Sunny Bathija

Bathija arrived in Houston from India with less than $3,000 and a job working on gas stations. Three decades later, he’s behind one of the most rarefied residential plays in the state: Texas’ first standalone St. Regis-branded condominium tower.

Bathija founded Houston-based developer Satya in 1999. He moved from gas stations to retail strips and would spend his weekends driving around Houston, stopping in local government offices to see where future roads were being built. That’s where he’d develop small shopping strips. 

He’s since developed more than $500 million worth of commercial projects, including hotels, condos, retail and office buildings. Inspired by his experience owning a St. Regis condo in Miami, Bathija wanted to bring a similar product to Houston. Texas has an under-developed condo market, since luxury buyers have usually opted for sprawling ranches. Satya landed a $255 million construction loan for the 38-story condo tower at 102 Asbury Street, at the doorstep of Houston’s prestigious River Oaks neighborhood, in December. 

Satya is also developing Galveston’s first condo building in 15 years, Tiara on the Beach. The $130 million project will include a 10-story tower with 63 units. Nan and Company Properties, a Houston-based affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, has the listing. 

— Jess Hardin