# One American Center

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{{Short description|Skyscraper in Austin Texas}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name             = 600 Congress{{r|tpg}}
| status           = complete
| former_names     = One American Center
| image            = OneAmericanCenter-Nov2007.JPG
| caption          = (2007)
| address          = 600 Congress Avenue{{r|tpg|e}}
| completion_date  = 1984
| architect        = Morris-Aubry
| floor_count      = 32
| floor_area       = {{convert|505,764|sqft|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|title=One American Center|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/one-american-center/10364|website=Skyscraper Center|publisher=CTBUH|access-date=2017-08-06}}</ref>
| architectural_style = postmodernism
| elevator_count   = 17
}}
'''600 Congress''' (formerly known as '''One American Center''') is a high-rise office building located at the northwest corner of [West 6th Street](/source/Sixth_Street_(Austin%2C_Texas)) and [Congress Avenue](/source/Congress_Avenue_Historic_District) in the Financial District of [Downtown](/source/Downtown_Austin) [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas), the state capital of [Texas](/source/Texas). Standing {{convert|400|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} tall and containing 32 floors, it is currently the 12th tallest building in Austin, tied with the [Four Seasons Residences](/source/San_Jacinto_Center). The construction of One American Center was completed in 1984 and was developed by Rust Properties. It was the tallest building in Austin until the finishing of the [Frost Bank Tower](/source/Frost_Bank_Tower) in 2003. In 2017, One American Center was rebranded as 600 Congress.<ref>"{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110605084703/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&id=1americancenter-austin-tx-usa&lng=3/ Emporis Page]}}." Retrieved on April 9, 2010.</ref>

Annually, Make-A-Wish Central and South Texas has a fundraising event called "Over The Edge," in which the first 300 persons to raise $1,500 in donations get to rappel 32 stories down 600 Congress.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://365thingsaustin.com/2013/05/01/adventure-seekers-over-the-edge-2013/ |title=Adventure Seekers: Over The Edge 2013 |author=Owen, Kristy |work=365 Things Austin |date=May 1, 2013 |access-date=January 1, 2019 |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102050808/http://365thingsaustin.com/2013/05/01/adventure-seekers-over-the-edge-2013/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
Construction on the One American Center began on August 16, 1982.<ref name="High-Class">{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/355677651/?terms=one%2Bamerican%2Bcenter |title=High-class digs |author=Tyson, Kim |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=September 16, 1984 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref> The building replaced a former 2-story [Art Deco](/source/Art_Deco_architecture)-style [Woolworth's Department Store](/source/Woolworth's_Department_Store), which had since housed a [5 and dime](/source/5_and_dime) at the time of the building's demolition.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/363687752/?terms=one%2Bamerican%2Bcenter |title=Austin history breathes just around the corner |author=McCullar, Michael |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=October 21, 1985 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref> Street-front diagonal parking on Congress Avenue was removed to make way for an expanded granite sidewalk and landscaping, including two rows of [Texas red oak](/source/Texas_red_oak) trees.<ref name="High-Class"/> A matching 22-story hotel was originally planned on the northwest corner of the property adjoining the building, but was never built.<ref name="High-Class"/>

==Architecture==
The [postmodern](/source/postmodern_architecture) building was designed by [Houston](/source/Houston)-based Morris-Aubry Architects.<ref name="Vista">{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/363687752/?terms=one%2Bamerican%2Bcenter |title=From expansive vista to granite canyon, a street forever different |author=McCullar, Michael |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=October 21, 1985 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref> The building is designed with three stair-stepped tiers clad in pre-cast [limestone](/source/limestone) trimmed with brown granite.<ref name="Vista"/> The 20,000 cubic feet of granite consists of Sunset Red [granite](/source/granite) from [Granite Mountain](/source/Granite_Mountain_(Texas)), close to [Marble Falls, Texas](/source/Marble_Falls%2C_Texas), and Charlie Brown granite from [Oklahoma](/source/Oklahoma), which was cut and polished in [Puebla, Mexico](/source/Puebla%2C_Puebla).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/363551235/?terms=one%2Bamerican%2Bcenter |title=Granite is a touchstone for new Austin buildings |author=Tyson, Kim |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=September 27, 1984 |access-date=January 1, 2019}}</ref> The ground level facade of the building contains notches to give the appearance of individual storefronts.<ref name="High-Class"/>

==References==
{{Reflist |refs=

<ref name=tpg>{{cite web
|url= http://www.tpgre.com/properties/One_American_Center.htm
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131207062731/http://www.tpgre.com/properties/One_American_Center.htm
|url-status= dead
|archive-date= 2013-12-07
|title= One American Center
|website= Thomas Properties Group, Inc
|date= 2013
}}</ref>

<ref name=e>{{cite web
|url= https://www.endeavor-re.com/properties/600-congress-office/
|title= 600 Congress - Office
|website= Endeavor Real Estate Group |date= 2019
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171020113902/https://www.endeavor-re.com/properties/600-congress-office/
|archive-date= 2017-10-20
|url-status= live
}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|One American Center}}
* {{URL|600congress.com}}
{{Start box}}
{{Succession box|
  before=[Dobie Center](/source/Dobie_Center)|
  title=Tallest Building in Austin|
  years=1982&mdash;2004<br/><small>120m</small>|
  after=[Frost Bank Tower](/source/Frost_Bank_Tower)}}
{{End box}}
{{Beacon Capital Partners}}
{{Downtown Austin}}
{{Coord|30.2686|-97.7432|display=title|type:landmark_region:US}}

Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Austin, Texas
Category:1982 establishments in Texas
Category:Office buildings completed in 1982
Category:Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certified buildings
Category:Postmodern architecture in Texas

{{Austin-stub}}
{{Texas-struct-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [One American Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_American_Center) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_American_Center?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.