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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vacation home dreams

2 Texas utopias thrive among 10 most affordable U.S. beach towns to buy a home

portlavaca.org/

The Formosa Wetlands Walkway in Port Lavaca is a great spot for birdwatching.

Texans who have longed to buy a home on the Gulf Coast can make their dream a reality by searching for their next home in Port Lavaca or Corpus Christi, which were both named on Realtor.com's list of the 12 most affordable American beach towns for homebuyers in 2025.

Realtor.com's economists narrowed down the numerous list of American beach destinations based on which towns had at least 50 active residential home listings for the month of April 2025, then ranked them by their median list prices for single-family homes (including condos but excluding mobile homes). To keep the list fair, only two towns were included per state in the top 12.

Located about 130 miles from Houston, Port Lavaca ranked as the No. 5 most affordable beach town with the fifth-most budget-friendly housing prices this past spring. Homes in this quaint Texas town were on the market for a median price of $292,000 in April, the report found.

Realtor.com said Port Lavaca is a restful place that beckons visitors to "take a breather from the chaotic pace of modern life" through calming activities such as nature walks. The town is also situated along a "major migratory flyway" for 400 different bird species, making it an ideal destination for birdwatching.

"Although the town is small, with just 11,000 year-round inhabitants, it is not short on attractions and activities, from relaxing on Magnolia Beach to taking a stroll in Bayfront Peninsula Park," the report's author wrote.

Port Lavaca is also home to one of the top-10 best barbecue restaurants in Texas, LaVaca BBQ, plus several historical monuments and the Calhoun County Museum for any history enthusiasts that want to learn more about the small town.

6930 Anastasia, Corpus Christi home for sale This beautiful property in Corpus Christi is on the market for $287,900, which is more affordable than the April median list price for a home in the city.Photo courtesy of Zillow

The (much busier) city of Corpus Christi ranked as the 8th most affordable beach town in America, with April homes selling for a median price of $310,000. The report said Corpus Christi's bustling population of more than 300,000 residents makes it the most populous city on the list for 2025.

Corpus Christi is located just over 200 miles from Houston, and spans more than 100 miles of beaches, including parts of both Padre Island National Seashore and Mustang Island State Park. From water-based activities like kayaking, surfing, or fishing, to visiting iconic attractions like the Selena Museum, Texas State Aquarium, or the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, there's no shortage of things to do in this coastal paradise.

The 12 most affordable beach towns for homebuyers are:

No. 1 – Pascagoula, Mississippi
No. 2 – Deerfield Beach, Florida
No. 3 – Atlantic City, New Jersey
No. 4 – Port Richey, Florida
No. 5 – Port Lavaca, Texas
No. 6 – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
No. 7 – Ocean Springs, Mississippi
No. 8 – Corpus Christi, Texas
No. 9 – Surfside Beach, South Carolina
No. 10 – Long Beach, Washington
No. 11 – Ocean Shores, Washington
No. 12 – Ocean City, Maryland

beach texas housing market real estate vacation