Lone Star Gas Co. Building

301 S. Harwood - 1931

In 1927, Lone Star Gas Company purchased the Dallas Gas Company, located at 1915 Wood Street.  In 1931, Lone Star Gas expanded to construct another building, immediately to the north, on the southeast corner of Jackson and Harwood.  Lang and Witchell were hired to design the new structure.  They were also the architects for the Dallas Gas Company Building.  Lang and Witchell came up with a 13 story Art Deco design for the expansion.  At the same time, the base was remodeled to unify the structure with the older building.  The 1931 structure is "U" shaped and orients the light well toward Jackson Street.  Ornate entrances to the building and the gas company lobby are located on both Harwood and Jackson Streets, but the Harwood Street entrance has since been closed.  Ornate light fixtures also adorn each entry.  Decorative spandrel panels are present between the windows on all sides of the building.  The panels in the tower sections of the building feature geometric Moderne shapes; however, the panels in the base depict various human figures.  Over the years other buildings were constructed in the complex, eventually occupying the entire block.  In 1975, the parent company's name was changed to Enserch Corp.  TXU Energy eventually purchased Lone Star Gas and in 2004, sold the company and the buildings to Atmos Energy.  In early 2005, Atmos Energy gave the entire block of land bounded by Harwood, Wood, St. Paul, and Jackson Streets to the City of Dallas.  In turn, the city is going to allow Forest City Enterprises to redevelop the complex into residential units.  The building is located in the Harwood Historic District.