JPMorgan Chase returns to Houston’s tallest tower
The Sky Lobby on the 60th floor will be for tenants only
The JPMorgan Chase name has returned to Houston’s tallest tower, the 75-story building at 600 Travis St.
The New York-based bank signed a 250,000-square-foot lease in July, bringing the building to 90 percent leased and kicking off a major renovation of what is now known as JPMorgan Chase & Co. Tower.
The lease marks a return for the bank, which had a significant presence there until 2006. The building was developed by Hines in 1982 for Chase’s predecessor, Texas Commerce Bancshares.
“JPMorgan Chase has deep roots in Houston, going back 155 years,” Meredith Beaupre, managing director and market leader for the bank in Houston, said in an announcement. “With nearly 6,000 local employees, we’re deeply committed to Houston. Moving back into the Tower will afford JPMorgan Chase the opportunity to create a striking urban campus including both the city’s tallest tower and one of its most beautiful historic buildings in the city — 712 Main located just across the street.”
Move-in is expected in the second half of 2021.
Designed by I.M. Pei & Part
ners, the five-sided, polished gray granite building contains more than 1.7 million square feet and is the tallest in Texas at 1,002 feet high.
Hines and co-owner Cerberus Capital Management also own 601 Travis building across the street.
JPMorgan Chase will relocate its Houston Technology Center, which employs more than 1,500 people, from 1111 Fannin in the southern part of downtown.
A comprehensive revitalization, designed by HOK, is underway, including a conference center with capacity for 150 people across two floors and a versatile gallery space in the lobby.
The Sky Lobby on the 60th floor will be redesigned for the exclusive use of tenants. Renovations are slated for completion in September.
“The renaming of 600 Travis St. is an exciting milestone in our partnership with JPMorgan Chase,” said Hines Senior Managing Director John Mooz.
Renovations will bring the type of collaborative amenities found in new buildings, such as Texas Tower being developed by Hines and Ivanhoé Cambridge, to the north and Bank of America Tower to the south.
Chase’s lease at 1111 Fannin ends in September. The 17-story building’s new owner, a partnership of Houston-based Triten Real Estate Partners and Taconic Capital Advisors, is evaluating redevelopment options. The 428,629-square-foot building is near Discovery Green park.