JPMorgan Chase Tower (Houston)

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JPMorgan Chase Tower photographed from ground level

The JPMorgan Chase Tower from near its base on a cloudy afternoon. The JPMorgan Center is visible in the foreground.

The 75-story, 305 m (1000 ft) tall JPMorgan Chase Tower of Houston, Texas, formerly the Texas Commerce Bank Tower, is the tallest building in Texas and one of the tallest structures in the world.

The tower was built in Downtown Houston at 600 Travis Street in 1981 as the Texas Commerce Tower. It was designed by noted architects I.M. Pei & Partners. The local architect and architect of record is 3D/International. In some early plans, the building reached up to 80 stories; however, the FAA expressed concern that additional height was a risk for aircraft going into and out of nearby William P. Hobby Airport.

The building was the tallest building in the United States west of the Mississippi River until the Library Tower, now known as the U.S. Bank Tower was built in Los Angeles in 1990.

View from the Sky Lobby facing south west Houston. Visible are the Wells Fargo Plaza to the left (2nd tallest building in Texas) and in the far background the Williams Tower (4th Tallest in Texas.)

JPMorgan Chase Tower is also connected to the Houston Downtown Tunnel System. This system forms a net- work of subterranean, climate-controlled, pedestrian walkways that link twenty-five full city blocks. The lobby of JPMorgan Chase Tower has been designed to harmonize not only with the height of the structure, but also with the portico of Jones Hall. For that reason, a five story glass wall supported by a stainless steel space frame spans the entire 85 foot width of the front entrance, making the lobby area light and airy, and opening up the space to the plaza outside.

The sky lobby, aka "observation deck", of this building is located on the 60th floor. The sky lobby acts as a transfer point for persons traveling to the upper (61-75) floors, but also as an observation deck for the public during the working hours of 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. One can take the express elevator, providing a panoramic view of the city of Houston thanks to the use of wide glass spans and thirteen-foot ceilings.

While still called the Texas Commerce Tower from time to time, the tower's major tenant is J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., which gives it is namesake. JPMC has moved many of its financial businesses from New York City to Houston. The tower is managed by Hines (its original owner) and owned by Prime Asset Management. The adjacent J.P. Morgan Center & Garage is still owned by Hines.

The building as seen from a parking lot north of Minute Maid Park

Houston evening skyline from the same parking lot. The J.P. Morgan Chase Tower is on the extreme right.

[edit] See also

• Tallest buildings in Texas
• Tallest buildings in the United States
• Gulf Building

[edit] External links

• JP Morgan Chase Tower Official Site
• Profile of the Chase Tower