BRAZORIA COUNTY, TX-The final tract in a 40,000-acre listing goes to a Houston couple, who are making plans to use the 9,730 acres for recreational and commercial purposes. IP Farms is the seller of the Chocolate Bay land.

HOUSTON-Alan Patton of the Morgan Group is elected to the 326-member National Multi Housing Council. He joins the firm's CEO and principal, Michael Morgan, and 14 others from Houston on the board.

HOUSTON-A year of weighing options, leased and build-to-suit, ends as the Paris-based Schlumberger puts pen to paper for another long-term commitment to keep its name on the 450,508-sf building at 5599 San Felipe Dr.

HOUSTON-Signa Engineering moves into an extra 5,000 sf for a total 12,139 sf at Northpoint Central. Another North Houston tenant, Castex Energy, re-ups for the same amount, 9,654 sf, at 333 N. Sam Houston Parkway East.

HOUSTON-Skyline Holdings of Cowan Heights, CA, secures permanent financing through PW Funding for Hammerly Villa Apartments, bought three years ago and renovated. The 10-year loan has a 4.6% interest rate and 1.64x debt service coverage.

DEER PARK, TX-Vantage Cos. and Clay Development kick off a five-acre project in the 34-acre Battleground Industrial Park near the Houston Ship Channel. The distribution center is one of the first speculative undertakings in a long time to go up in the area.

HOUSTON-Opus West acquires 15.7 acres with options for the balance of a 45-acre tract in the Houston Medical Center submarket. The 203,760-sf first phase breaks ground in 30 days.

HOUSTON-JMB Realty waits until the 11th hour to exercise a purchase option for the majority stake of First City Tower. JMB had to pay $29 million in equity, assume $80 million in debt and cover costs to sever the contract with Parkway Properties.