Law firm inks 28K sf lease in Hines-owned downtown Houston tower 

One of Houston’s real estate titans scored a leasing deal with a law firm for a downtown office high-rise.

New York-based Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is taking 28,000 square feet, the full 20th floor of Houston-based Hines’ 609 Main at Texas tower, the Houston Business Journal reported. 

The law firm plans to relocate this spring from the five-building Houston Center office complex, at 1200 McKinney Street. 

A team of Savills brokers represented Pillsbury in lease negotiations, while Damon Thames of Cushman & Wakefield represented Hines. Pillsbury has tapped Houston-based Kirksey Architecture to design the space, and the finishout will cost an estimated $3.5 million.

The decision to relocate stems from Pillsbury’s desire for a more modern and energized office environment that aligns with its emphasis on innovation and diversity. Furthermore, it sought “an updated setting that provides convenient, first-class amenities for its workforce and clients,” Savills’ Lesa Nickelson French told the outlet.

The 48-story, 1.1 million-square-foot building opened in 2017. It offers a range of amenities, such as a hotel-style lobby, fitness center, conference center and private roof gardens. The property also has a 13-story parking garage with 1,700 spaces. 

Pillsbury will join other law firms in the building, including White & Case; Kirkland & Ellis; Orrick; and Hogan Lovells.

Meanwhile, the Houston Center, which Pillsbury is vacating, has received significant renovations from landlord Brookfield Properties. The firm improved the lobby and outdoor patio and renovated the Highlight, formerly known as the Shops at Houston Center. 

Brookfield recently leased 245,000 square feet in Houston Center to NRG Energy. The company will occupy the top 10 floors of 3 Houston Center, with plans to move next year.

—Quinn Donoghue 

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