ULI HOUSTON 8 TH ANNUAL
DEVELOPMENT
OF DISTINCTION AWARDS
JANUARY 27, 2015
PRESENTED BY
LETTER FROM ULI HOUSTON DISTRICT COUNCIL CHAIR, CARLETON RISER Welcome to the 2015 ULI Houston Development of Distinction Awards! Since 1979, ULI has honored outstanding real estate projects in both the private and public sectors worldwide. The ULI Awards are widely recognized as the industry’s most prestigious awards. The ULI Houston Development of Distinction Awards follow this tradition of honoring developments and green spaces that uphold the ULI mission: To provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Now in its eighth year, ULI Houston’s awards program is based upon criteria used for ULI global awards. This program has advanced winners to the international level, and two-time ULI Houston Award-winner, New Hope Housing, also won a ULI Americas Award for Excellence in 2011 for Brays Crossing, earning recognition among exemplary projects from Canada, The United States, and Latin America. We are extremely proud of every project that strives for excellence and achieves it, and we hope more winners from our region will advance to ULI global competition. We thank everyone who nominated worthy projects. We thank the ULI Awards Committee and the local experts, who volunteered your time to review nominations and select finalists. We thank the judges from Denver, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, who traveled to Houston to select the winners we honor tonight. And, we thank the thousands of Houston fans of great real estate projects, who voted for tonight’s People’s Choice Award winner. Thank you all for supporting the Urban Land Institute and for your leadership in making our communities better places.
Carleton Riser President, Transwestern Development Company ULI Houston District Council Chair
JANUARY 27, 2015
The Rice Crystal Ballroom
ORDER OF EVENTS 5:30 – 7 PM Cocktails in the Grand Foyer, Hosted by Jones & Carter Paul Chester Jazz Trio 7 PM Seated Dinner in the Crystal Ballroom 8 PM Recognition of Nominations Panel, Jury & Awards Co-Chairs Presenting the Award Winners Greg Erwin, Winstead 9 PM Dinner Adjourns
AWARD FINALISTS HERITAGE AWARD Pennzoil Place Developer: Gerald D. Hines Interests Owner: Metropolis San Jacinto College Developer and Owner: San Jacinto College FOR-PROFIT Braeburn Village Developer: Midway Owner: Braeburn Residential Partners, L.P. Hanover Rice Village Developer and Owner: The Hanover Company Towne Lake Master Plan Developer: Caldwell Companies NOT FOR-PROFIT Bagby Street Reconstruction Developer and Owner: Midtown Redevelopment Authority Bethel Church Park Developer and Owner: Houston Parks and Recreation Department Monarch Institute Owner: The Monarch School New Hope Housing at Rittenhouse Developer: New Hope Housing, Inc. Owner: FDI - Houston SRO, Ltd. HONORABLE MENTION Lone Star College, CyFair Harris County Precinct Two, Sylvan Beach Pavilion
PAST AWARD HONOREES 2008 Christ Church Cathedral Mixed-Use Project, Winner Market Street The Woodlands, Finalist Minute Maid Park, Finalist Sabine Promenade, Winner* 2009 13 Celsius / 3000 Caroline, Honorable Mention (Jury Award) Canal Street Apartments / New Hope Housing, Winner* Discovery Green, Winner* Raymond and Susan Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University, Finalist* School of Nursing and Community Center, UT Health Science Center at Houston, Finalist Westway Park, Finalist 2010 Clayton Library for Genealogical Research, Finalist High Fashion Home—3100 Travis, Finalist Hermann Park Lake Plaza, Winner New Living Green Building + Home Store, Finalist One Park Place, Winner SYSCO Corporate Headquarters, Finalist Williams Tower, Winner 2011 BP Helios Plaza, Finalist Capitol Oaks, Winner Children’s Museum of Houston Expansion, Winner Greenway Plaza, Winner Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, Finalist Monarch School’s Chrysalis Building, Finalist New Hope Housing at Brays Crossing, Winner**
2012 CITYCENTRE, Winner Gulfgate Center, Winner Mandolin Gardens Park, Winner Market Square Park, Finalist Tellepsen Family YMCA, Finalist Harris County 1910 Courthouse, Finalist Wortham Theater Center, Finalist 2013 Fulton Gardens, Finalist H-E-B Montrose Market, Winner (Jury and People’s Choice) Houston Food Bank, Winner Julia Ideson Building, Winner Kirby Drive Streetscape, Finalist Parks Department Headquarters, Winner Sugar Land Town Square, Finalist Villa del Prado, Finalist 2014 The Woodlands Master Plan, Vision Award for Exemplary Leadership BBVA Compass Stadium, Finalist BG Group Place, Winner Historic Fire Station 6, Winner James Berry Elementary School, Winner Don Sanders Adoption Center, Friends for Life, Finalist and People’s Choice
*ULI Global Awards for Excellence Award Finalist **ULI Global Awards for Excellence Award Winner
PENNZOIL PLACE HERITAGE
Based on a directive from famed Houston developer Gerald Hines to design a downtown skyscraper that could create an identity for multiple tenants, Pennzoil Place was developed as a dual trapezoidal tower that shattered the glass-box office building formula and became an architectural icon. The 1.8-million-square foot Pennzoil Place complex was completed in 1975 and designed by well-known architect Philip Johnson of Johnson/Burgee Architects of New York. The unique shape of the 36-story, two-tower building gave it the coveted identity as the first skyscraper of the Post-Modern Era in Houston. Located at 711 Louisiana St. and occupying a full city block, the building consists of two trapezoidal towers fashioned of dark bronze glass and aluminum. The towers are separated by a 10-foot spatial void that is connected by a 115-foothigh glass atrium. The building was designed by Johnson in response to input from both Hines and Pennzoil Co. While Hines wanted a building that could provide an identity for more than one tenant, Pennzoil Chairman Hugh Liedtke asked for a structure that was dignified, but not box-shaped. The result was the creation of two buildings with reflective symmetry and a 45-degree geometry – and an introduction into a new era of commercial development and design in Houston. In addition to being named Building of the Year by New York Times architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable in 1975, Pennzoil Place was also named one of the Ten Best Buildings in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine in 2009, earning it a right to be considered as one of the most architecturally influential buildings constructed in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Architectural historian Stephen Fox has called it, ““the most architecturally significant building in downtown Houston.” The development of Pennzoil Place brought national recognition to the then-booming Houston
