HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Transwestern Real Estate Services has been named the exclusive leasing agent for Hicks Ventures’ Framework @ Block 10, a mass timber office building that will be constructed in West Houston.
The six-story, 200,000-SF Class A office building is targeting net-zero energy operational carbon.
A timber building has a negative carbon imprint equal to taking 2,000 cars off the road for one year.
The new building will be located at 10496 Katy Freeway, on the north side of I-10 between Gessner and Beltway 8, facing CITYCENTRE and Memorial City’s campus across from I-10. It sits on the 13.5-acre site is Block 10 West, the former “Great Indoors” big box retail building that Hicks Ventures renovated/repurposed into an office building in 2013.
The project, marking a significant milestone as the region’s first mass-timber building, has successfully finalized its construction plans and secured pricing and scheduling following the official announcement of its intent to build earlier this year.
“We have assembled a world-class team for Framework,” said Patrick Hicks, Principal of Hicks Ventures. “Bringing in Gensler, StructureCraft, HOAR Construction, CMTA and now Transwestern to lease it up!”
Transwestern’s Executive Managing Director Eric Anderson and Senior Vice President Katy Gragg will handle leasing.
Pending the execution of the first lease, the project will break ground with an estimated construction timeline of 18 months. The project partners include general contractor Hoar Construction, architect Gensler, the national expert in mass-timber architecture, and leading mass-timber engineer StructureCraft.
“The trend is becoming a reality, and more capital wants to own and lend on carbon neutral office, said Wally Reid, Senior Managing Director of JLL Capital Markets. “Hicks team has positioned this excellent West Houston location with the preeminent asset.”
The mass timber structure will be comprised of dowel laminated timber (DLT) floor and roof panels supported by glulam post and beam framing designed to showcase the beauty and efficiency of the wood. DLT is a sustainable alternative to steel and concrete. According to Work Design Magazine, the unique physiological impact of touching wood has been shown to reduce sympathetic nervous activity and blood pressure – a phenomenon not experienced with any other building material.
In addition to sustainable building materials, the asset will have sustainable operational features, such as a premium HVAC system with 100 percent outside air intake and energy recovery, on-site photo-voltaic electrical generation, green balconies, a strategic solar envelope, and will harvest rainwater to accommodate plumbing.
Headquartered in Houston, which is known as Space City, Hicks Ventures was founded in 2007 by Pat Hicks.
Aug. 8, 2023 Realty News Report Copyright 2023
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Rendering courtesy Hicks Venture. Architecture: Gensler
File: Update on Mass Timber Project