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I was doing some research today and came across this quote in a New York Times article from the 80's: I think a lot of people in Houston don't realize the significance of these buildings.

Maybe I was trippin. Either pennzoil place has a light show on their building at night now, or it was just lights from party on the plaza. I saw it coming in from 45 n last night. It looked cool, and then right by the bagby exit u see the big blue lights comin from under the freeway for the bayouwalk.

It's officially for sale: See full article: http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...tml?jst=b_ln_hl http://photohome.com/pictures/texas-pictures/houston/bank-of-america-1a.jpg

I can't find any pictures, or maps, about the old Gerald Hines and R.E. Smith development a long the West Loop South. The building(s) could have been a long San Felipe Street? Perhaps the old business park was the first go-around at The Galleria? I know someone on HAIF has to know more information. Do any of the buildings still exist? Aerial photograph of the Galleria Area from the 1970s.

The Toyota center may seem not so big on the outside, but people don't realize is that it sinks into the ground like the Astrodome and the Compaq Center. Thats why the Astrodome isn't so tall as the Reliant Stadium. I think its a real good idea with the Hilton putting pedestrian bridges across to the convention center and the arena. I wonder what someone will do with the patch of grass next to it? I hope somone builds a little pond/reflecting pool/park there.

Chronicle has a good article on him in today's paper. http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4876742.html Just some quotes I found interesting: I wonder what the best "probelm area" is prime for taking on right now? Breath of fresh air. Does anyone know if he's had any recent projects here or if he's currently got one going on?

Hines announces timber office project in Austin Katherine Feser Aug. 25, 2021Updated: Aug. 25, 2021 2:40 p.m. Hines is developing T3 Eastside at 1200 E. 4th St. in Austin. It's the company's first Class-A timber project with a residential component. Hines Houston-based Hines announced it would build its first timber office project in Texas. T3 Eastside, in Austin, will have 92,000 square feet of office space and 9,200 square feet of residential space. The project, a Hines eco-minded initiative named for timber, transit and technology, will be developed at 1200 E. 4th St. and include 15 loft-style units with a historical industrial design. It is among 16 T3 office projects for Hines and is the first to be designed with a residential component, according to John Mooz, senior managing director at Hines. The construction method incorporates wood products generated from fast growing trees. T3 Eastside, which is accessible to downtown by rail, is the first project in Austin for Hines in more than 40 years. Several additional projects across various sectors will be announced in the coming months. JLL is marketing the space to tenants in creative industries such as technology, advertising, media, information and biotechnology/life sciences. “T3 Eastside is designed to accommodate needs of firms who seek creative-class workers and residents by delivering a unique product and location while offering proximity to living, dining, entertainment and easy access to transit while honoring the unique artistic spirit of the neighborhood,” Philip Croker, senior managing director at Hines and co-Austin city head, said in an announcement. The building will feature areas for collaboration, a rooftop patio, private outdoor balconies for tenants, shared conference space, a fitness center and bike storage facilities. Austin's office vacancy rose to 16.9 percent in the second quarter as 1.9 million square feet of office space was completed in the first half of the year, according to JLL. Occupancy was 10.6 percent in the year-ago quarter. Another 4.2 million square feet is under construction in the Austin area. Hines has developed T3 projects in cities such as Minneapolis, Atlanta, Denver, Toronto and Melbourne, Australia. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Hines-launches-timber-office-project-in-Austin-16411232.php

Grainger plans distribution center in Hockley, Texas - Houston Business Journal (bizjournals.com) "The new 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center, which will be known as the Houston Texas Distribution Center, will be constructed on a 108-acre site in unincorporated Harris County northwest of Houston at Roberts Road and U.S. Route 290. The property is being developed by Houston-based Hines, and although the cost is not disclosed, the company said it was a significant investment." Groundbreaking expected in spring with completion in 2026. Planning for 400 employees within a year of opening.

New to the Houston office tower world...and I'm wondering why Phoenix Tower (former Bank United Tower at 3200 Southwest Freeway) in Greenway Plaza seems like a bit of an under appreciated asset. It is a beautiful all-glass tower with nice angles and views in a seemingly strong location. The ownership is implementing some major changes including a new Jack Nicholas Putting Green on its 1/2 acre green space atop its enclosed all glass-facade parking garage. Additionally, the ownership is currently replacing the spandral panels on the Tower with contrasting silver bands of glass. Looks like a promising redevelopment project. Curious if people are favorable towards this tower?

