HOUSTON – At 91, Gerald D. Hines celebrated the opening of his striking new skyscraper this week. Rising 48 stories above Main Street and crowned with a distinctive sloped top, 609 Main at Texas has quickly become a highlight of downtown Houston. Hundreds of visitors attended the grand opening Wednesday evening to view Hines’ latest contribution to the city’s skyline.
This tower marks Hines’ 21st ground-up downtown development in Houston since the firm completed One Shell Plaza in 1971.
The lobby evokes a refined, hotel-like atmosphere: limestone-clad walls, glass highlighted by brushed steel accents, and dramatic slabs of marble in Irish Green and Lapis Blue imported from Brazil. A Lasa White panel from northern Italy frames the walls between the three elevator banks, all materials selected by Hines’ team during a sourcing trip to Verona.
“609 Main at Texas is the most futuristic building we have completed – from the architectural design to the functionality of its state-of-the-art amenities,” said Gerald Hines, the company’s founder, who attended the opening. “Tenants are going to love going to work here.”
Designed by Pickard Chilton, the same firm behind Hines’ nearby BG Group Place, the building emphasizes tenant well-being and productivity. “We wanted to create an environment that empowers tenants to achieve their best,” said architect Jon Pickard of New Haven-based Pickard Chilton. “Firms that recruited top talent in previous decades now need workplaces that uplift and support health and retention.”
The tower has attracted strong leasing interest.
“We are 60 percent committed,” said Michael Anderson, executive vice president at Colvill Office Properties, the Houston leasing firm representing the Hines tower. Touring prospective tenants through the building, he’s heard consistent praise.
“One of the first reactions is the sheer beauty of the building and its presence on the skyline,” Anderson said. “Inside, it’s clear the tenant experience was a top priority for Hines. The lobby is highly activated with multiple seating and gathering areas designed with a hospitality feel.”
Anderson and colleague Damon Thames have secured an impressive tenant roster. International law firm Kirkland & Ellis signed for the top two floors in 2015, joining several other law firms at the property.
United Airlines leased floors 12–19 through Sanford Criner of CBRE and colleagues Charles Gordon, Brandon Clarke, Ryan Roth and John Curtis. The airline’s offices open onto two rooftop gardens that provide sweeping views of the city.
“This summer, Greenway Coffee will open a concept called Prelude Coffee to enhance the lobby experience,” Anderson added. “An 8,500-square-foot conference center and a 7,000-square-foot fitness facility are both flooded with natural light and occupy prime space on the second floor. The building also features next-generation technology, including under-floor air distribution that allows individual climate control and improved air quality.”
The surrounding downtown neighborhood further strengthens the tower’s appeal.
“There are 40 street-level restaurants within a two-block radius,” Anderson said. “Options include Main Kitchen at the new J.W. Marriott, the new Local Foods on Main, Moonshiners and Conservatory, with more to come. There are also eight hotels and eight residential projects within two blocks.”
609 Main amplifies a broader downtown transformation that has brought thousands of new residents, new hotels, expanded office space and renewed street life to the area.
“609 Main sits at the center of an axis in a three-block transformation that reflects a lot of vision,” said Mark Cover, CEO for Hines’ Southwest Region. “I expect residential development to expand further. This project helps position Houston alongside other global, vibrant cities.”
Veteran developer Louis Sklar, who retired from Hines in 2011, praised the building’s exterior and interior design. “From the 44th floor, I noticed how well the trend toward open office space works with abundant natural light. The design feels organic rather than contrived. The underfloor HVAC system simplifies future reconfiguration and lets individuals adjust their office temperature without calling maintenance.”
Gerald Hines’ engineering background and early career in air-conditioning shaped the building’s mechanical systems. Born in Gary, Indiana, Hines moved to Houston in 1948 after earning a mechanical engineering degree from Purdue and later applied his HVAC expertise across Hines developments, including the under-floor air distribution used at 609 Main, which totals approximately 1,050,000 square feet.
“My dad started this firm 60 years ago,” said Jeff Hines, president of Hines. “Today we operate in 189 cities. Houston remains our home and the center of our operations. We are committed to raising the bar on every development, learning best practices and staying attuned to market needs. Jon’s architecture is superb, and the building’s systems are state-of-the-art. We appreciate the brokerage community’s support in bringing this vision to life.”
Rusty Bienvenue, executive director of the American Institute of Architects, called Gerald Hines “the world’s most important developer” and noted the significance of Hines’ projects in Houston. “Architects study Pennzoil Place and the Galleria in school. Hines understands a commercial building is more than a container; when it’s beautiful, it commands higher rents. The stone selections here are exceptional.”
Over the years, Hines has developed landmark buildings such as Pennzoil Place, One Shell Plaza, the Bank of America Center, Williams Tower (formerly Transco Tower) and JPMorgan Chase Tower. More recently, Hines completed 7 Bryant Park in Manhattan with Pei Cobb Freed. In spring, Hines’ biography, “Raising the Bar: The Life and Work of Gerald D. Hines,” documented his career.
The vertically integrated 609 Main campus offers a range of amenities: a hotel-style lobby with a café and networking spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows that maximize natural light, and an internal 13-level garage with parking for 1,700 cars.
Other notable features include:
- Transit-oriented location on the Main Street rail line.
- LEED Platinum certification, reflecting advanced sustainability measures.
- The first multi-tenant building in Houston with underfloor air distribution and one of only two multi-tenant projects in the country with this HVAC approach during its development.
- An 8,500-square-foot conference center with flexible meeting space for up to 300 people.
- Two rooftop gardens on levels 12 and 13.
- A signature six-story arched window overlooking Main Street.
Looking ahead, Hines and partners own the former Houston Chronicle site two blocks away, purchased for $54 million. Demolition of the Chronicle building is nearly complete, and the block will serve as surface parking until Hines decides on the site’s next development, signaling another potential addition to Houston’s skyline.
May 20, 2017 Realty News Report Copyright 2017