Leasing

AUSTIN-Seattle's Best Coffee lines up a franchise partner to develop 13 cafes in Austin and three in Waco. The first of the RTG Business Enterprises-owned cafes could open by January. Competitor Starbuck's has 27 locations in the markets.

POWAY, CA-An $11-million, 80,878-sf deal closes at the Parkway Centre Five Business Park along with a $7-million, 37,627-sf deal at the Parkway Tech Center close. The lessees are Remec Inc. and GenRad Inc., respectively.

SAN FRANCISCO-Michael Huaco brings 15 years of corporate real estate experience to Insignia/ESG, where he will focus on establishing new corporate real estate relationship with the Bay Area's major firms.

HOUSTON-Middle East Travel holds firm to a 4,122-sf office at Richmond Plaza I in Houston's Westchase submarket. The renewal keeps the 176,000-sf, class B property at 90% occupancy for building owner, BMS Management of New York City.

LONDON-Office rents in Europe were falling even before the events of 11 September dealt a further blow to business confidence, according to new research from CB Hillier Parker.

DALLAS-Sublease space is about double the norm, say researchers in their latest reports of the Dallas-Ft. Worth market. Still, there's a take-it-on-the-chin optimism that bargaining table strategies, for the most part, are keeping a lid on the pressure cooker.

NEW YORK CITY-The owner of prime SoHo real estate has fired one broker and hired another in hopes of securing a build-to-suit deal. The new marketing team is guardedly optimistic about closing a deal despite the current economy. The former broker, however, says the owner's greed has scuttled every offer to develop the property.

PHOENIX-The Phoenix region's retail market is holding its own in tough times. Vacancy is up just a shade, says CB Richard Ellis in a Q3 analysis. Two regional malls opened with occupancies above 90%. Even 60 shuttered store were quickly snatched up.