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Commercial/Office/Industrial Development
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Commercial / Office / Industrial Development

Done Deal!  IDEV Technologies Inc., an innovator and developer of next generation medical devices, has pre-leased a 48,000 SF building at 253 Medical Center Boulevard in Webster.  The building will be LEED certified, Gold standard, just like the developer’s first building at 251 Medical Center Boulevard.  Construction will begin this month with completion scheduled for August 2009.  IDEV Technologies’ portfolio contains over 30 technologies exclusively licensed from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center; their end users are in the areas of interventional radiology, gastroenterology, vascular surgery and cardiology devices.  Tim Gregory / Transwestern represented the building owner/developer.  BAHEP began working on this project in 2002.

University of Texas Medical Branch – Galveston has purchased more land in League City.  The new 29-acre tract is near the Gulf Freeway and FM 646 next to the 35 acres it now owns in the Victory Lakes subdivision.  Already planned is the UTMB Specialty Care Center, 110,000 SF, $61 million project on part of the 35-acre tract.  There are no specific plans for the newly-acquired land although it’s a possibility that a park & ride could be built to benefit the UTMB-Galveston workers who live on the mainland.  We’ll wait and see what plans evolve!

Bayshore Medical Center in Pasadena on Spencer Highway and East Houston Regional Medical Center on Houston’s East Freeway have merged!  Now operating under one hospital license, both communities will experience improved efficiencies, reduced overhead and increased referrals between the two campuses.  Collectively, they have a total of 500 beds and more than 2,000 employees.

CHRISTUS St. John Hospital in Nassau Bay recently completed its new 20,000 SF expansion --  Emergency Center, Diagnostic Imaging & Women’s Pavilion.  The advanced women’s imaging services and expanded emergency capabilities will also help to enhance the hospital’s collaboration with the M. D. Anderson Clinical Cancer Center for a cutting edge continuum of care.   The expansion boasts a new HDx1.5 Tesla MRI, VCT 64 Slice Scanner and full-field digital mammography in the new Women’s Pavilion.  The Emergency and Chest Pain Center is nationally accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

The 186,267SF Galveston National Laboratory is over 98% complete; move-in date is late September or early October. Built on the University of Texas Medical Branch campus, this very special new laboratory is one of two national containment laboratories to be constructed in the United States.  It will provide much needed research space to develop therapies, vaccines and diagnostic tests for naturally occurring emerging diseases.  Total project cost reached $174 million using $115 million in federal grants and $59 million from the State of Texas.  The projected economic impact of this new facility is $1.4 billion over 20 years statewide.  UTMB will own and operate it; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) will support the research projects inside the lab. The public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony on November 11th near the facility on UTMB's Galveston campus.  Read more at:  www.utmb.edu/GNL

Nassau Bay Town Square update – Demolition of the 12 buildings is complete and permits for the Saturn Lane extension and rebuilding of Space Park Drive have been issued.  The city expects to issue permits for the first office building and some retail buildings by October 1st.  Anticipated move-in for retail and office tenants is July 2009.

Park Plaza, 20,400 SF, will be coming out of the ground across from the Friendswood city hall soon.  The building will be home to Crystal Creek Developers, PE Square Engineering and Everist Design Group; some retail and office space will be available for lease.  This business retention/expansion project was awarded a $30,000 grant by the city council.

Update on Ellington ……

• Houston’s Ellington Field has an official name change – now Ellington Airport. Part of the Houston Airport System, the name change will better reflect the primary function of the property as a multi-purpose commercial and general aviation center.  Ellington Airport is less than one mile from I-45 South, eight miles from Hobby Airport and 16 miles to Houston’s central business district. 
• Approximately 380 acres are available for commercial and industrial build-to-suit or design-build - starting at five acres - at Ellington Commerce + Aviation Center, a deed-restricted development.  Access is direct from Space Center Boulevard.  Additionally, over 100 acres are available, starting at one-acre sites; these are developed pad sites with runway access.  Full information is available at www.LandatEllington.com.   
• More than 151 acres are now for sale at Hwy. 3 and Beltway 8 East in Houston, just north of Ellington Airport.  With a close, strategic position to the Port of Houston, Hobby Airport and Johnson Space Center, it will serve a variety of users.  This site is six miles to Hobby Airport, eight miles to NASA-JSC, 10 miles to the Port of Houston, 31 miles to the Port of Galveston and 37 miles to Bush Intercontinental Airport.
• Recently completed at Ellington is a $23 million joint reserve center.  Already approved is a $7.2 million fire station to support commercial and military facilities.  Included in the master plan for the military are four more facilities and a mid-size commissary.    

