The Grubb & Ellis Co.'s quarterly analysis indicates that965,564 sf of the 1.3 million sf that's under way is rising in theKaty Freeway/Energy Corridor, Sugar Land and Westchase submarkets.The Energy Corridor is leading the way with more than 500,000 sfbeing added to its 15.7-million-sf inventory.

According to Ariel Guerrero, the brokerage house's clientservices manager in Houston, the flurry of construction isattributed to huge growth and falling vacancies in the EnergyCorridor. During the first quarter, the vacancy in that submarketwas less than 5%.

"There's been a lot of growth overall in the west part of townduring the past two years," Guerrero tells GlobeSt.com. "The EnergyCorridor submarket last year had close to 700,000 sf overall inabsorption. That's the reason why there's construction andanticipation. The developers feel the growth will continue on andthey wanted to take advantage of it."