HOUSTON-After 16 years at NorthMarq Capital Inc., Rene Joubert steps into a newly created role for the three-year-old firm. He will report to NewQuest's five principals, who have built the portfolio to $400 million in 100 assets, mostly retail.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ-Meritage Homes pledges to take 42,612 sf or about half the space in an office project set to deliver in March 2006. As part of the deal with Furst Properties, the homebuilder gets temporary space for one of two subsidiaries and a design center.

HOUSTON-In an effort to manage and accommodate growth, the REIT reorganizes the Gulf Mountain and West Coast regions, moving former Houston regional director Royal Pratt to Phoenix and putting in W. Troy MacMane as his Houston replacement.

GILBERT, AZ-Buying as 1325 N. Fiesta Blvd. LLC, the investment group pays close to the asking price for a 42,000-sf flex office building at 1325 N. Fiesta Blvd., which is fully leased to two tenants through 2010.

PHOENIX-AZ Prime One Mortgage Corp. expands with a relocation to Mohawk Business Center at 10601 N. 19th Ave. The 7.5-year flex lease has a payout of $2.9 million to the property owner, Panattoni Development Co.

SUGAR LAND, TX-Tramontina-USA Inc. expands once again in Texas just months after unveiling plans to build a 298,000-sf manufacturing plant. The new project, which will be leased for the long term, is the lead play for ProLogis Park Sugar Land Corporate Center.

GILBERT, AZ-The Lafayette, CA-based REIT gets an 86,300-sf building on 11.1 acres, with four acres entitled for another 53,000 sf of industrial development. The seven-year-old building is fully leased to Kulicke & Soffa Industries for the next eight years.

HOUSTON-Janus International Corp., a metal building products manufacturer, establishes a presence in Texas, buying a 53,000-sf crane-served building on the West Side for $1.7 million. The inroad will bring 50 new jobs to the Bayou City.