CenterPoint Energy Plaza: Office Tower At 1111 Louisiana St.

[WestUNative]

Surely there has been retained a photograph of this unusual, at the time, architectural design. I worked there from 1979-1980 and have been trying to describe it to a friend, who doubts its existence. The "remodeling" in 1996 hath rendered what amounts to a new and drastically different design and she cannot visualize my descripton. It also was renamed several times, but I believe the latest is Houston Industries Building. I have Googled and Ask.com'ed ad nauseum and still no likeness of it. Here is a description from HH (Historic Houston):

1100 Milam Building

1100 Milam Street

Architect: Joint Venture Ill: Koetter, Tharp, Cowell

[FilioScotia]

Surely there has been retained a photograph of this unusual, at the time, architectural design. I worked there from 1979-1980 and have been trying to describe it to a friend, who doubts its existence. The "remodeling" in 1996 hath rendered what amounts to a new and drastically different design and she cannot visualize my descripton. It also was renamed several times, but I believe the latest is Houston Industries Building. I have Googled and Ask.com'ed ad nauseum and still no likeness of it.

It's now the Centerpoint Energy Building. http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/2164.php

Edited September 13, 2006 by FilioScotia

[gnu]

Surely there has been retained a photograph of this unusual, at the time, architectural design. I worked there from 1979-1980 and have been trying to describe it to a friend, who doubts its existence.

Are you primarily trying to describe the old angled atrium around the base?

I have a picture of it in a book but Unfortuantely I have a broken scanner right now.

Edited September 13, 2006 by gnu

[gonzo1976]

Hah! From the above-mentioned Web site:

CenterPoint Energy Tower

Also known as: The Tower of Power

Also known as: Kilowatt Tower

Formerly: Reliant Energy Plaza

Formerly: Houston Industries Plaza

Formerly: 1100 Milam

Why not go back further?

Formerly: Some demolished building

Formerly: Some demolished house

Formerly: A mound of dirt.

Edited September 13, 2006 by gonzo1976

[WestUNative]

Filio, I need a picture of the way it was when built, not the modern bell tower rendition. Especially showing the "glass skirt." To a tiny, minor degree the Pennzoil Building seems to have tried to copy the concept, but not nearly so dramatically.

Gnu, hang on to that picture! If you get access to a working scanner, I would really appreciate getting my hands on it.

Texas Monthly, January 1987 indicates it has a photo in the archives, but you must be a subscriber to access it on the internet. Anyone here qualify?

Editor, Subdude, somebody help. This is an Architectural forum after all and this was a very impressive structure for 23 years, there has to be an image somewhere. Any links I could try? I need to convince someone of my sanity. They swear I imagined the whole thing!

Thanks.

[Subdude]

Here you go. Now you can prove to them you're sane!

[WestUNative]

Subdude! You are a Prince and I am much in your debt. I even researched the JVIII Partners Architects to see if they had old photos and got nowhere. Of course, some of them are defunct now. I really tried for days and days.

From what I have seen on these boards, you and Editor are the masters of Photos Past and I had hopes, but they were fading. I have immediately emailed said, very lovely picture to the doubting and now will roast some crow for her to eat.

So, would you prefer home-made chocolate chip cookies, a bottle of Kirschwasser or 12 pounds of tofu? I owe you big time.

Many, many thanks.

[Subdude]

Subdude! You are a Prince and I am much in your debt. I even researched the JVIII Partners Architects to see if they had old photos and got nowhere. Of course, some of them are defunct now. I really tried for days and days.

From what I have seen on these boards, you and Editor are the masters of Photos Past and I had hopes, but they were fading. I have immediately emailed said, very lovely picture to the doubting and now will roast some crow for her to eat.

So, would you prefer home-made chocolate chip cookies, a bottle of Kirschwasser or 12 pounds of tofu? I owe you big time.

Many, many thanks.

Well I'm glad you get to dish it out. Anyone who knows me would know that I would jump on any offer of tofu, but really, it was no trouble at all.

[WestUNative]

Tofu (gag) it is! Now shall I send that via my CD drawer attached to a Personal Message here?

If on the other hand, you live/work in convenient locales, I could have one of my Houston Posse personally deliver. Or perhaps Whole Foods would consider using one of the bike messengers?

Sigh, should've known you'd be one of those New Agers.

[Subdude]

Tofu (gag) it is! Now shall I send that via my CD drawer attached to a Personal Message here?

If on the other hand, you live/work in convenient locales, I could have one of my Houston Posse personally deliver. Or perhaps Whole Foods would consider using one of the bike messengers?

Sigh, should've known you'd be one of those New Agers.

Thanks but seriously you're off the hook. I'm out of town for a while.

Btw, I really doubt many people would tag me as a New Ager!

Edited September 18, 2006 by Subdude

[(Otto Mation)]

elnina999 has added a photo to the pool:

A treat by day and a beacon when illuminated by night. The crown is lined in white to reflect the floodlights, and occasionally those lights will be changed to red, green, or blue to reflect certain holidays.

Click here to view this photo at the HAIF Photo Pool on Flickr

[tigereye]

Recently, CNP Tower's floodlight lit crown went dark, replaced with red lighting on the edges.

Today, I spotted work ongoing on the crown itself. Anyone know if it's going LED? I'd imagine that's the move since they're more energy efficient than floodlights. If true, this could produce some interesting nighttime lighting.

https://twitter.com/thachadwick/status/568201083752824832

[Montrose1100]

Recently, CNP Tower's floodlight lit crown went dark, replaced with red lighting on the edges.

Today, I spotted work ongoing on the crown itself. Anyone know if it's going LED? I'd imagine that's the move since they're more energy efficient than floodlights. If true, this could produce some interesting nighttime lighting.

It was purple not too long ago. Slowly but surely the buildings are upgrading. If only BofA, Chase, and Fullbright would follow suit. It would be the icing on the cake if 1 Shell lit their radio tower ala BofA & Times Square in New York...

https://twitter.com/thachadwick/status/568201083752824832

[tigereye]

Update: The oculus is lighten up once again.

https://twitter.com/thachadwick/status/689232226236542976

[strickn]

http://offcite.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2010/03/NeverMindTheBollards_Barna_Cite371.pdf

Great title, author, and article, which I found in making a timeline of all Greater Houston mixed-use development

[MaxConcrete]

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

 

But I am baffled by the author's admiration for the Tenneco Building, which he calls "Houston's one truly great skyscraper" (I'm assuming in the context of the early 1970s), a "monumental sculpture" and "beautiful". Sure, its street level may be nice, but I view the exterior as generally unattractive. To me, it's more of a product of its time, a brief period when those recessed windows would have been a modern design, something like a bridge between the overt sun panels of 800 Bell and the solar coated glass which became available by the late 1960s.

 

Maybe an architect could explain how this building could be "beautiful".

[hindesky]

From reddit u/Driftershoots