HOUSTON-MetLife Inc. has closed a $235 million loan secured by BG Group Place, for a partnership advised by Invesco Real Estate. The New York City-based life insurance company provided financing to the 973,861-square-foot office tower in an attempt to bulk up its Texas presence.

BP Group Place (once known as MainPlace) is at 811 Main St. and was built during the late 2000s by Hines. In 2010, British natural gas firm BG Group plc signed a lease for 164,000 square feet to house its US headquarters. Along with the space, the tenant received naming rights to the building as well. The company moved into its space in 2011 (when the building was completed), and under terms of the lease, BG Group can expand in the CBD building.

“The BG Group Place investment aligns well with our overall commercial real estate strategy and allows MetLife to grow in a key market for us,” says Robert Merck, senior managing director and head of real estate investments for MetLife. “We are confident that BG Group Place will prove to be a beneficial component of our Texas portfolio.” The transaction was led by Chad McKenney and John Hall from MetLife's Dallas regional office.