Granite Briarpark Green Reaches Substantial Completion

10/09/2013 | Hoar Construction

The Westchase district on Houston’s west side is getting ready to welcome a new addition. Granite Briarpark Green, the 12-story, 300,000 s.f. Class A office tower developed by Granite Properties and built by Hoar Construction reached substantial completion September 23. PGAL provided architecture services.

The building features a lavish 2-story entry lobby referred to as the “corporate living area”. Amenities include a fitness center, food service facilities, a shared conference area, and on-site recycling. The building exterior has a recessed façade with a graduated, vertical linear design, creating a highly visible and dramatic entry. A 6-story, 361,000 SF parking facility for over 1,000 cars will exclusively serve Granite Briarpark Green tenants; the garage maintains the high-end feel of the complex with upgraded exterior finishes and details.

Hoar worked closely with Granite Properties and PGAL during design and construction. Hoar relied heavily on building information modeling (BIM) and lean delivery principles for more efficient delivery and to optimize the project schedule. For example, Hoar devised an efficient pre-fabrication process for constructing the building skin and fenestration. Prefabricated wall units with pre-punched windows were produced off site and delivered within days of the scheduled installation. Once on site, the units were fastened into the window opening within a matter of minutes. This process shaved weeks off the installation schedule and eliminated unnecessary packaging and waste on site. Early use of BIM uncovered an inconsistency in air ducts in a challenging area of the building. The team resolved the issue prior to construction and Granite was able to maintain the desired ceiling height in the fitness center.

“From the outset, we envisioned Granite Briarpark Green would be the benchmark for new Class-A office space in the Westchase submarket,” according to Aaron Bidne, Granite Properties Development Manager. “We were obviously working within budget constraints, but compromising on qualitative aspects of the building was never an option. The level of finishes and amenities in Granite Briarpark Green is what will set it apart. Hoar knew the outcome we wanted and made sure our goals remained intact during design and construction. Something like ceiling height in the gym might seem innocuous, but no detail is too small.”

Granite Briarpark Green is slated for LEED Gold Certification from the USGBC. A notable aspect of the building’s sustainability is energy performance, optimized to be 21% above current construction standards. Hoar enforced robust recycling on site and was able to recycle 90.5% of waste generated during construction.
Hoar has worked with Granite Properties since 2006, on the construction of Granite Westchase II, located at 10350 Richmond Avenue.

 

 

About Granite Properties
Granite Properties is a privately held commercial real estate investment and management company with offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston and Los Angeles. Since 1991, Granite Properties has acquired or developed more than 20 million square feet of commercial real estate totaling $3.4 billion. With a primary emphasis on office properties and an unusually long-term view, Granite Properties’ places a high priority on creating exceptional work environments for its tenants while conserving natural resources. Named a Great Place to Work in 2012 and 2013 by FORTUNE magazine, Granite has built a successful company focused on, and driven by, long-term relationships. Learn more at www.graniteprop.com.

About Hoar Construction
Hoar Construction, established in 1940, provides construction management, general contracting, preconstruction and design/build services. With annually construction volume of approximately $500 million, Hoar provides services to retail, healthcare, educational, commercial, hospitality and industrial clients. Hoar employs over 500 people in seven offices across the southeast and Texas. Representative projects include the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children, Birmingham, AL; Community Maritime Park, Pensacola, FL; 200 Renaissance Tower, Ridgeland, MS; Lakeway Regional Medical Center, Lakeway, TX; and City Centre Three and Four, Houston, TX. Visit www.hoar.com for more information.