Meant to resemble a lantern, but at night it looks like a hovering spaceship. That’s what they say about the top of CenterPoint Energy Plaza. We are standing before this iconic building in downtown Houston. It is a 741-foot tall skyscraper.
CenterPoint Energy Plaza wasn’t always this tall. The original building completed in 1974 stood at 651 feet. A 90-foot extension was added during a 1996 renovation. This renovation significantly reshaped the building. It altered Houston’s skyline.
Richard Keating designed the renovation. He also designed the nearby Wells Fargo Tower. CenterPoint Energy Plaza serves as the headquarters for CenterPoint Energy. The building originally housed Houston Industries and Houston Lighting and Power. In 1999 Houston Industries became Reliant Energy.
In 2003 Reliant Energy relocated to the new Reliant Energy Plaza. This move left over 400,000 square feet of space vacant in CenterPoint Energy Plaza.
Around 1995, owners added a distinctive feature. They constructed a circle-shaped canopy atop the building. It spans five stories. This addition was sparked by a business rivalry. A competitor down the street had a taller building. Clifford Pugh wrote about it in the Houston Chronicle. He said the canopy was intended to resemble a lantern. Yet he noted that at night, the illuminated open space resembled a hovering spaceship.
The building has 47 floors. Its floor area totals 1,399,986 square feet. CenterPoint Energy Plaza has undergone changes. It began in 1973 and opened in 1974. The building has evolved over the years. It reflects Houston’s dynamic spirit. CenterPoint Energy Plaza remains a significant landmark.