycallmeamili]

This was just posted on the Daily Cougar..

"The UH-led Lone Star Wind Alliance is a cooperative partnership between corporations, such as the Houston Advanced Research Center, British Petroleum, Huntsman and Shell Wind, and several universities, including the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The goal of this partnership is to research wind energy, train faculty and develop undergraduate research, Birx said.

Another major step was the purchase of an industrial research facility. Schlumberger Complex, a 550-acre complex, will serve as the future site of the UH Energy Research Park, Provost John Antel said.

"We are going to extend (Schlumberger) buildings 4 and 7, both about 500,000 square feet, and extending Wheeler (from Schlumberger) to the campus to meet the Energy Park," Antel said.

The Energy Research Park will add more facilities and space for the researchers to make innovations or improve on different ideas. Space is a real problem at UH, and even if researchers get funding to build out, there is nowhere to build out to, Khator said.

"The Energy Research Center gives academia, industry and community a chance to come together," Khator said. "

http://thedailycougar.com/uh_to_seek_corpo...nsors-1.1331939

[NenaE]

This was just posted on the Daily Cougar..

"The UH-led Lone Star Wind Alliance is a cooperative partnership between corporations, such as the Houston Advanced Research Center, British Petroleum, Huntsman and Shell Wind, and several universities, including the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The goal of this partnership is to research wind energy, train faculty and develop undergraduate research, Birx said.

Another major step was the purchase of an industrial research facility. Schlumberger Complex, a 550-acre complex, will serve as the future site of the UH Energy Research Park, Provost John Antel said.

"We are going to extend (Schlumberger) buildings 4 and 7, both about 500,000 square feet, and extending Wheeler (from Schlumberger) to the campus to meet the Energy Park," Antel said.

The Energy Research Park will add more facilities and space for the researchers to make innovations or improve on different ideas. Space is a real problem at UH, and even if researchers get funding to build out, there is nowhere to build out to, Khator said.

"The Energy Research Center gives academia, industry and community a chance to come together," Khator said. "

http://thedailycougar.com/uh_to_seek_corpo...nsors-1.1331939

That's great news, as long as they have respect for the old girl...and don't change her too much, or shall I say, "bring the property up to code or make it usable" with respect to the original design. What a great research subject, as well.

[theycallmeamili]

That's great news, as long as they have respect for the old girl...and don't change her too much, or shall I say, "bring the property up to code or make it usable" with respect to the original design. What a great research subject, as well.

yes i hope that this can be a kickoff to revitilizing the area since the building looks old and unused its finally being put to some use and UH can lead the way in wind and alternative energies. only fitting for UH being in the middle of the energy capital of the world.

[mcload]

I used to produce training videos for SLB (Schlumberger) a couple years ago, and I know for a fact that SLB still uses the property right next to the huge office building we're taling about. In this complex are some very huge stone cylinders of different types stone that are buried into the ground. It is here that downhole tools are lowered, tested, and calibrated for a particular formation that the tools may be used in. To move these huge stone cylinders would probably cost the company millions, and, they can't simply leave these in the ground either. So, this part of SLB still operates there.

Patrick McLoad