Rice Real Estate Company and Lincoln Property Company are planning to construct a landmark research facility in the Ion District in Houston. Designed by HKS, the Arc will connect academic excellence with industry, institutional, and entrepreneurial partners to accelerate the transition of science and technology discoveries to the marketplace. The 196,400-sf building will offer seven levels of premier lab and office space, with floor-to-floor heights of 15 feet and flexible floor plates ranging from 28,000 sf to 31,000 sf.
On the second level, lead tenant Rice University will occupy almost 30,000 sf, engaging faculty and staff in cross-disciplinary work on energy, artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, and computational engineering. Tenants and visitors will benefit from access to conference and meeting rooms, an amenity lounge, a fitness center, and an expansive public plaza that will be shared with the Ion, Rice's existing innovation hub.
Integrating smart building automation and energy-saving features to promote efficiency, the collaborative structure will target LEED Gold certification. In addition to core lab elements that meet demanding research requirements, the sustainable development will incorporate advanced HVAC technologies and high-capacity electrical and emergency power systems. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026, with completion anticipated in the first quarter of 2028. Neoscape provided visualization services.
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Lincoln Property Company
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Developer
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HKS, Inc.
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Architect
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Neoscape
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Visualization Services Provider
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