HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Susman Godfrey has expanded its Houston office, increasing its presence to 76,856 square feet at Wells Fargo Plaza in downtown Houston.
The 71-story tower at 1000 Louisiana is the city’s second-tallest office building.
Susman Godfrey, a leading commercial litigation firm with offices in Houston, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York, expanded its footprint to accommodate anticipated growth and solidify its long-term presence in the central business district.
Marilyn Guion, Dave Hanusa and Warren Savery of CBRE represented the building owner in the lease negotiations. Steve Burkett of JLL represented Susman Godfrey.
“After carefully evaluating a variety of options, it was clear that Wells Fargo Plaza was the best choice in every respect,” said Neal Manne, Managing Partner at Susman Godfrey. “Our firm has existed for 41 years, and for 37 of them we have proudly occupied space at 1000 Louisiana. We are delighted to extend our relationship toward the half-century mark.”
Wells Fargo Plaza continues to attract and retain a prestigious roster of tenants with its superior amenities, including a 16,000-square-foot fitness center with expansive views of downtown, the recently opened upscale restaurant and bar Adair Downtown, valet parking and two sky lobbies.
The 1.7 million-square-foot tower opened in 1983 and was developed by Century Development, a Houston-based firm led at the time by Kenneth Schnitzer and Richard Everett.
Renowned architect Richard Keating, formerly a partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, designed the building. At 71 stories, 1000 Louisiana ranks among the tallest towers in the southwestern United States and is slightly shorter than the 75-story JPMorgan Chase building in Houston.
The tower has been known by several names over the years, originally called Allied Bank Plaza, later First Interstate Bank Plaza, and now Wells Fargo Plaza.
In 2011, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company sold a 50 percent interest in the building to the New York State Common Retirement Fund.
Overall, Houston’s office market has seen rising vacancy rates in recent years, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and a downturn in the energy sector. Despite these challenges, premier properties with strong capitalization and high-quality tenant services remain in demand.
“This expansion and renewed commitment demonstrates the strong demand that persists for office properties backed by well-capitalized ownership providing best-in-class services and amenities,” said Marilyn Guion, Senior Vice President at CBRE.
Jan. 15, 2021 Realty News Report. Copyright 2021.
File: Houston’s Second-Tallest Skyscraper
Caption: Wells Fargo Plaza, 1000 Louisiana. Photo courtesy CBRE
File: (2) Houston’s Second-Tallest Skyscraper. Wells Fargo Plaza, CBRE. Susman Godfrey. Adair Downtown.