flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Houston's office construction is soaring

Houston's office construction is soaring

Energy companies’ building spree pushes this market to new heights.


By John Caulfield, Senior Editor | October 6, 2014
Photo: Spacecaptain via Wikimedia Commons

Houston has 19 million sf of office space under construction, 54% more than a year ago, and its highest level since the booming 1980s, according to local news reports.

Nearly 40% of this new office space is corporately owned, according to the Houston Business Journal, which points specifically to a 3-million-sf campus being built by Exxon Mobil, a 1.1-million-sf campus in Westchase suburb by Phillips 66, and a 515,000-sf building that Southwestern energy is erecting.

New building begets higher land prices. CBRE research estimates that land values throughout the Houston metroplex are increasing strongly. For example, land prices in the Uptown/Galleria area range from $125 to $315 per square foot in the second quarter, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Construction workers are also benefiting from all of this activity. The Associated General Contractors of America says that Houston added more construction jobs that any major metro in the U.S. from August 2013 to August 2014.  Houston’s employment in all business sectors has jumped by 10% since 2008, or twice the percentage in San Francisco, according to The Daily Beast.

The Business Journal reports that 10.8 million sf of office space are on schedule to be delivered by year’s end, a sizable jump over the 3.2 million sf delivered in 2013.

Related Stories

Luxury Residential | Oct 18, 2023

One Chicago wins 2023 International Architecture Award

One Chicago, a two-tower luxury residential and mixed-use complex completed last year, has won the 2023 International Architecture Award. The project was led by JDL Development and designed in partnership between architecture firms Goettsch Partners and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.

Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2023

Top 130 Sports Facility Architecture Firms for 2023

Populous, Gensler, HOK, and HKS head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest sports facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Office Buildings | Oct 16, 2023

The impact of office-to-residential conversion on downtown areas

Gensler's Duanne Render looks at the incentives that could bring more office-to-residential conversions to life.

Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2023

Top 100 Industrial Sector Architecture Firms for 2023

Ware Malcomb, Arcadis, Stantec, and Gresham Smith top the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Products and Materials | Oct 10, 2023

‘Works with WELL’ product licensing program launched by International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) recently launched the Works with WELL product licensing program. Works with Well certification allows manufacturers to demonstrate that their products align with WELL strategies. 

Mass Timber | Oct 10, 2023

New York City launches Mass Timber Studio to spur more wood construction

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) recently launched New York City Mass Timber Studio, “a technical assistance program to support active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design.”

Government Buildings | Oct 10, 2023

GSA names Elliot Doomes Public Buildings Service Commissioner

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that the agency’s Public Buildings Service Commissioner Nina Albert will depart on Oct. 13 and that Elliot Doomes will succeed her.

Esports Arenas | Oct 10, 2023

Modular esports arena attracts more than gamers

As the esports market continues to grow to unprecedented numbers, more facilities are being developed by universities and real estate firms each year.

Higher Education | Oct 10, 2023

Tracking the carbon footprint of higher education campuses in the era of online learning

With more effective use of their facilities, streamlining of administration, and thoughtful adoption of high-quality online learning, colleges and universities can raise enrollment by at least 30%, reducing their carbon footprint per student by 11% and lowering their cost per student by 15% with the same level of instruction and better student support.

MFPRO+ News | Oct 6, 2023

Announcing MultifamilyPro+

BD+C has served the multifamily design and construction sector for more than 60 years, and now we're introducing a central hub within BDCnetwork.com for all things multifamily.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

The magic of L.A.’s Melrose Mile

Great streets are generally not initially curated or willed into being. Rather, they emerge organically from unintentional synergies of commercial, business, cultural and economic drivers. L.A.’s Melrose Avenue is a prime example. 


Curtain Wall

7 steps to investigating curtain wall leaks

It is common for significant curtain wall leakage to involve multiple variables. Therefore, a comprehensive multi-faceted investigation is required to determine the origin of leakage, according to building enclosure consultants Richard Aeck and John A. Rudisill with Rimkus. 


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021