Petroleum Tower facts for kids
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Petroleum Tower
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Building in 2015
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 Location in Shreveport Downtown
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| Location | 425 Edwards Street Shreveport, Louisiana |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1958-59 |
| Architect | Hedrick and Stanley |
| Architectural style | International |
| Part of | Shreveport Commercial Historic District (ID82002760) |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000730 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 17, 2013 |
| Designated CP | March 11, 1982 |
The Petroleum Tower is a tall office building in Shreveport, Louisiana. It has 16 floors and stands at 187 feet high. This makes it one of the tallest buildings in Shreveport. It was finished in 1959. This building is special because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical place.
History of the Tower
The Petroleum Tower first opened in 1959. It was used as an office building for many years. However, it was left empty in the 1980s. For a long time, the building was not used and started to fall apart.
In 2001, the building was given to a group called Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal. Later, in 2006, there were plans to turn it into a big center. This project would have cost $62 million. It would have changed the building's look a lot.
Then, in 2014, new plans were announced. The building would be changed into 130 apartments. The ground floor would have shops and stores.
The Petroleum Tower is part of the Shreveport Commercial Historic District. This district was created on March 11, 1982. The building was included because it was built during an important time. It also represents oil, which has been very important to the area for many years.
On September 17, 2013, the building was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on its own. This shows how important it is.
Building Design
The Petroleum Tower is 150 feet long and 60 feet wide. From the second floor to the fourteenth floor, the outside walls are made of glass. These glass panels are separated by thin, light gray metal panels. This type of wall is called a "curtain wall."
The top two floors, the 15th and 16th, do not have windows. These floors hold the building's machinery, like air conditioning systems. You can see metal vents near the top of the building. The north, south, and west sides of the building have these glass curtain walls. The east side is a solid wall made of brick or stone.
The building has straight lines and a boxy shape. This look is common for buildings built in the International Style. This style was popular after World War II. Construction on the Petroleum Tower started in 1958 and finished in 1959.
The building was designed by an architecture company called Hedrick & Stanley. This company was based in Texas. The Petroleum Tower is one of only a few buildings designed by this specific firm that are still known today.
See also
In Spanish: Petroleum Tower para niños
