Williams Tower, Houston TX

skyline_0120 · #1 Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 2:35 PM**

These are pictures of the Williams (Formerly Transco) Tower, i took them from my cell phone so they dont look that good but, Enjoy!

and my favorite

Bonus!!
Downtown Houston!!

Hopefully soon i will buy a camera so i can tak better pictures.

urbanactivist · #2 Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 3:33 PM**

Thanks for the photos and welcome to SSP!!

eleventyblue · #3 Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 5:02 PM**

Stayed in the Inter-continental across the street in '88. I couldn't believe how such a tall building could be in the suburbs.

skyline_0120 · #4 Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eleventyblue

Stayed in the Inter-continental across the street in '88. I couldn't believe how such a tall building could be in the suburbs.

Yeah its said to be the tallest building outside of a central business district.

the sage · #5 Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 9:36 PM**

I went up to the observation level in 99, apparently it closed after 9/11. I'll have to dig out my snaps.

TXLove · #6 Posted **Jul 1, 2009, 10:09 PM**

One of my favorites and it really stands out because of the height and nothing else in the area being as tall as it is!

Metro Matt · #7 Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eleventyblue

Stayed in the Inter-continental across the street in '88. I couldn't believe how such a tall building could be in the suburbs.

Haha

Williams Tower is not out in the burbs man, its located just right off of the West 610 Loop about 7 miles outside of downtown. Everything inside of that first loop is considered "urban Houston", then theres a second loop "The Beltway" & also a third semi loop even further out which is HWY. 6, & now a 4th loop is being constructed called Grand Parkway now that IS way out there.

mrskyline · #8 Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 1:01 AM**

You could say Houston is suburban all the way in to downtown. I was there last summer and I was fascinated by what seems to be a contrast between "permanent" and "temporary" architecture. You find the downtown skyscrapers and buildings outside of downtown like the Williams Tower. Then you find this weird sprawling landscape of gas stations, strip malls, open fields and drainage ditches with telephone lines everywhere. The exciting thing is that I could see the potential over time for more and more of the city to become "permanent."

Metro Matt · #9 Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 1:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrskyline

You could say Houston is suburban all the way in to downtown. I was there last summer and I was fascinated by what seems to be a contrast between "permanent" and "temporary" architecture. You find the downtown skyscrapers and buildings outside of downtown like the Williams Tower. Then you find this weird sprawling landscape of gas stations, strip malls, open fields and drainage ditches with telephone lines everywhere. The exciting thing is that I could see the potential over time for more and more of the city to become "permanent."

What do you mean by "permanent"? Most of those buildings have been there since the 70's & 80's which was Houston's boom years.

mrskyline · #10 Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 1:28 AM**

You have skyscrapers and other high quality architecture, but then you have strip malls, gas stations, surface parking lots and other junky utilitarian architecture close to downtown and throughout the city. To me, a lot of Houston felt like the wood shacks of Chicago before the Great Fire; something put up quickly for a short term utilitarian purpose to be later replaced by something better. I'm not saying everything outside of downtown was junky and I realize gas stations and power lines are important, but I was struck by how much Houston seems to have just sprung up with no thought for aesthetics. Contrast that to a place like Buffalo with its monumental layout and Olmstead park system. That is what I mean by permanent architecture.

Austinlee · #11 Posted **Jul 2, 2009, 2:11 AM**

Some of the best photos ever posted on SSP.

Dan Denson · #12 Posted **Jul 3, 2009, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrskyline

You could say Houston is suburban all the way in to downtown. I was there last summer and I was fascinated by what seems to be a contrast between "permanent" and "temporary" architecture. You find the downtown skyscrapers and buildings outside of downtown like the Williams Tower. Then you find this weird sprawling landscape of gas stations, strip malls, open fields and drainage ditches with telephone lines everywhere. The exciting thing is that I could see the potential over time for more and more of the city to become "permanent."

There's definitely some of that, as there is in most large cities in the sunbelt. But it's apparent that you've seen a small percentage of the inner loop.

Dan Denson · #13 Posted **Jul 3, 2009, 3:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrskyline

You have skyscrapers and other high quality architecture, but then you have strip malls, gas stations, surface parking lots and other junky utilitarian architecture close to downtown and throughout the city. To me, a lot of Houston felt like the wood shacks of Chicago before the Great Fire; something put up quickly for a short term utilitarian purpose to be later replaced by something better. I'm not saying everything outside of downtown was junky and I realize gas stations and power lines are important, but I was struck by how much Houston seems to have just sprung up with no thought for aesthetics. Contrast that to a place like Buffalo with its monumental layout and Olmstead park system. That is what I mean by permanent architecture.

So you haven't seen the Hermann Park/Museum District, Memorial Park system, Allan Parkway, Memorial Drive, Rice University area, dozens of well planned neighborhoods. Buffalo??? Come now....

mrskyline · #14 Posted **Jul 3, 2009, 3:54 AM**

I saw the museum district. It seemed nice but not monumental in the way that Chicago's lakefront is. There is no doubt that I missed a lot of great areas. At the same time the impression you get from much of Houston is a skyscraper next to a strip mall. Its utilitarian. Also, don't knock Buffalo. It may be much smaller, but the city has a cohesiveness and monumental character thanks to the layout with its traffic circles and parks that is simply missing in a place like Houston or Atlanta. Houston is a great and vibrant city that will continue to evolve and mature.

PartyLine · #15 Posted **Aug 5, 2009, 8:14 PM**

Williams Tower is really cool at night with the rotating search light

WEMO · #16 Posted **Aug 5, 2009, 8:28 PM**

Thanks for that

SouthByMidwest · #17 Posted **Aug 5, 2009, 9:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PartyLine

Williams Tower is really cool at night with the rotating search light

I like seeing it in the early hours of the morning just as the sun begins coming up and lighting up the east side of the tower.

Tom Servo · #18 Posted **Aug 5, 2009, 10:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyline_0120

Yeah its said to be the tallest building outside of a central business district.

that's not true. what about the john hancock center? Q1? all those buildings in Dubai in residential districts?

all aren't in CBDs...

OhioGuy · #19 Posted **Aug 6, 2009, 2:14 AM**

My favorite skyscraper in Houston.

LSyd · #20 Posted **Aug 6, 2009, 3:13 AM**

i like these. i hope you get a camera soon; have you considered getting a manufacturer refab/show model? nice discounts on those for first cameras.

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