HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – The River Oaks estate home of the late Gerald D. Hines, legendary developer who developed the Galleria and many skyscrapers around the world, has been placed on the market for $34.5 million.
Mr. Hines, who changed the commercial development industry by engaging the world’s best architects to advance outstanding design, passed away last year at the age of 95.
For his residence, Mr. Hines enlisted a famous design firm, the New York based Robert A.M. Stern Architects, to design the 17,000 square foot estate, which was completed in 1992. The home was intended to conceptualize an Italian-style villa with influences from his holidays in Tuscany.
The sprawling 4.5-acre property is tucked between Buffalo Bayou and Kirby Drive, and within walking distance to the exclusive River Oaks Country Club. With 11 bathrooms and five bedrooms, The Hines Villa is also home to a 3,000 square foot atrium with an enclosed pool, full-size tennis court and beautifully manicured grounds.
The home 2920 Lazy Lane Blvd. is listed by Douglas Elliman Texas licensed associates Cathy Cagle and Patricia Reed.
Mr. Hines was a self-made man, arriving in Houston in the 1940s, armed with an engineering degree from Purdue University and his ever-present slide rule, Mr. Hines stayed at the YMCA in his early days as a Houstonian.
Mr. Hines founded his company in 1957 and some of his earliest developments – mid-rise and low-rise office buildings were constructed along Richmond Avenue, only a mile or two from the River Oaks home that is now for sale.
The Hines firm has developed more than 907 projects around the globe, including 100 buildings over 25 stories, and the tallest office towers in Texas, Kentucky, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Italy. After elevating Houston’s built environment to prestigious art with sustainable function, Mr. Hines made his mark across the nation, establishing large local offices in major hubs, including New York, San Francisco, Atlanta and Chicago. From 1996-2010, Hines made London his home base, after transferring day-to-day operations to his son, Jeff, in 1990. While abroad, Mr. Hines expanded into major Western and Eastern European markets, securing a footprint that is still growing across the continent. The firm also entered into Asia in the mid 1990s.Significant Hines projects include 53rd at Third, known as the Lipstick Building, New York; 101 California, San Francisco; One Ninety One Peachtree, Atlanta; Three First National Plaza, Chicago; Five Hundred Boylston, Boston; DZ Bank, Berlin; Porta Nuova, Milan; and EDF Tower, Paris.
Hines has developed many buildings in Houston, including these landmarks: One Shell Plaza; The Galleria; Pennzoil Place; Bank of America Plaza; Williams Tower (still called Transco Tower by some Houstonians) and the 75-story JPMorgan Chase & Co. Tower, the tallest building in Texas.
The Hines organization is currently building a 47-story office tower and a 46-story apartment building in downtown Houston, in addition to more than 160 other developments underway around the world.
March 10, 2021 Realty News Report Copyright 2021
File: Gerald Hines Estate Home in River Oaks For Sale at $34.5 Million
Caption: Hines villa in River Oaks. Photo by DroneHub Media.