Marcus & Millichap brokered the sale of 913 Houston St., an 11,760-square-foot vacant retail asset in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.  

Joe Santelli exclusively marketed the property on behalf of the seller, a local developer, and procured the buyer, a local investment group.  

Located at the intersection of Houston Street and 9th Avenue, the property sits directly across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, which is undergoing a $500 million expansion. The three-level building includes a basement, main floor and mezzanine, and is zoned H – Central Business, allowing a wide range of commercial uses with no height restrictions. The surrounding area is experiencing significant investment, including a $350 million Texas A&M campus and a more than $200 million expansion of the Omni Fort Worth Hotel. 

As natural disasters continue to strike communities across the globe, schools are often the first institutions affected, with the impact rippling throughout the community.

Consider the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when New Orleans schools were forced to shut down for months, or the 2018 wildfires in California, which led to the temporary closure of many schools, including those in Paradise.

More recently, over half a million students were out of school in Los Angeles during the week of the fires in January of 2025. Students endured significant hardship during an already stressful and traumatic event, missing classes and meals alongside vital emotional connections.

These disruptions don’t just impact infrastructure, they can halt the educational progress of countless students. The damage to buildings and the displacement of students has lasting consequences on both academic achievement and mental well-being.

Given this, schools must adapt to the changing landscape by adopting flexible, adaptive learning spaces that enable education to continue during and after a disaster.

The question is, what does that look like? Let’s talk about it.

Tristin Kranenburg, sales director for education, Tangram Interiors

The lasting impact of disaster on education

When disaster strikes, the effects on schools can be immediate and devastating. Physical damage to buildings can lead to extended closures, leaving students behind in their studies.

A report from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that prolonged school closures can lead to substantial learning loss, particularly in math and reading. This can have significant impacts on students’ long-term academic and career trajectories.

Beyond the immediate disruption, recovery efforts often focus on rebuilding structures, but what about the infrastructure that supports long-term educational stability? The process needs to go beyond simple repairs and focus on creating environments that can withstand future crises.

It’s clear that schools need more than just a quick fix. Extensive, careful emergency response plans must be put in place that facilitate both the physical recovery of a school and the preservation of its ability to educate.

This includes planning for flexible, resilient learning environments that allow for continuity in education, no matter what comes next.

The power of flexible design

Modular furniture

In the wake of a crisis, schools may face the challenge of moving students into temporary or damaged spaces.

Modular furniture offers a practical solution. With pieces that can be easily moved or rearranged, schools can quickly set up learning areas to accommodate different group sizes or specific needs.

Reconfigurable layouts

Flexible layouts allow schools to adapt classrooms and other spaces on the fly. Whether it’s to house more students in the aftermath of a disaster or to facilitate specialized learning setups, these adaptable layouts give schools the ability to swiftly make the best use of available space.

Creative spatial planning

Effective spatial planning is key to maximizing the utility of any space. By considering the needs of different learning styles, schools can design spaces that allow for a variety of educational functions—whether it’s quiet study areas, collaborative group workspaces, or temporary classrooms.

Building resilience in schools

In short, adopting flexible and adaptive designs is a crucial investment in the future of education. Schools can (and must) take proactive steps to protect their spaces against the unexpected, creating environments that are resilient and ready to evolve as needs change.

In most cases, this means choosing durable, easy-to-repair materials and creating layouts that can quickly shift to serve new purposes—whether for a temporary learning space or a community gathering area.

To build environments that truly withstand the test of time, schools must embed resilience in their design from the start. Flexibility, durability, and adaptability should be embedded into every corner, helping the mission education of students continue no matter the challenges that come their way.

Aveson Charter School: A real-world example

When wildfires ravaged Aveson Charter School in Los Angeles, the community was left grappling with the immediate effects of displacement. With classrooms damaged and the future uncertain, the school urgently needed adaptive learning spaces to accommodate its students.

Tangram Interiors stepped in to provide support.

The company donated over 100 pieces of modular furniture to help the school set up temporary learning environments. With the help of flexible design solutions, Aveson was able to continue educating over 200 students in a stable environment, despite the crisis.

This real-world example demonstrates how creative, adaptable design solutions can help schools stay operational and maintain educational continuity even in the face of disaster.

In summary

The need for adaptive, flexible learning spaces in schools cannot be ignored. As natural disasters and other crises continue to affect communities, it’s vital that educational institutions prioritize resilient, adaptable design solutions.

Thinking ahead and investing in adaptive spaces prepares schools to withstand any storm—both literal and figurative—while continuing to deliver essential educational opportunities.

With the right design, schools can do more than survive disasters: they can overcome them and turn challenges into opportunities for growth and progress.

As Sales Director for Education in Southern California, Tristin Kranenburg leads Tangram’s Education team, driving strategic growth and fostering new relationships in the sector. Her expertise, dedication, and client-centric approach continue to strengthen Tangram’s presence in the education market. With nearly eight years at Tangram, Tristin brings a wealth of experience in sales, account management, and strategic leadership.

