22-02-2012 17:39 Builders personal vacation home. Here is a property we bought on Grand Lake, OK after it sustained massive damage from a tornado. We removed the roof and trusses and installed engineered beams to support a 2nd story addition. This also allowed us to remove the lower level interior walls to open up the living space. The home was completed with high end finishes including granite countertops, chiseled edge travertine floors, glass tile backsplash and stainless appliances. A 600 sqft deck has expansive views of the main lake. This is the before video taken in July 2011. Look for our other video of the finished project as well as before, during and completed photos. We also have renovated homes for sale in and around the Tulsa area. http://www.epicflip.com

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LAKEVIEW BEGINNING - Video

Updated Feb 23, 2012 1:30 AM ET

NEW YORK (AP)

Not much heat from the Hawks for Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks. That's likely to change Thursday night when it's Lin vs. LeBron in Miami.

Lin had 17 points and nine assists, sitting out most of the fourth quarter in a rare easy game during his remarkable run, and the Knicks tuned up for their trip by beating Atlanta 99-82 on Wednesday.

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points in his second game back from injury for the Knicks, who led the depleted Hawks by 25 points at halftime. New York bounced back from a loss to New Jersey on Monday and won for the ninth time in 11 games since Lin joined the rotation.

The Knicks visit Miami on Thursday in their final game before the All-Star break, and Lin's emergence has the Heat's attention.

''It's going to be a lot of, a lot of anticipation about this game,'' Anthony said. ''We're going down there to win. Miami is playing great basketball right now. One of the hottest teams, if not the hottest team in the NBA.

''It'll be a great game.''

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and teammates have been asked repeatedly in recent days about the ex-Harvard guard, and coach Mike D'Antoni was told the word out of Miami is the Heat will be waiting for the Knicks' back-to-back Sports Illustrated cover boy.

''At the airport?'' he joked.

Not quite. But whatever they do will provide more resistance than the Hawks, who trailed by as many as 30.

Jeff Teague scored 18 points for the Hawks. They played without All-Star guard Joe Johnson, who left their loss at Chicago on Monday with a sore left knee and had to pull out of Sunday's game in Orlando, and have lost three straight and five of six.

''Coming into this game, being as depleted as we were, I still was hoping we could come out and just put together four solid quarters. We just didn't do that,'' Hawks coach Larry Drew said.

The Knicks shot 52 percent in the first half, scored 30 points in both periods, and led 60-35 at the break.

''We are professionals. They just came out and they attacked us,'' Teague said. ''That's all I can really say.''

The Knicks lost their focus briefly midway through the third before pulling away again to lead 78-56 heading into the fourth. Lin watched the first 6-plus minutes of the final period before D'Antoni curiously put him back in leading by 20 with 5:13 left. Lin still played only 33 minutes after he logged at least 36 in all but one of the previous 10 games.

He'll likely need to do more against the Heat, who have won seven in a row and have the NBA's best record at 26-7.

The Heat have been the NBA's biggest story since building their Big Three in 2010, but even they've been playing in Lin's shadow the last two weeks. That will change Thursday in a nationally televised game that James said could be ''one of the most watched games we've had in a long time, especially with what Jeremy Lin is doing.''

But Lin isn't getting caught up in the hype.

''I think for us, we want to make sure what we're thinking about is we want to build momentum going into the All-Star break and we want to make a push after the All-Star break. And I think this is a good opportunity to build momentum,'' he said.

''It's a big game, don't get me wrong. We're playing a great team, and it's going to be a good evaluation of where we're at. So from that end obviously we're excited and ready for the challenge. But besides that, we're just going try to stay consistent.''

The game against Atlanta came on the one-year anniversary of the Knicks' acquisition of Anthony from Denver in a blockbuster trade that cost them four of their top six players. The results have been underwhelming — 14-14 last season and 17-17 this season, and D'Antoni acknowledged the high price the Knicks paid for the All-Star forward ''depleted a lot of things.''

However, he said they've built their depth back, and the potential was obvious in the first half, when all nine players who played scored.

