Another California life science company moving to The Woodlands

The Woodlands, Texas has scored another corporate relocation from California.

Long Beach, California-based Obagi Cosmeceuticals is headed to the north Houston suburb this fall.

The pharmaceutical company is leasing 16,470 square feet at The Howard Hughes Corporation’s The Woodlands Towers at The Waterway, the Houston Business Journal reported.

This is the second move to The Woodlands by a California-based life sciences company over the past two months. In late August, San Diego-based Cellipont Bioservices announced its move to The Woodlands’ “Research Forest Drive,” taking a 76,000-square-foot, two-story building owned by Vitrian.

Obagi, which makes and sells skin care products, is moving to Texas primarily for the low tax rates and cost of living with nearly half of the company’s more than 200-plus employees, according to the report.

“Housing is simply unaffordable for many in Southern California, and our folks see the possibility of home ownership in their near future in Texas,” Obagi President and CEO Jaime Castle said. “We are very excited about the upcoming move and the opportunities it affords our relocating employees.”

With the new Obagi lease, the two buildings of the Woodlands Towers complex, which combine for about 1.4 million square feet of office space, will be 82% leased, Howard Hughes said.

The 31-story 9950 Woodloch Forest Tower and the 30-story 1201 Lake Robbins Drive were the headquarters of Anadarko Petroleum Corp before the company was acquired by Houston-based Occidental Petroleum Corporation.

Houston is attracting companies that play into its strengths as a hub for energy, life sciences and aerospace. In early January 2022, Los Angeles-based Noodoe EV, which installs electric vehicle charging stations in apartments, hotels, gas stations and retail parking lots, announced its move to Houston from the Los Angeles area.

Terms of the lease were not disclosed.