WestGrayGuy Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 Bank Of America Building At 700 Louisiana St. http://glasssteelandstone.com/Images/US/TX/IAH/BankofAmericaCenter-001.jpg Every time I return back to Houston from another city, I look for this building first. This is most distinctive building in our skyline. To add to its lore, there is the unfortunate story of the woman in the basement during Allison. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 yeah our good ole whataburger copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceCity Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 It is a beautiful building. Definitely my favorite too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 Our skyline plays with our imaginations... The contrast, and connection between the BOA and the JP Morgan Chase Tower, is awesome. I love our "Diverse" Skyline of colors, and shapes. Its all molds in so perfectly, like the song of the century. But we could fill up the space, around the JP Morgan Chase Tower, and from the Calpine to Chevron (tower) and from the Chevron to the Kellogg... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 Also, the wells fargo..ooh.. AND, don't forget the former Enron buildings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.S.O.N. Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 I think this building is the most distinctive of the Houston skyline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaTrain Posted October 17, 2004 Share Posted October 17, 2004 I like the BofA spires that stick out. The unique thing about is the three-level spire roof too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustoniaNYC Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 It's Republic Bank, just like it's Transco Tower, it's Texas Commerce, it's HOUSTON Intercontinental Airport etc., but I digress....I'm no post-modernist, but I've always appreciated that building. Houston is definitely a "gothic" place in spirit. I think of our beloved downtown skyline as a composition of beautiful objects, and I've liked how the Republic Bank played off of it's decidedly modern counterparts. What I've never understood though is why Johnson didn't equally stagger the 3 volumns of the building. The difference bewteen smallest(North) and the middle volume is greater than the difference between the middle and the tallest(South) volumns. Was it purely economical or programmical, or was Johnson trying to play with perspective? Impressive if he was since he apparently got away with it, except it doesn't really work in my opinion. It just looks wrong, like they meant to make the staggering equidistant but didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 What I've never understood though is why Johnson didn't equally stagger the 3 volumns of the building. The difference bewteen smallest(North) and the middle volume is greater than the difference between the middle and the tallest(South) volumns. Was it purely economical or programmical, or was Johnson trying to play with perspective? Impressive if he was since he apparently got away with it, except it doesn't really work in my opinion. It just looks wrong, like they meant to make the staggering equidistant but didn't.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Local legend has it that an influential person who had an office in Pennzoil Place didn't want his view obstructed, which partially influenced the shape of Republic Bank.Another factor was the Western Union building. Due to the number of telegraph cables which would have had to be rerouted at great cost (in those pre-internet days), Western Union refused to sell. Instead, the banking hall portion of the building now completely engulfs this ugly little concrete block building, hidden in the northeast corner of the banking hall. I worked across the street (at HL&P) and watched the construction of this building from start to finish. The amount of bracing that went into shoring up that corner of the building was quite an amazing engineering feat. That it works aesthetically as well is nearly miraculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 i read somewhere that philip johnson did not want to obstruct views of the pennzoil building(s) which he also designed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 What I've never understood though is why Johnson didn't equally stagger the 3 volumns of the building. The difference bewteen smallest(North) and the middle volume is greater than the difference between the middle and the tallest(South) volumns. Was it purely economical or programmical, or was Johnson trying to play with perspective? Impressive if he was since he apparently got away with it, except it doesn't really work in my opinion. It just looks wrong, like they meant to make the staggering equidistant but didn't.Interesting point. My guess is that the massing of the volumes was driven by all of the above. Economics in maximizing net rentable area by having the tallest section (to the south) also be the deepest. But I think it was also an aesthetic decision to not make the three sections equally deep. Varying the relative height and depth arguably lends itself to a more visually interesting composition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_oneal Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 It's Republic Bank, just like it's Transco Tower, it's Texas Commerce, it's HOUSTON Intercontinental Airport etc., but I digress....I'm no post-modernist, but I've always appreciated that building. Houston is definitely a "gothic" place in spirit. I think of our beloved downtown skyline as a composition of beautiful objects, and I've liked how the Republic Bank played off of it's decidedly modern counterparts. What I've never understood though is why Johnson didn't equally stagger the 3 volumns of the building. The difference bewteen smallest(North) and the middle volume is greater than the difference between the middle and the tallest(South) volumns. Was it purely economical or programmical, or was Johnson trying to play with perspective? Impressive if he was since he apparently got away with it, except it doesn't really work in my opinion. It just looks wrong, like they meant to make the staggering equidistant but didn't.