New additions Baron Davis and J.R. Smith could be an explosive second-team backcourt, and teamed up on a pretty alley-oop that Smith dropped in with his back to the hoop. Steve Novak is the 3-point specialist needed to space the floor so Lin and Anthony have room to drive into the lane.

''The things are developing and we'll get our guys, everybody up to par, and if that happens then we should be fairly good,'' D'Antoni said.

Novak made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points. Landry Fields had 16, and Smith finished with 12. Davis had six assists in 14 minutes.

Notes: Drew was disappointed that Josh Smith was passed over in favor of Boston's Rajon Rondo when Commissioner David Stern chose the injury replacement for Johnson. Smith averages 16 points and 9.6 rebounds, is top 15 in the league in blocks, rebounds and steals, and was already considered perhaps the biggest snub when reserves were chosen. ''I really thought that he would get the invite once word was that Joe wouldn't be able to play,'' Drew said. ''I mean, you look at Josh's numbers, he has good numbers. His numbers are good enough to be where he should be an All-Star. Why he didn't make it, I don't know.'' ... Knicks assistant Mike Woodson was the Hawks' head coach from 2004-10. ... Lansdowne Road, an Irish pub in the Hell's Kitchen section of New York, announced it was changing its name to LINsdowne Road

Continued here:
Knicks roll in advance of Heat showdown

By now the Jeremy Lin story is a secret to no one. First there were the nicknames: Linsanity, "All I Do Is Lin," Lincredible, ESP-LIN—the list could go on for an entire story it seems.

Then there were the questions about Lin fitting in with the stars on the New York Knicks that were out when he made his debut. Would he fit with Amar'e Stoudemire? Will Carmelo Anthony mess up the chemistry? What will Baron Davis' role be when he comes back?

Most of these questions are usually formed by the media and are of little concern to those who are actually playing the game. After all, 75 percent of those asking the questions have never played organized basketball and 95 percent have never played at a high level like collegiate or professional level (yes, I've played at both). But Lin and the Knicks have put those questions to rest and now need to just gain trust and better chemistry.

The return of Carmelo to the lineup and the free-agent signing of J.R. Smith will only help put Lin and the Knicks in position to contend for the Eastern Conference championship—if not this year then next year.

Not only will these additions take pressure off of Lin and allow him more freedom to be a pure point guard, but he will become a more efficient point guard, and be named to the 2013 All-Star team for sure. If you are uncertain about this assertion and think it may be jumping ahead too far too fast, consider the following reasons before making your decision.

1. Having Better Players Around Him Actually Makes It Easier to Score

Lin started his run by averaging more than 20 points a game. That's an incredible way to burst onto the scene, especially when the next team you face knows that you are the first, second and fourth option on the court. Insert Amar'e and Smith and you add an inside/outside threat which opens shooting lanes for Lin.

Now add Anthony to the mix. Carmelo now slides back over to fill the scorer role. When he doesn't have to be a playmaker like he was trying to do before Lin came, he is without a doubt one of the top five scorers in the NBA. This will allow Lin to spot up and be the receiver of passes from 'Melo, Stoudemire or Smith.

2. Lin's Turnovers Will Greatly Diminish, Giving Him into the Elite Point Guard Status

One of the few flaws in Lin's stat line is his high turnover rate, or assist-to-turnover ratio. This is the major stat line when measuring a point guard.

His turnovers are credited to a few things that have already changed. He is the primary ball-handler. Now that Anthony and Davis are back, he can play off the ball at times and teams cannot double-team him off of pick-and-roll situations.

The abundance of shooters on the court allows for better driving lanes to the basket. This will ultimately cause for defenders to have to slide over and help, leaving wider passing lanes for him. Wider passing lanes equal a smaller amount of turnovers.

Lin has a high basketball I.Q. and with more games, practices, reps and film study, he will learn the habits of teams and other guards he will face. Familiarity with a defense causes fewer turnovers. Also, now that he is the established starter, the offseason will allow him to focus on his weaknesses, like going left just as strongly as he does when he goes right, instead of focusing on trying out for the next team.

