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​​​​SAN ANTONIO - Google Fiber Texas LLC is drastically reducing the number of fiber huts it plans to build in San Antonio as part of the gigabit speed network in 2017.

The subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) initially pitched San Antonio city leaders a master plan with 40 fiber huts but has scaled that number back to only 17 fiber huts.

The company claims that new technological advances have increased the number of homes each hut can service. They did not, however, divulge how many more homes and businesses could be reached with the new technology.

The initial plan would have equated to 840,000 customers in San Antonio having access to gigabit speed service. 

At 17 huts, the market would potentially be reduced to a maximum of 340,000 buildings. 

​​See San Antonio Industrial Market Research for quarterly data.

​HOUSTON - An Afton Oaks luxury apartment complex is ready for move-in.

Post Properties Inc. plans to open Post at Afton Oaks, at 3131 W. Loop South, starting October 1, according to a release. 

It's the company's third Houston-area development.

The complex offers one- and two-bedroom apartments, and rents start around $1,200 a month.

Residents have access to a pool, a 2,000-sf fitness center and an outdoor area with a fireplace. A dog washing station is available for residents with pets.

Post touts the apartment's location: Situated just north of Richmond Ave. and just inside the 610 Loop, it's near Houston's Galleria mall, Memorial Park and the River Oaks neighborhood.

​See free data and reports in Houston's Multifamily Market Research!

​​HOUSTON - Don't miss all the fun happening in Houston this fall. Below is just a smidgen of 'what's up'?

Be sure to check out this map from DowntownHouston.org to see exciting activities happening all around the city!

​NEW CANEY - After setbacks and delays, a water park, an RV park and a kart-racing track are under construction at Grand Texas—a 632-acre amusement park development in New Caney at the intersection of Hwy. 59 and Hwy. 242.

Speedsportz Racing Park and Grand Texas RV Resort are projected to be complete this fall after heavy spring rain and infrastructure construction delayed the projected summer completion.

Big Rivers, the water park within Grand Texas, is on track to open by spring 2017. 

Once Big Rivers is complete, construction will begin on Grand Texas’ namesake-bearing 200-acre amusement park.

The Grand Texas Theme Park will feature five roller coasters, dozens of rides and an emphasis on live entertainment.

The theme park will be about the same size as Six Flags AstroWorld —a 57-acre theme park that was located in southwest Houston until it closed in 2005.

The park will continue to expand after opening in 2020.

In addition, Grand Texas will feature a factory outlet mall, a sportsplex that includes ten multiuse sports fields, four hotels and 450,000 sf of retail and dining in the Downtown Texas section upon completion.

​See what other retail developments are happening in Houston's Retail Market Research.

​DALLAS - Liberty Property Trust has acquired 88 acres of land situated within Mountain Creek Business Park.

​Cut to the chase ... See Industrial​ in DFW Market Research​. 

​​​SPRING | KLEIN AREA - The latest housing market data has been released by Janice Chretien, Vice President/Brand Manager, Coldwell Banker United​.

Read the full story on page 41 in the Spring | Klein Edition of Community Impact Newspaper​.​

​​HOUSTON - Nitya Capital, a Houston multifamily firm, purchased a 235-unit Class B multifamily community near the Astrodome.

The project, called The Broadmead, located at 2801 Broadmead Dr., is 95 percent leased.

Houston’s Class B multifamily market, which is 95.5 occupied, is attracting significant interest from investors, says JLL’s Chip Nash.

“Houston’s Class B multifamily market remains strong despite economic headwinds,” said Nash.

“Class B properties, like the Broadmead, are consistently occupied by a large segment of the population, presenting buyers with a solid investment and promising value-add opportunity.”

​Visit Houston's Multifamily Market Research to see in-depth data and reports on the market.

​​HOUSTON - The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is receiving $4 billion in improvement projects over the next decade, said Jarrett Simmons, assistant director of aviation, capital projects and planning.

