One Shell Plaza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids One Shell Plaza |
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Architectural style | Modernism |
| Location | 910 Louisiana Street Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 29°45′33″N 95°22′04″W / 29.7591°N 95.3677°W |
| Completed | 1971 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 304.8 m (1,000 ft) |
| Roof | 218 m (715 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 50 |
| Floor area | 113,900 m2 (1,226,000 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | 22 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill |
| Developer | Hines Interests Limited Partnership |
| Engineer | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill |
| Main contractor | W. S. Bellows Construction |
One Shell Plaza (OSP) is a very tall building in Downtown Houston, Texas. It stands at 910 Louisiana Street. This skyscraper has 50 floors and is about 218 meters (715 feet) tall. On top of the building is a large antenna. This antenna makes the building reach a total height of 304.8 meters (1,000 feet). When it was finished in 1971, One Shell Plaza was the tallest building in Houston.
Contents
Who Designed This Building?
One Shell Plaza was designed by a famous group of architects. They are called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Other architects, Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson, also helped. The outdoor areas were designed by Sasaki Associates.
You might notice that One Shell Plaza looks like other buildings. For example, One Shell Square in New Orleans looks very similar. Republic Plaza in Denver also shares a similar design. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed all these buildings.
Who Works Inside?
Many different companies have offices in One Shell Plaza. The Shell Oil Company used to have its main offices here until 2016. Shell Oil is a big energy company.
The law firm of Baker Botts also has its main office in this building. A law firm is where lawyers work. As of 2018, NRG Energy used the first 22 floors of the building. NRG Energy is another large energy company.
The 49th floor is home to The Houston Club. This is a special club where people can eat, have fun, and hold meetings.
Building's History
One Shell Plaza first opened its doors in 1971. In 1994, the building got a big makeover. This renovation cost about $80 million. The updates included a new lobby and outdoor area. The elevators were also made more modern. New lighting was added, and the building was made easier for everyone to use.
In 2011, Shell Oil Company decided to keep their offices in the building. They signed a new lease that would last for 15 years. In 2012, the company that developed the building, Hines Interests Limited Partnership, announced it was for sale.
Antennas on Top
The tall mast on top of One Shell Plaza is about 170 feet high. For many years, this mast sent out signals for TV and radio stations. It was used by several FM radio stations in Houston.
However, when other very tall buildings like the Texas Commerce Tower were built, they caused problems. These new skyscrapers made the radio and TV signals get mixed up. Because of this, the antennas had to be moved. They were moved to a special area for antennas in Missouri City.
Images for kids
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Houston skyline in 1971 shortly after completion of the building
See also
In Spanish: One Shell Plaza para niños
