HOUSTON-The Cy-Fair Independent School District has joined with the city in granting a Freeport Tax Exemption to Alamo Crossing Commerce Center. The 1.3 million-sf industrial park is poised to offer more tax incentives to its tenants.

HOUSTON-Land buys are gaining in popularity with small business owners, who are buying less than 10 acres and building what they want. It's a growing trend, says a broker who's sealing deals in the city's brisk land market.

HOUSTON-The Willowbrook Building in north Houston has added two new firms to its tenant roster. Standard Insurance Co. and Seagate Technology LLC have signed for office suites in the multi-tenant structure owned by Revo Inc.

HOUSTON-Entertainment Technologies & Programs is taking its military show on the road, opening its first civilian store near NASA in the city's far southeast submarket. The 4,100-sf location will sell sound and video equipment.

HOUSTON-Land buys are gaining in popularity with small business owners, who are buying less than 10 acres and building what they want. It's a growing trend, says a broker who's sealing deals in the city's brisk land market.

McALLEN, TX-Hunt Power is eyeing a mid-July groundbreaking for an innovative call center design by a Pittsburgh architect. The 75,000-sf center at Sharyland Plantation is the first of its kind for the developer, but not the last, says a Hunt vice president.

HOUSTON-Jeff Peden is stepping in as new associate director of Cushman & Wakefield of Texas' industrial division in Houston. He will be working with Todd Mason and David Cook. Peden has been with C&W for three years.

HOUSTON-Reports are due into FEMA today, but it's looking like original damage calculations had been off by $1 billion. Houston alone has incurred $979.5 million in damages to more than 1,518 commercial properties from Tropical Storm Allison.