1400 Smith Street
Encyclopedia
1400 Smith Street is a 691 ft (211m) tall postmodern skyscraper
located in downtown
Houston, Texas
, United States
. The building has 50 floors and is the 11th tallest building in the city. Designed by architectural firm Lloyd Jones Brewer and Associates, the building was completed in 1983. The 1200000 square feet (111,483.6 m²) office tower is situated on Houston's six-mile (10 km) pedestrian and retail tunnel system that links many of the city's downtown towers. The tower is currently leased by Chevron
as a major tenant. It was formerly Four Allen Center, a part of the Allen Center
complex.
The building was the former headquarters of Enron
, America's largest natural gas company during the 1990s and later infamous for its financial scandal
in 2001. 1400 Smith Street was originally known as Four Allen Center prior to Enron relocating to Houston in 1985. Before Enron's collapse, the energy giant constructed a second, similar building
across the street, connected to 1400 Smith Street by a circular skywalk. The building's white crown was illuminated during the evening for several years, but it has not been lit on a regular basis since 2002.
In 2006 Brookfield Properties
acquired the 1200000 square foot Four Allen Center for $120 million. At the same time Brookfield announced that Chevron USA signed a lease for the entire building. Brookfield held 4 Allen Center in a joint partnership with the private equity group The Blackstone Group. As of 2006 the joint venture has 7400000 square foot of office space in Downtown Houston
, making it the largest office owner in the central business district.
Beginning in 2006 Chevron
leased the entirety of the building. Earlier in 2011 Brookfield Properties
, the owner of the building, searched for a prospective buyer. In June 2011 Chevron bought the building from Brookfield for $340 million. Brookfield confirmed the purchase on June 24, 2011. If Chevron had not fully occupied the building, Brookfield would have put the building on the market, and Holliday Fowler Fenoglio LP would have had the listing.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
located in downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The building has 50 floors and is the 11th tallest building in the city. Designed by architectural firm Lloyd Jones Brewer and Associates, the building was completed in 1983. The 1200000 square feet (111,483.6 m²) office tower is situated on Houston's six-mile (10 km) pedestrian and retail tunnel system that links many of the city's downtown towers. The tower is currently leased by Chevron
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
as a major tenant. It was formerly Four Allen Center, a part of the Allen Center
Allen Center
The Allen Center is a skyscraper complex in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States. It consists of three buildings, One Allen Center , Two Allen Center , and Three Allen Center...
complex.
The building was the former headquarters of Enron
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
, America's largest natural gas company during the 1990s and later infamous for its financial scandal
Enron scandal
The Enron scandal, revealed in October 2001, eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Enron Corporation, an American energy company based in Houston, Texas, and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, which was one of the five largest audit and accountancy partnerships in the world...
in 2001. 1400 Smith Street was originally known as Four Allen Center prior to Enron relocating to Houston in 1985. Before Enron's collapse, the energy giant constructed a second, similar building
1500 Louisiana Street
1500 Louisiana Street, formerly Enron Center South, is a 600 ft tall Post-Modern skyscraper in Houston, Texas. It was completed in 2002 and has 40 floors. It is the 17th tallest building in the city and the tallest completed in the 2000s....
across the street, connected to 1400 Smith Street by a circular skywalk. The building's white crown was illuminated during the evening for several years, but it has not been lit on a regular basis since 2002.
In 2006 Brookfield Properties
Brookfield Properties
Brookfield Office Properties Inc. is a North American commercial real estate company. Brookfield Asset Management owns fifty percent of its outstanding common shares. The company has its headquarters operations in New York City and Toronto...
acquired the 1200000 square foot Four Allen Center for $120 million. At the same time Brookfield announced that Chevron USA signed a lease for the entire building. Brookfield held 4 Allen Center in a joint partnership with the private equity group The Blackstone Group. As of 2006 the joint venture has 7400000 square foot of office space in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, making it the largest office owner in the central business district.
Beginning in 2006 Chevron
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
leased the entirety of the building. Earlier in 2011 Brookfield Properties
Brookfield Properties
Brookfield Office Properties Inc. is a North American commercial real estate company. Brookfield Asset Management owns fifty percent of its outstanding common shares. The company has its headquarters operations in New York City and Toronto...
, the owner of the building, searched for a prospective buyer. In June 2011 Chevron bought the building from Brookfield for $340 million. Brookfield confirmed the purchase on June 24, 2011. If Chevron had not fully occupied the building, Brookfield would have put the building on the market, and Holliday Fowler Fenoglio LP would have had the listing.
See also
- Architecture of HoustonArchitecture of HoustonThe architecture of Houston includes a wide variety of award-winning and historic examples located in various areas of the city of Houston. From early in its history to current times, the city inspired innovative and challenging building design and construction, as it quickly grew into an...
- List of tallest buildings in Houston
- List of tallest buildings in Texas
- EnronEnronEnron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...