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Greenway Plaza
Business district of Houston
Skyline of Greenway Plaza looking north
Skyline of Greenway Plaza looking north
Country  United States
State  Texas
County Harris County
City  Houston
Area
 • Super neighborhood 7.7 km2 (2.97 sq mi)
 • Business campus 21 ha (52 acre)
Population
 (2015)
 • Total 21,120
 • Density 2,746/km2 (7,111/sq mi)
  For the Greenway / Upper Kirby Area Super Neighborhood as defined by the City of Houston
ZIP Code
77046
Area codes 281, 346, 713, 832
GreenwayStreetSign
A typical street sign in Greenway Plaza

Greenway Plaza is a business district located along Interstate 69 (U.S. Highway 59) within the Interstate 610 loop in southwestern Houston, Texas, 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Downtown and 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Uptown. The district is located immediately west of Upper Kirby, north of West University Place, and south of River Oaks.

First envisioned in the late 1960s by local developer Kenneth L. Schnitzer, Greenway Plaza has evolved into one of Greater Houston's largest employment centers, with over 4.4 million square feet (410,000 m2) of office space on a 52-acre (21-hectare) campus. Noted for its expansive green spaces and consistent modernist architectural style, Greenway Plaza is widely considered a pioneering example of mixed-use development in the United States. The campus's ten office towers are connected by an extensive system of air-conditioned skyways, tunnels, and underground parking garages.

Greenway Plaza contains Lakewood Church, a nondenominational Christian church, which hosts one of the largest congregations in the United States. Lakewood's main campus, a venue originally known as "The Summit" and later "Compaq Center," is the former home of the Houston Rockets, a professional basketball team, as well as other sporting teams, concerts, and events. Lakewood Church purchased the property in 2005.

The Greenway Plaza development is part of a larger neighborhood, Greenway/Upper Kirby, which covers a 2.97-square-mile (7.7 km2) area roughly enclosed by Westheimer Road to the north, Bissonnet Street to the south, Uptown Houston to the west, and Shepherd Drive to the east. In 2015, Greenway/Upper Kirby had an estimated population of 21,120 and a population density of 7,111/sq mi.

History

Kenneth L. Schnitzer, the chairperson of the Century Development Corporation, envisioned Greenway Plaza, which became the first mixed-use development in Houston.

Century took realtors from outlying towns around Houston and had them buy individual parcels for very inexpensive prices while trying not to attract attention. One homeowner found out about the plan and asked to have the house sold for $350,000. At the time it was a lot of money for a house that was small. The company paid the money so it could secure the tract the house sat on. The grand opening took place in 1973. Schnitzer said that Greenway Plaza would become a "second downtown". Bill Schadewald of the Houston Press said that Greenway Plaza, which housed office towers, retail operations, a basketball arena, a movie theater, and a hotel, "defined the multiuse concept in an original "Edge City"".

In 1970 the M. W. Kellogg company had moved its headquarters from New York to Houston. After Kellogg moved its operations into Greenway Plaza, initially Kellogg occupied half of 3 Greenway Plaza and staffed the half with fewer than 600 employees. When the energy industry expanded worldwide, Kellogg occupied all of 3 Greenway Plaza and space in an adjacent building. Kellogg's lease on July 1, 1991 was up for renewal; if Kellogg had renewed the lease, its rent payment would have increased. Instead Kellogg decided to swap office space with its parent company, Dresser Industries. Dresser took over a part of Kellogg's lease and renamed 3 Greenway Plaza to the Dresser Tower. After the swap Dresser occupied 163,000 sq ft (15,100 m2) of space on eight floors, while Kellogg continued to lease six floors in the building. In exchange Kellogg took space formerly held by Dresser at the M. W. Kellogg Tower in the Cullen Center in Downtown Houston. The swap satisfied Dresser's need for less space.

In 2004 Crescent attempted to sell a 50% equity position in both Greenway Plaza and Houston Center. During that year, El Paso Corp., a major tenant with 912,000 sq ft (84,700 m2) in Greenway Plaza, announced that it was vacating the property and moving its personnel to its Downtown Houston headquarters. A Houston Business Journal article stated that El Paso was expected to sublease the space until 2014, when its lease will expire.

In 2005 the internet service provider Internet America had offices in Greenway Plaza.

During the afternoon of Monday July 29, 2013, Cousins Properties, a company based in Atlanta, announced that it was buying the entire Greenway Plaza complex and a Downtown Fort Worth office tower. Nancy Sarnoff of the Houston Chronicle stated that Cousins was expected to pay $1.1 billion in cash.

Composition

It occupies 52-acre (21 ha) of land.