real estate industry, not only redefining Houston’s skyline but changing the course of skyscraper design in the 20th century. Despite its deep history, Pennzoil Place has kept with the times, becoming the first building in Houston to employ Cisco Systems’ Internet of Everything system, which connects all building systems and increases efficiency. Through the Internet of Everything system, the building’s systems can be managed remotely from laptops or tablets. By automating processes ranging from temperature controls to work-order management, the new technology helped reduce energy costs by 50 percent between 2009 and 2014. In 2011, Pennzoil Place received LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. To earn the certification, building management and leasing company Transwestern helped implement several environmentally friendly design and operational features such as additional indoor plumbing fixture and fitting efficiency, optimization of energy efficiency performance, water performance management and on-site and off-site renewable energy. Because the building is situated on Houston’s downtown tunnel system, tenants can take advantage of its proximity to nearby amenities and restaurants, as well as gain quick access to the METRO Greenlink, a bus system that utilizes compressed natural gas, and to the METRO Park & Ride station. Other nearby transportation alternatives include a B-cycle station and the Zipcar car-sharing program. In addition to several other awards garnered over the years, Pennzoil Place was recently named the Most Intelligent Office Project in the Commercial Real Estate Digital Innovation Awards. The building’s modern elements combined with its unique architectural significance give this Houston icon future as bright as its storied history.
OWNER Metropolis
BUILDING MANAGEMENT Transwestern
ARCHITECT Philip Johnson & John Burgee
DEVELOPER Gerald D. Hines Interests (1975)
OWNER & DEVELOPER San Jacinto College
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Tellepsen
MEP ENGINEER ACR Engineering, Inc.
ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS CORE Design Group
PROJECT MANAGER Rizzo & Associates
CIVIL ENGINEER Brooks & Sparks
FURNITURE CONSULTANT Bay - IBI Group Architects
ARCHITECT, RENOVATION Gensler
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Walter P Moore
CURTAIN WALL GRAPHIC DESIGN MinkoImages
PROGRAMMING Facility Programming & Consulting
SAN JACINTO COLLEGE, LEE DAVIS LIBRARY HERITAGE
Struggling with functionality and underutilization issues, the Lee Davis Library at San Jacinto College underwent a major overhaul that resulted in a state-of-the-art library that now serves as a modern learning and gathering hub for students and the community, while preserving a piece of Houston’s history. The 55,254-square-foot library, located on the San Jacinto College campus in Pasadena, was originally built in 1966 carrying a Mid-Century Modern architectural style. But the building was plagued with modern problems, including entrances that were not ADA-compliant, severe glare and heat in the public lobby and a central stair that that was wrapped in unsightly wire mesh for safety. Utilizing a total budget of about $7.5 million, which was supported by public funds, the challenge was to preserve the library’s original character while improving usability and transitioning the building into a learning commons that would serve both the student body and the public. The interior of the library was completely demolished, a step that was necessitated by structural issues and the need for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and technology upgrades. The details on the central interior stairs were preserved while the staircase was brought into compliance. The lobby, which was intended to be a gathering space but was rarely used because of the heat and glare, was outfitted with fritted glass that allowed filtered daylight to pass through the space while cutting down on heat. Great care was taken to salvage interior items such as doors, panels and other materials, which were donated to local nonprofit entities for reuse. The original library stacks and furniture were refurbished and used in the new facility. In addition to construction costs, the budget also covered the cost of asbestos remediation, furniture, consultants’ fees, the temporary library relocation, renovation of an adjacent building to house library functions while construction took
place in the original building, and landscape improvements. The redeveloped library, which opened in June 2014, is now a bustling center of activity for students and community members and includes upgraded technology, classroom space, a campus learning/tutoring center, additional private study spaces and a Cyber Café. Other elements include group study/tutoring rooms, a reference desk, library instruction lab, computer lab and copy and printing stations. Updates were made to the electrical system, heating and air conditioning and plumbing to achieve maximum energy efficiency. In keeping with the building’s history, the new finishes were carefully selected to respect the original design intent while extending the library’s significance into the future. Because the design was created to preserve the original character of the building, the owner now has the ability to apply for historic preservation status. Library director Karen Blankenship said at the time of the re-opening that the well-planned redesign of the library succeeded in meeting the changing and complex needs of both students and members the surrounding community, while also paying tribute to the past. “The architects really understood this,” Blankenship said. “It was important to create areas where the students would feel comfortable and want to linger.” In addition to serving as the new hub of the San Jacinto campus, the library has become an important resource to the low-income neighborhood that surrounds it, reflecting San Jacinto College’s desire to be a strong partner in the community.