Which eastern conference point guard do you enjoy watching play the most?? Which eastern conference point guard do you enjoy watching play the most?? Derek Rose Jeremy Lin Deron Williams Rajon Rondo Jameer Nelson Total votes: 130

3. The Team's Success Will Gain Votes

It's no secret that if there are two players that are playing at almost the same level, and their stats are comparable as is their popularity, the difference-maker is often the team's success. Right now the top point guards in the East are Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets and Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics. Rose is the reigning NBA MVP and the Bulls will seemingly be one of the top teams in the East for the foreseeable future.

Williams will be a free agent at year's end and it's uncertain if he'll remain with the Nets, who will be in Brooklyn next year. If he stays, he may lose the popularity vote to Lin and unless the Nets make drastic changes to their roster, expect the Knicks to have a much better record.

Rondo is in a similar situation as Williams. The Celtics are on their last legs. The elder team is not expected to be in tact as it currently is next season. Rondo was the subject of many trade rumors this past offseason, so it's almost certain that the rumor mill will once again begin spinning with his name in the midst of it in the offseason. The future of Rondo and the Celtics roster is very unstable and uncertain, so right now, with Lin's stability on the Knicks quickly cementing, Lin has the advantage on Rondo as well.

4. Lin Will Get the Votes Yao Ming Once Got

Although they are from different countries, Yao received votes from many Asian countries as fans vote via the Internet. Lin has appeal from not only the Asian countries, but here in the United States as well. He is the perfect feel-good, anyone-can-make-it story. He is also widely popular in Europe as well. His jersey sales are a telling sign, if nothing else.

The first week that Lin burst onto the sports world, he had the highest-selling jersey and still does since then.

He's gotten so popular he had to make a plea to the Taiwanese press to give his family some space. They were so sought after that they couldn't even go to work.

Personally, I am not surprised about this kid of Taiwanese and Chinese descent making it in the NBA and having the skill set that he does. Watching Lin does give that feeling that with hard work on your craft or passion and perseverance with that craft, you just may get that opportunity to showcase that talent. Just realize that opportunity may only come once.

When it does, don't just attempt to get "a foot in the door"; take a page from the Jeremy Lin story and blow the hinges off the door.

Go here to see the original:
Jeremy Lin: 4 Reasons the New York Knicks PG Will Be an NBA All-Star Next Season

Jeremy Lin had an easy night ahead of his toughest opponent yet, and the New York Knicks tuned up for their trip to Miami by beating the Atlanta Hawks 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Lin had 17 points and nine assists, sitting out most of the fourth quarter in a rare game during his remarkable run that the Knicks needed little from him.

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points in his second game back from injury for the Knicks, who led the depleted Hawks by 25 points at halftime. New York bounced back from a loss to New Jersey on Monday and won for the ninth time in 11 games since Lin joined the rotation.

They visit Miami on Thursday in their final game before the All-Star break, and Lin's emergence has the Heat's attention.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and teammates have been asked repeatedly in recent days about the ex-Harvard guard, and coach Mike D'Antoni was told the word out of Miami is the NBA's hottest team will be waiting for the Knicks' back-to-back Sports Illustrated cover boy.

"At the airport?" he joked.

Not quite. But whatever they do will provide more resistance than the Hawks, who trailed by as many as 30.

Jeff Teague scored 16 points for the Hawks. They played without All-Star guard Joe Johnson, who left their loss at Chicago on Monday with a sore left knee and had to pull out of Sunday's game in Orlando, and have lost three straight and five of six.

The Knicks shot 52 percent in the first half, scored 30 points in both periods, and led 60-35 at the break.

They lost their focus briefly midway through the third before pulling away again to lead 78-56 heading into the fourth. Lin watched the first 6-plus minutes of the final period before D'Antoni curiously put him back in leading by 20 with 5:13 left. Lin still played only 33 minutes after he logged at least 36 in all but one of the previous 10 games.

He'll likely need to do more against the Heat, who have won seven in a row and have the NBA's best record at 26-7.

The Heat have been the NBA's biggest story since building their Big Three in 2010, but even they've been flying under Lin's radar in the last two weeks. That will change Thursday in a nationally televised game that James said could be "one of the most watched games we've had in a long time, especially with what Jeremy Lin is doing."

