What Are The Top 10 Houston Buildings?

[editor]

I'm thinking about putting together a little glossy color pamphlet for visitors/tourists/etc that would be a Top Ten list of the best of Houston's architecture. Each would have a picture and a little map and a bit of history. People who come to the city could get them at the Visitors Center or in the lobby of their hotels in those little racks of brochures. (Anyone know how to make that happen?)

Here are the ones I came up with off the top of my head:

1. Williams Tower

2. Chase Tower

3. City Hall

4. Bank of America

5. 1500 Louisiana

6 .San Jacinto Monument

7. Fred Hartman Bridge

8. Saint Luke's Medical Tower

9. Chapel of Saint Basil

10. Wortham Fountain

So, what are the ten buildings people shouldn't miss in Houston, and equally important -- why?

[Subdude]

Great topic!

I would agree with Williams Tower, BOA, Chase Tower, San Jacinto monument, St Lukes, and maybe St Basil's.

The ones I would add would be:

Gulf Building - One of the best examples of an art deco skyscraper in the South, plus the interior has been beautifully restored. Also Houston's tallest for many years.

Rice Hotel - Sentimental value, since it was considered the center of the city for many years.

Menil Museum - A famous design that integrates well with the neighborhood.

Enron Building - If you're a visitor, this seems like it would be a must-see. If the new owner were smart he would open a visitors center and give tours.

Pennzoil - One of few recognized classics in Houston.

My personal favorite has always been the old Sheraton building, but I realize I have a minority opinion on that one.

[The Great Hizzy!]

1. Bank of America

2. Penzoil Place

3. Williams Tower

4. Esperson Tower

5. Enron Towers (I and II)

6. City Hall (main bldg)

7. JP Morgan Chase Bank Building (Gulf Bank Bldg)

8. Rice Lofts

9. Wells Fargo Tower

10. Humble Tower

Honorable mentions: St. Lukes Medical Tower, the Warrick Hotel, Franklin Lofts

[Guest Professional Hornblower]

Galleria I

Galleria II

Galleria III

Fogo de Chao

uhhh..

MegaPlexxx North

MegaPlexxx South

...lets see...

The waterwall

um,

The Disastrodome

how bout...the..

Houston Chronicle bldg.

and...

Mercer I

[shasta]

In No Order:

1. St. Basil's (St. Thomas)

2. Bank of America

3. Pennzoil

4. Esperson Building

5. Gulf Building

6. Transco Tower

7. MFAH Brown

8. (layout of Rice U)

9. the Astrodome

10. Menil Museum

11. St. Lukes

[editor]

Great suggestions so far. You're all totally right -- The Gulf building and Esperson both deserve to be in, as does Pennzoil.

If I get these printed up, does anyone know how they get into hotels and stuff?

I'm going to e-mail the CVB and see what they say.

[editor]

Is this going to be a Houston Architecture sponsored brochure? Either way, I think this is a great idea. When mentioning the Chase building, I'm sure you were going to mention the sky lobby right?

Yes, it's going to be sponsored by the web site, but not in an overly or tacky fashion. At this time the plan is to just have a small portion at the end directing people to the web site to discuss the buildings and read more about Houston's architecture.

I plan to mention the observation level, but advise people to call ahead to make sure it's open.

[editor]

I got an e-mail back from the Greater Houston Convention and Tourist Bureau, and they won't let us put the brochures in the city visitor's center in City Hall. You have to be a member of the bureau to get that honor.

Though it's a minor setback, I think it's strange that a private organization can dictate what items are placed in a public facility in a public building like City Hall.

[Guest Professional Hornblower]

I got an e-mail back from the Greater Houston Convention and Tourist Bureau, and they won't let us put the brochures in the city visitor's center in City Hall.  You have to be a member of the bureau to get that honor.

Though it's a minor setback, I think it's strange that a private organization can dictate what items are placed in a public facility in a public building like City Hall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah there are a lot of strange things that happen in "politics".

Isn't it fun being a human?

[Subdude]

Probably if you called any one of the hotel chains they could give you the address to contact of local owners or franchisees. What about the gift shops at the airport or in hotels?

