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Anna Deans

Midway Announces New, For-Sale Office Component of East River Mixed-Use Development

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July 31, 2023

(HOUSTON, TX) – Houston-based Midway, the privately owned, fully integrated real estate investment, development, and management firm, today announced a new for-sale office space component within its 150-acre East River mixed-use development. Anchoring East River’s northern boundary on Clinton Drive, the initial construction of “The Studios at East River” will consist of three 10,000 square-foot independent office structures with additional buildings planned in future expansion phases. Global award-winning landscape architecture firm OJB has pre-purchased the first of the three buildings and will be relocating its Houston practice from Pennzoil Place to East River.  Construction on the Studios is underway and is slated for completion in June 2023.

Geared towards businesses looking to own their own space, the two-story office buildings are fully customizable with minimal interior build-out, with each building including four ADA compliant restrooms, a kitchen, an elevator, and 4-5 dedicated surface parking spaces, with contract parking available in an adjacent multi-level garage.  

“The Studios at East River were designed with a nod to the historic nature of Houston’s commercial and industrial east side. They offer a unique ownership opportunity for businesses in the early stages of this transformational 150-acre mixed-use destination,” said David Hightower, Midway’s Executive Vice President of Development. “With their authentic architecture, access to East River’s retail, dining and entertainment offerings, and connection to the Buffalo Bayou trail system, the Studios offer innovative, amenity-rich office environments with interiors that are fully adaptable for specific business needs. East River’s location in a Qualified Opportunity Zone provides an additional economic incentive for businesses to invest in their operating spaces.”  

Houston-based OJB Landscape Architecture, the collective professional landscape design 

and urban planning practice, is leading the site and landscape design of the East River project. An OJB team of landscape architects, architects, horticulturists, scientists, planners, and continuing care experts contributed to the East River project, focusing on the connection to the water, the pedestrian realm, central green spaces, active transportation and upgraded infrastructure. Sustainability is deployed throughout the site design by controlling stormwater, using native plantings, and creating new wildflower meadows. Over 300 trees from redeveloped projects around Houston were saved and replanted as an on-site tree nursery to supply plant material through the multiple phases. Dedicated bike lanes, walkable districts with wide pedestrian streetscape and open space connectivity will link the surrounding neighborhoods to the site and to the bayou trail network.  

“The flexible office spaces of the new Studios at East River are a perfect backdrop for the creative environment that is so important to our design culture,” noted Chip Trageser, partner at OJB. “Like other visitors and tenants, we will get to enjoy the wellness benefits of the green spaces across East River and Buffalo Bayou, which promises to be a vibrant and walkable new destination so close to downtown Houston.”

In total, East River’s Phase I will offer 300,000 square feet of office space designed to fit a wide variety of business needs alongside The Laura, a five-story, modern-industrial multifamily community of 360 apartment homes; and an additional 100,000 square feet of ground-level retail that will fuse commerce and culture with restaurant, hospitality, soft goods, medical, and entertainment forming spaces. Retail tenants confirmed for Phase I include Lick Honest Ice Creams, El Condor Coffee Roaster, Tomi Jewelry, URBN Dental, and a new special events venue and landmark rooftop bar from the owners of The Astorian. Office tenants include Impact Networking, Method Architecture, Houston Maritime Center, and TEAL. Construction is currently underway and is scheduled for completion in mid-2023.

ABOUT EAST RIVER

East River’s 150 acres of carefully designed, multi-phase, mixed-use development will transform the city’s waterfront east of downtown into a new, vibrant economic center. Designed to grow and evolve through multiple phases, East River is ideally positioned to serve a wide range of residents and a spectrum of housing price points, innovative and globally competitive companies, cutting-edge retail and restaurant concepts, and a host of institutional, educational and recreational opportunities. The project’s early phases of development set the tone for a world-class planned community by focusing on connecting Houston’s urban fabric to central green spaces, active transportation, upgraded infrastructure and an impressive mile of waterfront along Buffalo Bayou. To stay up-to-date on East River’s progress, follow along on Follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin.