HOUSTON – One Shell Plaza, the first downtown skyscraper developed by Gerald D. Hines, received an International TOBY Award (The Outstanding Building of the Year) at the 2017 Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International Conference & Expo held in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 50-story tower, owned by Busycon Properties LLC, earned the award in the Renovated category.
Located at 910 Louisiana Street, the building is managed by Hines and leased by Colvill Office Properties.
Originally completed in 1971, One Shell Plaza went through a major $80 million renovation between 1991 and 1993. More recently, the tower completed a second significant renovation to modernize its systems and public spaces.
According to Hines, the renovation scope included architectural updates to the lobby and plaza, refreshed graphics, elevator modernization, and substantial upgrades to the building’s electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems. The project also introduced new lighting and windows, curtain wall restoration, asbestos abatement, accessibility improvements to meet ADA standards, and entirely new life-safety systems. Sarah Sutton of Hines serves as the property manager.
Shell Oil recently vacated One Shell Plaza to relocate to a new campus in west Houston, making approximately 800,000 square feet of office space available on the sublease market.
The TOBY Awards represent the commercial real estate industry’s highest recognition for excellence in building management and operations.
To qualify for an International TOBY Award, a property must first win local and regional competitions. Judging criteria include community impact, tenant and employee relations programs, energy management, accessibility, emergency evacuation procedures, training programs for building personnel, and other quality indicators. As part of the evaluation process, industry professionals also perform comprehensive onsite building inspections.