HOUSTON – (By Ralph Bivins, Realty News Report) – Celebrating the birthday of master developer Gerald D. Hines, who turns 93 this week.
Houston was fortunate when Hines arrived seven decades ago. With an engineering degree from Purdue and a slide rule in hand, he brought the skills that would make him a world-class developer. His beginnings were humble: as a newcomer he lived at the local YMCA, paying $5 a night for a room.
Hines founded his company in Houston in 1957. Today it ranks among the world’s largest real estate development firms, operating in 201 cities across 24 countries. The company currently has 108 projects underway worldwide and a completed portfolio totaling 422 million square feet.
Gerald Hines’ buildings have helped define Houston’s downtown skyline and left a mark on cities around the globe. He conceived landmark projects such as The Galleria—a multi-level mixed-use complex centered around an ice-skating rink—along with signature works like Williams (formerly Transco) Tower and the WaterWall. In downtown Houston, his breakthrough came with One Shell Plaza, followed by a string of influential towers including Pennzoil Place, Republic Bank Center and 609 Main @ Texas.
In recent years, Hines’ firm has expanded into multifamily development, including the Aris Market Square high-rise apartments in downtown Houston.
Under the leadership of his son, Jeff Hines, who serves as president and CEO, the firm is now preparing to build a new one-million-square-foot office tower on the former Houston Chronicle site at 801 Texas Avenue. The site sits amid several existing Hines properties: the 75-story Chase Tower across the street and the 717 Texas building next door. The company plans to relocate its headquarters into the new downtown tower when it is completed in 2021.
Gerald Hines has played a major role in shaping the city’s architecture, growth and economy. Few individuals have had such a lasting influence on a city. Happy Birthday, Mr. Hines!
Aug. 13, 2018 Realty News Report Copyright 2018