Higher and Higher

Galleria area skyline is looking up: Another new office tower is on its way

The Uptown/Galleria area is getting another major office tower – a 30-story skyscraper that will make another big splash on the neighborhood’s skyline. Construction started Monday on the 600,000 square-foot building which is fully leased by BHP Billiton, a mining and petroleum giant based in Melbourne, Australia.

The skyline of the Galleria area had been mostly unchanged by new office buildings for the last three decades or so. Since the 64-story Williams Tower (the building formerly known as Transco) was completed in 1983, developers let the Uptown/Galleria go fallow. No new office buildings were constructed for almost three decades, which is a rarity given Houston history as a hot market for new development.

Then a couple of years ago Houston’s economy got hot and developers recognized the Galleria area was a great place to build an office tower. The highly vaunted BBVA Compass Plaza was started, and then Skanska constructed a 20-story tower near the Water Wall. (The brand new Skanska building just sold for $112 million, by the way.)

The third new skyscraper for Uptown, called BHP Billiton Tower, will be located on Post Oak Boulevard, just north of San Felipe, in the Four Oaks Place development. A 24-Hour Fitness center that used to be there was demolished.

The new tower is being developed by Transwestern, a major Houston real estate development and leasing firm, and the TIAA-CREF financial services company. The new building is expected be completed in 2016.

The design architect is Pickard Chilton Associates of New Haven, Conn., and the architect of record is Kendall Heaton Associates of Houston.

BHP Billiton already occupies all of an adjacent building at 1360 Post Oak Boulevard. The new BHP Billiton Tower and the 1360 Post Oak Boulevard tower will be connected by a glass skybridge.

Rendering of BHP Billiton Tower at Four Oaks Place is at center of this photo.

Rendering courtesy of Pickard Chilton

Rendering of BHP Billiton Tower at Four Oaks Place is at center of this photo.

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Updated elegance

Renovated Tudor-style home in West U. hits market for $5.5 million

Photo by Josh Gremillion for Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

This renovated Tudor home at 6426 Sewanee Avenue in West University Place is on sale for $5.5 million.

In the heart of West University Place sits 6426 Sewanee Avenue. The gracious Tudor home, originally built in 2011, has been thoughtfully renovated. It’s on the market for $5.5 million and is represented by Melinda Dawes EwingofMartha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty.

The four-bedroom, five-bath home sits on about a third of an acre in one of the country's wealthiest neighborhoods. Unfolding across 8,577 square feet, it’s a home meant for living and entertaining. Originally designed by Robert Dame, Classic American Homes + Karen Black Interiors updated the home earlier this year.

6426 Sewanee offers casual luxury that is easy and approachable. Well-manicured landscaping and outdoor lighting both highlight the home’s curb appeal and beckon visitors to come inside.

The open floor plan allows for seamless gathering spaces, including a huge family room with beamed ceilings and a gourmet kitchen anchored by a center island. It also has a six-burner gas cooktop with Segreto vent hood, Wolf and Sub Zero appliances, Quartzite countertops, and a welcoming feel that make it a natural place to hang out while home cooks are preparing a feast.

The dining and formal living room offer sophisticated touches, loads of natural light, and access to the wet bar and the temperature-controlled, 360-bottle wine room. Upstairs, find the spacious primary suite with its own gas fireplace, exposed beams, and a private balcony that's perfect for morning coffee, afternoon wine, or scrolling the news of the day. The primary bath is a space of dreamy marble with two closets, Ann Sacks tile, and lovely new hardware.

Future occupants will also find an elevator, pool, covered outdoor patio with gas fireplace and summer kitchen, workout room, a paneled study on the home’s second floor, a media room, and a three-car garage and motor court

This is a beautiful home, where new owners will create cherished memories in one of the Houston-area's most desirable neighborhoods.

Photo by Josh Gremillion for Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

This renovated Tudor home at 6426 Sewanee Avenue in West University Place is on sale for $5.5 million.

west university place home-for-sale