The game against Atlanta came on the one-year anniversary of the Knicks' acquisition of Anthony from Denver in a blockbuster trade that cost them four of their top six players. The results have been underwhelming — 14-14 last season and 17-17 this season, and D'Antoni acknowledged the high price the Knicks paid for the All-Star forward "depleted a lot of things."

However, he said they've built their depth back, and the potential was obvious in the first half, when all nine players who played scored.

New additions Baron Davis and J.R. Smith could be an explosive second-team backcourt, and teamed up on a pretty alley-oop that Smith dropped in with his back to the hoop. Steve Novak is the 3-point specialist needed to space the floor so Lin and Anthony have room to drive into the lane.

Novak scored 17 points, Landry Fields had 16, and Smith finished with 12.

See the original post here:
Lin leads Knicks to another victory

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jeremy Lin had an easy night ahead of his toughest opponent yet, and the New York Knicks tuned up for their trip to Miami by beating the Atlanta Hawks 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Lin had 17 points and nine assists, sitting out most of the fourth quarter in a rare game during his remarkable run that the Knicks needed little from him.

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points in his second game back from injury for the Knicks, who led the depleted Hawks by 25 points at halftime. New York bounced back from a loss to New Jersey on Monday and won for the ninth time in 11 games since Lin joined the rotation.

They visit Miami on Thursday in their final game before the All-Star break, and Lin's emergence has the Heat's attention.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and teammates have been asked repeatedly in recent days about the ex-Harvard guard, and coach Mike D'Antoni was told the word out of Miami is the NBA's hottest team will be waiting for the Knicks' back-to-back Sports Illustrated cover boy.

"At the airport?" he joked.

Not quite. But whatever they do will provide more resistance than the Hawks, who trailed by as many as 30.

Jeff Teague scored 18 points for the Hawks. They played without All-Star guard Joe Johnson, who left their loss at Chicago on Monday with a sore left knee and had to pull out of Sunday's game in Orlando, and have lost three straight and five of six.

The Knicks shot 52 percent in the first half, scored 30 points in both periods, and led 60-35 at the break.

They lost their focus briefly midway through the third before pulling away again to lead 78-56 heading into the fourth. Lin watched the first 6-plus minutes of the final period before D'Antoni curiously put him back in leading by 20 with 5:13 left. Lin still played only 33 minutes after he logged at least 36 in all but one of the previous 10 games.

He'll likely need to do more against the Heat, who have won seven in a row and have the NBA's best record at 26-7.

The Heat have been the NBA's biggest story since building their Big Three in 2010, but even they've been flying under Lin's radar in the last two weeks. That will change Thursday in a nationally televised game that James said could be "one of the most watched games we've had in a long time, especially with what Jeremy Lin is doing."

The game against Atlanta came on the one-year anniversary of the Knicks' acquisition of Anthony from Denver in a blockbuster trade that cost them four of their top six players. The results have been underwhelming - 14-14 last season and 17-17 this season, and D'Antoni acknowledged the high price the Knicks paid for the All-Star forward "depleted a lot of things."

However, he said they've built their depth back, and the potential was obvious in the first half, when all nine players who played scored.

New additions Baron Davis and J.R. Smith could be an explosive second-team backcourt, and teamed up on a pretty alley-oop that Smith dropped in with his back to the hoop. Steve Novak is the 3-point specialist needed to space the floor so Lin and Anthony have room to drive into the lane.

Novak scored 17 points, Landry Fields had 16, and Smith finished with 12.

Notes: Hawks coach Larry Drew was disappointed that Josh Smith was passed over in favor of Boston's Rajon Rondo when Commissioner David Stern chose the injury replacement for Johnson. Smith averages 16 points and 9.6 rebounds, is top 15 in the league in blocks, rebounds and steals, and was already considered perhaps the biggest snub when reserves were chosen. "I really thought that he would get the invite once word was that Joe wouldn't be able to play," Drew said. "I mean, you look at Josh's numbers, he has good numbers. His numbers are good enough to be where he should be an All-Star. Why he didn't make it, I don't know." ... Knicks assistant Mike Woodson was the Hawks' head coach from 2004-10. ... Lansdowne Road, an Irish pub in the Hell's Kitchen section of New York, announced it was changing its name to LINsdowne Road

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Lin has 17 as Knicks smoke shorthanded Hawks

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jeremy Lin had an easy night ahead of his toughest opponent yet, and the New York Knicks tuned up for their trip to Miami by beating the Atlanta Hawks 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Lin had 17 points and nine assists, sitting out most of the fourth quarter in a rare game during his remarkable run that the Knicks needed little from him.