The plans include makeovers for four terminals—including an international terminal—120 new restaurants and stores and more than 2,000 new parking spaces.

“This process started about six-eight months ago and will go on for the next 12 months because it takes a lot to build out the restaurants and stores,” Simmons said.

Construction on the $244 million renovation of domestic Terminal C is projected to be complete in March.

The project includes a facility that is 100,000 sf larger than the previous Terminal C, according to United Airlines. 

The remodel is a joint project between the Houston Airport System, the City of Houston and United.

Construction on the $1.5 billion Mickey Leland International Terminal, which will replace Terminal D, is expected to begin before the end of 2017.

The planned terminal will take up 780,000 sf.

Once Terminal C and the Leland International Terminal are completed, the airport will shift its focus to Terminals A and B.

The projects are necessary for IAH on the heels of rapid growth. The international airport had 42 million travelers come through in 2015—a 2 million increase from 2014.

Meanwhile, the number of travelers has grown by 1 percent in 2016, despite a decline in business travelers due to the oil and gas industry down-turn.

The success of IAH has been a source of demand for undeveloped land in Humble, according to developers and city officials.

​​FORT WORTH - Texas Health Resources will reopen the former Forest Park Medical Center as a hospital specializing in orthopedic procedures such as joint replacement and rehabilitation.

Searching for more Medical​? Head to Dallas-Fort Worth Market Research​!

​​HOUSTON - Harris County Commissioners voted to move forward with a major renovation project that could keep the Astrodome from being demolished for years to come.

The $10.5 million approved the first piece of a $105 million project that would raise the floor of the Astrodome two levels and put 1,400 parking spaces underneath.

County officials believe that would make the Dome suitable for festivals or conferences and usher in potential commercial uses in the more than 550,000 sf that surrounds the core.

The stadium, which was home to the Oilers and Astros and hosted countless major sporting events, including four of boxing great Muhammad Ali's fights, has sat vacant since being declared unfit for occupancy in 2009.

In 2005, it housed refugees of Hurricane Katrina.

The Astrodome has not housed a professional sports team since the Astros moved to Minute Maid Park in 2000. Two years later, NRG Stadium opened nearby to serve as the home of the NFL's Texans.

About one-third of the $105 million project, or roughly $35 million, would come from the county's general fund, made up largely of property tax revenue.

Another third would come from hotel taxes, with the remaining third coming from county parking revenues.

The general fund component, around $30 million, is roughly equivalent to the amount the county estimates it would cost to demolish the Dome. In other words, money the county would have to spend even if it wanted to get rid of the facility.

Currently, the Dome costs close to $170,000 a year to maintain, county budget officials have said.

​​​HOUSTON - A Saudi Arabian shipping company is opening a Houston office as it looks to grow its North American operations.

Bahri expects to open its Houston office before the end of the year, said Steven Blowers, U.S. country manager for Bahri General Cargo.

Blowers said the around 3,000-sf Houston office will employ about eight people, and will be located in the Granite Briarpark Green building in the Westchase District at 3141 Briarpark Dr.

Currently, the company’s only other U.S. office is in Baltimore with about 34 people.

“We’re expanding the Bahri brand in North America,” Blowers said. “Both the Baltimore and Houston ports are major gateways for us.”

The Houston office will also oversee the company’s sales and marketing operations in Mexico.

Blowers said the company is focused on the Houston office expansion, and isn’t planning another office location in North America at the moment. 

The firm started as a general cargo transporter, but it has since spread its services to other sectors, including energy.

​See the latest data at Houston's Office Market Research.

​​CARROLLTON - Elephant Insurance Services leased 22,673 sf at 4120 International Pkwy. in the International Business Park in Carrollton.

The 89,542-sf office building delivered in 2001 in the Upper Tollway/West Plano submarket of Dallas/Fort Worth.

