Marathon Oil Tower: Office Skyscraper At 5555 San Felipe St.

[Houston19514]

On 9/20/2024 at 2:38 AM, Big E said:

Its no less convertible than any other building. Its probably more convertible than most of the other office buildings in Houston, considering its large, traditionally shaped floor plates, and the large amount of vacant space in the building. Demolishing it would just be an expensive waste.

Large floor plates would typically make a building less convertible, not more. (What's more important is the shape/dimensions - how deep is the space between core and windows.

Edited September 24 by Houston19514

[J Money]

On 9/17/2024 at 6:10 PM, AS_ said:

Demolish it, it's not convertible.

Wow, ballsy move advocating for demolishing a perfectly usable building on a site like this.

For whoever is wondering, the building is ~120' deep on its narrow side. Recent builds at 2929 Weslayan and Market Square Tower are about 100' deep. With high floor to ceiling ratio and creative balcony installations there's no reason a convert to residential shouldn't be feasible. 

[AS_]

I think messing with that red granite exterior is too expensive and out of the question but surely I'm pretty stupid with the bad opinion here.

 

Would happily eat crow and take the ridicule if I'm wrong but I don't think this will successfully convert into a residential.

[Big E]

On 9/24/2024 at 11:39 AM, Houston19514 said:

Large floor plates would typically make a building less convertible, not more. (What's more important is the shape/dimensions - how deep is the space between core and windows.

Large, even, floor plates make it easier to actually convert the space into comfortable residential structures with adequate square footage without extensive reengineering of the building's interior and utilities, such as elevator shafts. It floor plate size shouldn't be much more massive than other, existing residential towers. 

 

On 9/24/2024 at 4:44 PM, AS_ said:

I think messing with that red granite exterior

Not sure why anyone would bother to change the exterior at all. Its in perfect condition, unless you just don't like red granite.

[editor]

16 hours ago, Big E said:

Large, even, floor plates make it easier to actually convert the space into comfortable residential structures with adequate square footage without extensive reengineering of the building's interior and utilities, such as elevator shafts. It floor plate size shouldn't be much more massive than other, existing residential towers. 

This is what I've been told by a couple of architecture firms that do this sort of thing.  Though, there are limits.  If it's one of those buildings where there's a massive empty floor plate and all utilities are clustered around a single service shaft (think the famous Inland Steel Building), plumbing can be a less than straightforward, but nothing that can't be overcome.  

So far, I've lived in three apartment buildings that were originally built as office towers.  Conversion is a solved problem, even though people who make their money off of tract housing want you to believe otherwise.  

[AS_]

18 hours ago, Big E said:

Not sure why anyone would bother to change the exterior at all.

On 9/24/2024 at 4:03 PM, J Money said:

...and creative balcony installations...

It was in response to this. I don't think balconies are doable.

[editor]

13 hours ago, AS_ said:

It was in response to this. I don't think balconies are doable.

Why? Is there something about the structure of this building that prevents it?

Mid-Continental Plaza ended up with some really nice balconies when it's top floors were converted from office space into apartments. 
 

(Sorry for the Apple Maps screenshot. I don't have access to my photo archive at the moment.)