BRAEBURN VILLAGE FOR-PROFIT
A dilapidated Sharpstown apartment complex formerly known as Bissonnet Gardens has been completely redeveloped and transformed into a model for state-of-the-art affordable housing. Rechristened as Braeburn Village, which has 100 percent restricted rental rates determined by the residents’ income, the new community was completely leased up in just 60 days. When Houston-based Midway Cos. acquired the housing project at 7500 Bissonnet in 2012, the property was condemned. Through a series of commercial and community partnerships, Midway led an $18.45 million renovation that resulted in a 140-unit apartment complex called Braeburn Village that offers one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans featuring high-end finishes such as updated appliances, wood-finished flooring, high-efficiency windows, AC units and washers and dryers. All units meet Federal Housing Administration and Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines and contain Energy Star appliances. The renovation was conducted by Midway in conjunction with AAI Affordable Houston and also involved Brownstone Group, Comerica Bank, Hudson Housing, Chase Bank, TIRZ #20 and low income tax credits administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Development. After acquiring Bissonnet Gardens, Midway vacated and demolished the complex, tackling the abatement of asbestos and the restructuring of drainage and water lines. Flooding issues posed one of the biggest challenges, since part of the property was in the 100-year floodplain. Midway focused on removing the property from the floodplain, then taking care of the other issues such as the removal of asbestos and fixing crumbling infrastructure projects, including an improved drainage system. Another major challenge called for the removal of the existing swimming pool, which had not been maintained and was
deemed unusable. The pool was replaced with a splash pad and covered pavilion that offers grills and picnic tables for residents. Braeburn Village, which opened in August 2013 and was completed in October 2013, offers a host of unique amenities for its residents, including a learning center, library, reading room, arts and crafts center, business center, fitness room, playground and planned activities and events. Controlledaccess gates were also installed, adding a safety measure for residents. In a unique move, Midway sought to actually de-densify the space to create green space and community areas, tying it together with improvements at the nearby Bonham Park. Braeburn Village has become a model for affordable housing in the Sharpstown community. The project was named Business of the Year by the Greater Sharpstown Management District for improving the area from one of the most crimeridden sections to one of the top five communities in the district. The effort by Midway and its partners resulted in the conversion of an eyesore into a community-focused complex that will have a lasting positive impact on the neighborhood. “Midway was given the unique opportunity to enter an underserved market and begin to revitalize the community with Braeburn Village Apartments,” said Jamie Bryant, executive vice president of development for Midway. “Located at an important intersection in Sharpstown, and directly next to the high school, the development enhances the overall neighborhood with a safe and attractive housing option for families and children. Also, as opposed to simply providing a place to live, Braeburn Village enriches lives.”
DEVELOPER Midway & AAI Affordable Houston OWNER Braeburn Residential Partners, LP
ARCHITECT Hill & Frank Architects
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SCA Engineers
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Brownstone
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Wong & Associates
CIVIL ENGINEER Brown & Gay Engineers
FINANCING Comerica Hudson Housing/Chase LEGAL Coats, Rose, Ryman & Lee Law Firm
DEVELOPER The Hanover Company
CIVIL ENGINEER Brown & Gay Engineers
ARCHITECT Wallace Garcia Wilson Architects
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER SCA Consulting Engineers
GENERAL CONTRACTOR The Hanover Company
FINANCING The Hanover Company
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT GWH Landscape Architects (An affiliate of The Hanover Company) LEGAL Vinson & Elkins / The Hanover Company
HANOVER RICE VILLAGE FOR-PROFIT
After harsh economic conditions forced previous developers to drop plans to build a mixed-use residential and retail development on a well-located tract of land near Rice Village, Houston-based The Hanover Co. breathed new life into the property. The result was the 379-unit Hanover Rice Village complex, which is set atop 23,000 square feet of fully leased retail space and 83,605 square feet of open space, of which a portion is available for public use. Hanover Rice Village, which opened in December 2012 and was fully completed in November 2013, is currently 93 percent leased and is outperforming proforma rents by about 25 percent. The retail space is 100 percent leased to tenants including Coppa Osteria, Punk’s Simple Southern Food, Cloud 10 Creamery, Fellini Café, Cyclone Anaya’s, Zoe’s Kitchen, Saint Cloud Boutique and Hand & Stone Spa and is surpassing rental rate projections by 33 percent. Hanover designed the project, located at 2455 Dunstan Road and Morningside Drive, to meld public and private uses and to fit into the unique design of the surrounding pedestrianoriented area. Hanover Rice Village took a page from nearby Rice University’s architectural design book by emulating the historic brick masonry and detailing of the university, as well as carving out sidewalks that span between 10 and 20 feet in width. To provide greenspace for both Hanover Rice Village residents and the public, Hanover built two separate courtyards, one exclusively for residents, and the other which is open to the public. Hanover worked closely with the leadership of nearby Southampton and Southampton Extension Civic Clubs and the City of Houston to create a design plan that addressed concerns such as parking, traffic, public space and building height, while still keeping the financial viability of the project
intact. The five- and six-story stepped building – which also includes an on-site fitness center and swimming pool for residents - achieves a density of 83 units per acre. In addition to opening up the streets and creating a pedestrian-friendly environment, Hanover also constructed a parking garage for residents alongside below- and at-grade parking dedicated specifically to the retail portion of the project. The development community embraced the idea of Hanover Rice Village at the time the project was announced. “Dense residential is what’s needed in our urban core, and this is a good example of one with a residential tower with all the amenities in the immediate neighborhood,” developer Ed Wulfe told the Houston Chronicle in 2010. “I think it will be very successful.” Hanover Rice Village also boasts an environmental bent, having been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED green community and is a smoke-free building. Electric car charging stations are also installed inside the parking garage. Because of the development’s proximity to Rice Village, residents have access not only to on-site restaurant and retail, but also to more than 300 shops in the immediate 16-block area, promoting the walkability of the entire area.
