One Shell Plaza

{{Infobox building

| building_name = One Shell Plaza

| image = One Shell Plaza.jpg

| caption =

| former_name =

| location = 910 Louisiana Street
Houston, Texas

| location_country= United States

| coordinates = {{coord|29.7591|-95.3677|region:US-TX_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}

| start_date =

| completion_date = {{Start date and age|1971}}

| status = completed

| building_type = Commercial offices

| architectural_style = Modernism

| antenna_spire = {{convert|304.8|m|abbr=on}}

| roof = {{convert|218|m|abbr=on}}

| top_floor =

| floor_count = 50

| elevator_count = 22

| cost =

| floor_area = {{convert|113900|m2|abbr=on}}

| architect = Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

| engineer = Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

| main_contractor = W. S. Bellows Construction

| developer = Hines Interests Limited Partnership

| owner =

| management =

| references = {{CTBUH|1308}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/117759 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307041248/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/117759 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 117759 |work=Emporis}}{{SkyscraperPage|235}}{{Structurae|20012175}}

}}

One Shell Plaza (OSP) is a 50-story, {{convert|218|m|abbr=on}} skyscraper at 910 Louisiana Street in Downtown Houston, Texas. Perched atop the building is an antenna that brings the pinnacle height of the building to {{convert|304.8|m|abbr=on}}. At its completion in 1971, the tower was the tallest in the city.

Designers

One Shell Plaza was designed by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Associate architects were Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson, and the landscape architects were Sasaki Associates.

The Hancock Whitney Center in New Orleans and Republic Plaza in Denver, also designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, have designs very similar to that of One Shell Plaza. Like One Shell Plaza, the Hancock Whitney Center also has Shell Oil as a major tenant, and was previously named One Shell Square.

History

At its completion in 1971, the tower was the tallest in the city. The building was renovated in 1994. The $80 million in major renovations included an updated lobby and plaza, elevator modernization, upgrades to the buildings EMP systems, new lighting, and ADA modifications.TheSquareFoot "[http://www.thesquarefoot.com/listings/tx/houston/77002/downtown/910-louisiana-street/2400 910 Louisiana Street]." November 15, 2013. November 15, 2013.

In December 2011 Shell renewed the lease for {{convert|804491|ft2|abbr=on}}. The new lease retroactively had the start date of January 1, 2011, and will last for 15 years, ending in 2025.Patel, Purva. "[http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/12/shell-renews-downtown-lease/ Shell renews downtown lease]." Houston Chronicle. December 5, 2011. Retrieved on December 5, 2011.

In June 2012 One Shell Plaza, together with 26-story Two Shell Plaza at 811 Louisiana Street, were purchased by Enterprise Products Partners, which is owned by the family of Dan Duncan, Houston's wealthiest man. The two buildings sold for a reported $550 million.{{cite news |last1=Pulsinelli |first1=Olivia |title=Duncan family reportedly buying Shell Oil buildings |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2012/07/10/duncan-family-reportedly-buying-shell.html |access-date=13 February 2024 |publisher=Houston Business Journal |date=10 July 2012 |location=Houston, Texas |quote=The family of late billionaire Dan Duncan reportedly is paying about $550 million for two buildings occupied by Shell Oil Co}}

Tenants

Shell Oil Company, a subsidiary of Shell plc, was headquartered in this building until 2016.{{cite web|last1=Sarnoff|first1=Nancy|title=Namesake tenant departing One Shell Plaza|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Namesake-tenant-departing-One-Shell-Plaza-9235491.php|website=The Houston Chronicle|date=21 September 2016 |access-date=29 April 2017}}"[http://www.shell.com/home/content/shellgasandpower-en/products_and_services/wind/contact_us/contact_0604.html Shell Wind Energy offices] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227102705/http://www.shell.com/home/content/shellgasandpower-en/products_and_services/wind/contact_us/contact_0604.html |date=2008-12-27 }}." Royal Dutch Shell. Retrieved on January 14, 2009."[http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/responsible_energy/shell_in_the_society/giving_back/grant/grant_request_060208.html Request for a Grant from Shell]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." Royal Dutch Shell. Retrieved on January 14, 2009."[http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/footer/privacy_policy/ Privacy Policy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129062839/http://www.shell.us/home/content/usa/footer/privacy_policy/ |date=2011-01-29 }}." Royal Dutch Shell. Retrieved on January 14, 2009.

