The Petroleum Building, built in 1927, has been transformed into a Cambria hotel.

Historic Petroleum Building Reopens as Cambria Hotel Downtown Houston

HOUSTON – A 92-year-old downtown landmark has been thoughtfully redeveloped into the 226-room Cambria Hotel Downtown Houston. The property, located at 1314 Texas Avenue, is set to open on August 1 and occupies one of the city’s oldest high-rise office buildings.

Originally developed in 1927 by Joseph S. Cullinan—founder of the Texas Company, a predecessor of Texaco—the structure was conceived as a multi-tenant office tower intended to house oil companies during the early days of the energy industry. Known for decades as The Petroleum Building and later as the Great Southwest Building, the tower rises more than 20 stories and reflects an exotic Art Deco influence from its original architects, Alfred C. Blossom of New York and Maurice Sullivan.

The redevelopment was led by Dallas-based Todd Interests in partnership with Concord Hospitality. The building sits on a full block bounded by Texas Avenue, Capitol, Caroline and Austin streets, just two blocks from Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros.

Inside, the hotel blends preserved historic elements with contemporary design. Guests enter at street level and reach the lobby either via restored original elevator cabs—whose ornate doors display Mayan-inspired motifs—or by a modern staircase. The second floor’s open plan provides sightlines to the front desk, a hotel market, the bar and The Rig restaurant, which will focus on locally sourced bistro fare. Concord Hospitality and Todd Interests collaborated to create a modern, sleek interior palette featuring cool gray tones and upscale fixtures.

Cambria Hotel Downtown Houston includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, a ballroom and multi-function meeting spaces located on the twentieth floor, all offering views of the downtown skyline. The Cambria brand emphasizes a curated travel experience with boutique-style accommodations and tech-forward amenities. Guest rooms are equipped with Bluetooth-enabled bathroom mirrors that allow streaming of personal content, full-length mirrors and smart TVs.

“It was the right location and we are honored to uphold the history and grandeur of the building in our own way,” said Kristie Byrd, regional vice president of sales at Concord Hospitality. “We are excited to offer a simple yet sophisticated experience to our guests. Our brand is relatively new to this area of the country and we look forward to guests discovering everything we offer.”