Atlanta-based real estate investment trust Cousins Properties recently announced the signing of a lease renewal and expansion at its BriarLake Plaza property in Houston: Locally based oil and gas company Apache Corporation signed an early renewal of its office lease at BriarLake, as well as a significant expansion of its footprint at the property. Apache will be relocating and consolidating its Houston headquarters operations from the Galleria in uptown Houston to the West Houston submarket.

In 2016, Apache joined in the contraction trend that swept the energy industry corporate sector in Houston by putting its West Houston office space at One BriarLake Plaza on the sublease market. At that time, Apache consolidated its operations at 2000 Post Oak in the Galleria area, where it has been located for more than 30 years. The corporation’s expiring Galleria lease included 525,000 square feet of office space.

“We are excited to move our corporate headquarters to BriarLake Plaza,” said Mark Maddox, Apache Corporation’s senior vice president of administration. “The customized space we will build out at BriarLake will facilitate employee connection, reduce drive times for the majority of our employees and enhance the employee workplace experience. Once complete, the new Apache office will feature a variety of collaboration spaces, state-of-the-art technology and numerous employee amenities.”

Apache signed an early lease renewal for the 210,000 square feet of office space it had been leasing at BriarLake since 2010. Plus, the corporation has also expanded its footprint in the building by adding another 118,000 square feet. The new lease — which now incorporates a total of 328,000 square feet — will expire in 2038. Apache expects to finalize its relocation by early 2024.

The BriarLake property is located within the Memorial Corridor of West Houston and includes two office towers that amount to a combined total of more than 830,000 square feet of LEED-certified, Class A office space:

  • One BriarLake plaza was completed in 2000, rises 20 stories and encompasses roughly 502,000 square feet of LEED Gold-certified office space. This multi-tenant property includes a multi-level parking structure with more than 2,060 spaces and also features 10 passenger elevators. It also boasts 26,000-square-foot floorplates.
One BriarLake Plaza at 2000 West Sam Houston Pkwy South in West Houston. Property image courtesy of CommercialEdge.
  • Two BriarLake Plaza was added in 2014; is 19 stories tall; and incorporates about 333,000 square feet of LEED Silver-certified, rentable office space. The mid-rise tower at 2050 West Sam Houston Parkway South offers slightly larger floorplates of 27,600 square feet and also accommodates multiple tenants. Amenities in the building include a fitness center and a multi-level parking structure with more than 970 spaces.
Two BriarLake Plaza at 2050 West Sam Houston Pkwy South in West Houston. Property image courtesy of CommercialEdge.

“We are pleased to welcome Apache Corporation, a Fortune 500 oil and gas exploration and production company, to BriarLake Plaza,” said Colin Connolly, president and chief executive officer of Cousins Properties. “This corporate headquarters relocation highlights the importance of premier workplaces in fostering employee collaboration and enhancing company culture.”

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