introducing 1550 on the green

New downtown office tower will rise in bustling Discovery Green

1550 on the Green Discovery Green Skanska

The 1550 on the Green tower will anchor a new mixed-use district.

Rendering courtesy of Skanska

A new office tower will soon loom over the popular Discovery Green as the anchor of a new downtown district. Global development and construction firm, Skanksa, announced the new building at 1550 Lamar St. and its anchor tenant on January 13. The new 28-story, 375,000-square-foot Class-A office structure is dubbed 1550 on the Green, per a Skanska statement.

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright will relocate its Houston office in 2024 and acquire naming rights upon occupancy, according to a press release.

Bound by La Branch, Lamar, Crawford, and Dallas Streets, 1550 on The Green will feature extra-wide pedestrian zones with a canopy of trees, two tenant outdoor roof terraces, and wide views of the surrounding greenery.

International design firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group led the building’s design; it is the company’s first foray into Texas. BIG’s design promises sustainability, energy efficiency, and an “airy” office environment for tenants, a release describes.

Some 7,000 square feet of retail space will greet first-floor guests. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture has been tapped to design the interior amenity spaces; those include a fitness center, rooftop event space and terrace, and community spaces.

The new 1550 on the Green tower is part of a new envisioned district that will be branded as Discovery West. The district will consist of 3.5 acres of mixed-use development boasting restaurants, retail, green space, and “world-class architecture,” per a release.

Working with Central Houston, Inc., Discovery Green, Bike Houston, the Kinder Foundation, as well as several brokers, Skanska and design firm of record, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, completed the master plan for Discovery West in early 2020.

Skanska has been noticeably active in the Houston office market, specifically with the development of Bank of America Tower, West Memorial Place I and II, and the future Discovery West. The company is behind the acquisition of a buzzy strip center in Montrose. Skanska also plans to multifamily to its Houston portfolio, the firm notes.

“As an organization that prides itself on building what matters to our communities, our team, made up of Houstonians, has been working alongside local stakeholders to develop a plan and a building that will transform this side of downtown Houston while still meeting the needs of the city,” said Matt Damborsky, executive vice president for Skanska USA commercial development’s Houston market, in a statement.

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Seaside Living and More

Shuttered Corpus Christi Schlitterbahn will become $800M seaside community

Rendering courtesy of Whitecap

The former site of Schlitterbahn's Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community.

The site that once housed Schlitterbahn's short-lived Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community with waterfront homes, a shopping and entertainment district, and a marina designed to withstand Category 5 hurricanes.

Rendering courtesy of Whitecap

The former site of Schlitterbahn's Corpus Christi location is being transformed into Whitecap, an $800 million master-planned community.

The project by Ashlar Development LLC and partner Diamond Beach Holdings LLC is Corpus Christi’s first master-planned coastal community and is expected to include more than 600 residences.

Located less than four hours from Houston and about 30 minutes from Corpus Christi International Airport, the development is aimed at buyers looking for primary homes, vacation properties, and investment opportunities.

Schlitterbahn opened its Padre Island location in 2016 with hopes of bringing its popular waterpark brand to the coast. But financial troubles and leadership disputes complicated the project early on. After the park closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, it never reopened, and the site was demolished in 2021.

Now, the former waterpark site is being redeveloped into a waterfront residential community.

"The owners saw extraordinary potential in this uniquely positioned property,” Terence Johnson, executive vice president of Ashlar Development, tells CultureMap. “By transforming a former golf course and water park into Whitecap, they've created a luxury canal community that balances exceptional waterfront living with the preservation of valuable coastal habitat for migratory birds and wildlife.”

The first phase of homesite sales is now underway. Buyers can choose from custom and semi-custom home options featuring a contemporary coastal aesthetic with materials such as concrete and glass.

Located just minutes from Whitecap Beach, the community sits along five miles of navigable canals, with most homesites offering water views, direct canal access, and backyard docks.

A pool and fitness center are already completed, with future plans including a café, event space, sports courts, a dog park, and a marina district with shopping, dining, entertainment, a yacht club, and dry boat storage.

A 30-acre nature preserve will sit at the center of the development, providing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.