TOWNE LAKE, MASTER PLAN FOR-PROFIT
When Caldwell Cos. set out to master plan a community that was truly “connected by water,” the developer jumped in with both feet. Adding 2,000 acres to a parcel originally acquired to launch Towne Lake provided one of the largest fill-in sites in the Harris County region. Today the development of Towne Lake, bordered by Highway 290, West Road and Barker Cypress Road, also represents one of the largest land transformations in northwest Houston. The centerpiece of the community is a 300-acre private recreational lake that allows homeowners to access neighbors, parks, shops, restaurants, and eventually, schools, by boat. The lake, which includes 14 miles of shoreline and is Houston’s fourth-largest lake and the city’s largest private lake, is the centerpiece of the community and is designed for boating, skiing, wakeboarding, paddle boarding, kayaking and other water activities. Towne Lake’s primary community center, The Lakehouse, is scheduled for completion this year and will add a 19,000-square-foot clubhouse complete with a fitness center, meeting space, a commercial demonstration kitchen and other amenities to the community. This May, the Towne Lake Waterpark will open with three swimming pools, a sand beach with entry into the lake and a lazy river. Future expansion calls for the addition of more parks, splash pads, additional walking, jogging and biking trails, as well as tennis courts and other recreational amenities centered around the main lake. Caldwell Cos. designed the entire Hill Country-inspired community to center around the lake and waterways, beginning with an entrance that features 10 acres of waterfalls, hills, streams, native plantings and rock structures. The idea behind Towne Lake was to create a community that connected neighbors by water. The newest onsite elementary
school and middle school will be accessible by boat, creating the first opportunity in Texas for children to boat to school. Caldwell Cos. also turned an eye toward the environment by turning what was a piece of prairie land into a community lake setting with reforestation in mind. More than 20,000 trees have been added to the land, and 2 million cubic yards of dirt was excavated to create the lake, which stores irrigation water for common areas and serves as a detention basin to keep flooding problems at bay. The overall master plan for Towne Lake calls for the future development of The Boardwalk, a waterfront mixed-use project that will include restaurants, retail and businesses, as well as office space. The developer also worked with the city of Houston on transportation issues to accommodate the population growth, including the expansion and extension of several nearby roads. The formula for Towne Lake has struck a chord with buyers, who have flocked to the new community. So far, more than 1,500 homes, which start in the $200,000s and go up into the millions, have been sold, with the eventual buildout of the community calling for 3,200 homes by 2019. Towne Lake earned a spot on a ranking of the nation’s top 20 selling master planned communities based on sales in the first half of 2014, according to a report by real estate market research firm RCLCO. A total of 367 homes were sold in the community last year. “We are very thankful the homeowners and businesses have embraced the Towne Lake vision,” said Fred Caldwell, CEO of Caldwell Cos. “Our team has worked hard to create a very unique lifestyle centered around the idea of a community connected by water. We continue striving daily to ensure our residents lives are truly enriched by living in our communities.”
OWNER CW SCOA West, LP
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Caldwell Companies
FINANCING Texas Capital Bank
DEVELOPER Caldwell Companies
CIVIL ENGINEER EHRA
LEGAL Brad Fishman, General Counsel
DEVELOPER/OWNER Midtown Redevelopment Authority
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Charles Gooden
GENERAL CONTRACTOR SER Construction Partners
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Shah Smith
CIVIL ENGINEER Walter P Moore
LANDSCAPE DESIGN Design Workshop
LANDSCAPE PLANTING & IRRIGATION CONSULTANT Asakura Robinson Company
BAGBY STREET RECONSTRUCTION NOT FOR-PROFIT What began as a routine drainage study eventually resulted in a 12-block Midtown street reconstruction project that has attracted state and national award recognition and is being used as a model for future projects across the country and even around the world. The original scope of what turned out to be the Bagby Street Reconstruction project called only for the installation of a 60-inch storm water pipe below the street followed by standard improvements along the Midtown corridor, which stretches along Bagby Street between St. Joseph Parkway to Tuam Street. But the Midtown Redevelopment Authority saw the opportunity to call on a “livable center” model to create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly corridor that would beautify the area and serve to promote a healthier means of transportation by encouraging walking and bicycling. As part of the project, the Midtown Redevelopment Authority worked closely with the City of Houston to reduce the number of car lanes along this stretch of Bagby Street from four to two, decreasing the average pedestrian crossing distance by almost 45 percent and boosting dedicated pedestrian areas by 276 percent. In addition, bicycle facilities were increased by 350 percent in the corridor, and on-street parking was boosted by 15 percent. Reducing the car lanes enabled the creation of an 80-foot right-of-way that allowed for 50 percent dedication to pedestrian and landscape amenities, providing an opportunity for the installation of rain gardens and other sustainability measures. As a result, this section of Bagby Street shifted from an area that was largely used as a commuter thoroughfare into a neighborhood-based destination spot. The Bagby Street project, which is the first of four Greenroads-certified sustainable roadway projects in the city, included the installation of gardens, walkways and benches with LED lighting that heighten safety for pedestrians and bicyclists and create a walkable urban hotspot. The project also plays into Houston Mayor Annise Parker’s Complete Streets effort, which seeks to provide a balance of vehicular mobility, pedestrian and biking mobility and roadside parking.
