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Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Image 2 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 3 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 4 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 5 of 12 Image 6 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 7 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 8 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 9 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 10 of 12 Image 11 of 12 The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. The Petroleum Club is moving to the top floor of Total Plaza. Photo: Nancy Sarnoff Image 12 of 12 The Petroleum Club to unveil slick new space 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Construction has started on the new Petroleum Club, the long-established business and dining club, which will be moving from downtown’s Exxon Mobil building into new space at the beginning of next year.

The club, which has operated from the soon-to-be-vacated 800 Bell for some 50 years, will open in January on the top floor (the 35th) of Total Plaza at 1201 Louisiana across from the Hyatt Regency. The club is leasing 30,000 square feet there.

The new space will have a bar with skyline views, a request of many of the club’s younger members, Kelly Loft, member events director, said on a hard hat tour of the new facility Monday. Moreover, Total Plaza is few blocks closer to the center of downtown and connected to the tunnel system, which will provide “more opportunities for the community to get involved,” Loft said. The new facility will have a ballroom, several meeting rooms and a grill.

Aside from the views, there’s little to see in the new space, but club officials, along with architects from Kirksey and others involved in the project will release additional information about it at a press event Thursday.

The Petroleum Club of Houston is a private dining and business club known for hosting countless energy industry events and weddings. It dates back to 1946 when it was established by a group of Houston oilmen. Its first president was R.E. “Bob” Smith.

The club is leaving its longtime digs because Exxon Mobil sold its downtown building to San Francisco-based Shorenstein Properties, which is planning a sweeping renovation to the 1.2 million-square-foot tower. The energy giant is relocating to a new campus south of The Woodlands.

The Petroleum Club has more than 1,200 members, including between 150 and 175 who are considered “young professionals” under the age of 40.