Global Architecture Firm Signs Lease for 2 Floors at 2 Houston Center
Gensler intends to relocate its offices here later this year. In the meantime, the company serves as the property’s renovation architect, in collaboration with Clark Condon and Harvey Builder.
Brookfield Properties’ Class A office asset located at 909 Fannin St. in downtown Houston is attracting new tenants. Among them, global architecture firm Gensler, which has signed a lease for two floors, or 45,000 square feet, at 2 Houston Center, where it plans to relocate in late 2019. Gensler will be moving out of 65,000 square feet at Pennzoil Place.
The announcement follows another major lease at 2 Houston Center. Direct Energy will also move its corporate headquarters here in 2021, where it will occupy 105,578 square feet. The four-building office campus built in 1974 underwent a cosmetic renovation in 1996. Since 2012, it holds a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council with 80 score points out of 110.
Tim Relyea of Cushman & Wakefield and Craig Beyer of CBRE represented Gensler in the lease negotiations. Doug Little, David Baker, Kelli Gault and Jack Scharnberg of Transwestern, along with Clint Bawcom and Bill Neeson of Brookfield Properties worked on behalf of the owner.
Renovation underway
In January this year, the new owner announced plans for a major redevelopment of the 4.2 million-square-foot office building. The revamp includes a new arrival experience along McKinney Street, with a new central plaza and greenspace, stair connection to landscaped terraces, two-story glass facade and reclad skybridges to foster street-level restaurant and retail activity. Gensler serves as the project’s architect, Clark Condon as the landscape architect and Harvey Builder as the contractor. Construction started in February, with an estimated completion in late 2020.
“As the project architect on the recently announced Houston Center renovation, having Gensler office at 2 Houston Center speaks highly of the capital investment we are making in the project and in downtown. Upon completion, downtown’s largest asset will be a vibrant destination for tenants and visitors alike,” said Travis Overall, executive vice president & head of the Texas region for Brookfield Properties, in prepared remarks.
Images courtesy of Brookfield Properties
