Gulf Building
a.k.a. Texas Commerce Bank Building
710-724 Main St., Houston, TXThe Gulf Building is one of the foremost Art Deco skyscraper office buildings in the Southwest. It was built by a prominent real estate developer, entrepreneur, and political activist, Jesse H. Jones, to serve as the flagship of his real estate empire. It was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River until 1931, and dominated the Houston skyline as the tallest building until 1963. Since its construction, the Gulf Building has housed the prominent industries shaping the growth and development of Houston: banking and oil. The principal architect, Alfred C. Finn, and the consulting architect, Kenneth Franzheim, were both prolific during the second quarter of the 20th century.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.