HOUSTON-Crews have descended on a tract, bought in February, in Rio de Janeiro's CBD. To get the Torre Almirante project moving, Hines finished one building and is making plans to convert two others into a 15-story parking garage.

AUSTIN-The officers are elected, the board is in place and the application will go into the national office in January 2003. Brokers, lawyers, title company representatives and even State of Texas officials are on board.

SCHAUMBURG, IL-Nearly 50,000 sf of space is claimed in new lease deals, but they involve companies staying put or moving from one northwest suburb to another, keeping submarket vacancy well above 20%.

AUSTIN-Two new deals and two renewals come to Centennial Tower in Austin's northeast submarket. The quartet's largest pact is a renewal for 3,479 sf by Intercim, a software developer. Newcomers take up 4,153 sf.