Transwestern Breaks Ground On Second Phase Of The RO
Transwestern has kicked off more components of The RO, a 17-acre mixed-use development at West Alabama Street and Buffalo Speedway, as its office building nears completion.
The first phase of the development is a 145K SF, fully preleased office building slated for tenant occupancy in June. The next phase has a luxury hotel/residential building, a multifamily complex and retail buildings, all scheduled for a late 2027 completion, according to a news release.
The Birdsall, Auberge Collection will have 44 private residences above a 105-room luxury hotel. Houston is a “particularly meaningful city” selected for Auberge Collection's strategic expansion, Dan Friedkin said in a statement. Auberge’s parent company, The Friedkin Group, is based in Houston.
The 34-story tower designed by Kohn Pederson Fox will have resident-only amenities including a covered, open-air swimming pool, outdoor entertainment areas, a game room and fitness facilities. The Birdsall will also have an Auberge restaurant, event spaces, a private members club and other dining and social spaces.
Retail Village, the retail component designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, will be “a series of small buildings set within lush landscaping,” including oak trees original to the site. The RO will have 80K SF of restaurants and boutique retail.
Response from restaurants and retailers has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Transwestern regional partner Sean Suffel said in the news release. Transwestern anticipates announcing initial tenancy early next year.
The Clayton will be a 317-unit residential tower designed by Pickard Chilton, which also designed The RO’s office building. Transwestern hasn’t disclosed the office’s tenant, though CoStar reported it to be Vitol Inc., a global commodities trading company.
Transwestern and Spear Street Capital bought the site at 3120 Buffalo Speedway in 2017. It had housed an Exxon research facility until the company relocated to Spring. Transwestern later bought out Spear Street.
The Birdsall was capitalized by Transwestern and private investors with a construction loan from Madison Realty Capital. Retail Village has been funded by Transwestern and private investor partners, with a construction loan from Citizens Bank and Amegy Bank.
The Clayton was capitalized by Transwestern in partnership with Nomura Real Estate Asset Management, with a construction loan from Citizens Bank, Amegy Bank and Texas Capital Bank.