Two office/warehouses will be built at 14221 and 14251 Gulfstream Park in Houston near Ellington Airport.  One is 8,000 SF, one dock high door and two grade level doors; the other is 10,000 SF, one dock high door and three grade level doors.  Both will be 20’ clear height with the building front at 23 feet and will have a truck well and side doors.  They will be for sale or lease.  Anticipated delivery is March 2009.

B-Ventura Corporation will move into a new 15,000 SF facility at Bayport North Industrial Park in La Porte.  The company, headquartered in Spain, makes automotive brake parts.  BAHEP worked with the Greater Houston Partnership and CenterPoint Energy on this project.  The build-to-suit is being constructed by an affiliate of GSLWelcome.  At least 10 new jobs are associated with this project.  

Packwell will be expanding by another 200,000 SF at Underwood Business Park in La Porte on Porter Road.  In August 2006, they leased 450,000 SF at the same location.  The company provides logistics in an extensive rail car packaging center.  Underwood Business Park expects completion of a 710,000 SF spec building this month.  Available now for lease is 450,000 SF and a free-standing 225,000 SF.  

Huish Detergents, 12400 Bay Area Blvd. in Pasadena, will be expanding its production facility and building a training facility at the Bayport plant as a result from buying Lever Brothers North American detergent business which includes the brands All, Wisk, Sunlight, Surf and the Snuggle line of fabric softeners. The company will be changing its name to The Sun Products Corporation.

A new 48,000 SF facility is being built for Hagemeyer North America on SH 225 and Beltway Green in Pasadena.  They are a business-to-business distributor of services and products focusing on industrial maintenance repair and operations and safety and electrical markets.  Capital Commercial Investments Inc. is the developer for this project.

Tyco Flow Control opened a new 42,000 SF service and repair center in Pasadena – Bayport North Industrial Park.  This expansion will allow new jobs (valve mechanics and technician staff) to be created over the next few months. The company is a major manufacturer and solutions provider for flow control, heat management, water management and environmental services for energy and processing industries.

Bayport Logistics Center will be built on 14.88 acres on Hwy. 146 between Port Road and Red Bluff Road … on the border of Pasadena and Seabrook.   Granite Properties plans a warehouse distribution center, 226,000 SF, tilt-wall construction, ESFR sprinkler system, 45 dock-high loading doors, and a 180’ truck court.  A lay-down yard of 1.5 acres will be available for outside storage.  Completion is set for April 2009.  Built to service the Port of Houston’s Bayport terminal, this facility will be home to Gulf Winds International Inc., a leader in port-related transportation.  Stephen and Charles Whynot represented the seller. 

The second phase of the Bay Area Business Park has been announced - build-to-suit on 68 acres.  Completion is nearly complete on the first phase – two buildings of 480,480 SF and one at 219,000 SF – all LEED certified.   Location is the corner of Bay Area Blvd. and Red Bluff Road in Pasadena on 137 acres.  Phase two build-out could reach 1.1 million SF.

Construction is underway at Lawrence Business Park, a five-acre development in League City at 820-880 Lawrence Road.  Planned are five office buildings ranging from 4,800 to 6,000 SF and two light industrial buildings, both 6,000 SF.  These are built with a new concrete and foam technology; 10’ ceilings and high speed data, too.

The South Street Industrial Park, a 53-acre development, has broken ground at 601 N. South Street in Pasadena.  On the north side of SH 225 near Preston Road, the industrial park will be constructed after a 46-acre pond is drained and filled with select materials.  The site is about ½ mile from the Ship Channel. Total build-out for speculative and build-to-suit space is approximately one million SF. 

