AUSTIN-Scott Freid of The Weitzman Group has gone south, to Austin, that is. He has been tapped to head up the firm's Austin office. For six years, Freid has been in Dallas, directing projects for Cencor and research for Weitzman.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA-The lodging giant's fourth-quarter earnings match analysts' estimates, but company says it will open fewer hotels than it originally anticipated this year because capital markets are tight. Wall Street sends the stock down nearly 6%.

AUSTIN-The state capital's high rents are adversely affecting day-care providers, who are being squeezed out of prime corridors. Open Door Preschool, which has three facilities in Austin, is losing its central location come August.

ORLANDO-CalPers, LaSalle Investors, Lend Lease Investments and Adler Development are going with David Murphy to rent their three industrial assets totaling 1.12 million sf in Central Florida's vibrant bulk warehouse, service center and flex space markets.