Baker Botts, one of the largest law firms in Houston, has been a tenant in the building since it opened in 1971."[http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2004/01/19/daily23.html?jst=b_ln_hl Baker Botts hires corporate partner]." Austin Business Journal. Wednesday January 21, 2004. Retrieved on August 25, 2010."[http://www.bakerbotts.com/offices/office.aspx?id=61fddad6-f3c7-4a44-b4db-da516f1cb200 Houston, Texas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831002002/http://www.bakerbotts.com/offices/office.aspx?id=61fddad6-f3c7-4a44-b4db-da516f1cb200 |date=2010-08-31 }}." Baker Botts. Retrieved on August 25, 2010. "One Shell Plaza 910 Louisiana Street | Houston | Texas..." Baker Botts renewed its eight-floor, 172,301-square-foot lease in 2022, making it a tenant for over 50 years.{{cite news |title=Baker Botts renews 172K-sqft lease at old One Shell Plaza |url=https://therealdeal.com/texas/2022/08/10/baker-botts-and-the-old-one-shell-plaza-renew-their-50-year-relationship/ |access-date=13 February 2024 |publisher=The Real Deal |date=10 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213181602/https://therealdeal.com/texas/2022/08/10/baker-botts-and-the-old-one-shell-plaza-renew-their-50-year |archive-date=13 February 2024 |language=English |quote=The Houston-based law firm has been a tenant since it was built in 1971}}

As of 2018, NRG Energy occupied the bottom 22 floors of the building.

The Houston Club, on the 49th floor of the building, has dining, entertainment, and meeting facilities."[http://www.hines.com/property/detail.aspx?id=256 One Shell Plaza]." Hines Interests Limited Partnership. Retrieved on January 17, 2009.

Antennas

The 170 ft mast atop the building has carried various television and radio signals since the building's completion. The mast supported 1971 start up channel 26 KVRL (later KDOG, now KRIV) and a mast that simultaneously radiated signals for eight FM stations KYND (then 92.5, now KKBQ on 92.9 MHz), 93.7 KRLY (now KQBT), 95.7 KIKK-FM (now KKHH), 99.1 KODA, 100.3 KILT-FM, 101.1 KLOL, 102.1 KLYX (now KMJQ), and 104.1 KRBE. The combiner and antenna was supplied by Electronic Research Inc. One Shell was used until the completion of the then Texas Commerce Tower and Allied Bank Plaza in 1982–1983, creating a skyscraper canyon that causes multipath distortion, and necessitated the move to the Houston antenna farm in Missouri City.

Gallery

File:Downtown Houston 1971.jpg|Houston skyline in 1971 shortly after completion of the building

File:Ground floor of One Shell Plaza (OSP).jpg|Entrance on Smith Street

File:One_Shell_Plaza_(OSP)_at_dusk.jpg|Dusk

In popular culture

{{multiple image

| header = One Shell Plaza on television

| align = right

| total_width = 300

| image1 = Shell-bldg-as-World-bldg.png

| alt1 =

| caption1 = The fictional "World Building", the setting of the oil company "World Oil"

| image2 = Shell-Oil-as-World-Oil.png

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Same scene introduction, looking up at the building

| footer = Screen captures of the former NBC soap opera Another World from August 1980. Exteriors were often seen during its spinoff show Texas.}}

The building was used as the fictional "World Building", the setting of fictional oil company "World Oil", a fictional Houston-based firm, as part of initial storylines presented on the former NBC soap opera Another World. It featured even more prominently on spinoff series Texas, set in Houston.