(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, announced that they have achieved Fitwel® Viral Response Module (VRM) approval for CITYCENTRE Five, a 15-story, Class A office building located in west Houston’s CITYCENTRE mixed-use community. The property is owned by Lionstone Investments in a joint venture with institutional investors and Midway.
As employees begin to return to the office and adjust to a new normal, prioritizing occupant health is more important than ever. Fitwel’s VRM was developed in coordination with leading public health experts and real estate companies to effectively address the unique challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious respiratory diseases. The VRM allows building owners, companies, and commercial tenants to demonstrate compliance with evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that mitigate viral transmission and create healthy and resilient environments for all occupants.
Additionally, CITYCENTRE Five has implemented an “Enhanced Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Maintenance Policy” to augment the safety and sanitation of the indoor environment and a “Contagious Disease Outbreak Preparedness Protocol” to build occupant trust.
Fitwel is a rigorous, third-party healthy building certification system that sets the industry standard for evidence-based strategies to promote health and well-being through the built environment. It was created in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. General Services Administration, and is operated by the Center for Active Design (CfAD).
“We are honored to receive the Fitwel VRM approval for CITYCENTRE Five,” said Robert Williamson, Senior Vice President, Investment Management 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 CITYCENTRE remains an avenue for creativity and culture in Houston.”
“The safety and health of our partners and tenants is the driving factor behind our recommended actions and certifications at all of our properties,” notes Andy Bruce, Co-Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer at Lionstone Investments. “We know this certification creates an additional layer of confidence in the high standards for health and well-being associated with Lionstone.”
“Midway continues to align its portfolio with the best science available, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to tenant health and well-being,” said Joanna Frank, President and CEO of the Center for Active Design, operator of Fitwel. “We applaud Midway for understanding the important role property owners have in safeguarding occupant health and cultivating tenant trust.”
Across its portfolio, Midway is committed to building places that advance the well-being of employees and communities by implementing design and operational strategies that promote health and wellness. In addition to CITYCENTRE Five, GreenStreet was most recently recognized by Fitwel as the first commercial property certified in Texas, while The Jones on Main 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. Both of these properties are also owned in a joint venture by Lionstone and Midway.
ABOUT CITYCENTRE
Developed by Midway, CITYCENTRE is a thoughtfully planned and meticulously executed self-contained community of 26 elegant dining restaurants, 3 entertainment venues, sophisticated retail options, Class-A office space, corporate penthouse residences, luxurious brownstones and lofts, upscale apartments and the 266-room hotel, The Moran CITYCENTRE, a world-class hospitality and conference facility. Surrounded by European-style open-air plazas and beautifully designed green spaces, CITYCENTRE is also home to Life Time Athletic, a state-of-the-art urban fitness facility and spa, and Studio Movie Grill, an eight-screen premier cinema.
ABOUT FITWEL
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(CfAD), a global not-for-profit organization, maintains the Fitwel standard and conducts objective third-party assessments that lead to certified projects. CfAD's new business unit, A dai (pronounced “a-DAY”), is charged with expanding Fitwel to the global market, administering the program while providing best-in-class customer service and technical support. To learn more about Fitwel, please visit: www.fitwel.org.
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. 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 awholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. Columbia Thread needle Investments is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of companies. Please visit our website at: LionstoneInvestments.com.
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 45million 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.
