Hotel Icon (Union National Bank Building)

Significance

Completed in 1912 as the Union National Bank Building, this twelve story tower was designed by the Texas firm Sanguinet & Staats, among the most prolific designers of the state's early skyscrapers. Banker and developer Jesse H. Jones was closely involved with the building and used it as a base for his growing business empire. At its completion it was among the tallest buildings in Houston. The building is faced in limestone and terra cotta in a Classical Revival composition typical of the firm's work. After decades of bank and office use, it was restored and reopened in 2004 as the Hotel Icon, a boutique hotel. The conversion preserved the banking hall and much of the original ornament, and the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Climate risks tracked

The building stands at Main and Congress in the heart of downtown, where Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 sent floodwater into basements and the downtown tunnel system. Protecting below grade mechanical and electrical rooms, and using deployable barriers at entrances, is the highest priority and can be done without altering the historic limestone facade. The terra cotta cornice and upper story ornament are vulnerable to hurricane winds and wind driven rain; regular inspection and anchoring of loose units prevents both damage and falling hazards. Houston's humidity drives biological growth on the light colored stone, so cleaning methods must be gentle enough not to erode the historic surface.

Use the preservation assistant to talk through retrofit strategies for these specific threats.

Location

Nearby landmarks

• 1913 · Beaux-Arts

  Rice Hotel

• 1926 · Spanish Renaissance Revival

  Julia Ideson Building

• 1927 · Italian Renaissance Revival

  Niels Esperson Building

• 1924 · Commercial / Chicago School

  Sam Houston Hotel