Tenants leasing space in the building include Securus Technologies and Real Page Inc., according to CoStar information.

​Go to DFW's Office Market Research to see a whole 'zoo' of free data.

​​​DALLAS – ​Liberty Property Trust ​​has acquired 88 acres within Mountain Creek Business Park with plans to build two distribution buildings.

The first is a 752,760-sf, Class A facility that will go up on 55 acres. The second is a 460,620-sf, Class A cross-dock building on 32 acres.

The 410-acre, master-planned Mountain Creek Business Park is at Mountain Creek Pkwy. and I-20.

JLL wo​rked on behalf of Liberty.

​GARLAND – ​​The city has approved plans for the development of Garland Logistics Center, a new 494,000-sf logistics hub at 3600 Leon Rd.

IDI Gazeley will construct the facility on 29 acres just off I-635. The site is one of the last undeveloped parcels zoned for industrial in the city.

Brookfield Property Partners wil​l manage the $20 million project.

​​​MIDLOTHIAN - The Dallas Economic Development Guide includes facts about Midlothian’s workforce, access to transportation and resources for industrial growth and we want to share it with you! ​

EDINBURG - More than $166 million worth of construction has been approved this year, according to monthly figures from the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.

That's almost twice as much compared to the same time frame last year.

A majority of the reported construction took place in the residential sector, making up 60 percent of the total value of the permits issued. 

New homes account for more than $41.8 million, while multifamily residences total about $58.7 million.

Commercial construction is also on the rise, with $32 million invested in new commercial property and $23 million in improvements to existing properties.

First Hartford Realty Corporation​​—the developer for the Shoppes at Rio Grande Valley at the corner of Trenton and U.S. Hwy. 281—has been developing the area for about ten years. It currently occupies 450,000 sf, with plans to expand to more than 1 million sf.

Higgins credits their growth in part to the city's other surrounding developments, including the two sport arenas currently under construction and the two nearby movie theaters, one of which will soon feature the Rio Grande Valley's first IMAX screen.​​​​

​WACO - Waco city planners are scrambling to catch up with Waco’s hottest cottage industry: online vacation rentals.​

​PEARLAND - International biotechnology giant Lonza plans to add an additional 150,000 sf at its 100,000-sf Pearland facility after it inked a long-term commercial agreement with a Boston-area biotech firm.

Lonza Houston Inc., which is the local branch of Switzerland-based Lonza Group Ltd., began construction on its facility in the Lower Kirby district in March.

The initial phase of the clinical manufacturing and R&D facility is expected to open in late 2017, according to a statement from the Pearland Economic Development Corp.

However, Lonza plans to begin construction immediately on the second phase: a 150,000-sf building that includes offices, laboratories and manufacturing space.

Additionally, the new facility gives Lonza the capability to double the production of its current viral gene and cell therapeutics it produces for its customers.

The expansion comes on the heels of a June nine agreement between Lonza Houston and Bluebird Bio Inc. to manufacture Bluebird's Lenti-D and LentiGlobin products.

Bluebird Bio is a gene therapy company that focuses on cancer and a broad range of other diseases, according to its website.

​​CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS - ​Cy-Fair Community Impact Newspaper has released retail data for second quarter 2016. 

And there's a lot more than the chart below, so check out the link!

​​Community Impact Newspaper Houston​/CyFair.

​​​​​​​​LAREDO - The Khaledi group broke ground on a 74-acre residential and commercial development, dubbed “The Loop,” in northeast Laredo.

The Loop boasts 240 three-​ and four-and-a-half bedroom homes providing over 1,600 sf of living space with multiple car garages.

Fourteen acres of commercial development—“The Shops at The Loop”—will include over 100,000 sf of retail shops and restaurants.

The Loop is situated along Bob Bullock Loop with direct access to one of the city’s primary traffic ways.

This project is one of several residential and commercial projects currently under development by The Khaledi Group and brothers Ross and Shahram Khaledi.