HOUSTON-Commercial real estate agencies, Arthur J. Gallagher & Associates and Texas Insurance, are joining forces. Gallagher's takeover adds offices in Houston and Spring, TX. Gallagher has several offices in Dallas and San Antonio.

HOUSTON-Henry S. Miller Commercial has promoted a 24-year veteran for senior vice president from vice president in Houston. Thomas L. Ford has been with the firm for four years and is the lead producer.

HOUSTON-UniLev Capital Corp. has added the 619,000-sf Phoenix Tower to its Houston portfolio. The investment firm, which has been buying Houston properties for the past decade, has put up $66.5 million for the class-A property.

HOUSTON-A pet hotel and resort operator is planning a facility on a three-acre tract in Ft. Bend County. In another freshly closed transaction, the W.W. Scarborough trustees have picked up 19.7 acres near Hiram Clark and W. Airport Boulevard in Houston.

HOUSTON-A.G. Edwards and a Houston law firm are moving lock, stock and barrel into new offices. The investment firm heads to a Crescent building while the law firm goes to a BGK Texas holding along N. Loop West.

HOUSTON-Leasing activity's brisk at Crescent's Houston Center complex. The under-construction 5 Houston Center is 71% taken and deals in the pipeline that could take it to 93%. In a rash of signings, 77,171 sf of office space has been leased.

HOUSTON-An Auburn Hills, MI-based professional staffing firm is launching offices in Houston and Sugar Land. The Richmond Avenue location comes with the recent takeover of Houston-based Trendsetter Staffing.

HOUSTON-A Louisiana investor is paying $7.5 million for the Bayberry Tree Apartments in Houston. It's in keeping with a trend by out-of-state investors who are looking more seriously at this market and Hall Financial's disposition strategy.