“The pedestrian elements of Midtown Redevelopment Authority’s Greenroads Project align beautifully with the City of Houston’s Complete Streets initiative, taking into account all users of the street, not just those in cars,” Parker said. “About 40 percent of Houstonians do not drive, and Midtown is highly populated with pedestrians who both live and work nearby.” The project, which was completed in May 2013 after about a year and a half of work, also had an immediate and high-profile impact on commercial development, with more than $30 million in private development undertaken since the reconstruction was announced and a 20 percent increase in rental rates in leased properties in the area. Through an engineering report submitted to the city, the Midtown Redevelopment Authority was able to secure water quality credits to use as incentive to entice private development in the area. The Bagby Street project has an environmental component as well, with the rain gardens improving stormwater quality through biofiltration. This allowed for the removal of 33 percent of onsite stormwater from the storm sewer system, which resulted in improved water quality for the area. Tree canopy coverage was also boosted, climbing from 32 percent of the corridor to 70 percent, which more than doubled the available shade and created a reduction in ambient air temperatures. Parker’s office points out that the Bagby Street Reconstruction was a collaboration among many members of the community, including neighborhood groups, management districts and other stakeholders, ensuring that the goals of each group were met. With more than six awards garnered during 2014, the Bagby Street Reconstruction effort is being hailed as a model for future development. The Bagby Street design team developed a knowledge-sharing presentation that is being delivered throughout the state, nation and even in the international community.
BETHEL CHURCH PARK NOT FOR-PROFIT After a 2005 fire almost completely destroyed the abandoned Bethel Creek Baptist Church in the Fourth Ward, the City of Houston swooped in and acquired the historic site, working together with community and development groups to transform it into a unique hybrid of inner-city park space, a museum-like educational experience and a concrete and visual link to Houston’s past. Bethel Church Park opened in 2013, four years after the city acquired the fire-torn, half-acre site at 801 Andrews Street. The structure was originally founded as Bethel Creek Baptist Church by freed slaves in in the 1890s in an area that became known as Freedman’s Town and is the city’s oldest African American community. After the most recent church sanctuary, which was built in the 1950s, was devastated by fire in 2005, the City of Houston purchased the property and began formulating a plan together with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the Harris County Historical Commission and Fourth Ward Redevelopment Authority that would serve as a connection to Houston’s past while serving a useful purpose today. The $4.2 million project set out to restore and preserve as much of the existing structure as possible while retaining reverential elements of the church and creating a functional park that would appeal to historians and current residents alike. The city was able to salvage three of the original four walls in the 5,600-square-foot building, and the removal of the fourth wall enabled the creation of pew-like benches inside the former sanctuary overlooking a garden area. A cathedral-style bracing structure was designed to create the visual aspect of a roof, re-creating the church atmosphere. In addition, the architectural elements of the original church façade were preserved and restored, and decorative panels referencing the church’s original stained glass windows were installed.
The park also boasts walkways and artificial turf flooring around the pews to create the essence of a lush garden. A raised platform with fountains on either side represent the church’s original pulpit. Other surrounding amenities include fountains, seat walls, benches, lighting, a drinking fountain and museum elements such as interpretive panels that highlight Bethel’s history with well-researched informational text. At the park’s grand opening, city leaders pointed out that the transformation was successful in creating a community asset as well as a historical centerpiece. The redevelopment resulted in the formation of a rare combination of a public park, a historic landmark and an open-air educational resource. “History can never be lost as long as the story is able to be told,” Jackie Bostic, chair of the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #14/Fourth Ward Redevelopment Authority said at Bethel Park’s grand opening. “The historic preservation effort in repurposing Bethel Church into Bethel Park has become the anchoring symbol of the resilience of the African American community not only in the city of Houston, but in Freedman’s Towns throughout the United States.” Bethel Park represents the coming-together of community involvement, civic leadership and design ingenuity through both the preservation of a historical site and the creation of a usable, unique community park that meets modern needs.
OWNER/DEVELOPER Houston Parks and Recreation Department ARCHITECT PGAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT White Oak Studio
GENERAL CONTRACTOR JE Dunn Construction STRUCTURAL DIAGNOSTICS & MASONRY DESIGN ENGINEER Walter P Moore STRUCTURAL STEEL ENGINEER Henderson + Rogers
MEP & CIVIL ENGINEER Infrastructure Associates GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. SURVEY Kuo Associates, Inc.
