The project includes makeovers of the lobbies, restrooms and other public spaces at the 12-story Galleria Financial Center and 25-story 2700 Post Oak Tower. Houston-based architecture firm Kirksey & Partners is the designer; general contractor Tellepsen is providing pre-construction services. TechSource is managing the project on behalf of owner Walton Street Capital and plans to begin construction in the first half of 2001.

TechSource is a facility consulting, construction management and technical assessment firm. It has serviced more than 500 million sf of real estate valued at more than $13 billion. Its client list includes Lucent Technologies, AT&T and JMB Properties.To help it renovate the Houston Galleria properties, TechSource is turning to a specialized Web platform for the real estate and construction industries. The online tool by Struxicon Inc. is being used to aid collaboration, project bidding and materials procurement.

"The Struxicon system enables a fast turnaround on changes and decisions and drastically reduces the amount of paper typically involved in managing a construction project by hosting these documents online," says TechSource president Jack Althoff. "We anticipate a more efficient and better-controlled process as a result."

John Herzon, TechSource regional vice president, says Struxicon's Internet-based solution facilitates "up-to-the-minute on the progress of a project" and cost-efficiency tracking.