DUANE
Duane's take
Here's the story as the official marker tells it, and I'll let the building do most of the talking. Will C. Hogg — born 1875, gone by 1930, but not before he left his mark on Houston in ways that still stand up and stare you in the face.
Hogg was a noted Houston business and civic leader, and in 1921 he had this commercial structure built. Not asked for it, not suggested it — had it built. That's the kind of man who gets things done.
Now, the firm that designed it was Barglebaugh and Whitson, and those engineers gave the building a look that turns heads even today. The exterior is dominated by industrial windows — big, unapologetic, letting the light come in like it owns the place. Art deco all the way.
Early tenants moved in and set up shop: the Armor Auto Company and the Great Southern Life Insurance Company, two outfits that fit the ambitions of a city that was already deciding it wasn't going to be small. But here's what I love about this building — you go up to the roof, and everything changes. There's a penthouse up there, and it wasn't for show.
It was used for offices of the Hogg family businesses. And whoever designed that penthouse wasn't thinking about Texas industry anymore — they were thinking about the Mediterranean. Different influences, different sky, same building.
That's the Hogg Building for you: industrial grit on the outside, something altogether more graceful once you climb high enough. Some structures just refuse to be only one thing.
What the marker says
Noted Houston business and civic leader Will C. Hogg (1875-1930) had this commercial structure built in 1921. Early tenants included the Armor Auto Company and the Great Southern Life Insurance Company. The art deco building, designed by the engineering firm of Barglebaugh and Whitson, features an exterior dominated by industrial windows. A rooftop penthouse, used for offices of the Hogg family businesses, reflects Mediterranean influences. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980