FUNDING Fourth Ward Redevelopment Authority HISTORIC RESEARCH Urban Architecture Houston Inc. & Debra Blacklock-Sloan GRAPHIC DESIGN Minor Design
OWNER & DEVELOPER The Monarch Institute DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION ARCHITECT Architend LLC ARCHITECT OF RECORD Jackson & Ryan Architects
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Mission Construction (Chrysalis, Butterfly & Monarch Buildings) Tend Building (Living Building Challenge Studio) CIVIL ENGINEER Brewer & Escalante
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Matrix Structural Engineers
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Asakura Robinson Company
FURNITURE CONSULTANT Bay - IBI Group Architects
ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT HFP
MEP ENGINEER Redding, Linden, Burr Wylie & Associates
SUSTAINABILITY GreeNexus Consulting
THE MONARCH INSTITUTE CAMPUS NOT FOR-PROFIT The Monarch Institute for Neurological Differences put some finishing touches on its 11-acre campus last year with the development of a classroom studio that became one of only five buildings in the world to achieve the most ambitious green rating possible. The school’s Living Building Challenge Studio, completed in 2014, was the first building in Texas to meet the Living Building Challenge, or LBC. The LBC requires the achievement of net-zero energy and water consumption, net-zero stormwater impact, the elimination of toxic chemicals from all building materials and the provision of urban farming and habitat replacement to offset the building footprint, among other sustainability measures. Students at the Monarch School have been tasked with operating the building to meet the net-zero goals and will help train the Houston community on their methods. Eventually, the Living Building Studio Classroom will utilize solar energy, wind power and geothermal energy, as well as incorporate active water harvesting. The studio classroom was just the latest jewel in the crown for the Monarch Institute, which is known as the greenest special needs school in Texas and was the first school in the state to achieve LEED Gold certification for the entire campus. The Monarch Institute focuses on empowering individuals with neurological differences. The campus, located in northwest Houston at 2815 Rosefield Dr. in the Spring Shadows area, encompasses a diagnostic clinic, training center, therapy services, transition services, replication program and the Monarch School for PreK through post-graduate education. The site consists of two academic buildings, an administrative and outreach building and the new studio classroom. The master plan calls for the eventual addition of four additional studio classrooms. In addition to the LBC designation for the studio classroom, other buildings on the campus have garnered environmental labels as well. Completed in 2009, the academic Chrysalis Building has routinely earned an Energy Star rating, and the
academic Butterfly Building and administrative and outreach Monarch Center have received the Designated to Earn the Energy Star label. The Monarch Institute, which was developed on land formerly used as soccer fields, was developed with a 0.12 floor area ratio to maximize open spaces and create outdoor areas needed for student development. Because there is no standard methodology for educating students with neurological differences, the design of the Monarch campus was unique and was the result of a carefully calculated collaboration between the institute and the design team. The success of the Monarch School in Houston has spurred the opening of other Monarch schools in Michigan and in Guatemala and Mexico City. “Monarch is committed to providing a healthy environment in which to deliver education and services to individuals with neurological differences,” said Dr. Deborah Hall, head of the Monarch School and the Monarch Institute. Since the campus first opened in 2009, the Monarch Institute has been helping transform the surrounding neighborhood. In addition to attracting families from all over the world with its cutting-edge campus, the Institute has purchased six homes in the area to house students in post-graduate programs. The establishment of the campus has also spurred development in the surrounding area, including the purchase of a vacant parcel across the street by a private school that is planning development and the opening of a nearby public elementary school that emulates the architecture of Monarch’s butterfly roofs. Student enrollment in the school has increased from 116 to 150, with an overall goal of 200 students. The Institute has also expanded its capacity for graduate-level internships, fellowships and residency in the fields of psychology, social work, therapeutic services, education and pediatric medicine through the school and diagnostic clinic.
