The Man Behind the Building
Will C. Hogg wasn't just any Houston businessman. The eldest son of Texas Governor Jim Hogg, he was the visionary developer behind River Oaks — one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the country. In 1920, he commissioned architects Charles Barglebaugh and Lloyd Whitson to design a building that would be unlike anything in downtown Houston.
The result, completed in 1921, was an eight-story Art Deco structure at the corner of Louisiana and Preston streets. Its most striking feature was the exterior — massive industrial windows covering over 65% of the facade, making it the first building of its kind in downtown Houston. The reinforced concrete frame was faced with Acme Bennett-Red brick and white cast stone trim.
The Rooftop Penthouse
While the lower floors housed tenants like the Armor Auto Company (an upscale automobile retailer) and the Great Southern Life Insurance Company, Hogg reserved the top for himself. His 18-room rooftop penthouse included an oval solarium, a kitchen, a living room, a guest bedroom, offices, and Mediterranean-inspired gardens surrounded by views of the growing city.
He decorated the penthouse with his collection of artwork by Frederic Remington and used it to manage the Hogg Brothers Company and the family's philanthropic projects. The Hogg family maintained offices in the building until 1941.
A Century of Change
The Pappas Company acquired the building in 1954. A 1963 renovation covered the original facade with enamel and cement panels, but architects Harvin Moore and Barry Moore removed them in 1978, restoring the building's original character.
In the early 1990s, developer Randall Davis saw what many couldn't — that the building's industrial bones were perfectly suited for modern living. He converted the retail and office spaces into 79 loft apartments, preserving the original hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, soaring ceilings, and those iconic factory windows. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
The District at Hogg Palace
In 2019, the building became a hotel — and in 2026, under Commonwealth Hotels management, it was reborn as The District at Hogg Palace. Every suite still has the original character that Will Hogg built over a century ago: the hardwood floors, the brick, the windows, the soaring ceilings. But now they also have full kitchens, in-unit washers and dryers, and modern amenities that make this more than a place to sleep — it's a place to live, even if just for a night.
The building sits exactly where it has for over 100 years, at 401 Louisiana Street, in the heart of what is now Houston's Theater District. Jones Hall is a one-minute walk. Market Square Park is across the street. The city grew up around it, and today, The District at Hogg Palace is the most distinctive place to stay in downtown Houston.
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