Women Continue to Play a Larger Role in Construction

HOUSTON—Numerous women in the construction industry have made a special effort to mark Women in Construction Week, which began March 3 and ends on March 9, GlobeSt.com learns in this exclusive. This coincides with International Women’s Day, which is celebrated every year on March 8 and is a focal point in the movement for women’s rights.

Women in Construction Week was created by the National Association of Women in Construction to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the gender’s growing presence in it. The focus is to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry.

“Efforts like Women in Construction Week are incredibly important for raising awareness about the benefits of gender diversity in the commercial real estate industry, especially the construction field,” Ashlee Frank, Skanska USA project administrator on the Capitol Tower development, tells GlobeSt.com.

“When I was growing up, I never saw myself pursuing a career in construction. There is the common misconception that women are not suited to the field because the work is too labor-intensive or complicated, but that could not be further from the truth. As long as you have a deep interest in construction and are dedicated to learning the business, you can succeed in this industry as I have.”

Frank says in her four years on the jobsite, she has learned that women need to be prepared to step out of their comfort zones at any given time. And, she says Skanska embraces diversity as a core value.

“Skanska is deeply committed to diversity and fostering an inclusive environment that provides opportunities for women to grow and thrive,” Frank tells GlobeSt.com. “A great example of this is the Skanska Women’s Network, which provides a national framework for continuous professional learning and mentoring, and supports women’s efforts at all levels of the organization. This helps level the playing field while also allowing us to tap into other experiences and perspectives which helps us address modern business challenges proactively and effectively.”

Located at 800 Capitol St., Capitol Tower is situated on a prime block in the Central Business District, near landmark cultural neighbors that include the Theater District, the historic Market Square and Buffalo Bayou Park. The tower offers 754,000 square feet of office space and more than 35,000 square feet of public space at Understory, an open-air community hub that includes a full-service restaurant and a 9,000-square-foot culinary market with seven chef-driven concepts and a cocktail bar. Tenants at Capitol Tower will also have access to a 10,000-square-foot conference and private events center, The Assembly, which features dynamic meeting venues and is connected to the SkyPark on the 12th level.

When Capitol Tower opens later this year, it will be the most sustainable office tower in Texas, using 25% less energy than typical baseline facilities. One of only four core-and-shell projects nationwide to be pre-certified under LEED v4 Platinum, Capitol Tower will feature a number of green amenities, including the 24,000-square-foot SkyPark, the first and largest green roof in downtown Houston to be open to all building tenants.

Another group of more than 25 women gathered in the Sky Lounge overlooking the skyline to mark the momentous week. These women are working on Morgan’s Pearl Marketplace at Midtown mixed-use project. Construction on the project started in 2017 and is slated to open this year. Located at 3120 Smith St., it features 264 residential units above a 40,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market on the ground floor. Residents of Pearl Midtown’s second phase will have direct access to the Whole Foods Market via elevator from the residential floors that opens into the store.

Units feature open floorplans, hardwood flooring, gas cooking appliances and views of the Med Center, the Galleria and downtown.

Other Pearl amenities include a dog park and dog wash area, a bike storage room, an Uber waiting room, and a sky lounge that has a catering kitchen with downtown views. The new community also will include a co-working space, which contributes to the live/work/play design of this flagship Pearl. The community’s fitness center that overlooks the pool courtyard will offer cardio and circuit training equipment, as well as an outdoor yoga lawn. Other exterior amenities include the pool with a sun shelf, poolside cabanas, grilling stations and TVs. A secondary courtyard space has downtown views.

The development is located across the street from Morgan’s first phase of Pearl Midtown, which opened in 2014.

Join the GlobeSt.com Women of Influence 2019 conference July 10th and 11th in Broomfield, CO, which celebrates the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward. The event will address the critical role of women in the CRE business. Click here to register and view the agenda.