Gulf Building
historic place
The Gulf Building is a historic place in Houston, Harris County. Commissioned by Jesse H. Jones, this Art Deco skyscraper was completed in 1929. Designed by architects Alfred C. Finn, Kenneth Franzheim, and J.E.R. Carpenter, the 37-story, 430-foot structure was Houston's tallest building until 1963. For a brief period, it was also the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. The site itself holds earlier history, having been the home of Charlotte Baldwin Allen, known as the "Mother of Houston." The building's main lobby features eight frescoes illustrating the history of Texas and Houston. Its original tenants included the Gulf Oil Corporation and Jones's National Bank of Commerce. In 1983, the Gulf Building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was later designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 2007. Renamed the JPMorgan Chase Building in 2000, this landmark continues to reflect Houston's growth and architectural heritage.