Paul Building - Houston, Texas
Posted by: 
JimmyEv
N 29° 45.660 W 095° 21.644
15R E 271736 N 3294637
One of Houston’s earliest Chicago School skyscrapers, this 8-story building was erected in 1907 from a design by Fort Worth architects Sanguinet and Staats. Allen Paul, the building's first owner, installed the ‘P’ ornamentation.
Waymark Code: WM1MVF
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/03/2007
Views: 45
At a time when ostentatious Beaux-Arts and Victorian design began to wane and Houston architects just wouldn’t let go of the styles they had grown accustomed to, builders and developers turned to architects from other cities. One of those was the Fort Worth firm of Sanguinet and Staats. Organized in 1902, they were the first Texas architectural firm to master the skyscraper design, with a subdued Beaux-Arts style. The firm quickly opened a Houston office, which they maintained until 1926.
Allen Paul chose Sanguinet and Staats for his office building near the Harris County Courthouse, a speculative investment to hold offices for lawyers and others doing business at the courthouse. Many prominent attorneys in the early 20th century had offices in the building, and the U.S. District Court was located here for one year, in 1910. The building was restored in 1978, and still contains offices.
Main Street/Market Square Historic District
Next:
Pillot Building
| Previous:
Harris County Courthouse
Source:
Texas Historical Commission, "Main Street/Market Square Historic District," available at Texas Historical Atlas