JPMorgan Chase Building (Houston)

JPMorgan Chase Building
Company type	Headquarters building
Industry	Banking, Office building
Founded	1929
Headquarters	Houston, United States
Products	Office space, Banking hall
Owner	Brookfield Real Estate Opportunity Fund (since 2010)

The JPMorgan Chase Building, initially known as the Gulf Building, is a 37-story Art Deco high-rise located in downtown Houston, Texas. Finished in 1929, it held the title of Houston’s tallest structure until 1963 when it was overtaken by the Exxon Building. Currently, it functions as the Houston headquarters for JPMorgan Chase Bank, having formerly served as the main office for Texas Commerce Bank.

Original Structure

Jesse H. Jones, an influential pioneer in Houston’s early steel-frame skyscraper era, commissioned Gulf’s initial ten-story building in 1916, which was later renamed the Rusk Building following Gulf’s relocation.

In 1927, Jones embarked on constructing a new Art Deco skyscraper for Gulf at the intersection of Rusk Avenue and Main Street, on land formerly occupied by the Charlotte Baldwin Allen homestead. Departing from his usual partnership with Alfred C. Finn, Jones selected architects Kenneth Franzheim and J. E. R. Carpenter, taking design cues from Eliel Saarinen’s notable Tribune Tower proposal.

Completed in 1929, the 36-story Gulf Building reached approximately 450 feet, remaining Houston’s tallest building until 1963. The structure featured a combination of uses: predominantly leased office space with retail on the ground floor anchored by the Sakowitz Department Store, which spanned over 65,000 square feet across five levels. Gulf occupied floors seven through nineteen under a twenty-year lease, while National Bank of Commerce held key lobby and basement areas. Smaller tenants typically signed leases ranging from three to five years.

The upper stories were clad in "buff tapestry brick," resting atop a six-floor limestone base. The Rusk Avenue elevation extended across eight bays, while the Main Street façade consisted of seven bays. The design incorporated Manhattan-style setbacks on floors 25, 28, and 32 and combined elements of Art Deco with Gothic detailing.

Jesse H. Jones supervised the construction in 1929, establishing the Gulf Building as a prominent commercial office landmark in Houston.

Renovations

The Gulf Oil signage was erected in May 1966 and taken down in March 1974.

Texas Commerce Bank

In 1989, Texas Commerce Bank spearheaded an extensive restoration project for the building, recognized as one of the largest privately financed preservation efforts in U.S. history. Restoration work included refurbishing the terrazzo flooring within the Banking Hall while preserving worn sections of the marble border to honor its historical character. Owing significantly to JPMorgan Chase’s involvement, the former Gulf Building was designated a City of Houston Landmark in 2003, supplementing its recognition as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

Texas Commerce Bank also owned the neighboring 75-story Texas Commerce Tower (finished in 1982), now known as the JPMorgan Chase Tower.

Brookfield Asset Management

In 2010, the former Gulf Building was purchased by Brookfield Real Estate Opportunity Fund from JPMorgan Chase amid a large-scale sale involving sixteen properties nationwide. The deal included a leaseback arrangement covering 60% of the office space, enabling JPMorgan Chase to retain its Houston headquarters location.

On August 30, 2010, a significant fire erupted on the 27th floor requiring response from 270 firefighters. The blaze was brought under control by 11:20 pm. Due to a damaged pipe, water had to be pumped directly into the premises. Six firefighters sustained injuries but were subsequently discharged from medical care.

Building features

The structure encompasses roughly of total area, which includes a retail banking hall located on the first floor. This banking hall is distinguished by its high ceilings, marble flooring and wall finishes, as well as expansive stained glass windows. The illuminated rotating Gulf sign that once crowned the building was taken down in March 1974.

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