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University of Texas has pledged to model future buildings on the sustainability of this one. We
will see if other organizations choose to follow UT's example.
• 12 September 2001 – Groundbreaking.
• 20 March 2003 – Topping out ceremony is held.
• 12 April 2003 – The American Institute of Architects awards the University of Texas at
Houston a citation for promoting green buildings.
• The building previously on this plot of land was the Graduate School of Biological Sci-
ence.
WEDGE INTERNATIONAL TOWER
This is one of the most easily recognized buildings in the Houston skyline. It is also the
least known. An ugly brown pack of pilings by day, the structure's true beauty is only revealed
at night when its unique geometry is outlined in green neon. It is then that you can see it is
formed to resemble four distinct towers, each of a different height. There are two setbacks on
each side of the building, dividing it into three distinct zones. The lowest zone runs from the
ground floor through the 13th level. This is the parking garage. The second level runs up to the
28th floor, and consists of offices. The final stage runs to the 43rd floor, where the 43rd Restau-
rant and Lounge is located.
It is a place where businessmen wine and dine their clients safe from the tourists on the
streets below. The other half of this city block is a surface parking lot. Wedge has promised
since at least 1998 that it is ready to erect a new 30-storey skyscraper called 1401 Louisiana on
this property. The company says publicly that it won't begin construction until a substantial por-
tion of it is pre-leased.
Strangely, a number of other skyscrapers have been built in this time, and none appear to
have the same problem leasing space. To be fair, however, the skyscraper plan for that parking
lot has been on the drawing board since at least 1987 – long before Wedge became involved
with the property.
• November 1995 – The green lights are turned on for the first time. Residents of the
Houston House apartment building complain.
• April 1995 – Name of tower changed from 1415 Louisiana to Wedge International
Tower.
• October 1994 – Wedge International buys the tower for between $25,000,000.00 and
$45,000,000.00.
• August 1993 – A fire sweeps through part of the tower. Some people have to walk down
42 flights of stairs to safety. The blaze is caused by an electrical fault.
HARRIS COUNTRY CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER
This is the largest structure yet completed in the County's "Courthouse Square" project. It's
an attempt to relieve the overcrowding at the area's current facilities caused by the explosion in
the number of attorneys, lawsuits, police officers, sheriff's deputies, and... well... criminals that
come with an increasing population.
Good intentions aren't always rewarded, and that's the case with this building. It was open for
only a matter of months when Tropical Storm Allison struck in June 2001 flooding it and
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