Did you know NASA will celebrate 50 years of scientific and technological excellence this year?  Please visit this site to see how NASA has evolved over the last five decades.   It’s sure to bring back memories!  (Be sure to click on all the places in the room.)  Please send along to others -- children will enjoy this, too!  http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/50th/index.html

NOTE:  Please feel free to pass this e-newsletter along to others who would enjoy it, and, whenever possible, remember to credit Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership for this information.

Friendswood City Council recently approved several new development incentive programs for downtown property and business owners in order to stimulate reinvestment and encourage development, renovation and expansion in the downtown district.  The incentives are:

·         Waive 100% of all fees related to construction and development, including zoning,   platting, site plan review, building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and gas permits.

·         Waive 100% of water and waste water impact fees.

·         Potentially abate real property taxes in accordance with the city’s tax abatement policies.

The city also has a Chapter 380 Municipal Grant Program that includes special considerations for downtown projects including:

·         Minimum investment requirement of increased real and personal property was lowered to $250,000 to qualify for a grant.

·         In addition to the uses already approved by council, grant funds may be utilized for paved sidewalks, facades, street lighting, signage and benches. 

The city will host a Broker/Developer Day on Thursday, November 6^th at 9 a.m.  Please call 281-996-3250 if you would like to attend. 

La Porte has two projects that were recently adopted by its economic development board.  One is the Gateway Enhancement Project, an entryway to the city’s Main Street District.  The location of the gateway is the corner of Main Street and SH 146 along with the building at 912 Main Street.  The other project is a town plaza for the ‘five points’ area of Main Street – the new ‘heart’ of La Porte.  This is intended to be a gathering and meeting spot for the community and will feature benches, a pavilion/stage area, green space, fountains and public art.  The town plaza might include a 10-story office building.

What’s new?  Now available on the BAHEP web site is a new Real Estate page.  Helpful tools are being added every week; so, check often! http://www.bayareahouston.com/Home/RealEstate3/

Transactions ……

• 140,782 SF – Eugene B. Smith & Co. leased an industrial building at 404 N. Witter in Pasadena. 
• 129,375 SF – St. George Trucking & Warehouse of Texas Inc. leased space at Bayport North Industrial Park II.  David Kim / Studley Inc. represented the tenant.
• 59,797 SF – Lockheed Martin leased office space at 2100 Space Park in Nassau Bay.  It will occupy two floors to begin work on the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle for NASA.  Doug Little, Wade Bowlin and Erik Haugen / PMRG represented the landlord.  Derrell Curry / Studley represented Lockheed Martin. 
• 18,884 SF – Northern Safety Company leased additional space at East Belt Business Park in Pasadena. 
• 6,500 SF – Orr Safety Corporation leased space at Fairmont Business Park on Fairmont Parkway and Bay Area Boulevard in La Porte.  Ed Frantz / CB Richard Ellis represented the tenant.
• 2,604 SF – Hope Rehab Physical Therapy leased space at the 42,000 SF Bay Colony Professional Building at Gulf Freeway and FM 646 in League City. 

NEED FREE TECHNOLOGY TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS??  Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) has an available team of NASA engineers and scientists from more than 20 aerospace companies, colleges and universities throughout the state that utilize their aerospace expertise to solve technical / engineering challenges for businesses.  In 2006, SATOP assisted 125 Texas companies.  To learn more about this free program and view SATOP success stories, visit www.spacetechsolutions.com/bahep. 

As an example …..   Technical assistance was provided by Hugh Rogers, professor of Electrical Technology at San Jacinto College North, in the development of a device to prevent drive-off theft at gas stations.  Florida entrepreneur, Jim McCommons, became aware of the problem when convenience stores reported hundreds of millions of dollars in gasoline theft since 2004.  McCommons invented the No-Go Nozzle, a fuel nozzle that would lock in place into the filler pipe of a vehicle until the customer paid for the gas.  Finding a flaw that caused the nozzle to unlock prematurely, he contacted SATOP in Florida who matched up the technical request with Rogers.  The problem was solved by his Electrical Designing class.  Since achieving desired results, McCommons is in discussions with the world’s largest manufacturer of gas pump nozzles in order to reach a cooperative agreement to take his product to market.