NEW HOPE HOUSING AT RITTENHOUSE NOT FOR-PROFIT Nonprofit group New Hope Housing Inc. has turned an unpromising three-acre site in northwest Houston into a single room occupancy housing facility that overturns the stereotype of low-income housing and replaces it with a sense of place that residents can be proud to call home. New Hope Housing at Rittenhouse, which opened at 577 W. Rittenhouse in December 2013, was built on a site off N. Shepherd that had formerly been home to administrative offices and service truck parking for a landscaping company. Keeping with New Hope’s green standards, the existing metal buildings were recycled and repurposed for the project. New Hope Rittenhouse boasts two- and three-story buildings connected at the corners with metal-screened encased stairways – which are illuminated at night - to help the project blend architecturally into the surrounding neighborhood. The building is designed around a courtyard and includes 160 fully furnished studio apartments. Rittenhouse also includes shared community spaces such as a business center, social services offices, library, training room, kitchen, dining area, theater room and a covered sun porch. A public/private partnership was formed to undertake the project, as City of Houston funds were melded with contributions from private foundations, individuals and corporations. New Hope Rittenhouse was also partly financed with Housing Tax Credits allocated through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and invested by Capital One Bank through National Equity Fund Inc. The permanent SRO units rent for between $495 and $530 per month, which includes utilities and cable TV access, Internet, support services and use of the community spaces. Rittenhouse has committed 115 of its units to Houston Mayor Annise Parker’s effort to end street and veteran homelessness by 2016 by providing access to Permanent Supportive Housing. Parker, in turn, named New Hope as the affordable housing developer leading these efforts, which are also being recognized by others in the community. “Great things are going to happen,” Larry Baker, pastor of Sheep Fold Baptist Church said during Rittenhouse’s grand
opening. “Lives are going to be salvaged. Dreams are going to be imparted. Vision is going to be given, and people are going to leave here with their life transformed and made better…” New Hope took careful steps to develop a project that would enhance lives and the neighborhood, including elevating the property out of the 100-year floodplain and incorporating unique architectural elements into the complex. To complement the central courtyard, small porches were interwoven throughout the property. And stained glass and original artwork are utilized in the foyer, hallways and other common areas. In addition to creative internal features, Rittenhouse achieved LEED platinum certification through smart site location and design. The complex is located within a one-mile radius of a grocery store, pharmacy, convenience store, restaurants and a Metro bus line, in addition to being in close proximity to Houston Community College. Because many of New Hope’s residents utilize public transportation, the developer applied for a permit from the city that allowed the reduction of parking spots by 150 spaces, creating efficiencies in terms of higher land use and less pollution. On-site services include a fully staffed reception area, case management and counseling, referral services, life skills training, computer training, resume-building services, money management, GED assistance, smoking cessation, sobriety meetings, nutrition, health care and social events such as movie nights, bible studies and book clubs. “The amazing thing about New Hope Housing is that they don’t just build SRO housing,” Parker said. “They don’t just put affordable housing in the community. The build quality product that often enhances the community that is around it …” Rittenhouse, which is 100-percent occupied, is self-sustaining and operates in the black, including maintenance and operating reserves.
OWNER FDI-Houston SRO, Ltd.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Camden Builders, Inc.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Asakura Robinson Company
DEVELOPER New Hope Housing, Inc.
CIVIL ENGINEER Brewer & Escalante
ARCHITECT Glassman Shoemake Maldonado Architects
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Matrix Structural Engineers, Inc.
FINANCING Capital One Financial Corporation
LEGAL CONSULTANT Coats, Rose, Ryman & Lee Law Firm HORTICULTURAL CONSULTANT Clark Condon Associates, Inc.
LONE STAR COLLEGE—CY FAIR CAMPUS HONORABLE MENTION
The conversion of a portion of the former Compaq Computer Corp. headquarters into a bustling, community-oriented college campus hit a high note as Lone Star College – CyFair. Phase II of the campus, located at 1919 Barker Cypress Dr., included the addition of a 139,900-square-foot classroom and student services building, a 55,600-square-foot science building and the renovation of a 12,800-square-foot building that was converted in a student activity center. Lone Star College – CyFair, also known as CyFair College or LSC, worked to create a college campus that included elements that could be shared with the community. The Learning Commons, for example, combines the college library and learning center with a full branch library, jointly funded by Harris County, and an Internet café offering free online access to the public. Other facilities that are publicly accessible during defined hours include the fitness center and recreational facilities and the Student Center, which includes a food court, dining area and wellness facility. The expanded campus also incorporates indoor/outdoor collaborative learning spaces and juxtaposes buildings and landscapes to create usage for every square foot of the site. The master plan for CyFair College provides flexibility for
DEVELOPER/ OWNER Lone Star College ARCHITECT Gensler ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT Archi*Technics/ 3, Inc.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Dyad Constructors EMJ Corporation CIVIL ENGINEER Walter P Moore Isani Consultants
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Walter P Moore Henderson + Rogers LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT SWA Group
accommodating population and enrollment growth as well as the transition of storm-water retention into a design element. And the restoration of the nearby Katy Prairie created the opportunity to continue the development of a unique, environmentally oriented campus. Adding to the environmental bent, pedestrian and bicycle paths wind through the entire CyFair College campus, and electric car charging stations are also available on-site. The new campus is helping CyFair College meet its enrollment objectives, with enrollment swelling from 17,902 in 2010 to 21,062 in 2014. The college is fiscally responsible and boasts an AAA Bond Rating from Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, having seen the credit rating increased eight times in the last 10 years. CyFair College maintains administrative operating expenses under 12 percent, which is one of the lowest rates in Texas, according to the Texas Association of Community Colleges.
HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 2, SYLVAN BEACH PAVILION HONORABLE MENTION
After withstanding seven different hurricanes over the years, the Sylvan Beach Pavilion in La Porte finally succumbed to closure in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
insurance requirements, as well as adding new drainage pumps and installing an acrylic coating to protect from storm and floodwaters.
But rather than demolish the historic structure, Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman led a years-long effort to restore the 16,450-square-foot midcentury venue to its original glory while bringing it up to modern design standards and meeting coastal windstorm requirements. Nonprofit group Friends of Sylvan Beach Park & Pavilion launched a major overhaul to replicate the original circular bar, restore existing hardwood floors, repair the deck and add a new egress ramp.
The estimated $4.9 million renovation cost included a complicated mix of federal grants, federal Hurricane Ike recovery funds and Precinct 2 park bond funds. The re-opening of the Sylvan Beach Pavilion has helped draw visitors to the nearby Sylvan Beach Park, creating a social hub for community members.
