THE WOODLANDS, TX-Two leases totaling more than 156,000 square feet will be the catalyst for starting construction on 3 Waterway Square Place. According to a press release from The Woodlands Development Co. and its ownership, Howard Hughes Corp., ground breaking on the 234,000-square-foot, class A office building is imminent.

Waste Connections Inc. signed a lease for 49,929 square feet at the 11-story building, while Nexeco Solutions LLC, expanded its space from 64,046 square feet to 106,710 square feet. Situated at the corner of Lake Robbins Drive and Woodloch Forest Drive in the Waterway Square District, the building is slated for completion in early 2013.

Waste Connections was represented by Jason Whittington with NAI Houston. Dan Bellow, Beau Bellow and Diana Dunlap of Jones Lang LaSalle represented Nexeo Solutions. The Woodlands Development Co. was represented by Robert S. Parsley and Norman V. Munoz of Colliers International.

“This location in the heart of The Woodlands Town Center offers our employees an extremely attractive and convenient work environment, close to shopping, dining and entertainment,” said Ronald J. Mittelstaedt, Waste Connections’ chairman and CEO in a prepared statement.

Given the leasing activity, The Woodlands Development Co. was successful in securing a $43.3 million financing commitment, led by Texas Capital Bank, for construction of the building. The Howard Hughes Corp. is also examining the possibility of building up to three class A office buildings and an adjacent parking garage on 9 acres just west of the McKesson building.

Representatives involved in the deals were not immediately available for comment.