The University of Phoenix will open its first Texas campus in October, selecting the 280,000-sf Churchill Tower at 12400 Coit Rd. Dale Ray, vice president for Capstar Commercial Real Estate Services in Dallas, negotiated the seven-year lease for building owner and general partner Today Realty Advisors, also based in Dallas. Mark Bailer, vice president of Trammell Crow Co.'s Tampa office and Warren Willey, vice president for Trammell Crow, and Rebecca Tudor, senior associate, both in Dallas, represented the tenant. The University of Phoenix also is building out a satellite campus site in Houston, Ray tells GlobeSt.com.

The university lease represents the first large signing for the tower, which delivered in October 2000. There are three other tenants, with total occupancy now riding at 20%. The university will occupy all of the part first floor and all of the second. Ray confides negotiations are under way for two other pacts, totaling 60,000 sf. Churchill Tower's lease rate is quoted at $24 per sf plus electric.

"We're glad to get the first major tenant in the building," says Ray. "We're hoping this tenancy will continue and we're looking forward to a more active third and fourth quarter."

The University of Phoenix has 85 satellite campuses nationwide, which primarily focus on its MBA degree program. Those campuses take up some two million sf and typically are located in class A properties that are centrally located within their service area.

In Plano, Stream Realty Partners senior associate David Painter has signed a 9,021-sf lease in a five-year deal for a new law firm, Roach LLP. The firm, headed by Justice John Roach who retired from the bench, will be occupying a spot in the 160,000-sf, four-story Legacy Bank Building, located at 5000 Legacy Dr. Move-in is set for Aug. 1, says Painter.

Mack-Cali Realty Corp. in Dallas has inked three renewals for its TriWest Plaza, positioned at 3030 LBJ Freeway. Lining up to keep space is Kenzer Corp., an unidentified Fortune 500 company and Lehtola & Associates PC. Kenzer, a 10-year tenant, signed a five-year deal for 5,467 sf. The Fortune 500 company sealed a deal for an expanded lease for 9,045 sf while Lehtola too took more space, 3,698 sf for five years, in the class A property. The Mack-Cali team of Molly McLeay and Rick Rensi negotiated the renewals.

Grubb & Ellis' Rick Tiller has finalized at 6,113-sf office lease for I-Concepts Inc. at O'Connor Ridge, situated at 4545 Fuller Dr. in Irving. CMD Realty Investment Fund II LP is the building owner.