The new venue reopened in October 2013 and is back in the swing of things, hosting events ranging from weddings to energy-company functions. Originally opened in 1956, the building, which sits directly along the waterfront, can face storm surges of up to 14 feet high. But because of its age, the renovation team had to work hard to bring the building up to current standards, even custom fabricating a window assembly that was tested for hurricane air and water infiltration and then reviewed by the Texas Historical Commission to ensure it met visual standards. Other challenges included meeting windstorm
DEVELOPER/ OWNER Harris County Precinct Two, Jack Morman Commissioner
GENERAL CONTRACTOR SpawGlass
ARCHITECT Kirksey
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Walter P Moore
CIVIL ENGINEER Walter P Moore
MEP ENGINEER DBR HISTORICAL CONSULTANT SWCA
“I look forward to the Pavilion staying busy with many events for the people of Harris County and Texas,” Morman said just prior to the 2012 groundbreaking. “It’s a unique facility right on the water and is the flagship of the Precinct 2 parks system.” In addition to a medal of honor from AIA Houston and features in Architectural Record and Arts & Architecture magazine, the pavilion is listed in the National Historic Register by the Texas Historical Commission, is a recorded Texas Historical Landmark and is recognized as a State Archaeological Landmark.
2015 AWARD JURY
Clare De Briere
John Desmond
Anica Landreneau
Clare De Briere joined the Company as a summer intern in 1991 after graduating from UCLA and worked her way through property management, leasing, construction, financing and development management while earning her graduate degree at USC’s prestigious Lusk Center for Real Estate. In her career with the company she has overseen the acquisition, entitlement, planning development and/or disposition of millions of square feet of development. Clare is an active member of the Urban Land Institute serving on the District Council’s Executive Committee, is on the UDMUC Gold Council, and has served on a ULI Advisory Panel in the City of Denver.
John manages the Downtown Environment department, and is responsible for the Partnership’s public realm, urban planning, transportation, research and sustainability programs. He serves as the Executive Director of the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, overseeing a $6 million annual budget. John is currently leading efforts to undertake a master plan for Downtown parks and public spaces, enhance the 16th Street Mall, improve the bicycle network in Downtown, convert selected streets from one-way to two-way, and rejuvenate the Arapahoe Square neighborhood. John also serves as Vice-Chair of the Auraria Foundation Board of Directors.
As sustainable design leader for HOK’s Washington, DC, office, Anica manages the development and implementation of sustainability goals for projects worldwide. She is a member of the AIA National Energy Curriculum and Green Codes committees and an appointee to the DC Green Building Advisory Council. Together with the U.S. General Services Administration, Anica co-authored The New Sustainable Frontier: Principles of Sustainable Development. She authored the Sustainable Urban Planning Guidelines for New Growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President The Ratkovich Company Los Angeles
Executive Vice President of Urban Planning & Environment Executive Director of the Business Improvement District Downtown Denver
ASSOC. AIA, LEED® AP BD+C Director of Sustainable Consulting HOK Board + Management Board Member Global
ABOUT THE ULI HOUSTON DEVELOPMENT OF DISTINCTION AWARD TROPHY An award of distinction deserves a distinctive trophy, and this custom, hand-crafted trophy was created in a design competition at the UH Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture Industrial Design Program in 2007. Combining natural and man-made materials, its composition reflects the balance of nature and built environment that all winning developments respect. The trophy symbolizes the baton passed between team mates running a relay, representing the teamwork successful real estate development demands. It reminds us that we pass the baton to future generations who will inhabit our creations.
RECOGNITION OF SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSOR *
PLATINUM SPONSOR
TABLE SPONSORS *
GOLD SPONSORS
Brown & Gay Engineers Cadence Bank Charter Title Design Workshop First American Title/NCS Henderson+Rogers HFF Houston Pennzoil Place Kirksey Midway New Hope Housing PGAL Transwestern* Walter P. Moore* Wells Fargo* WGW Architects
VALET PARKING SPONSOR Walker Parking PRINTED BY:
GRAPHIC DESIGN DONATED BY: Caroline Conway, Hines Jenny Qualls, Clark Condon Associates
* Denotes ULI Houston Annual Benefactor Sponsors
SPECIAL THANKS Finalists were selected by a nomination panel of Houston real estate leaders that included: David Hightower, EVP, Chief Development Officer, Wolff Companies Lonnie Hoogeboom, Director of Planning, Design & Development, Downtown Management District Char Lombardo, Senior Manager, Facilities, BHP Billiton Anna Mod, SWCA Environmental Consultants Jane Page, CEO, Lionstone Investments David Robinson, Houston City Council at Large #2 Thomas Stroh, President and COO, Land Development Practice Leader, Jones & Carter Preston Young, Regional Managing Partner, Stream Realty Partners
2015 AWARDS COMMITTEE Abbey Roberson, Chair, HOK Doug Parker, Incoming Chair, BoyarMiller Anne Louise Conway, Old Republic Title
Cecilia Mesta, Lionstone Investments
Caroline Conway, Hines
Jenny Qualls, Clark Condon Associates, Inc.
Philip Gallegos, The Brandt Companies, LLC
Morgan Relyea, Cushman & Wakefield
Andrea Goodwin, Cardno Haynes Whaley
Will Seyer, Roman Law Firm
Marc Krebs, Wells Fargo Commercial Real Estate Group
Ellyn Wulfe, Gensler
Josh Lebar, Winstead, P.C.
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