Iconic Texas brands, assemble! Hines continues its Greater Houston domination as it spearheads the development of Texas A&M University’s mass-timber Aplin Center.
The College Station campus’ latest hub will be educational and recreational, designed by architectural firms DLR Group and Pickard Chilton. The latter is known for developing two of Houston’s largest corporate projects — the 1.3 million-square-foot Hewlett Packard Enterprise Corporate Campus and ExxonMobil’s 365-acre Spring office complex.
“The Aplin Center will be an emerald oasis that preserves the legacy live oak trees and unites the main campus, West Campus and Kyle Field,” said Anthony Markese, a principal at Pickard Chilton. “We envision a warm and beautiful timber building that says, ‘Howdy!’”
The development is part of Hines’ sustainable mass-timber construction endeavor, T3. The eco-conscious company has a goal of net-zero operational carbon by 2040.
One of Houston’s real estate titans scored a leasing deal with a law firm for a downtown office high-rise.
New York-based Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is taking 28,000 square feet, the full 20th floor of Houston-based Hines’ 609 Main at Texas tower, the Houston Business Journal reported.
The decision to relocate stems from Pillsbury’s desire for a more modern and energized office environment that aligns with its emphasis on innovation and diversity. Furthermore, it sought “an updated setting that provides convenient, first-class amenities for its workforce and clients,” Savills’ Lesa Nickelson French told the outlet.
The 48-story, 1.1 million-square-foot building opened in 2017. It offers a range of amenities, such as a hotel-style lobby, fitness center, conference center and private roof gardens. The property also has a 13-story parking garage with 1,700 spaces.