Hines, the local real estate firm widely known for developing several downtown office buildings and the Galleria, has launched its first residential downtown high-rise, Aris Market Square. The project is in collaboration with Ziegler Cooper Architects and the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. Yesterday, CultureMap got an inside look at the 327,345-square-foot building, located at at 409 Travis St., and found out details on what's still to come.
Guests who enter the first floor lobby of the the posh 32-story, all-rental apartment tower will find a working clock sculpture positioned prominently on the wall behind the main leasing desk. A nod to neighboring Market Square Park, the piece is meant to call to mind the Market Square Clock Tower at the corner of Congress and Travis.
Elevating the plush factor of the residential tower is a roster of stellar amenities, including a pet parlor with a grooming station, bike repair room, private garden with street access near MetroRail’s Preston Station, and a food hall.
Head up to the ninth level to find sweeping views of downtown, an open-air terrace with lounge seating, outdoor fireplace, pool, laptop lounge with adjacent library, state-of-the-art fitness center, and a vinyl listening room complete with a curated record collection. Works by local and Texas artists, including Houston’s Taft McWhorter, are spread throughout the property in tribute to the individualism and creativity of the Houston community.
Aris Market Square offers 274 rental apartments, ranging from 570 to 1,998 square feet. Units come with 10-foot ceilings, gas ranges, quartz countertops, and engineered hardwood floors. Many units feature balconies, and the two-bedroom units feature floor-to-ceiling corner glass windows. There's a spacious penthouse on the 32nd floor which offers 2,227 square feet and a private balcony.
Aris Market Square boasts a 9,100-square-foot restaurant space. Deemed “Bravery Chef Hall,” five chef-driven eateries, including concepts from David Guerrero (Andes Cafe), Ben McPherson (Krisp Bird and Batter, Prohibition), and Gary Ly (Underbelly) are set to operate at the future foodie haven. For more details on the chef hall, launching summer 2018, watch for CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler’s report.
Although pricing for the apartments at Aris Market Square runs a cool $1,745 to $10,450 per month, according to Hines director David Haltom, Houstonians have been snapping up the rental units on the market since September. "We've been seeing great velocity since we opened for occupancy after Harvey. We are about 20 percent leased," he told CultureMap.
Haltom added that he's encouraged by lease activity this holiday season (which is not traditionally a time for prime leasing). "We really haven’t seen velocity slow down," he says. "We are feeling good that about that."
Living room of two-bedroom apartment.
