Located in the center of downtown Houston, 919 Milam is a midcentury office tower that fills a full city block and acts as an anchor to the active pedestrian tunnel system below. Working with the building owner, Rogers Partners renovated the tower’s lobby, amenity spaces, and basement level to better serve tenant and market needs.
Boasting a contemporary design that references the building’s 1950s history and materials, the renovation seamlessly integrates the new food hall, fitness center, and conference center into a seamless suite of spaces.
To pull together the tower’s sprawling lobby space, the central spine and elevator cores are clad in grooved black granite. This stone surface references an original granite wall that arcs through the space, with the old and new now pulling visitors toward a walnut millwork check-in and security desk. A bronze mesh screen wraps this space and creates a semi-private modern lounge just off the lobby for visitors to pause in their day or meet up with tenants. Beyond the lounge, a conference center provides 3 flexible spaces and the latest technology for tenant’s meetings, seminars, and events. Down the stone-clad hall, a new fitness center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and locker rooms and offers a range of classes to promote health and wellness among tenants.
Beyond the central lobby, a travertine clad stair invites visitors down to the food hall and tunnel level below. In this lower level, what was previously a maze of corridors has been opened into a consolidated seating area lined with vendors. This simplified floor plan helps with wayfinding between the 3 major tunnel entrances while creating a cohesive material and color identity for the building.
