HOUSTON — WeWork, the shared office space company, will open its first Houston location in The Jones at Main, a historic redevelopment project in downtown Houston. The company has signed a lease for 86,000 square feet in the building.
WeWork’s flexible, membership-based model appeals to startups, entrepreneurs and large corporations seeking a consistent presence in major cities. The concept blends private offices, shared workspaces and community amenities to support collaboration and scalability.
The Jones at Main redevelopment is led by Houston-based Midway in partnership with Lionstone Investments. Colvill Office Properties is handling leasing for the property. Securing WeWork reinforces a broader shift toward open, shared work environments that particularly attract younger professionals.
As with many WeWork locations, the new space will include social amenities and communal features designed to foster interaction and creativity—elements often highlighted by the brand, including recreational areas such as a ping-pong table.
The restoration and renovation plans for the landmark 708 and 712 Main buildings emphasize connections at street level to create a unified, socially engaging environment. The project will add hospitality-style amenities and new street-facing restaurant and retail spaces to activate the ground floor and encourage public engagement.
“Downtown’s office market offers a range of options that suit different corporate cultures and continues to evolve with demographic and workforce trends,” said Bob Eury, president of the Central Houston organization. “WeWork has played a major role in redefining how people work. We’re seeing not only startups but also leading companies rethink traditional workspace models.”
“WeWork’s decision to select The Jones at Main for its first Houston location underscores the success of our repositioning of this iconic building,” said Fernando Urrutia, vice president of Lionstone.
708 Main, originally built in 1908 and expanded in 1922, has occupied a prominent position on Main Street for more than a century. Known as The Great Jones Building, it was first home to the Texas Company (which later became Texaco) and later housed the Bankers Mortgage Building.
Former Houston Chronicle publisher Jesse H. Jones maintained an office in the building while the adjacent Gulf Building was under construction.
The neighboring 712 Main tower is a 37-story Art Deco skyscraper that currently contains JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Houston banking headquarters. Commissioned by Jesse Jones in 1929, the building held the title of Houston’s tallest structure until 1963. It is recognized as a City of Houston Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
April 28, 2017 Realty News Report Copyright 2017