Morris wants to design the project, which it hopes will combine office, residential and retail space, and is offering to become the lead tenant for the office portion. The architectural firm currently has approximately 29,000 sf at 3355 West Alabama St., Doug Childers, associate director of operations for Morris, tells GlobeSt.com. Morris will need at least that much space with the option to expand, says Childers, and is willing to sign up to a 10-year lease to secure the project.
Morris envisions the project as an urban lifestyle structure located within walking distance to one of the light rail stations. Ideally, says Childers, the office portion of the building would be a minimum of 50,000 sf with between 50 and 120 residential units and at least 10,000-sf of street level retail. The firm has put out an open request for proposals to the local and national development community. Childers is already fielding calls from numerous interested parties and expects between five and 10 serious responses by the mid June deadline.
Potential developers are responsible for either providing a piece of land or having the ability to secure land in the area. According to Childers, Morris has identified several potential sites around the Homan Street Station.
Land prices in the area are hefty. Childers estimates that land along the rail line has asking rates of between $45 per sf and $60 per sf. He has heard that ancillary land near the rail lines goes for between $30 per sf and $35 per sf. He adds that increased land prices are a positive sign as it encourages higher density development as opposed to the low-rise, single-user buildings that currently dominate the area.
"We want to help stimulate and be a part of the revitalization and urbanization of Midtown Houston," says Chris Hudson, Morris' president, in a press release. "The completion of the rail line is the beginning of a new era for Houston's inner city."
In addition to its other requirements, Morris is also demanding that the project be designed and built to qualify for certification under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
"We have been closely watching Midtown for several years," says Gary Altergott, partner-in-charge of the project. "The time is ripe in Midtown and Houston is ready for a major mixed-use project on the rail line."
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