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points in his second game back from injury for the Knicks, who led the depleted Hawks by 25 points at halftime. New York bounced back from a loss to New Jersey on Monday and won for the ninth time in 11 games since Lin joined the rotation.

They visit Miami on Thursday in their final game before the All-Star break, and Lin's emergence has the Heat's attention.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and teammates have been asked repeatedly in recent days about the ex-Harvard guard, and coach Mike D'Antoni was told the word out of Miami is the NBA's hottest team will be waiting for the Knicks' back-to-back Sports Illustrated cover boy.

"At the airport?" he joked.

Not quite. But whatever they do will provide more resistance than the Hawks, who trailed by as many as 30.

Jeff Teague scored 18 points for the Hawks. They played without All-Star guard Joe Johnson, who left their loss at Chicago on Monday with a sore left knee and had to pull out of Sunday's game in Orlando, and have lost three straight and five of six.

The Knicks shot 52 percent in the first half, scored 30 points in both periods, and led 60-35 at the break.

They lost their focus briefly midway through the third before pulling away again to lead 78-56 heading into the fourth. Lin watched the first 6-plus minutes of the final period before D'Antoni curiously put him back in leading by 20 with 5:13 left. Lin still played only 33 minutes after he logged at least 36 in all but one of the previous 10 games.

He'll likely need to do more against the Heat, who have won seven in a row and have the NBA's best record at 26-7.

The Heat have been the NBA's biggest story since building their Big Three in 2010, but even they've been flying under Lin's radar in the last two weeks. That will change Thursday in a nationally televised game that James said could be "one of the most watched games we've had in a long time, especially with what Jeremy Lin is doing."

The game against Atlanta came on the one-year anniversary of the Knicks' acquisition of Anthony from Denver in a blockbuster trade that cost them four of their top six players. The results have been underwhelming - 14-14 last season and 17-17 this season, and D'Antoni acknowledged the high price the Knicks paid for the All-Star forward "depleted a lot of things."

However, he said they've built their depth back, and the potential was obvious in the first half, when all nine players who played scored.

New additions Baron Davis and J.R. Smith could be an explosive second-team backcourt, and teamed up on a pretty alley-oop that Smith dropped in with his back to the hoop. Steve Novak is the 3-point specialist needed to space the floor so Lin and Anthony have room to drive into the lane.

Novak scored 17 points, Landry Fields had 16, and Smith finished with 12.

Notes: Hawks coach Larry Drew was disappointed that Josh Smith was passed over in favor of Boston's Rajon Rondo when Commissioner David Stern chose the injury replacement for Johnson. Smith averages 16 points and 9.6 rebounds, is top 15 in the league in blocks, rebounds and steals, and was already considered perhaps the biggest snub when reserves were chosen. "I really thought that he would get the invite once word was that Joe wouldn't be able to play," Drew said. "I mean, you look at Josh's numbers, he has good numbers. His numbers are good enough to be where he should be an All-Star. Why he didn't make it, I don't know." ... Knicks assistant Mike Woodson was the Hawks' head coach from 2004-10. ... Lansdowne Road, an Irish pub in the Hell's Kitchen section of New York, announced it was changing its name to LINsdowne Road

Read more here:
Knicks make quick work of injury-ridden Hawks

Published: 5:15AM Friday February 24, 2012 Source: ONE News

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes continues today looking into the failure of the Forsyth Barr building during the February 22 earthquake.

It is day two of the hearing, which considers whether the Christchurch office block complied with earthquake-risk requirements.

The site manager for the construction of the building and stuctural engineers who carried out a post-earthquake assessment of the site will today front the hearing.