Commercial office buildings

  • One Greenway Plaza – Previous name: Eastern Airlines Building
    • It opened in 1969.
    • Buckeye Partners has its headquarters in Suite 600.
  • Two Greenway Plaza – Previous name: Union Carbide Building
    • It opened in 1969.
    • When CompuBank existed, its headquarters was in Suite 215 of 2 Greenway Plaza East.
  • Three Greenway Plaza – Previous names: Dresser Tower and Kellogg Tower
  • Four Greenway Plaza – Previous names: Travelers Insurance Building and Sonat Building
    • The building opened in 1975.
    • Transocean's Houston offices are in this building. At one time Transocean's headquarters were considered to be in this complex. In 2008 the company leased 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2) of additional space in buildings 4 and 5. Occidental Petroleum, as well as Parker Drilling, have their Houston offices within Four Greenway Plaza.
  • Five Greenway Plaza – previous name: Conoco Building
    • It opened in 1973.
    • Occidental has additional space in this building. In 2012 the company leased 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2) of additional space in buildings 4 and 5.
  • Eight Greenway Plaza – former names: Cashco Tower and Summit Plaza East
    • The building opened in 1980
    • FlightAware world headquarters is located in Suite 1300. Previously it was in Suite 1150.
    • Previously China Airlines maintained an office in 8 Greenway Plaza. It served as the Dallas Mini Office for the Dallas/Fort Worth region. The China Airlines Houston Mini Office (Chinese: 休士頓營業所 Xiūshìdùn Yíngyèsuǒ) was formerly located in Suite 824. In 2007 Crescent honored China Airlines as a tenant that had occupied a suite in Greenway Plaza for 20–29 years. As of 2010 the Greater Houston functions had moved to the Arena Place complex in Greater Sharpstown. The Dallas office is now on the property of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
  • Nine Greenway Plaza – former name: Coastal Tower
    • It opened in 1978.
    • Boardwalk Pipeline Partners headquarters
    • Humana Health Plan of Texas
    • United States headquarters of Mitsui Oil Exploration Co. (Suite 1220)
    • The building once served as the headquarters of the Coastal Corporation.
  • Eleven Greenway Plaza – formerly the Summit Tower
    • It opened in 1979.
    • Camden Property Trust
    • Invesco
    • PBK Architects
    • Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, an office of the Republic of China, is in Suite 2006. In 2007 Crescent honored the consulate's information division as a tenant that had occupied a suite in Greenway Plaza for 20–29 years.
      RepublicofChinaEconomicCulturalOfficeHouston
      Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston at Suite 2012 of 11 Greenway Plaza
    • China Airlines previously had its office, then the Houston Sales Office, at Suite 2714 in 11 Greenway, before moving it to 8 Greenway Plaza.
  • Twelve Greenway Plaza – formerly Summit Plaza West
    • Opened in 1981.
    • Direct Energy
    • The Houston Metropolitan Chamber, formerly the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce, is located in Suite 1100
  • 3800 Buffalo Speedway – formerly the Commonwealth United Mortgage Building and the Lifemark Building
    • Opened in 1975.
    • Amerigroup

At one time Delta Air Lines had offices in this building.

Retail tenants

  • 12 Greenway Plaza
  • The Hub at Greenway Plaza (formerly The Shops at Greenway) which first opened in 1973
    • Greenway Coffee
    • Roman Delight
    • Nestlé Toll House Cafe
    • Bango Burgers
    • Alonti Cafe
    • Teppanyaki
    • Texas Chicken
    • Good Eats
    • Village BBQ
    • Village Wraps
    • Cilantro's
    • Plaza Jewelers
    • River Oaks Flower House
    • Greenway Newsstand & Convenience Store
    • Energy One Credit Union

Prior to January 1, 2008, Landmark Theatres operated the Landmark Greenway, an "arthouse" theater inside 5 Greenway. Landmark's lease expired and the Greenway Plaza did not renew the lease. December 31, 2007 was the final day of operation for the theater. As of 2016 it will be replaced by a fitness area.

At one time the building housed Rao's Maremma Ristorante.

Other buildings

  • Doubletree Hotel (6 Greenway) – Previously the Stouffer Hotel and the Renaissance Hotel – Opened 1972
  • The Central Plant (7 Greenway)
  • Tony's Restaurant (13 Greenway) – Established by Tony Vallone, in 2006 it moved from Uptown Houston to Greenway and renewed its lease around 2016, staying for another 10-year period
  • 14 Greenway and 15 Greenway – formerly the Plaza Condominiums – Opened 1980 (14 Greenway) and 1981 (15 Greenway)
    • The condominiums are assigned to schools in the Houston Independent School District: Poe Elementary School, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School. It was previously zoned to Will Rogers Elementary School.
  • Lakewood Church Central Campus – formerly the Summit and the Compaq Center – Opened 1975

Gallery

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