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>if i'm not mistaken, the republic bank tower was built on top of another building. in fact, i think the lobby is that of the older building. could that have had something to do with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvarch Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 This one is my favourite building. The gothic arches give the skyline a european feel. I love the lobby..it reminds me of something. If I remember, I will post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Now you can own your own skyscraper. Well, not really. It's a statue. It's a great conversation piece, and looks good on an office desk or a shelf at home. Click here for a larger, more detailed photograph. (It doesn't really lean -- that's a thing with the camea lens) This was created by an artist who works at a foundry in Pennsylvania. In his spare time, he creates molds of these skyscrapers by hand, then takes them to work where they're turned into solid brass sculptures. Unfortunately, the process destroys the molds, so there are only five of each created before the mold is ruined. In short -- these are fairly unique. Further, this is SOLID METAL. He told me it's brass, and I have no reason to doubt him, but I know nothing about metal other than that it's really quite heavy for its size. This particular one is the Bank of America Center in Houston. It's four and a quarter inches tall. On the four sides of the base it reads Bank of America/Houston/238 M/1983. When the artist was still making these, they sold on his web site for about $150. I'm only asking $45, plus $8 shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 these things are worth a bundle! you should auction them on ebay. if i had the cash i would take them all. models of buildings are uber trendy right now and timeless. these are unique and rare accessories that cannot be found cheaply. if you have an inkling.....buy them all. seriously, BUY THEM ALL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 these things are worth a bundle! you should auction them on ebay. if i had the cash i would take them all. models of buildings are uber trendy right now and timeless. these are unique and rare accessories that cannot be found cheaply. if you have an inkling.....buy them all. seriously, BUY THEM ALL.When you talk about it like that, it makes me want to keep them. Seriously, though I am somewhat attached to them, I need the cash more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmancuso Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 ooh, i want it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 ooh, i want it!It's yours! I'll PM you with payment information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 This statue is once again available for sale. PM me if you're interested. The original price still stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 It's officially for sale: See full article: http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...tml?jst=b_ln_hl http://photohome.com/pictures/texas-pictures/houston/bank-of-america-1a.jpg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 It looks like the Bank of America Center is for sale. I really like that building. For some reason I hope its name doesn't change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 It looks like the Bank of America Center is for sale. I really like that building. For some reason I hope its name doesn't change.It's been my favorite of the skyline ever since I was a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 It looks like the Bank of America Center is for sale. I really like that building. For some reason I hope its name doesn't change.The name would probably remain the same unless the lead tenant changes. I assume the naming rights are written into their lease. The building has already gone through a number of name changes related to Bank of America predecessors. I believe it started out as the Republic Bank Building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgreco Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 as long as the lead tenant doesn't change it will stay the same, but who is selling the building exactly? Just the developers? since there is no sinage that saves money right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojeaux131 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I'm with you guys. As long as the name doesn't change, I won't be sad. This building is my favorite in the downtown skyline as well, and it's one of only a handful of Houston buildings that I've seen in books and on posters. Whoever buys it, it'll always be the "Cathedral of Commerce" in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 merged topics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double L Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Besides the name change, there's a chance the new owner won't want to keep the building lit up or they may change the lighting. However the building is highly occupied so the chance will be slim unless it goes to a much smaller business. If Hines can keep it lit up I would imagine most owners could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 The building has already gone through a number of name changes related to Bank of America predecessors.It was hard to keep up with the name changes. Half the time I still call it the NationsBank building. If something had to block the Pennzoil building in the north freeway view of the skyline (my favorite), at least it was another pretty building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I almost wished all building would get names that were not sponsored by a company name. It just sounds like an advetisment when they do it like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgreco Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 is there any price for name sponsor? or is it just the main tenant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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