The Royal Commission heard yesterday how workers in the Forsyth Barr building had become concerned about the stairs after the quake in September.

"It was clear that they had sagged somewhat as the paint on the wall had separated from the stair treads for most of the lengths of the flight," office worker Grant Cameron said.

When the earthquake struck on February 22 the stairs collapsed, leaving workers stranded.

"There was just a gaping hole stretching down the middle of the building with blackness both above and below," Cameron said.

"It was now plain that everybody was now trapped on their respective floors."

The stairs were compressed and failed catastrophically as the built-in 30mm seismic gap - designed to allow movement during quakes - was overwhelmed.

No one was in the stairwell at the time of the quake, but the Commission heard if there had been anyone there, they would have probably been killed.

Despite the concerns of workers the building was given a green sticker and recommended safety checks were never carried out.

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Forsyth Barr stairs under scrutiny

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O’Brien Construction was recently awarded a Build Michigan Award by the Associated General Contractors of Michigan for the transformation of Detroit’s century-old San Telmo Cigar Factory into 5716 Wellness.

Journal Register Newspapers/KATHY BLAKE Tim O’Brien carries the torch of his father’s business, O’Brien Construction of Pontiac.

O’Brien Construction of Pontiac, which is celebrating 50 years as a privately-owned construction firm, was recently awarded a Build Michigan Award by the Associated General Contractors of Michigan. The firm received the award for the transformation of Detroit’s century-old San Telmo Cigar Factory into 5716 Wellness, a landmark health and wellness outreach center. The project, developed by Southwest Housing Solutions, is a step in reinvigorating the city’s struggling Michigan Avenue Corridor.

Already operating to capacity on a daily basis, 5716 Wellness is one of the first models of integrated primary and behavioral health care in Southeast Michigan.

Tim O’Brien, president of O’Brien, remarked that “This is a very deserving project. It is the 26th building that Southwest and O’Brien have worked on together and, like the others, it is having a huge impact in the city.”

Restoring the dilapidated 50,000-square foot structure, originally designed by famed architect Albert Kahn, required extensive gutting of the building’s interior as well as the complete restoration of its unique exposed timber frame and ceilings. As the general contractor, O’Brien Construction worked with Southwest Housing Solutions, as well as each of the six tenant organizations, to accommodate their specific architectural needs and requests while maintaining the historical constraints of the project as outlined by the Detroit Historical Society.

Early photographs of the building were studied to provide accurate architectural details such as the design and sight lines of original windows which had been removed and replaced with concrete block during the building’s long history. O’Brien ensured that no detail was overlooked, including the careful rehabilitation of exterior ornamental brick and limestone.

O’Brien Construction and subcontractors worked weekends and second shifts throughout the project in order to accomplish this massive renovation in less than a year. They did so despite many challenges along the way.

According to Dan Ross, senior project manager for the renovation, “The biggest challenge was to squeeze in as much as Southwest Solutions needed in that building within the given budget.”

Ross explained further, “Funding for these types of projects has gotten much tighter over the last few years and we wanted to stretch their dollar to the max. By doing so, we were able to accommodate the needs of all eight tenant organizations.”

This award is the second for 5716 Wellness. In July, Gov. Rick Snyder recognized the development with the esteemed “Reinventing Michigan Award.”

Previously, O’Brien Construction received the AGC’s 2009 Build America Award for the construction of Gratiot Woods Co-op Apartments as well as a 2007 Build Michigan Award for the historic renovation of Southwest Detroit’s Lithuanian Hall. Continued...

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O’Brien Construction earns building award

NASHVILLE -- Memphis-based Boyle Investment Co. is helping lead a budding construction upturn in the Interstate 65 corridor south of Nashville.

Boyle recently began the area's first speculative office building since 2006, although analysts figure a construction boom is at least a year off.

"There's going to be a breakout, but not this year," Tom Frye, managing director of CB Richard Ellis' Nashville office, told the Nashville Ledger.

Boyle's seven-floor building is part of the company's Meridian development near Cool Springs Mall in Williamson County. The 177,577-square-foot building and neighboring 15,000-square-foot building are both scheduled for summer completion.

