Wedge International Tower
Encyclopedia
Wedge International Tower, usually capitalized as WEDGE International Tower, is a skyscraper
in Houston
, Texas
. The building was formerly known as the Southwest Bank of Texas Building, Unitedbank Plaza, and 1415 Louisiana. The building rises 551 feet (168 m) in height. It contains 43 floors, and was completed in 1983. Wedge International Tower currently stands as the 21st-tallest building in the city. The architectural firms who jointly designed the building were 3D/International and Nasr/Penton & Associates. The building is currently named after its primary tenant, WEDGE Commercial Properties; the firm purchased the building in October 1994 at a price between US$
25,000,000 and $45,000,000, and the structure serves as its corporate headquarters.
Wedge International Tower is noted for its series of four setbacks, but also for its distinctive lighting scheme, which has been in place since November 1995; at night, the building is outlined by neon green-colored lights. This lighting served as the inspiration for that of Bank of America Plaza
, the tallest building in Dallas
.
The 43rd story
of Wedge International Tower is home to a restaurant and bar, named The 43rd Restaurant and Lounge; the feature is one of the highest lounges in Houston.
Wedge International Tower was the site of a fire in August 1993, which was caused by an electrical fault and damaged the upper floors of the building. There were no fatalities in the incident.
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...
in Houston
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 ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The building was formerly known as the Southwest Bank of Texas Building, Unitedbank Plaza, and 1415 Louisiana. The building rises 551 feet (168 m) in height. It contains 43 floors, and was completed in 1983. Wedge International Tower currently stands as the 21st-tallest building in the city. The architectural firms who jointly designed the building were 3D/International and Nasr/Penton & Associates. The building is currently named after its primary tenant, WEDGE Commercial Properties; the firm purchased the building in October 1994 at a price between US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
25,000,000 and $45,000,000, and the structure serves as its corporate headquarters.
Bank of America Plaza (Dallas)
Bank of America Plaza is a 72-story late-modernist skyscraper located in the Main Street District of downtown Dallas, Texas. Standing at a structural height of , it is the tallest skyscraper in the city of Dallas. It is also the 3rd tallest in Texas and the 22nd tallest in the United States, while...
, the tallest building in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
The 43rd story
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
of Wedge International Tower is home to a restaurant and bar, named The 43rd Restaurant and Lounge; the feature is one of the highest lounges in Houston.
Wedge International Tower was the site of a fire in August 1993, which was caused by an electrical fault and damaged the upper floors of the building. There were no fatalities in the incident.