The JPMorgan Chase Tower in Houston is comparable to the Sears Towers in its height and achievement of being one of the tallest buildings in the world. The towering skyscraper is located at 600 Travis street and was built in 1981. JPMorgan Chase Tower was originally named the Texas Commerce Tower. The building is an overwhelming tower of gray stainless steel and glass. Most skyscrapers have four sides but the JPMorgan Chase Tower has five sides which makes it unique and brands it as the tallest five-sided building in the world. The building is also connected to the city's downtown tunnel system. The tunnel system consist of subterranean pedestrian walkways that link twenty-five blocks together.
The building was designed by architect Leoh Ming Pei, a Chinese-American architect who is considered the guru of modernist building designs. Leoh Ming Pei, also known as I. M. Pei, is famous for building the Bank of China Tower located in Hong Kong and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The Chase tower was not built alone by I. M. Pei. The architect had help from 3D International with the construction and design. Although the architects of the tower were particularly careful to ensure the tower would be one of the tallest in the world and unique, the engineering of the elevator system was also well-planned as well. The elevators run incredibly quickly and it only takes visitors 60 seconds to go from floor one to sixty. The structural stability of the JPMorgan Chase Tower was greatly tested in the summer of 2008 when Hurricane Ike destroyed glass panels on the lower half of the building. As of 2009 the building is still undergoing repairs.
The JPMorgan Chase Tower has a host of amenities such as restaurants, side walk cafes, and of course the banking center. The main restaurant in the tower is Ninfa's Cantina which specializes in Mexican dishes like fajitas, tacos, and enchiladas. The Alonti Cafe is also located in the building and is used as a catering service to the different corporations who lease space in the JPMorgan Chase Tower. There are two sidewalk cafes at the tower; Starbucks and Sweet Retreat.
Because of its historic height tourists frequent the building to get a view of Houston from the observation deck which is located on the 60th floor. Visitors are offered a panoramic view of the Houston skyline from the observation deck. Visitors are able to see as far as twenty miles on a clear day from the deck. The observation deck also serves as a transfer point to those who desire to reach floors 49-75. The observation deck (also called the sky box) holds paintings from the famous Joan Miro, a Spanish painter and sculptor from Spain whose painting represented Surrealism. There is also a 55-foot sculpture by the artist overlooking the plaza of the JPMorgan Chase Tower. The statue is brightly colored, abstract and whimsical. Joan Miro's presence in the observation deck and at the front of the tower gives the JPMorgan Chase Tower a touch of culture and elegance.
