Another major company is calling Memorial City home: MetroNational is breaking ground this month on Air Liquide Center, two office buildings that will house the firm’s American HQ. MetroNational EVP Randy Nerren (here with director of office leasing John Green) tells us Air Liquide chose Memorial City in a lengthy process because of its access to I-10 and Beltway 8 and walkable amenities (including the Hotel Zaza in the works). The two structures include a 12-story tower that will be completed in May ’15 and a 20-story one that will open the following November. Both are pre-certified LEED Silver and will connect to the rest of Memorial City through skywalks. (So if you use those, it will make you a... Skywalker.)

Randy says the 20-story tower will total 452k SF and is MetroNational’s first podium-style building in Memorial City. It was designed by Morris Architects and will also feature ground-floor retail. AirLiquide will initially occupy 155k SF, with option to expand. The 145k SF, 12-story building next door will satisfy Air Liquide’s need for some space with larger footprint—two the floors will have giant 33k SF floorplates. Air Liquide will occupy 67k SF there. Gensler is designing this building and the interiors of both. Randy tells us other companies have already inquired about taking some of the remaining space in both buildings. CBRE’s Doug Elliott repped Air Liquide.