Found this article and thought you would like it. http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/DT200409/da...es200409-2.html

I didn't see a thread about this cool, 1950s, office building designed by Neuhaus & Taylor. Thought I would share information. Only a matter of time until it's demolished for something more modern. Also a Gerald Hines building! Very cool.

https://realtynewsreport.com/hines-developing-new-community-with-1400-homes/ Stokes & Castle Roads, SE Corner - north of Hwy 290 & FM 2920 "Hines, the global real estate firm founded in Houston by Mr. Gerald D. Hines, is working with partners to develop a new master planned community with 1,400 homes on the northwest side of Houston. Hines, along with partners Trez Capital, Caravel Ventures, and Sumitomo Forestry, have closed on 528 acres in the Waller community for the development, which will be located in Harris County, just beyond Cypress and Hockley."

On Tuesday, March 21st, 2006, KinkaidAlum posted: "The antenna at One Shell Plaza reaches to around 1,000 feet. There are several photos on emporis.com that show the antenna to reach almost the exact same height as Wells Fargo. The one building that has always confused me is the St Luke's Medical Tower. It's official height is listed at 316 feet. Apparently, the needle spires aren't counted in the height, but even without them, 316 feet seems way too short. Especially when you consider that the nearby Marriott Hotel is listed at 265 feet. There's NO WAY St Luke's is only 51 feet taller than the Marriott even without the spires!" I checked this out from multiple angles tonight. The question is not whether or not St Luke's is over 316 feet; it is whether or not (including spires) it is under or over 440'. With the spires I am certain that it is no shorter than the recent Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza. Edit: skyscraperpage and E______ both quote 316/25st., but Baylor College of Medicine says 29 storeys. The architect's website doesn't indicate one way or the other, saying only, "The Tower is a sophisticated, state-of-the-art medical facility and teaching hospital which captures the spirit and character of Houston and the adjacent Texas Medical Center. Twin octagonal towers respond to this dual frontage and help define the urban environment. The circular roofs and spires bring each tower to a dynamic terminus." There's a nice picture, though, of St Luke's as the only building visible from Hermann Park. A much more personable presence than the hulking Memorial Hermann.

I don't have the specifics for the height, floors, architect, etc. but here's what she's going to look like... I believe this is the view of the north side of the building that will face Market Square. This is based on the other renderings of the Chronicle site building. Block 42:

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Houston-s-apartment-boom-focuses-on-urban-scene-4619878.php?t=445cfc44ffb05374ef Hines is planning to build a high rise across the street from Market Square Park at Preston and Travis

Does anyone know what year the Lyric Center was built? Also, does anyone know the name of the white building about 30 floors, located somewhere between the Lyric center and the JPMorgan Chase tower? When viewed from the west, it has rectangular windows in the center of the building that are longer vertically than horizontally. The windows on the north and south edges are more square shaped. It is relatively new and I don't see any info on it in the list of downtown buildings? Been away from Houston for a while so any help would be appriciated.

In 1968, Hines developed the original Medical Clinic of Houston building. Cool find! Never knew about this.

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/01/30/houston-developer-considering-garden-oaks-area.html

Those names sound very familiar to me, think some of them played at a hall on Bissonnet, Bellaire area, in the early to mid '80's. I recall "Beer Bust" night & a live band, when "happy hour" was in full swing. Some years later, I preferred "The Rose", nice club. I don't recall that hospital. From the aerials, looks like it was designed in the sixties, has atriums. Wish there was a picture of it, somewhere.

