Transwestern is kicking off the second phase of its long-awaited 17-acre mixed-use urban village between Houston’s Upper Kirby and River Oaks, dubbed The RO.
Construction is underway on an Auberge Collection hotel and condo tower at West Alabama Street and Buffalo Speedway, the Houston Business Journal reported.
The Birdsall, Auberge Collection, is a 34-story tower that will mark The Friedkin Group brand’s debut in Houston. A retail village with 80,000 square feet for up to eight restaurants, a 317-unit apartment complex and office space are also part of the phase-two plans.
Construction financing comes from Madison Realty Capital, while Citizens Bank, Amegy Bank and others are backing the apartment and retail components.
The Birdsall will feature 44 condos above a 105-key hotel, topped by resident amenities including a pool, outdoor entertainment deck, fitness and wellness spaces and a members-only club.Â
Designed by New York-based Kohn Pedersen Fox with interiors by Roman & Williams and Dillon Kyle Architects, the tower nods to River Oaks’ architectural heritage — its name honoring early Houston architect Birdsall Briscoe. Auberge will operate and manage the hotel and residences.
The RO’s design team reads like a who’s who of top architecture firms: Pickard Chilton is master planner and design architect for the office and multifamily components; Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is handling the retail design; and OJB Landscape Architecture will shape the green spaces.Â
Phase One — a 145,000-square-foot office tower fully leased to energy trader Vitol — is nearing its top-out and scheduled for occupancy next summer. The new phase, totaling roughly 740,000 square feet, is slated for delivery in late 2027.
The RO’s mix of materials, including brick facades, cobblestone walkways and heritage oaks, is designed to feel like an extension of River Oaks rather than a new urban district, Transwestern executives said. Retail leasing, led by Transwestern, has drawn strong early interest from restaurant and boutique operators.
The RO site once housed ExxonMobil’s upstream division.Â
Transwestern is a commercial real estate firm that includes Transwestern Development Company, Transwestern Investment Group and Transwestern Real Estate Services. While most of its holdings are in Texas, its portfolio includes property all over the country.
— Eric Weilbacher
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