architect87 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I stumbled across this picture today and could not believe that this was the same building that we see today (it's the building on the right in the picture). Does anyone know if there are plans to renovate this structure and remove that hideous 60's facade? I thought I read that something was happening with this one but I don't remember where I saw that. National Bank Of Commerce/Houston Bar Building Here are the pictures for comparison: http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/p15195coll2/item/171 https://www.google.com/search?q=%22national+bank+of+commerce%22+houston+bar+center&client=firefox-a&hs=28Q&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=LRnrUubCFab7yAG3zoDwCw&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAw&biw=1252&bih=555#q=houston+bar+center+building&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=bkmVPbuhvF39iM%253A%3BynHCZiHdwWnpoM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.emporis.com%252Fimages%252Fshow%252F596130-Large.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.emporis.com%252Fbuilding%252Fhouston-bar-center-building-houston-tx-usa%3B800%3B600 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Would be nice, but who knows what's underneath / what has been destroyed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks for posting - I couldn't remember the current name of that building. National Bank of Commerce was across the street in the Gulf Building though, wasn't it? An equally sad remodeling was the Foster Building next door (now the St Germain lofts). What were these people thinking? (And I'm looking at you, Hines, Shorenstein and Brookfield.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Yes, the Gulf Building was home to the National Bank of Commerce, however since Jesse Jones started his financial empire around 1910 or so, and being that the Gulf Building was not built until around 1928 or so, it is beleivable that this building could have been a earlier location of Commerce Bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little frau Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 When I was hired to work for Gulf Oil in the late 60s, one of the perks was a free checking account at the Nat'l Bank of Commerce. There must have been some connection between the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Oh there definenetly was a conncetion. Jones built the Gulf Building. Commerce Bank was a prime tenant on the lower floors, with Gulf Oil occuppying the floors above level 6. The adjoing Texas Commerce Bank and Gulf Building Annex buildings were added later. Commerce Bank apparenlty merged with or acauired some other bank later on that prompted the name change to Texas Commerce Bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 National Bank of Commerce and Texas National Bank merged back in the '60s, forming Texas National Bank of Commerce (with an incredibly twangy radio jingle - think Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Oh, and thanks for the earworm) and later shortened the name to Texas Commerce Bank. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earlydays Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 There was a Classical Music FM station in the top of the Gulf Building and I remember in 1958 as a 12 year old going there with my brother-in-law, who as a weekend DJ there. I remember that day because we went to the roof and launched a rubber band power airplane....it seemed to fly for miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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