HOUSTON-Hines Interests polishes off plans for its fourth Brazilian project. Torre Almirante, a 36-story design, will rise in the Rio de Janeiro downtown. The renowned architect, Robert A.M. Stern, is masterminding the office tower's look.

HOUSTON-Vacancy is up, net absorption down and rents flat, say CB Richard Ellis' Houston research team. Construction, though, has tapered. The change is directly tied to more than two million sf of deliveries in Q4 2001.

PEORIA, AZ-Dallas-based Fleming Cos. is on board at the 240,000-sf Thunderbird Crossing shopping center at 83rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road in Peoria. A 55,242-sf Food4Less will open in Q1 2003 as part of the center's second phase.

HOUSTON-Big box product was up by 8.46% at the close of 2001 versus 2000. Just in the first quarter, 700,000 sf would have to be absorbed to maintain the current occupancy level. Two specialists say the market will fall short by about 300,000 sf.

PHOENIX-Baja Fresh heads to a Scottsdale center at the junction of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Thompson Peak Parkway. For NYPD Pizza, it's going to the fast-growing suburb of Chandler and into a Westcor property along Chandler Boulevard.

THE WOODLANDS, TX-A May closing is planned for the sale of Venture Tech II at 3200 Research Forest Dr. and Venture Tech III at 8701 New Trails Dr. The two tech-office buildings, totaling about 100,000 sf, are 85% occupied.

PHOENIX-A 26-acre tract in Nogales, AZ is the site for a high-ticket Wal-Mart. The retail giant's site requires extra work that's boosted the bottom-line development cost. Summit Builders of Phoenix holds the construction contract.

HOUSTON-Big box product was up by 8.46% at the close of 2001 versus 2000. Just in the first quarter, 700,000 sf would have to be absorbed to maintain the current occupancy level. Two specialists say the market will fall short by about 300,000 sf.