Tianqing Real Estate Development LLC (Tianqing RED), a US subsidiary of one of China's largest real estate companies, has acquired a prime location in Houston to build high-rise buildings of mixed use that will change the city's skyline in the next few years.
Tianqing RED recently closed on the purchase of the land on Allen Parkway, west of downtown and across from the newly improved green space Buffalo Bayou. It is the last track of undeveloped land of that scale at such a prime location in the city.
"The land is a rectangle with hard corners, sufficient depth and width for development. It has great views all around. To the north there is the Buffalo Bayou, to the south the Texas Medical Center, to the east downtown Houston, and to the west the financial district Galleria. We are very happy to be able to get our hands on it," said David Du, president of Tianqing RED.
A total of $500 million will be invested in the project. The planned first phase includes a luxury hotel of 150-180 rooms and a high-rise condo. Construction is expected to start by the end of 2017 or early 2018. Another high-rise condo, a class-A office building and possibly a luxury senior-living building will be built later.
Upon completion, there will be two condo towers with a total of 180 units along with the hotel, an office building and ground-level retail spaces. The project aims to become a new landmark in Houston.
EB-5, the popular immigration investment program among Chinese, will be used to raise part of the money for the project.
However, Du said Tianqing RED will not rely heavily on EB-5 for financing. When it gets ready to start construction, parent company Tianqing Group will guarantee and provide the remaining funds for the project, he said.
