Briar Forest Crossing Getting $4-Mil Makeover

HOUSTON-They’re not just renovating Briar Forest Crossing; they’re bringing it into the 21st century with a full building re-wiring to accommodate the latest in electronic business toys and necessities.

Construction has begun on the complete exterior and lobby renovation to the 90,000-sf, four-story office building at 1300 W. Sam Houston Parkway. The tab for the re-do will be about $4 million.

“When complete, the renovated building will compete with class A and B properties in the hot West Houston market,” says Kris Lilly, leasing agent for Moody Rambin Interests, which is handing construction and managing the property. “Leasing has already begun in anticipation of an April 2001 move-in date,” Lilly tells GlobeSt.com. “We’ll begin building in tenant spaces in February. We’re conducting hard-hat tours for the hardy types.”

Gone will be the small standard windows. They’ll be replaced with larger 6.5-ft. vision windows. All offices will have state-of-the-art telecommunications capabilities.Fiber-optic wiring is being installed to every office suite for easy connections to such current business essentials as teleconferencing, video teleconferencing and high-speed Internet access. Long distance and local phone service can be bundled in, providing voice mail, digital satellite TV and digital desktop equipment.

The exterior of the building will get a makeover as well. “We’re taking all the material off the outside. It looks like a bomb hit it,” Lilly says. The old look will be replaced by a blue-glass curtain wall detailed with horizontal silver bands.

“For firms serving BMC–across the street–or other large firms out there, the facility will be ideal,” Lilly says. Tenants will have access to all of the conveniences of Westchase.Ken R. Harry Associates of Houston is the architect for the renovation; E.E. Reed Construction Co., also of Houston, is the general contractor. Established in 1969, Moody Rambin currently leases and manages a five-million sf property portfolio.