View source for One Shell Plaza

{{Short description|Skyscraper in Houston, Texas}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| building_name   = One Shell Plaza
| image           = One Shell Plaza.jpg
| caption         = 
| former_name     =
| location        = 910 Louisiana Street<br />[[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 = [[Modern architecture|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      = <ref>{{CTBUH|1308}}</ref><ref>{{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]]}}</ref><ref>{{SkyscraperPage|235}}</ref><ref>{{Structurae|20012175}}</ref>
}}

'''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 (radio)|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 (Denver)|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.<ref name="Hist"/> 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.<ref>TheSquareFoot "[http://www.thesquarefoot.com/listings/tx/houston/77002/downtown/910-louisiana-street/2400  910 Louisiana Street]." November 15, 2013. November 15, 2013.</ref>

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.<ref>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.</ref>

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.<ref name="Pulsinelli" /> The two buildings sold for a reported $550 million.<ref name="Pulsinelli">{{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}}</ref>

==Tenants==
[[Shell Oil Company]], a subsidiary of [[Shell plc]], was headquartered in this building until 2016.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>"[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.</ref><ref>"[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.</ref><ref>"[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.</ref>

[[Baker Botts]], one of the largest law firms in Houston, has been a tenant in the building since it opened in 1971.<ref name="RealDeal" /><ref>"[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.</ref><ref>"[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..."</ref> Baker Botts renewed its eight-floor, 172,301-square-foot lease in 2022, making it a tenant for over 50 years.<ref name="RealDeal">{{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}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Hist">"[http://www.hines.com/property/detail.aspx?id=256 One Shell Plaza]." ''Hines Interests Limited Partnership''. Retrieved on January 17, 2009.</ref>

==Antennas==
The 170&nbsp;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 [[KRIV (TV)|KVRL]] (later KDOG, now KRIV) and a mast that simultaneously radiated signals for eight FM stations [[KKBQ|KYND]] (then 92.5, now KKBQ on 92.9&nbsp;MHz), 93.7 [[KQBT|KRLY]] (now KQBT), 95.7 [[KKHH|KIKK-FM]] (now KKHH), 99.1 [[KODA]], 100.3 [[KILT-FM]], 101.1 [[KLOL]], 102.1 [[KMJQ|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 [[JPMorgan Chase Tower (Houston)|Texas Commerce Tower]] and [[Wells Fargo Plaza (Houston)|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, Texas|Missouri City]].

==Gallery==
<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
</gallery>

== 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 = <small>The fictional "World Building", the setting of the oil company "World Oil"</small>
 | image2 = Shell-Oil-as-World-Oil.png
 | alt2 = 
 | caption2 = <small>Same scene introduction, looking up at the building</small>
 | 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 (TV series)|Another World]]''. It featured even more prominently on spinoff series ''[[Texas (soap opera)|Texas]]'', set in Houston.

== See also ==
* [[List of tallest buildings in Texas]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in Houston]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in the United States]]
{{Portal bar|Texas|Architecture|Television}}
{{commonscat|One Shell Plaza}}
==References==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==External links==
*[http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=614275 FCC-Entry, which gives 300.2 metres as height with antenna]
{{Downtown Houston}}
{{Buildings in Houston timeline}}
{{Houston skyscrapers}}
{{Shell oil}}

[[Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Houston]]
[[Category:Oil company headquarters in the United States]]
[[Category:Office buildings completed in 1971]]
[[Category:Shell plc buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Skidmore, Owings & Merrill buildings]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Texas]]