For Immediate Release
April 22, 2021
(HOUSTON, TX) — Houston-based Lionstone Investments, a data-driven real estate investment firm, and Midway, a privately owned, fully integrated real estate investment and development firm, today announced that they have achieved Fitwel® certification for GreenStreet, Downtown Houston’s reimagined mixed-used destination. GreenStreet is owned by Lionstone Investments in a joint venture with institutional investors and Midway.
Fitwel is the world’s leading certification system committed to building health for all™. Originally created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. General Services Administration, Fitwel is a rigorous, third-party healthy building certification system operated by the Center for Active Design (CfAD) that sets the industry standard for evidence-based strategies to promote positive health outcomes for building occupants and communities.
GreenStreet is one of only three properties in Houston that is currently Fitwel certified and the first commercial property certified in Texas. Achieving Fitwel Certification for GreenStreet demonstrates the owners’ commitment to advancing the well-being of their employees and communities by implementing design and operational strategies that promote health and wellness.
“We are honored to receive a 1 Star Rating from Fitwel and the prestigious Center for Active Design,” said Chris Seckinger, Vice President, Investment & Development at Midway. “Our community’s wellness, health and sustainability are our top priorities, and we will continue to improve and integrate the best strategies possible to ensure GreenStreet remains an avenue for creativity and culture in Houston.”
As a 1 Star Rated property, GreenStreet scored strongly in the categories dedicated to proximity to area transit, connectivity to the outdoors, and food and beverage offerings for employees and the public alike.
“The safety and health of our partners and tenants is the key driver which directs our recommended actions and certifications at all of our assets,” notes Frank Ortiz, Head of Asset Management at Lionstone Investments. “We know that receiving this certification from the Center for Active Design and Fitwel will create an additional layer of confidence in the high standards for health and well-being associated with both Lionstone and Midway.”
The specific Fitwel criteria incorporated into GreenStreet’s building design include, but are not limited to:
- Selecting a site that is well suited for walkability and access to public transit, and promoting and enhancing those connections through design and operations;
- Enhancing signage and wayfinding guidelines to create a cohesive signage experience for visitors and employees;
- Creation of “The Lawn”, an expansive green space offering year-round programming, redefining how people work and enjoy downtown Houston; and
- Providing access to healthy food at retailers in buildings and at neighborhood restaurants and markets.
“Midway is a force in the healthy building movement, as indicated by the firm’s efforts to enrich the physical and mental well-being of GreenStreet’s occupants, leading it to become the first commercial property in Texas to achieve Fitwel certification,” said Joanna Frank, President and CEO of CfAD. “This achievement also reflects the increasing demand for healthy buildings and demonstrates how commercial property owners are utilizing Fitwel to optimize health and wellness throughout their properties.”
In addition to GreenStreet, The Jones on Main also received recognition from Fitwel as the first multi-tenant property in Houston to receive Fitwel’s 1 Star designation, and the second overall in Texas. The historic landmark building located in downtown Houston is a combination of modern workspaces and innovative retail.
The Jones on Main boasts dedicated lactation rooms for tenants, a green purchasing policy and is in process of creating an outdoor space for tenants with a rooftop patio and restorative garden.
For more information on Fitwel, their certification process and GreenStreet, please visit fitwel.org or www.greenstreetdowntown.com.
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ABOUT GREENSTREET
GreenStreet is the new model of urban lifestyle, in the heart of Houston’s central business district. With its flagship tower and four-city-block span, GreenStreet is a mixed-use district unlike any other downtown. The northern anchor of the emerging innovation corridor, GreenStreet links directly to The Ion, Midtown living, the Museum District, Rice University, and the Texas Medical Center via the METROrail Red Line. GreenStreet’s 420,000 square feet of office space, diamond-level Life Time Athletic and Life Time Work, and AT&T SportsNet broadcast studio are complemented with world-class hospitality with a 223-key luxury boutique hotel, live entertainment at House of Blues, a collection of casual and fine-dining restaurants, and an ever-changing lineup of art installations and free events on The Lawn. Visit GreenStreet at www.greenstreetdowntown.com and follow on social media @greenstreethou.
ABOUT MIDWAY
Houston-based Midway is a privately owned, fully integrated real estate investment and development firm that has provided the highest level of quality, service and value to clients and investors for over 50 years. Midway’s portfolio of projects completed and/or underway consists of more than 45 million square feet of properties ranges from mixed-use destinations to office, industrial facilities, and master-planned residential communities. Midway continues to develop projects of distinction, aesthetic relevance and enduring value for investors, clients, and the people who live, work, and thrive in the environment they create.
ABOUT LIONSTONE INVESTMENTS
Lionstone Investments is a data-analytics driven real estate investment firm that conceptualizes, analyzes, and executes national investment strategies using proprietary algorithms and advanced analytics to strategically pinpoint the locations where innovation, economic vitality, and productivity intersect to create sustainable and vibrant communities — Places for Productive People.® Generating smart insight via sophisticated analytic tools, Lionstone is able to identify the highest concentrations of growth and productivity in the U.S. economy. This unique approach finds durable growth and resilient income in a rapidly evolving world. Lionstone Investments is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. Columbia Threadneedle Investments is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. Please visit our website at: LionstoneInvestments.com.
ABOUT FITWEL AND THE CENTER FOR ACTIVE DESIGN
Fitwel is the world’s leading certification system committed to building health for all®. Generated by expert analysis of 5,600+ academic research studies, Fitwel is implementing a vision for a healthier future where all buildings and communities are enhanced to strengthen health and well-being. Fitwel was originally created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and U.S. General Services Administration. The CDC remains the research and evaluation partner for Fitwel. The Center for Active Design, a global not-for-profit organization, was selected as the licensed operator of Fitwel, charged with expanding Fitwel to the global market. To learn more about Fitwel, please visit: www.fitwel.org.
