Mellie Esperson Building vs Houston City Hall

Mellie Esperson Building
Houston City Hall

Comparing the Mellie Esperson Building and the Houston City Hall is interesting because they both stand in Houston, TX, and were completed within 2 years of each other, but they were designed by different architects.

This offers a unique glimpse at how rival designers approached projects in the same city during the same era.

Height
83m
Floors
19

Height & Size

Height
m
Floors
17

The Mellie Esperson Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 272ft (83m) with 19 floors above ground, while the Houston City Hall reaches 0ft (m) with 17 floors above ground.

Of course, each project may have faced different briefs or regulatory constraints, which we don't really know about and could also explain the outcome.

Style
Art Deco

Architectural Style

Style
Art Deco

Both the Mellie Esperson Building and the Houston City Hall were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Art Deco style.

Both buildings were completed when the Art Deco style was already past its peak. This makes them feel like late echoes of the movement, more reflective of continuity or nostalgia than of cutting-edge design at the time.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Governmental

The Mellie Esperson Building is primarily commercial, while the Houston City Hall is primarily governmental.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Masonry

Structure & Facade

Structure
Facade

These two towers illustrate the many possible ways to combine structure and enclosure in skyscraper design.

Mellie Esperson Building Houston City Hall
John Eberson Architect Joseph Finger
1939 Construction Started 1938
1941 Year Completed 1939
Art Deco Architectural Style Art Deco
Commercial Current Use Governmental
19 Floors Above Ground 17
TX State TX
Houston City Houston
815 Walker Street Address 901 Bagby