HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Brookfield Properties has completed a multi-million dollar re-do of its Total Plaza, a 35-story Class A office tower in downtown Houston.
With a design by Ziegler Cooper Architects, the redevelopment took advantage of the tower’s glass exterior to bring abundant light into the building.
Built in 1971, Total Plaza was highly regarded for its all-glass façade, offering commanding views of downtown Houston. The tower was one of the early adopters of this design concept, which has since gained significant momentum in downtown Houston.
2nd Time Around for Ziegler Cooper
Houston-based Ziegler Cooper Architects had designed a 1996 renovation of the building and returned to address the building again in 2019.
“A lot has changed in the almost 25 years since that first renovation,” said Jim Zemski, Practice Area Leader of the Commercial Architecture Studio for Ziegler Cooper Architects. “The new lobby renovations are once again responding to current demands and trends by including sustainable features, flexible spaces and bringing in natural light and materials to liven and make the space more inviting and useable.”
The building, 1201 Louisiana Street, has 821,723 square feet of Class A office space and 11,735 square feet of retail space.
Total, part of the French energy giant, occupies 305,680 SF of office space, a lease that was renewed and expanded last year.
People-Focused Environments
Building owner Brookfield Properties, which owns a number of major towers in downtown Houston, launched the redesign, which focused on upgrades to the street and second floor lobby levels as well as the tunnel level.
At the core of the project’s renovation plan was creating a more user-friendly, open floor plan, while harnessing the abundant natural lighting that is derived from the tower’s all-glass façade. Key elements of the renovation included:
- Modernized elevator cabs and lobbies, featuring backlit onyx panels in the elevator lobbies;
- New LED lighting and upgraded furniture across both lobbies;
- Two new security consoles on the second floor lobby;
- Removal of the east escalator on the street-level lobby in order to enhance the area’s natural lighting;
- Revamped tunnel level, featuring new furniture, white tile walls, and an 8’1” x 21’ preserved plant wall;
- Replaced art walls in the street-level lobby with an art rail for traveling exhibitions;
- Installation of a large format wall tile with a dynamic angular joint pattern arranged at the east and west entrances;
- New signage on the interior and exterior of the building;
- Construction of Island Grill, a Houston-based American-Mediterranean eatery, which is slated to open late 2020.
“The renovated Total Plaza sets the stage for what’s to come as we begin to deliver redevelopment projects across our portfolio,” said Travis Overall, Executive Vice President and Head of the Texas Region for Brookfield Properties. “Brookfield Properties’ vision and approach is centered on creating more thoughtful, people-focused environments. Our proven approach can be seen through not only the renovation of Total Plaza, but also the ongoing upgrades being made to Houston Center, Allen Center, and Heritage Plaza.”
In February 2019, anchor tenant Total reaffirmed their commitment to Total Plaza with a lease renewal and expansion. Total Plaza is also home to Petroleum Club of Houston, a private social and business club located on the 35th floor of the building.
Led by Tellepsen, construction on Total Plaza commenced in summer 2019.
Brookfield Properties has been spending millions to renovate its downtown buildings.
Brookfield Properties’ approach to offering premier office assets can be seen through ongoing renovations at Houston Center, Allen Center, and Heritage Plaza. The renovations will further evolve Brookfield Properties’ Houston portfolio into competitive office assets that foster innovation and productivity. Houston Center and Allen Center are expected to deliver in late 2020, while renovations at Heritage Plaza are expected to be complete in early 2021.
Sept. 3, 2020 Realty News Report Copyright 2020.
File: Total Redo – Downtown Skyscraper
File: (2) 1201 Louisiana Street. 821,723 square feet of Class A office plus retail. 9-3-20. Total Redo – Downtown Skyscraper
