Leading Supplier of Oxo Products Leases Approximately 22,700 Square Feet at Energy Corridor’s First LEED® Platinum Campus
Leading global development and construction firm Skanska announced today that it has reached a lease agreement with Oxea for approximately 20,700 square feet at West Memorial Place, the first speculative LEED® Platinum campus in the Energy Corridor and Houston.
With a global headquarters in Germany and plants in the United States, China and the Netherlands, Oxea is one of the world’s largest producers of oxo chemicals, with a production capacity of over 1.3 million tons per annum. The company plans to relocate its Houston office to the third floor of West Memorial Place I in September.
“We are delighted to welcome a global leader like Oxea to West Memorial Place, the first LEED® Platinum campus in the Energy Corridor. Their uncompromising commitment to sustainability, environmental protection, health and occupational safety makes them an ideal addition to our existing tenant mix,” said Matt Damborsky, executive vice president for Skanska’s commercial development operations. “West Memorial Place’s sustainable, forward-thinking design, thoughtful range of upscale amenities and connection to the natural world will provide a flexible, health-focused working environment for Oxea’s Houston team. We look forward to their relocation later this year.”
Located at 15375 Memorial Drive, the development now includes two LEED® Platinum certified Class-A office buildings - West Memorial Place I measuring 331,000 square feet, and West Memorial Place II measuring 385,000 square feet. The buildings consume 30 percent less energy than typical baseline buildings.
“We are very happy to have found an office space in Houston that offers our employees an excellent overall work environment. Establishing the office in Houston enables OXEA to be physically closer to our plants, many customers and industry suppliers,” said Jason Haverland, director of Supply Chain at Oxea.
Constructed around a number of sustainable features, including waste diversion and energy recovery, the state-of-the-art offices at West Memorial Place feature a mixture of stone and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, as well as thermal insulation to help reduce heat gain while still providing an abundance of natural light. The buildings also use an energy recovery wheel, which pre-cools fresh air before it is transferred through the mechanical system, which requires less energy to cool and condition the buildings.
Located directly adjacent to Terry Hershey Park and its many miles of hike and bike trails, West Memorial Place is uniquely positioned among large corporations in the Energy Corridor. The campus boasts top-of-the-line amenities like a fitness center fitted with locker rooms and showers, as well as on-site food offerings through Fooda, car wash services and a one-of-a-kind bike share program allowing tenants easy access to the connecting park before and after work, or on breaks. In 2017, the campus also became the fifth Enterprise CarShare location in the Energy Corridor, making it easier and more rewarding for tenants to utilize alternative transportation rather than their own personal vehicles.
Skanska’s other Houston-area projects include the Bank of America Tower development, a 35-story, 754,000-square-foot office tower located on a prime block in Houston’s Central Business District. Reflecting Skanska’s commitment to sustainability, Bank of America Tower is the first LEED v4 Platinum Core & Shell certified project in the United States.
Skanska has built and restored local landmarks in Houston for decades, ranging from historic renovations, like San Jacinto Memorial Building on the Houston Community College campus, to the new construction of world-class sports facilities including NRG Stadium, and invaluable healthcare resources like the expansion of LBJ General Hospital’s emergency department. Skanska continues to leverage its local knowledge and global expertise to shape the region’s commercial, healthcare, sports and entertainment facilities.
JLL represented Skanska and Trace Elrod and Chris Mathis of Newmark Knight Frank represented Oxea in the transaction.