812 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002 United States
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This is one of a number of skyscrapers that are peculiar in Houston. Most people who bother to erect a skyscraper in Texas want to show it off. They surround it with plazas, fountains, lights, or whatever in order to create pizzazz and draw in tenants. The Battelstein's Building does not appear to go that route. It appears to have been constructed with very utilitarian purposes in mind, with a minimum of ornamentation perhaps to maximize the invested dollars.

Maximizing revenue was something that Battelstein's founder, Philip Battelstein, knew a lot about. He arrived in the United States in 1897 with just a few dollars in his pocket. Within 20 years, he was in command of one of the largest department stores in Houston.

That his investment was lost in the fierce retail wars that developed in downtown Houston in the mid-20th century, leaving this building virtually abandoned just a few decades later. In essence, Battelstein's lost the battle.

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There are two comments.

  I love the lines of this bldg. Even though it was built before the Americana Insurance Bldg or the Houston House Highrise (where I live), it has a Mid-Century modern feel. The picture doesn't do it justice - with a little TLC, it could be made into a beatiful structure.

Byron Landiss Graves - Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 @ 3:26pm  

  My Grandmother worked for Battlestein's in this bldg. 1950's - 1960's. I can remember going up to her floor (boys dept.) and she giving me a cup of ice cream. I even did some modeling for them as a child, then as a teenager. Yes, this bldg. is special to me.

Paula Hedrick - Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 @ 10:48pm