Our Business Research team provides the business community and other key decision-makers with ready access to information resources that support economic development activities, public policy and education advocacy and other Central Houston initiatives.
Have questions about Downtown activity? We’ve created a new tool kit with up-to-date announcements reports and more. You’ll find everything you need here, so you can better communicate with your employees, residents, clients, guests and partners.
Check out our monthly (December 2020) Downtown Economic Recovery Update, a collection of statistics and updates on commercial real estate, residential, retail, leisure and hospitality sectors.
We hosted a Membership event in December featuring updates on the METRONext Moving Forward plan including details on how METRO is serving riders during COVID-19.”
Downtown at a Glance: A descriptive and statistical overview of Downtown Houston, and why it is the best place to live, work and play. Covering topics such as Downtown living, the office market and employment, hospitality, tourism, culture and entertainment, restaurants, retail and transit. The overview showcases the key features and amenities that make Downtown unique as an urban core.
Downtown at a Glance 2020
Downtown at a Glance 2019
Downtown at a Glance 2018
Downtown at a Glance 2017
Downtown at a Glance 2016
Fast facts! Why Downtown (Updated February 2020)
Detail description of all public and private sector construction projects in Downtown since 1983.
Downtown Development Project List (Updated December 2020)
Largest employers in Downtown and Fortune 500 Companies.
Downtown office lease activity by tenant and building.
December YTD 2020 and 2019 Year-End Lease Activity
Quarterly Market Updates: An overview of the quarter including updates on major developments in the Downtown submarkets (office, hotel, retail, residential, and Downtown’s Innovation Hub), other sectors, and coverage of Downtown in local and national/global media.
Market Update, Third Quarter 2020
Market Update, Second Quarter 2020
Market Update, First Quarter 2020
Market Update, Fourth Quarter 2019
Market Update, Third Quarter 2019
Market Update, Second Quarter 2019
Market Update, First Quarter 2019
Market Update, Fourth Quarter 2018 [pdf]
Market Update, Third Quarter 2018 [pdf]
Market Update, Second Quarter 2018 [pdf]
Market Update, First Quarter 2018 [pdf]
Market Update, Fourth Quarter 2017 [pdf]
Market Update, Third Quarter 2017 [pdf]
Market Update, Second Quarter 2017 [pdf]
Market Update, First Quarter 2017 [pdf]
Central Houston’s 2020 Downtown Office Story measures the 12-month Downtown competitive leasing cycle
- A unique Downtown Houston survey that includes all space currently being marketed, large available blocks, full floors and tenant industries
- Sublease space on the market and by which tenant
- Multi-floor tenants, large transactions and tenants new to Downtown – including all lease activity by type and by size
- Operating expenses and property taxes by building
- Downtown’s largest tenants by industry and total amount of office space
- Surveyed buildings organized into three distinct Tiers to better understand patterns in Downtown’s top office towers including renovation and new construction
- Proprietary and longitudinal: Central Houston’s 2020 Office Story in its 36th year of compiliation and publication
What’s next? Plan Downtown: Converging Culture, Lifestyle & Commerce is the product of an 18-month planning process led by Downtown partner organizations and city, county and community leaders. The leadership group and steering committee, in addition to robust public input, have provided big ideas from 30,000 feet in the air to thoughtful observations from a street level point of view, culminating in both large and small projects that will continue the Downtown transformation for the next five, ten, twenty years.
Plan Downtown: Converging Culture, Lifestyle & Commerce 2017 [pdf]
Downtown Framework 2004 [pdf]
North Houston Highway Improvement Project
The North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) is a more than $7 billion, 24-mile, 3-segment TxDOT project to rebuild IH-45 from Beltway 8 through Downtown. The project includes rebuilding IH-10 across northern Downtown and IH-69 from the Montrose bridge to the IH-10 interchange. NHHIP is a priority infrastructure and transportation planning initiative for Central Houston, Downtown District and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority. These organizations are collaborating with TxDOT, the City of Houston, and other entities on project implementation, including civic opportunities for public space and private redevelopment in proximity to the highway project.
A map and list of past and current Downtown development projects, including a brief description of the project, the developer and the completion date.
Downtown Development Map and Building Renderings – November 2020
Downtown Development Project List – December 2020
Other helpful lists and maps:
Downtown Current Building-Use Map – August 2019
Downtown Block Numbers
Downtown Ingress & Egress
Downtown Hotel Building List – October 2020
Downtown Hotel Map – October 2019
Downtown Residential Building List – January 2021
Downtown Residential Map – January 2021
Downtown 2-Mile Radius Map
Downtown 3-Mile Radius Map
Bird’s-eye-view Map- June 2018
Downtown's trade area is diverse with a population of more than 360,000 residents within five miles, plus, business travelers and conventioneers totalling over one million, sports attendees, event goers and, of couse, a large and dynamic office core.
Market Analysis Report for Proposed Traditional Retail in Downtown Houston, July 24, 2014
Downtown Retail Task Force Report, Sept 12, 2013
A network of integrated multi-modal transit systems provides convenient travel options for several hundred thousand employees and visitors commuting in and out of Downtown daily.
METRO Bus
METRORail
Zipcar
BCycle
Houston Airport System
Central Houston is committed to enhancing excellent access to and within Downtown Houston for employees, visitors, tourists, and residents. The organization surveys Downtown stakeholders approximately every five years to better understand travel behavior.
2018 Commute Survey Executive Summary
2018 Commute Survey Report