HOUSTON-Eastbourne Investments has sold the first of three parcels near Tomball along Texas Highway 249. The first sale was 1.5 acres with a 25 acre sale to follow and 55 acres still on the market.

HOUSTON-The retail market is holding its breath, hoping that the nearly $350 million invested into several upscale projects will pay off this holiday season. "The big story is the buoyancy of the market," says O'Connor & Associates director of research Richard Zigler.

HOUSTON-Ohio-based REIT, Glimcher Realty Trust has made good on a plan to buy out its joint venture partner at the Northwest and Almeda Malls in Houston. The firm has paid $5.5 million in cash and is assuming a $34.9-million mortgage on the properties.

HOUSTON-The Boca Raton, FL-based REIT signs an agreement to buy the 1.2-million-sf office complex in the Uptown/Galleria submarket for about 50% of replacement value. Sellers are Dallas-based Cottonwood Partners and Osaka, Japan-based West Oak/Nissei Associates.

HOUSTON-NewQuest Properties finds three additional tenantsNothing Over $1.00, CiCi's Pizza and Radio Shack--for its Antoine Town Center retail project. The 116,251-sf shopping center is set to open this Thanksgiving.

THE WOODLANDS, TX-A former executive of the Woodlands Operating Co. acquires more than 25 acres for development of a 135,000 sf shopping center with pad sites on College Park Drive at Interstate 45.

LEAGUE CITY, TX-A local computer products distributor plans to convert the 36,890-sf Food Lion, empty since 1998, into a showroom for his wares and vintage model cars. The League City sale means there is just one more Food Lion left to hawk in Houston.

HOUSTON-The Hayward, CA-based eFORCE has opened its third Texas office, selecting 5,090 sf in Three Post Oak Central in the Uptown Galleria submarket. The 405,480-sf tower stands at 95% occupied.