[editor]

I got a follow-up message from someone at the Convention and Visitors Bureau who said that they DO sometimes carry brochures from non-members. So the project is back on! I guess even if they don't carry the brochures at the visitor's center, they could be useful aides for teachers, right?

Here's the top ten list I'm working with. Make any last-minute suggestions now, before I start putting it together:

1. Williams Tower

2. JPMorgan Chase Tower

3. Bank of America

4. 1500 Louisiana

5. 1400 Smith

6. Pennzoil Place

7. Chapel of Saint Basil

8. Gulf Building

9. Esperson Buildings

10. City Hall

[Casual Observer]

Well, if you're forced to have just 10, I would drop one of the Enrons, and add St. Paul's Methodist.

Are you having JP Morgan due to the title of being the tallest building in Houston? If so, then okay, but if you're basing it on architectural reasons, I would think the Wells Fargo Building would win out.

Also, I noticed that you dropped St. Lukes Tower. Unfortunately, thats the only high-rise we have with spires, and is a visual icon for many Houstonians.

You could probably drop City Hall in favor for damn near anything. Or maybe go with a Top 20, giving you a chance to cover all the nessessary highrises, and still giving you room to cover the better low rises. That new church off Woodway comes to mind, along with the golden golf ball over off Ashord Point. You can't forget the Menil, Sam Houston Statue & Relecting Pool overlooking Mecom Fountain, or the Williams Tower's Waterwall (unless that got covered in the Williams Tower section).

Finally, what about a few examples of some of Houston's more notable Hispanic-Victorian influence?

Whatever you pick, I'll still be sure to grab a copy for collecting purposes.

[editor]

I have to keep it at 10 because there's only so much space on a brochure. In fact, I'm not sure how I'm going to fit all 10 on there as it is.

I could see dropping 1500 Louisiana in favor of Saint Luke's. Chase has to stay because of its height. And I think it would be a good idea to have City Hall since the brochures will be right there. It will give people a good place to start.

[dbigtex56]

IMO 1500 Louisiana is much more photogenic than 1400 Smith (the new Enron vs. the old Enron buildings). And since they're nearly Siamese twins anyway (I defy someone to see one without noticing the other), go for the better photo.

Drop 1400 Smith in favor of St. Luke's.

Something else that occurs to me...if you're including directions and descriptions, perhaps noting other nearby buildings of interest would be helpful, e.g. "Just around the corner from St. Basil's is the Rothko Chapel, and the Menil Collection, which includes three significant museums." Or, "After seeing St. Luke's, continue a mile down Main Street to see the Astrodome and the new Reliant Stadium".

Space permitting, of course.

Edited May 21, 2005 by dbigtex56

[arche_757]

*Any of the MFAH Museums

*Menil

*Menil House

*Broadacres (North and South Blvd) - any number of buildings worth looking at in nice surroundings

*Gulf Building

*Esperson Buildings

*Pennzoil Place 1&2

*Rice University

*Saint Thomas University

Im not going to mention any more highrises - ie Williams, Bank of America, JPMORGANCHASECONGLOMERATEBANKOFTHEWORLD, ect..... since those buildings are highly visable from most places inside the loop.

[LTAWACS]

too many to choose

[Casual Observer]

Something else that occurs to me...if you're including directions and descriptions, perhaps noting other nearby buildings of interest would be helpful, e.g. "Just around the corner from St. Basil's is the Rothko Chapel, and the Menil Collection, which includes three significant museums." Or, "After seeing St. Luke's, continue a mile down Main Street to see the Astrodome and the new Reliant Stadium".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree completely. Why not just do 10 areas of the City:

1. Downtown - Central Business District

2. Downtown - Main Street Corridor

3. Midtown

4. Montrose

5. Museum District / Rice University

6. Greater Uptown / Galleria District

7. Texas Medical Center

8. River Oaks

9. Riverside Terrace

10. The Heights

That covers all the noted highrises (3 high-rise districts), all the museums, and all the classic residential (4 neighborhoods).

I don't know Editor, you have a hard choice in front of you. I don't know how I could do it, and would probably end up doing it this way due to my indecisiveness! Good-luck either way.

[Heights2Bastrop]

I can't believe no one has picked the Cotton Exchange Building.

[YakuzaIce]

Sorry for digging this up, but editor did you decide to make the pamphlet?