Allen Center
Encyclopedia
The Allen Center is a skyscraper complex in Downtown
Houston, Texas
, United States
. It consists of three buildings, One Allen Center (500 Dallas Street), Two Allen Center (1200 Smith Street), and Three Allen Center (333 Clay Street). The complex has about 3000000 square feet (278,709.1 m²) of space.
in the 1950s separated the eastern portion from the rest of the Fourth Ward; that portion became the Allen Center and is now considered to be a part of Downtown Houston
.
In 1996 TrizecHahn Properties acquired the Allen Center. Trizec defeated 16 other real estate companies so it could purchase the center for an amount reported by Tanya Rutledge of the Houston Business Journal as $270 million.
When Trizec acquired the Allen Center in November 1996, the complex had a 76 percent occupancy rate. By 1997, Trizec had convinced several tenants of the Cullen Center
, also owned by Trizec, to relocate to the Allen Center. Paul Layne, a vice president of the office division of Trizec, said that the shifting of tenants would lead to Allen Center having an occupancy rate of 92 percent in 1998.
In 2001, when Enron
collapsed, it vacated 800000 square feet (74,322.4 m²) of space in the Allen Center and Cullen Center
complexes in Downtown Houston
.
In 2010 Devon Energy
was trying to sublease about 125000 square feet (11,612.9 m²) of space that it occupies in the Allen Center complex. Hess Corporation
will vacate around 500000 square feet (46,451.5 m²) of space in the complex when a new office tower in the east side of Downtown Houston opens.
Macquarie Bank houses its Houston representative office in Suite 3100 of the building.
had office space there.
Greater Houston Partnership
has its offices in Suite 700, on the seventh floor.
Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc. has an office in Suite 4200.
was known as Four Allen Center.
In 2006 Brookfield Properties
acquired the 1200000 square feet (111,483.6 m²) 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 feet (687,482.5 m²) 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. In June 2011 Chevron bought the building from Brookfield for $340 million.
Two Allen Center
Three Allen Center
At one point the Consulate-General of Switzerland in Houston resided in Suite 1040 of Two Allen Center; the mission closed in 2006.
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
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It consists of three buildings, One Allen Center (500 Dallas Street), Two Allen Center (1200 Smith Street), and Three Allen Center (333 Clay Street). The complex has about 3000000 square feet (278,709.1 m²) of space.
History
The area that became the Allen Center was originally considered to be an eastern portion of the Fourth Ward. The opening of Interstate 45Interstate 45
Interstate 45 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston over the Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico...
in the 1950s separated the eastern portion from the rest of the Fourth Ward; that portion became the Allen Center and is now considered to be a part of 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...
.
In 1996 TrizecHahn Properties acquired the Allen Center. Trizec defeated 16 other real estate companies so it could purchase the center for an amount reported by Tanya Rutledge of the Houston Business Journal as $270 million.
When Trizec acquired the Allen Center in November 1996, the complex had a 76 percent occupancy rate. By 1997, Trizec had convinced several tenants of the Cullen Center
Cullen Center
Cullen Center is a skyscraper complex in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States. The complex is managed by Brookfield Properties. Trizec Properties owns all four office buildings...
, also owned by Trizec, to relocate to the Allen Center. Paul Layne, a vice president of the office division of Trizec, said that the shifting of tenants would lead to Allen Center having an occupancy rate of 92 percent in 1998.
In 2001, when 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...
collapsed, it vacated 800000 square feet (74,322.4 m²) of space in the Allen Center and Cullen Center
Cullen Center
Cullen Center is a skyscraper complex in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States. The complex is managed by Brookfield Properties. Trizec Properties owns all four office buildings...
complexes 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...
.
In 2010 Devon Energy
Devon Energy
Devon Energy Corporation , is among the largest U.S.-based independent natural gas and oil producers. Based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the company's operations are focused on North American onshore exploration and production...
was trying to sublease about 125000 square feet (11,612.9 m²) of space that it occupies in the Allen Center complex. Hess Corporation
Hess Corporation
The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
will vacate around 500000 square feet (46,451.5 m²) of space in the complex when a new office tower in the east side of Downtown Houston opens.
One Allen Center
One Allen Center is a 452 ft (138m) tall skyscraper. It was completed in 1972 and has 34 floors. It is the 31st tallest building in the city. One Allen Center employs a composite stub-girder steel frame floor system, originally developed in part by Joseph Colaco then of Ellisor Engineers Inc., currently of CBM Engineers, Inc..Macquarie Bank houses its Houston representative office in Suite 3100 of the building.
Two Allen Center
Two Allen Center was known as the Citicorp Building in 1989. During that year ExxonExxon
Exxon is a chain of gas stations as well as a brand of motor fuel and related products by ExxonMobil. From 1972 to 1999, Exxon was the corporate name of the company previously known as Standard Oil Company of New Jersey or Jersey Standard....
had office space there.
Greater Houston Partnership
Greater Houston Partnership
The Greater Houston Partnership is an economic development organization serving the Greater Houston area, including the counties of Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Waller counties...
has its offices in Suite 700, on the seventh floor.
Three Allen Center
Three Allen Center is a 685-foot (209 m) tall skyscraper completed in 1983 with 50 floors. It is the 12th-tallest building in the city.Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc. has an office in Suite 4200.
Four Allen Center
1400 Smith Street1400 Smith Street
1400 Smith Street is a 691 ft 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...
was known as Four Allen Center.
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 feet (111,483.6 m²) 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 feet (687,482.5 m²) 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. In June 2011 Chevron bought the building from Brookfield for $340 million.
Tenants
One Allen Center- Coastal Water Authority - Suite 2800
- Hess CorporationHess CorporationThe Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
- Exploration and Production
Two Allen Center
- Qatar AirwaysQatar AirwaysQatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
, Suite 1600
Three Allen Center
- The headquarters of Plains All American PipelinePlains All American PipelinePlains All American Pipeline is a publicly traded Master Limited Partnership in the oil pipeline transportation, marketing, and storage business in the United States, LPG business in Canada, and Natural Gas Storage business in Michigan and Louisiana...
, Suite 1600 - EOG ResourcesEOG ResourcesEOG Resources is a Fortune 500 company with its headquarters in the Heritage Plaza building in downtown Houston, Texas. The company is one of the largest independent oil and natural gas companies in the United States with proven reserves in the United States, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, the United...
had space in Allen Center; in 2006 it announced that it was moving to the Heritage PlazaHeritage PlazaToowoomba's Heritage Plaza is the home of Heritage Building Society, Australia's largest building society.Heritage Plaza was constructed in the early 1980s as a purpose-built headquarters for the building society....
. It planned to move 400 employees there by early 2007. When it occupied portions of Three Allen Center, EOG had 165000 square feet (15,329 m²) of space occupied scattered throughout Three Allen Center.
At one point the Consulate-General of Switzerland in Houston resided in Suite 1040 of Two Allen Center; the mission closed in 2006.
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Houston
- List of tallest buildings in Texas
External links
- One Allen Center - Emporis
- One Allen Center - Skyscraperpage
- Three Allen Center - Emporis
- 1400 Smith Street - Skyscraperpage