Fluor expands Energy Corridor presence
Engineering and construction giant Fluor recently signed another lease in the Energy Corridor, expanding its West Houston space ahead of its move from Sugar Land after 40 years in the southwest suburb.
Fluor in late December signed a lease for 104,677 square feet at Two Eldridge, a 14-story Class A office building at 757 N Eldridge Parkway. The expansion gives Fluor 412, 853 square feet in Granite Properties’ Eldridge office complex.
“Fluor’s projected growth, both locally and globally, has continued to increase as a result of significant new project awards, beyond what was originally envisioned when we started investigating options for our relocation,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.
The firm’s Houston headcount grew by 450 last year to 1,600. The company is trying to hire 350 more employees in Houston, the spokesperson said.
About 85% of Fluor’s employees work in the office, about 5% work remotely and 10% have a hybrid work arrangement, the company said.
The Irving-based company said it plans to move to the Energy Corridor after its lease at a Sugar Land office complex near Highway 6 and Highway 59 expires at the end of June. Planned Community Development said it plans to convert the 1.2 million-square-foot campus into a waterfront mixed-use project.
Fluor opted to move in part because it couldn’t find a modern office space with the square footage it needed in Sugar Land, Fluor’s Houston General Manager Jennifer Kim told the Chronicle last spring. Relocating also puts Fluor’s energy solutions business closer to its clients and makes it easier to attract and retain top talent from nearby engineering firms, the company said.
Fluor’s lease rounds out a strong year for the Energy Corridor and West Houston.
Through October, the Energy Corridor made up 26% of all Houston office lease deals greater than 10,000 square feet, according to real estate firm Avison Young.
“The Energy Corridor is having a major resurgence, and Eldridge is at the heart. Companies want to be close to where their employees live to shorten commute times and be close to their clients as well,” said Scott Martin, executive managing director of Granite Properties, which bought the Eldridge complex in 2019.
Fluor will take five floors of Two Eldridge, adding to the 308,186 square feet it leases at Three Eldridge. Fluor has the option to put its name atop both buildings.
The office complex is now 95% leased, according to Granite.