Pieces Relocates Expanded Headquarters to Irving’s Williams Square

CBRE announced that Pieces, Inc., the healthcare artificial intelligence and technology company, has moved and expanded their headquarters to The Offices at Williams Square in the Las Colinas business park of Irving, Texas. The company will occupy a full floor at 5201 N. O’Connor Boulevard. “Our new state-of the-art premises not only provides our employees with an environment suitable for the innovative, industry-leading work they are undertaking but also enables us to balance a flexible work-from-home policy with sufficient social distancing for those who prefer to spend time in the office,” said Fayiaz Chaudhri, president of Pieces. “This space allows us to showcase our cutting-edge technology to our customers and facilitates accelerated growth for the company while keeping our team inspired and motivated to continue delivering results for our clients serving the community at large.” Jeffrey D. Eiting, Ryan Buchanan and John Roper with CBRE in Dallas represented Pieces in the lease negotiations. Bill Brokaw and Karch Schreiner of Hillwood Urban represented the landlord, AGRE Williams Square Holdings, LLC. Corgan Architects was selected as the architect to incorporate Pieces’ company culture and brand into their new office space. Pieces, launched in 2016, spun out of Dallas’ Parkland Health & Hospital System. In just over three years, the Pieces software has enabled up to a half-day reduction in hospital length-of-stay, sustained reduction in readmissions and has been deployed at several notable health systems and communities across North America. Local clients include the North Texas Food Bank, Parkland, Children’s Health and hundreds of community-based social service organizations. The company made the decision to move its headquarters to Williams Square based on several different factors. The space provides a larger and newly designed office that is walkable to the area’s top amenities. The location is convenient for current employees, provides more opportunities for future talent recruitment and it offers prominent signage. “Pieces was able to negotiate favorable terms for its new headquarters, which coincided with a series B raise, that allowed them a platform for their office space to be a catalyst for innovation, recruiting and retention,” said Eiting, technology and media practice at CBRE in Dallas. “The design process was intentional and Corgan did a stellar job of translating Pieces’ brand and business into the space. The office space incorporates elements ranging from always-on technology throughout the space, to quality materials and attention to detail, to high impact and functional furniture.” The iconic Towers at Williams Square is a four-building, professional office campus in the heart of Las Colinas which has long stood for quality and service. Tenants have access to amenities including a newly renovated lounge and conference center that includes a Starbucks, fitness center and locker rooms and the La Cima Club atop the Central Tower. The outdoor plaza is slated for updates including an in-demand outdoor tenant space. Williams Square is immediately accessible to the new Waters Street development as well as Toyota Music Factory.

RESOLUT RE Closes Eight Deals Around Texas

RESOLUT RE recently completed 10 retail leases in Texas. The deals included transactions in the Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio markets. Clinica Hispana Nazaret has leased 1,201 square feet at The Shops on Howard (1200 W. Howard Lane, Austin). Michael Noteboom and Joey Mendez of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord. Gabriela Saravia of Sperry Commercial represented the tenant. Hay Elotes has renewed at The Shops on Howard. Michael Noteboom and Joey Mendez of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord. An undisclosed buyer has purchased 1.04 acres at 211 Hasler Boulevard in Bastrop, Texas. Jerel Choate of RESOLUT RE represented the seller. Feng “Leo” Lin of Austin 101 Real Estate represented the buyer. DS Pharmacy has leased 1,000 square feet at Westwood Village Center (215 Sunset Boulevard, Sherman, Texas). Mai Nguyen and Colin Cannon of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord. Patrick Jones Gallery has leased 2,228 square feet at AMLI Design District (1400 Hi Line Drive, Dallas). Chris Flesner and Brian Sladek of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord. Disciples Christian Fellowship has renewed at Plaza at Highway 6 (15040 Hwy 6, Rosharon, Texas). Benny Nguyen and Eric Broussard of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord. Mangum Insurance has leased 1,500 square feet at Plaza at Highway 6 (15040 Hwy 6, Rosharon). Benny Nguyen and Eric Broussard of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord. All Appliance Parts has leased 600 square feet at Pecan Valley Center (6214 Pecan Valley Drive, San Antonio). Aisha Chapa of RESOLUT RE represented the landlord.

NewQuest Closes Three Houston-Area Deals

NewQuest Properties recently facilitated one retail lease and three property sales in the larger Houston metro. Crumbl Cookies has leased 1,572 square feet of retail space in the Grand at Aliana, located at the intersection of West Grand Parkway S and West Airport Boulevard, Richmond, Texas. David K. Meyers and Josh Friedlander of NewQuest Properties represented the landlord. Greg Stanislawski and Mark Stanislawski of the Retail Strategy represented the tenant. APG Industrial LaPorte LLC has sold a 12,810-square-foot warehouse on 5.6 acres at to ESCO International Trading LLC. Dave Ramsey and Brad Elmore of NewQuest Properties represented the seller in the direct deal. Turbo Restaurant Management LLC has sold a 2,219-square-foot vacant structure on a 0.7-acre pad site at 9540 Hwy. 6, Missouri City, Texas and a 2,150-square-foot vacant building, also on a 0.7-acre pad site, at 9046 FM 1960 Bypass W., Humble, Texas to Briggs of Missouri City Properties LLC. Andrew Alvis of NewQuest Properties represented the seller. Tyson Walker of BWB Advisors represented the buyer.

