Howard Castleberry, GSL's general manager, stresses to GlobeSt.com that a long-term lease must be in hand and the permit finalized before land is bought for any build-to-suit project. In keeping with the company policy, United Environmental Services of Baytown committed to the deal and is getting a 20,500-sf combination office and shop area.

GSL Constructors bought 2.8 acres for United Environmental Services' building, designed with 13,000 sf of office space. The structure will be ready to occupy in late September or early October.

Several brokers came to the closing table for the land sale. B. Kelley Parker III and John F. Littman, both of Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc. in the Houston office, negotiated for seller, Bayport North Industrial Park LP. GSL's president, Welcome Wilson Jr., handled his side of the land purchase. Clair Sinclair of Remax Baytown represented the tenant to close the lease and jumpstart the construction.

About 2.4 acres are under contract as GSL irons out lease details with the Sulzer Corp., a European company with four primary divisions servicing the oil, gas and petrochemical industries. Once the lease is signed and permits finalized, the land will be bought and construction will begin on a 17,500-sf combination office and shop, again in a design with 13,000 sf of office space. If all goes well, the building will deliver by year's end. Jeanette Holt of Qualified Properties is representing Sulzer in the lease negotiations with GSL and the C&W team.

Kansas City-based Harcros Chemicals Inc. will be buying a 37,500-sf facility that GSL has designed and is building. The structure, laid out with 35,000 sf of warehouse space, will be ready to occupy in January 2003. It is positioned on a little more than three acres, bought in recent weeks by GSL. Gregg Eagan with LeaseSquareFeet.com is representing Harcros Chemicals.

The largest project in the mix is a 75,000-sf facility for Tyco Valves & Controls of Greenwich, CT. The 6.9-acre project, previously reported by GlobeSt.com, will wrap up in the fall. Tyco gets the keys to a 62,000-sf warehouse in September and a 13,000-sf office the following month.

Castleberry says GSL does not warehouse land. Therefore, the four companies' decisions to locate in Bayport North Industrial are tied purely to the park's offerings. He says clients like the park because it is the most fully developed in the area, with all infrastructure in place. The park services the "petroplex" or petrochemical industrial areas of La Porte, Deerpark and Pasadena, unincorporated areas of Harris County that are "unencumbered by city codes, permitting and taxes," he points out.