PEARLAND, Texas – (Realty News Report) – The Welcome Group has broken ground on Lower Kirby Business Park, a 25-acre industrial campus which will bring 250,000 SF of industrial space to northwest Pearland.
Thorpe Plant Maintenance & Engineering, the development’s first tenant, has leased 87,450-SF and will be the first tenant.
Located at 15020 Kirby Drive south Beltway 8 and west of Highway 288, the Lower Kirby Business Park will have four industrial buildings.
Pearland’s lower Kirby District has attracted a significant number of medical, pharmaceutical, tech, and light industrial development in recent years.
Representatives from Welcome Group, KDW and Thorpe recently gathered to commemorate the start of construction, marking a significant milestone for the development and the continued expansion of Pearland’s Lower Kirby District, which is about 15 miles south of downtown Houston..
“Lower Kirby Business Park represents the kind of industrial development we’ve focused on for decades: creating facilities that support how businesses operate and grow,” said Welcome Wilson Jr., President and CEO of Welcome Group. “Thorpe is a great example of how our build-to-suit expertise allows us to work closely with industrial users to understand their operational requirements and deliver facilities designed around their needs.”
Thorpe’s new facility will bring manufacturing, engineering, fabrication, warehousing and field services support together under one roof. The purpose-built space will support the company’s industrial maintenance and refractory operations, allowing for improved coordination across business functions, streamlined distribution and greater flexibility to serve customers throughout the Houston region.
The Lower Kirby District stands to be energized by The Orchard, a 120-acre mixed-use project that will be developed by Planned Community Developers, a Sugar Land firm led by Don Janssen. The Orchard will have 250,000 SF of retail, 300,000 SF of office, and 1,100 multifamily units.
“Lower Kirby continues to attract companies looking for a place to grow, and this project adds to that momentum,” said Trent Epperson, City Manager for the City of Pearland.
After Thorpe lease, approximately 163,000 SF remain available for lease in Welcome Groups new project. Delivery anticipated in the second quarter of 2027. Leasing is being led by Welcome Realty Advisors, a subsidiary of Welcome Group.
“Thorpe’s decision to consolidate multiple operations at Lower Kirby Business Park demonstrates the value of developing facilities around the specific needs of industrial users,” said Ryan Wasaff, Senior Director of Leasing and Development, Greater Houston, at Welcome Group. “The combination of manufacturing, fabrication, warehousing and field services within one location creates meaningful operational efficiencies, while the property’s access to the region’s workforce and major industrial corridors makes it an ideal fit for their long-term growth.”
KDW is serving as general contractor for the Welcome Group. The deed-restricted property will feature tilt-wall construction, clear heights up to 34 feet, an, 20-ton crane-ready capabilities.
Boilerplate: Welcome Group was founded in 1998 and headquartered in Houston, Welcome Group is a commercial real estate investor and developer focused on manufacturing, laboratory, warehouse and distribution facilities throughout Texas and the Southeast U.S. The firm owns and manages more than 9 million SF across more than 115 properties and continues to pursue strategic acquisition and development opportunities throughout the region.
Oct. 20, 2026, Realty News Report Copyright 2026
Image Courtesy of Alida Bonifaz
THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT PODCAST
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Joe Rothchild and Jana Hayes with Keller Williams Houston Central
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Sam Scott of CommGate
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Stephen Meek of StreetLights Residential
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Mike Spears of Lee & Associates Houston
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Bob Parsley of Colliers Houston
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Mark Davis of Davis Commercial
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with David Hightower of Midway
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Alex Kamkar of Bold Fox Development
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Brad McWhirter of Trahan Architects
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Lacee Jacobs of Rebel Retail Advisors
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Danny Rice of Colliers
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Trey Odom of Avera
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Kris Larson of Downtown Houston+
LISTEN: THE RALPH BIVINS PROJECT with Jim Carman of Howard Hughes Holdings
File: Welcome Group Breaks Ground in Pearland