Bradford Inks Three Leases in North Dallas Portfolio

Bradford Commercial Real Estate Services has pushed a four-building industrial portfolio in Farmers Branch, Texas to 100 percent occupancy, signing 24,261 square feet in two new leases and one renewal. Midpoint Auto Group has leased 13,119 square feet at 3300 Garden Brook Drive while JKMG & International Co. Inc., dba Noroo, has taken 4,472 square feet at 3314 Garden Brook Drive, filling the balance of the portfolio’s vacancy. In a long-term renewal, United Fine Arts Services LLC has held fast to 6,670 square feet in 3109 Garden Brook Drive. Brian Pafford, executive vice president and managing partner of Bradford, and Susan Singer, executive vice president, closed the triple play for the landlord, Gardenbrook Industrial LLC, shortly before the portfolio changed hands. “These three deals certainly helped in the sale process,” Pafford said, “as did our ability to add to the portfolio’s value by raising the bar on future rates for renewals and new leases.” The Bradford team was facing a six-month deadline to fill the 13,119-square-foot vacancy with another automotive group or face the loss of the permitted use. “We got the deal done in the nick of time,” Pafford said. Pafford and Singer negotiated direct deals with Midpoint Auto Group and United Fine Arts Services. Daniel Lee of Stellar Real Estate LLC represented Noroo, which is opening its first location in Texas. The portfolio also includes a single-tenant building at 3113 Garden Brook Drive and a multi-tenant structure at 4101 Lindbergh Drive. The shallow-bay warehouses are geared toward smaller tenants with spaces from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet. “There continues to be strong demand for spaces in that size range,” Pafford said.

A Year Like No Other: Reviewing 2020’s Impact on Three Texas Markets

What a year. The pandemic, civil unrest, a retreating economy, plummeting oil prices and more have all had varied impacts on Texas’ markets. While everyone is eager to leave 2020 behind, what are the real estate prospects for the state’s largest metros in 2021?

Dallas-Fort Worth

According to Michael Caffey, president, advisory services, South-Central Division and Latin America at CBRE, investment activity in the Dallas-Fort
Worth area hasn’t tapered off as much as many may have feared. “Investor activity in Dallas-Fort Worth has continued throughout the year,” Caffey said. “While activity is down overall, we’re still a top-four market for total
investment volume behind New York, Los Angeles and the Bay Area.” There is one main attraction, of course. As logistical warehouses remain the most sought-after and dynamic commercial property type, DFW’s industrial sector has been immune to the headwinds of 2020 and seen year-over-year growth. In fact, demand among e-commerce tenants, 3PLs and the food and beverage industry has increased rents and sent vacancy rates to a near all-time low. Industrial submarkets have all remained remarkably stable, with activity largely driven by the amount of available space. For example, in the GWS/Arlington submarket, where the vacancy rate is 4.7 percent, there is naturally less activity than in submarkets that have more available space like South Dallas or North Fort Worth. It’s not just investors who are eager to tap into the Metroplex’s strong industrial performance. Click to read more at www.rednews.com.

Leaving a Legacy: Celebrating the Life of James B. DeGeorge, Sr.

When Michele DeGeorge (née DiGiorgio) arrived in Houston from Italy in the 1880s, he could never have predicted the impact he and his descendants would have on his new home. Several generations later, the community he quite literally helped build is saying goodbye to Michele’s last surviving grandchild, James B. DeGeorge. Born in 1932 to parents Gasper M. DeGeorge, Sr. and Josephine Pinto DeGeorge, James attended school and even some college in Houston before attending the University of Texas at Austin. The call of duty interrupted his studies in 1951; James, a United States Marine Corps reservist, served at Camp Pendleton during the Korean War. He married several years later in 1955 and, two years after that, welcomed his first child into the world. James “Jimmy” Bernard DeGeorge Jr. was followed by Gregory “Greg” Allman DeGeorge in 1958 and Lance Clayton DeGeorge in 1970. “He was like a lot of dads,” said Greg. “He was very interested in my upbringing and how I did in sports.” James would often take the time to come to his sons’ games or, as a special treat, take them to a pro football game on the weekends. As they grew older, Greg said his father never pressured him or his brothers to pursue a career in real estate. “His attitude was ‘You can do whatever you want to do,’” Greg said. “I actually got more pressure from a couple of friends who told me I’d be crazy if I didn’t go into real estate because it’s in my blood.” To understand that, you need to look back into the history of the DeGeorge family. James’ grandfather, Michele DeGeorge, immigrated to the United States in 1882 with his wife Ursula and settled in Houston by 1884. There, he operated a grocery store and saloon, which he eventually expanded to three different locations. Michele invested the money he earned into real estate, eventually founding the DeGeorge Hotel in 1913 and the Auditorium Hotel (now the Lancaster Hotel) in 1926. Click to read more at www.rednews.com.