The NRP Group marked the financial close and groundbreaking of a 340-unit, mixed-income housing community in Anna, Texas.

The development will provide high-quality housing for residents within a range of income levels, with 40% of units designated for individuals and families earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) and 10% of units reserved for those earning 60% AMI.

Located at 900 S. Buddy Hayes Blvd. at the southeast corner of U.S. Highway 75 and White Street, the community’s strategic placement offers convenient access to major employment hubs in McKinney, Sherman and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Tailored to meet the needs of Anna’s growing population, the development features a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences designed to appeal to singles, couples and young professionals.

The project’s design draws inspiration from Anna’s modern City Hall, medical facilities and schools, incorporating neutral tones and sleek, contemporary architecture. The development will feature one four-story building that includes the clubhouse and primary amenities, along with 10 three-story residential buildings that provide garage and carport options across the 15-acre site.

A signature element of the project is a 2.5-acre public park, which will provide a vibrant outdoor destination for both residents and the broader Anna community. With direct connectivity to the city’s extensive hike and bike trail system, the public park will offer two pickleball courts, an oversized dog park, a covered pavilion and dedicated parking for visitors. 

Residents will also have access to an expansive suite of resort-style amenities, including a pool with lounge seating and grilling stations, an outdoor entertainment area with covered TVs and games and a 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center equipped for both cardio and strength training. The clubhouse will house a clubroom, a library and podcasting studio, catering to professionals and creatives seeking flexible live-work spaces.

Completion is expected in early 2026.

Demand for office space did not increase across the United States in January and February of this year. This might not seem surprising considering the office sector’s struggles. But it is significant.

Why? This marked the first time in 20 months that demand for office space did not increase on a year-over-year basis during the first two months of the year.

That’s one of the big takeaways from the latest VTS Office Demand Index, a report looking at the state of the U.S. office market during the first quarter of the year.

In better news, though, VTS reported that office leasing activity did rise during March. That helped erase the dip in office lease transactions in January and February. With that surge, office demand rose 4.6% in the first quarter of this year when compared to the same three months in 2024.

What caused the dip in leasing activity in the first quarter? VTS pointed to a growing uncertainty in the economy thanks to recent tensions in global trade. Declining job postings, slower hiring and broader concerns over unpredictable policy shifts likely played a role, too, according to VTS.

In compiling its reports, VTS calculates a single number that encapsulates the level of demand for office space. According to the latest data from VTS, national demand for office space in the United States stood at 68. That number is roughly two-thirds of the national office sector’s pre-pandemic level, showing just how far demand for office space has fallen in recent years.

As VTS points out, Job postings and hiring continued to fall in the first quarter, with job postings declining steadily across nearly all major sectors during the past two years.

The new hire rate — the percentage of employed workers who started their jobs within the past month — has dropped from around 4.5% in early 2022 to about 3.4% as of early 2025, a level not seen since the early 2010s.

“At first glance, a cooling labor market might seem like bad news for the health of the office sector — but the opposite could be true,” said Nick Romito, chief executive officer of VTS, in a statement. “In recent years, hiring surged, but employers had limited leverage to bring employees back to the office. Now, as jobs become harder to come by, employers are in a stronger position to require in-office attendance with less resistance.”

The recent slowdown in office demand is disproportionately impacting New York and Los Angeles, two markets that had previously led the recovery, VTS said. In contrast, cities that have lagged in the broader office market rebound, often due to higher rates of remote work with greater exposure to the tech sector, are now emerging as relative bright spots.

San Francisco, long a hub for the tech industry, which has been especially conducive to remote work, posted the largest year-over-year increase in office demand, with a 32% rise from March 2024.

New York City and Los Angeles were the only markets to record a year-over-year decline in office demand. Demand fell 4.7% in New York from March 2024. Even with that fall, though, the New York City market still boasts the highest overall demand for office space in the country, according to VTS.

Los Angeles saw a dip in office demand of 13% in the first quarter, though it still ranks as the city with the second-highest demand for office space, VTS reported.

Andy Tandon has transitioned into a new role as Vice President & General Manager of Turner Construction’s Data Center / Mission Critical work across Texas, operating within our Advanced Technologies Group (ATG). This move reflects Turner’s long-term commitment to supporting the expanding demand in the data center sector, locally and nationwide. In his 25-year tenure, his leadership has helped shape the Houston office, and this role enables him to focus on one of Turner’s fastest growing markets.

Windy Hill Development welcomes Chris Tysdal as Director of Land. Chris brings extensive real estate analysis, sales and investment experience across Texas markets. He’ll lead land acquisition, management and entitlement for Houston-area residential developments. Chris previously worked with Forestar Development Group, Lennar Homes, and Investment Realty Co. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in real estate from Texas A&M University.