▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁F loor ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁F loor , ▁the ▁fac ade ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁is ▁a ▁cur tain ▁wall ▁consisting ▁of ▁glass ▁pan els ▁separated ▁by ▁narrow ▁light ▁gray ▁al umin um ▁pan els . ▁Flo ors ▁ 1 5 ▁and ▁ 1 6 ▁are ▁window less ▁and ▁function ▁as ▁mechanical ▁flo ors , ▁character ized ▁by ▁the ▁al umin um ▁v ents ▁near ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁building . ▁The ▁north , ▁south ▁and ▁west ▁fac ades ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁have ▁cur tain ▁walls , ▁while ▁the ▁east ▁fac ade ▁is ▁a ▁window less ▁m ason ry ▁wall . ▁ ▁The ▁straight ▁angles ▁and ▁bo xy ▁appearance ▁of ▁the ▁buildings ▁exterior ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁element ▁of ▁the ▁international - style ▁architecture ▁that ▁defines ▁the ▁Pet role um ▁Tower . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁unique ▁characteristics ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁that ▁makes ▁it ▁stand ▁out ▁from ▁the ▁buildings ▁around ▁it ▁is ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁built ▁during ▁the ▁post - war ▁era . ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁the ▁now - liqu id ated ▁Texas - based ▁architecture ▁firm ▁Hed rick ▁& ▁Stanley , ▁whose ▁princip als ▁were ▁Wy att ▁C . ▁Hed rick ▁and ▁Thomas ▁D . ▁Stanley . ▁It ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁six ▁listed ▁projects ▁built ▁by ▁this ▁particular ▁firm . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁List ▁of ▁tall est ▁buildings ▁in ▁Sh re ve port