Building Rating 60% of readers like the Congress Plaza (Houston).
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T his is one of those great buildings that looks so different from so many angles that it's hard sometimes to reconcile one view of it with another. Seen from the Main Street Bridge over Buffalo Bayou, the building appears as a solid brown brick with a single narrow slit of windows across the top. From ground level on Congress Street is looks more like a stately bank with its clock, portal, and reflective glass. The disparity arises from the fact that the building is intended to be the opposite of many other buildings in Houston. Instead of offices supplemented by a meager amount of parking, this building is mostly parking with offices as an afterthought. A full 13 of its 17 stories are reserved for cars. The remaining office areas are utilized by the county court system for jury assembly, a law library, and other functions as deemed necessary.