"We all felt that if a corporate headquarters wanted to come to Williamson County, there were not any large office blocks available," Boyle spokesman Shelby Larkin said.

"Although it's risky, it's a calculated risk," Larkin added. "We do have some leases signed (and) we feel strongly about the Williamson County economy."

Even though speculative building had cooled off at Cool Springs, companies continue to move there.

Cool Springs and nearby Brentwood reported a vacancy rate of 6.1 percent, according to an end-of-2011 market survey by CB Richard Ellis. Only the West End-Belle Meade area in Nashville has a lower vacancy rate.

Nashville's overall office market, as measured by the firm's survey, had a vacancy rate of 12.7 percent at the end of last year.

Original post:
Boyle bets on Nashville office market

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE:HHC - News) today announced that Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE:WCN - News) has executed a lease for 49,929 square feet at 3 Waterway Square Place, an 11-story, 234,000-square-foot Class A office building to be built in The Woodlands Town Center. In addition, Nexeo Solutions has increased its leased space at 3 Waterway Square Place from 64,046 square feet to 106,710 square feet. 3 Waterway is situated at the corner of Lake Robbins Drive and Woodloch Forest Drive in the heart of The Waterway Square District and was designed by Elkus Manfredi of Boston, MA. The building is slated for completion in early 2013.

“Having the majority of the building leased prior to the start of construction with the caliber of tenants such as Nexeo Solutions and Waste Connections validates our decision to invest in The Woodlands. Our ability to offer our customers the complete package of live, work, play and learn will continue to set us apart from our competitors,” stated Grant Herlitz, President of The Howard Hughes Corporation.

In addition, The Woodlands Development Company (TWDC), a division of The Howard Hughes Corporation, secured a commitment for $43.3 million of financing, led by Texas Capital Bank, for construction of the building. The start of construction is imminent.

Waste Connections, an integrated solid waste services company that provides solid waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling services in mostly exclusive and secondary markets, announced in December that it would be relocating its corporate headquarters to The Woodlands, Texas.

“This location in the heart of The Woodlands Town Center offers our employees an extremely attractive and convenient work environment, close to shopping, dining and entertainment,” said Ronald J. Mittelstaedt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Waste Connections. “The Woodlands also provides an exceptional quality of life, with a wide range of affordable housing, excellent educational opportunities, health care and outdoor recreation. We look forward to becoming an active partner in The Woodlands’ corporate community.”

Nexeo Solutions, LLC is an independent global chemicals, plastics, composites and environmental services distribution company.

3 Waterway Square is situated in the 73-acre Waterway Square District of Town Center, surrounding The Woodlands Waterway®. The District currently has 1.1 million square feet of office space, 148,000 square feet of retail, nearly 500 urban residences and 343 hotel rooms at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, an AAA Four Diamond rated hotel.

As a result of the strong leasing activity at 3 Waterway Square, The Howard Hughes Corporation is exploring opportunities to construct up to three new Class A office buildings and an adjacent parking garage. The proposed development would be constructed on 9.02 acres located immediately west of the McKesson Building.

“Given the strong market activity, we are now ready to begin our next development project and realize the expanding potential of The Woodlands Town Center,” added Herlitz.

Waste Connections, Inc. was represented by Jason Whittington with NAI Houston. Dan Bellow, Beau Bellow and Diana Dunlap of Jones Lang LaSalle represented Nexeo Solutions, LLC. The Woodlands Development Company was represented by Robert S. Parsley and Norman V. Munoz of Colliers International.

For more information about The Woodlands, visit http://www.thewoodlands.com. For more information about Waste Connections visit http://www.wasteconnections.com, and Nexeo Solutions, http://nexeosolutions.com.

ABOUT THE HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATION

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the country. Created from a selected subset of 34 assets previously held by General Growth Properties, the company’s properties include master planned communities, operating properties, development opportunities and other unique assets spanning 18 states from New York to Hawaii. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC, and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. For more information about HHC, visit http://www.howardhughes.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “enables,” “realize” or similar words, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements, including statements regarding construction of new office buildings and leasing activity at The Woodlands. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

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Major Tenants Signed Prior to Construction of 3 Waterway Square Place