Leading global development and construction firm Skanska announces that it has reached a lease agreement with Competentia for approximately 7,000 square feet at West Memorial Place, the first LEED® Platinum campus in Houston.
With 25 locations worldwide, Competentia specializes in building and managing workforces across the global energy and resources industry. The firm offers strategic staffing solutions ranging from recruitment and onboarding to training, payrolling and mobilizing human capital for their clients. The company plans to relocate its Houston office to the second floor of West Memorial Place I in early 2020. West Memorial Place I is now over 80 percent leased.
“We are excited to welcome Competentia, a leader in global energy workforce solutions, to the first LEED® Platinum campus in the Energy Corridor. Competentia’s decades of proven experience, along with their expertise in the energy sector, make them an ideal addition to our West Memorial Place community,” said Matt Damborsky, executive vice president for Skanska USA Commercial Development. “With a strong connection to the natural environment that includes direct access to Terry Hershey Park’s miles of hike and bike trails, as well as a wide range of first-class amenities, West Memorial Place will offer Competentia’s Houston team a dynamic working environment where they can continue to grow and thrive.”
Located in the Energy Corridor 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’re looking forward to the move and to the additional space to grow,” said Aaron Dowds, Competentia’s U.S. President. “Our team has expanded significantly over the last two years, as Competentia’s footprint in the market has grown. It’s time for us to move into a larger, more modern facility and we’re delighted to have partnered with Skanska to make this happen. The building itself is a real source of excitement for us, with its excellent amenities, energy efficiency and close proximity to many of our clients, it’s the perfect fit for our team and our business.”
Constructed with 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 providing an abundance of natural light. The buildings 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 trails 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 Anthony Squillante and Collin Roach of Stream Realty Partners represented Competentia in the transaction.