Though
you would think that Texaco's headquarters would be
in Texas, but it isn't. The HQ is in New York. But
this 52-story building makes quite an impression for
the company in Houston. In many photographs and videotapes,
the shape of an eagle is outlined in white neon at
the top of the building. But it hasn't been fully
lit up since 1998. There have been one or two segments
illuminated, but never the whole thing. The odd stepped
formation at the top of the building was actually
inspired by the architect's trip to the jungles of
Mexico. A similar, less elaborate, form exists at
the bottom of the building. But this is not so much
to complement the top, as to provide structural reinforcement
since there is a 16-stories parking garage resting
above the lobby. This building best illustrates one
of the oddities of the city of Houston: There are
no zoning laws. It is not uncommon for a one or two-story
house to be located next door or across the street
from a 60-story skyscraper. In fact, this is becoming
more and more common as real estate values within
the Interstate 610 loop increase. Unfortunately, because
of the lack of zoning laws there is nothing preventing
a company that handles toxic waste from opening up
in a residential neighborhood, and there have been
several incidents of toxic waste spilling onto residential
streets, sewers, and ditches where children play.