One Shell Plaza: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/HAI/Images/Buildings/Downtown/1ShellPlaza-Jan08-002a.jpg Two Shell Plaza: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/HAI/Images/Buildings/Downtown/2ShellPlaza-Jan08-002a.jpg ---------------- HINES’ ONE SHELL PLAZA AND TWO SHELL PLAZA RECEIVE LEED® GOLD CERTIFICATION (HOUSTON) – The Houston office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that One Shell Plaza and Two Shell Plaza have each received LEED® Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council under the Existing Buildings (EB) Rating System. Shell Plaza is a two million-square-foot, two-building Class A office property in downtown Houston that is owned, managed and was originally developed by Hines. Designed by renowned architect Bruce Graham with the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and completed in 1971, the 50-story One Shell Plaza was the first major high-rise project by Hines. It was developed as the North American headquarters for the Royal Dutch Shell Company when they relocated to Houston from New York City in 1971, and led to development of another 50-story sister project in New Orleans, One Shell Square. Clad in Roman travertine marble, it remains the tallest lightweight concrete structure in the world. The 26-story Two Shell Plaza consists of office, retail and parking. Both properties were acquired by the Hines U.S. Core Office Fund in 2004. The property was Hines’ first significant achievement in sustainability and marked the beginning of the firm’s long-time dominance in engineering excellence and energy efficiency. By raising the floor-to-floor height above market standards, Hines was able to install flexible, low-pressure ductwork that resulted in reduced operating expenses and occupancy costs, as well as greater operating efficiency for the buildings’ tenants. The property was also the first major high-rise project in Houston to install dual-pane windows, which contributed significantly to the high energy efficiency of the buildings. One and Two Shell Plaza are ENERGY STAR® qualified and together hold a total of 15 labels. With a weighted-average rating of 90, the buildings perform 43 percent better and save $1.63 in energy costs per square foot per year when compared to the national average building. This translates to estimated greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to removing approximately 3,350 passenger vehicles from the road—roughly one for every building occupant. As a testament to its design quality and operational excellence, Shell Plaza achieved LEED Gold certification with only modest upgrades, which included: the replacement and installation of low-flow restroom fixtures; the installation of energy efficient lighting with reduced mercury content; the installation of MERV-13 air filters to provide the cleanest indoor air; the use of green cleaning materials and equipment; and a comprehensive building recycling program, among other things. Hines worked closely with Kirksey’s EcoServices group, which played an instrumental role in managing the administrative aspects of the LEED certification process. Vice President of Strategy and Portfolio for Shell Real Estate Jerri Ballard said, “We are excited for Hines on the achievement of LEED Gold for One Shell and Two Shell Plaza. Shell has been pleased to support Hines on this journey in any way we could, and we are delighted that our companies share common goals of sustainability, energy efficiency and commitment to the U.S. Green Building Council standard.” Executive Vice President and CEO of Hines’ Southwest Region Mark Cover said, “The tenants in Shell Plaza are progressive and committed to providing their employees with the healthiest and most productive workplace possible. In turn, our property and engineering managers must constantly ensure that tenant space meets those rising expectations.” Shell Plaza is primarily leased to Shell, Baker Botts and Comerica Bank. Hines has secured LEED certifications for eight Houston properties, totaling approximately eight million square feet. Globally Hines is responsible for 145 projects, representing more than 89 million square feet that have been certified, pre-certified or registered under the various LEED rating systems. Hines was a founding member of the German Sustainable Building Council, and is active in the BRE Environmental Assessment Method program in the United Kingdom and the Haute Qualité Environnementale program in France. In 2009 Hines was recognized by the EPA, for the second time, with the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award; Hines has 138 buildings, representing approximately 77 million square feet that have earned the ENERGY STAR label. Twelve Hines development or redevelopment projects, representing more than six million square feet, have been designated as Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR. Hines is a privately owned real estate firm involved in real estate investment, development and property management worldwide. The firm’s historical and current portfolio of projects that are underway, completed, acquired and managed for third parties includes 1,111 properties representing more than 449 million square feet of office, residential, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical and sports facilities, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. Hines has offices in more than 100 cities in 17 countries and controls assets valued at approximately $22.9 billion. Visit www.hines.com for more information. To learn more about sustainability at Hines, visit www.hines.com/sustainability.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/La-Colombe-d-Or-to-take-luxury-to-new-heights-9191635.php Site:

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2022/09/15/hines-master-planned-community-rosenberg.html Hines is developing a master planned community on 850 acres along the Southwest Freeway at Finney-Vallet Road in what will be a newly-annexed section of Rosenberg, per the terms of an agreement made by the city with the developer earlier in the year. The first phase of 400 homes is supposed begin later in the year and is expected to be complete by 2024. There will be up to 2400 at full build-out. Reports from the press release tout that this is Hines' largest single-family residential development since their much larger First Colony community came about in the 70s. A multifamily and commercial component is also expected to be part of the development as well. In addition to homes and up to 250 acres of park space, another school that will be zoned to Lamar Consolidated ISD is expected to be constructed. This isn't so surprising as the District is expected to add nearly 20 new schools over the next decade or so.

swamplot.com/hines-plans-a-shiny-new-18-story-office-building-across-san-felipe-from-river-oaks/2013-05-16/

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/04/13/hines-sandy-point-iowa-colony-community.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_27&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s "The Houston-based real estate company, along with Trez Capital and several limited partner investors, earlier this month purchased 954 acres of undeveloped land outside Iowa Colony, in southern Brazoria County. The community, to be called Sandy Point, is slated to have 2,100 single-family homes at build-out. Derek Graber with Dosch Marshall Real Estate represented Hines, and David Cook and Meredith Cullen with Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller. Flagstar Bank and Rocky Lai & Associates provided financing. Sandy Point will be located along the western side of State Highway 288 just south of Iowa Colony’s current city limits. The property will be annexed into the city in the next several months as part of a development agreement, Iowa Colony City Manager Robert Hemminger said. Hines plans to offer a variety of lot sizes ranging from 40 to more than 80 feet in width. While Brazoria County requires lot sizes in new subdivisions to be at least 80 feet wide, municipalities can set their own rules."

Four Seasons Private Residences. https://www.fourseasons.com/residences/private_residences/lake-austin/ Architect - https://www.pagethink.com