$1 Billion Life Sciences Project Underway by Hines and 2ML in Houston

HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Hines and 2ML Real Estate Interests will break ground shortly on the first phase of its transformative 53-acre Levit Green life sciences district near the Texas Medical Center.

HOK architecture designed the first structure, a 5-story, 270,000-SF Phase I building is designed to best serve today’s advanced laboratory needs.

“Houston is quickly emerging as a top life science cluster city and has been able to do so without the purpose-built product established in other locations,” said John Mooz, Senior Managing Director at Hines. “The Phase I project at Levit Green has been thoughtfully designed from the inside out to include features that are required of a top-tier research environment. We are excited to deliver the highest quality of building that will enable industry leaders to better conduct their critical research.”

The Levit Green site is near the eastern edge of the 1,345-acre Texas Medical Center, where 106,000 people are employed and thousands attend medical school.  It is the largest medical center in the world.

The Levit Green property, near the northwest corner of Highway 288 and Holcombe Boulevard, had been used by the Grocer’s Supply Co. for warehousing and logistics for decades.

Houston educational facilities produce more medical doctorates than any other city and generate more research doctorates in the key life science subject areas of biology and physical sciences (chemistry, physics, etc.) than San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle. Pairing this top talent along with the world’s largest medical center and more than 40 globally revered research institutions, it is clear that Houston has secured its position as one of the nation’s top emerging life science clusters. However, Houston has lacked industry driven lab space. Levit Green will help solve the real estate needs of Houston’s burgeoning industry-led life science community, providing a best-in-class research environment along with the unique ability to scale or grow in place.

The Levit Green master plan, designed by Gensler, depicts research facilities, office, residential, shopping and dining, outdoor amenities and green space rendered to reflect the site’s location at the epicenter of Houston’s biotech, corporate life sciences and medical research hub.

Phase One building to be built in Levit Green. Architecture HOK. Rendering Image Courtesy: Hines

Utilizing a national, integrated team, Hines has taken careful consideration during the design phase to incorporate the unique needs required by top life science tenants. Building features will include: 100 percent redundant emergency power, enhanced structural vibration attenuation and augmented mechanical systems. In phase one,  the 33-foot structural bay depths and floorplates in excess of 55,000 SF will also enable research and office teams to create hyper-efficient configurations that enable teamwork and collaboration.

The $1 billion development is slated to break ground on Phase I in second quarter of 2021 with occupancy beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Houston-based Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 225 cities in 25 countries.

2ML Real Estate Interests was formerly part of Grocers Supply Co., which was largest independently owned wholesaler of grocery products in the southeast United States and the largest supplier of Hispanic grocery products in the United States.


Feb. 11. 2021 Realty News Report Copyright 2021


File: $1 Billion Life Sciences Project Levit Green

Images: Courtesy Hines. Phase One Building by HOK. Land Plan Gensler.


File: (2) Texas Medical Center. $1 Billion Life Sciences Project Underway by Hines and 2ML in Houston. HOK. Grocers Supply. Gensler. Levit Green. Highway 288.

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