To forge ahead in the future, you must glimpse into the past to see the journey. This certainly rings true when looking at 1301 Fannin in Houston, Texas, in the 1980s. Today, Netrality’s facility epitomizes interconnection from the core to the edge. 1301 Fannin is in the heart of Houston’s metro business district, with extensive long-haul carrier presence and an unrivaled interconnection infrastructure.
The Past. Let’s begin with a quick snapshot — a view of America — in the 1980s.
> Ronald Reagan was President
> Nasa launched the first Shuttle Mission
> Blockbuster movies were the ‘go-to’ for home entertainment
> Cable networks like MTV introduced the music video trend launching many careers
> The recession hit the United States hard. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment was at 7.8%
How about Houston? What was the landscape?
In 1970, 2 million people were living in Houston, and by 1980 that had increased to 3 million, making it the fastest-growing city in the country. Construction was at an all-time high due to the absence of zoning regulations — many skyscrapers ‘found their home’ in Houston.
One of those infrastructures on the horizon was 1301 Fannin Street. It was designed by the Morris-Aubry Architectural Firm, owned by two well-known architects, Seth Irwin Morris and Eugene E. Aubry. Before joining Aubry, Morris designed many iconic structures in the Houston area, including the Astrodome. Construction on 1301 Fannin began in 1981 and was completed in 1984. The building was developed as an enterprise data center and office building. Later it was converted into a telecom carrier hotel and office building. It was constructed as the “banking data center” for the State of Texas and the Pulse Network and housed the Federal Reserve Bank Vault.
Two power grids power the building. One grid powers the emergency police and fire systems for Houston, and the other a major medical center. The building has two generator farms supplying primary and redundant backup power at 2N+1, with 60,000 gallons of fuel supply capable of sustaining power to the facility for 15 days. The building has never lost power since its opening.
In 2015, Netrality acquired 1301 Fannin Street. Immediately after the acquisition, construction began with the development of a new Meet Me Room to draw additional network operators to the building while offering new and existing customers the opportunity to interconnect to increase reliability, security, and productivity while decreasing costs. Also in the plans was the conversion of two floors for additional data center space.
1301 Fannin is the epicenter of connectivity with a robust ecosystem of IT service providers, including Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Megaport, HoustonIX, NetIX, GTT, and Meriplex. Our facility provides offices available for leasing, secure onsite parking, data center space, and amenities, including a fitness center, tech lounge, and event area, the ideal venue for small or large gatherings. Interested in learning more about 1301 Fannin? Contact us today!