Gulf Building
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Prominent real estate developer, publisher, statesman and banker Jesse H. Jones opened the Gulf Building in 1929 with Gulf Oil, National Bank of Commerce, and Sakowitz Brothers as primary tenants. Alfred C. Finn designed the 430foot high Art Deco edifice with a six-story base topped by a tall tower that diminishes in size as it rises. The 37-floor, steel-frame structure remained Houston's tallest skyscraper for 34 years. In 1986, the building, then owned by a successor bank, underwent a $50 million restoration. It was renamed the JPMorgan Chase Building in 2000 and continues to be a monument to the city's growth, modernity and financial prosperity. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2007
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When it opened in 1929, this 37-story Art Deco tower announced Houston's arrival as a modern American city. Financed by the powerful developer and statesman Jesse H. Jones and designed by architect Alfred C. Finn, its stepped tower rose 430 feet and reigned as the city's tallest building for 34 years, housing Gulf Oil and the National Bank of Commerce. A 1986 restoration preserved the landmark, later renamed for JPMorgan Chase.
Why it matters
A soaring monument to the oil-and-banking boom that transformed Houston, the building embodies the confident skyscraper architecture of America's interwar cities.
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Related people
- · Jesse H. Jones
- · Alfred C. Finn
Themes & tags
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