Houston's office construction is soaring

Houston has 19 million sf of office space under construction, 54% more than a year ago, and its highest level since the booming 1980s, according to local news reports.

Nearly 40% of this new office space is corporately owned, according to the Houston Business Journal, which points specifically to a 3-million-sf campus being built by Exxon Mobil, a 1.1-million-sf campus in Westchase suburb by Phillips 66, and a 515,000-sf building that Southwestern energy is erecting.

New building begets higher land prices. CBRE research estimates that land values throughout the Houston metroplex are increasing strongly. For example, land prices in the Uptown/Galleria area range from $125 to $315 per square foot in the second quarter, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Construction workers are also benefiting from all of this activity. The Associated General Contractors of America says that Houston added more construction jobs that any major metro in the U.S. from August 2013 to August 2014. Houston’s employment in all business sectors has jumped by 10% since 2008, or twice the percentage in San Francisco, according to The Daily Beast.

The Business Journal reports that 10.8 million sf of office space are on schedule to be delivered by year’s end, a sizable jump over the 3.2 million sf delivered in 2013.

Set to open in April, One River North is a 16-story, 187-unit luxury apartment building with private, open-air terraces located in Denver’s RiNo arts district. Biophilic design plays a central role throughout the building, allowing residents to connect with nature and providing a distinctive living experience.

Sustainble green building. Eco-friendly building. Sustainable glass office building with tree for reducing carbon dioxide. Office with green environment. Corporate building reduce CO2. Safety glass

Sustainability | Mar 13, 2024

Trends to watch shaping the future of ESG

Gensler’s Climate Action & Sustainability Services Leaders Anthony Brower, Juliette Morgan, and Kirsten Ritchie discuss trends shaping the future of environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

Brunson Terrace all-electric affordable housing project in Santa Monica, Calif., designed by Brooks + Scarpa Photo courtesy Brooks + Scarpa

Affordable Housing | Mar 12, 2024

An all-electric affordable housing project in Southern California offers 48 apartments plus community spaces

In Santa Monica, Calif., Brunson Terrace is an all-electric, 100% affordable housing project that’s over eight times more energy efficient than similar buildings, according to architect Brooks + Scarpa. Located across the street from Santa Monica College, the net zero building has been certified LEED Platinum.

Southeast aerial view of the Joslyn Art Museum. Rendering courtesy Moare

Museums | Mar 11, 2024

Nebraska’s Joslyn Art Museum to reopen this summer with new Snøhetta-designed pavilion

In Omaha, Neb., the Joslyn Art Museum, which displays art from ancient times to the present, has announced it will reopen on September 10, following the completion of its new 42,000-sf Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion. Designed in collaboration with Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, the Hawks Pavilion is part of a museum overhaul that will expand the gallery space by more than 40%.

Affordable Housing | Mar 11, 2024

Los Angeles’s streamlined approval policies leading to boom in affordable housing plans

Since December 2022, Los Angeles’s planning department has received plans for more than 13,770 affordable units. The number of units put in the approval pipeline in roughly one year is just below the total number of affordable units approved in Los Angeles in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined.

Ordering steel is the riskiest part of a large-scale job, but Walter P Moore’s complete modeling of GEODIS Park, Nashville’s new Major League Soccer stadium, allowed the contractor’s six steel bids to come in

BIM and Information Technology | Mar 11, 2024

BIM at LOD400: Why Level of Development 400 matters for design and virtual construction

As construction projects grow more complex, producing a building information model at Level of Development 400 (LOD400) can accelerate schedules, increase savings, and reduce risk, writes Stephen E. Blumenbaum, PE, SE, Walter P Moore's Director of Construction Engineering.

Construction worker against the backdrop of the city

AEC Tech | Mar 9, 2024

9 steps for implementing digital transformation in your AEC business

Regardless of a businesses size and type, digital solutions like workflow automation software, AI-based analytics, and integrations can significantly enhance efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.