You’re looking for the tall, glassy skyscraper directly in front of you-the one topped with a giant open circle that lights up like a sci-fi beacon at night.
Now, CenterPoint Energy Plaza hasn’t always looked quite this... dramatic. Back in 1974, it was just another Houston high-rise-until a skyscraper arms race broke out downtown. When the building next door got a bit taller, the owners of this place said, “Well, two can play at that game!” So, in 1996, they patched on a 90-foot extension and-a real flex-a five-story-tall round canopy on top. Some say it was meant to look like a lantern welcoming the city, but locals will joke it’s more like Houston’s own flying saucer. Inside, this tower has seen more corporate drama than a soap opera: power companies merging, moving, and leaving behind entire floors of empty offices. Through it all, CenterPoint’s name stuck, and that “lantern” keeps glowing, part of Houston’s ever-changing skyline. Honestly, if buildings could brag, this one’s got a pretty good case.
