Houston’s tallest residential tower, Brava, has opened its doors to residents. Hines, together with its investment partners, Cresset-Diversified QOZ Fund and Levy Family Partners, is behind the 373-unit luxury development rising 46 stories in the city’s downtown. Construction started in March 2019 and completion is slated for the fourth quarter of 2022. Willowick Residential will be the luxury tower’s manager.
Located at 414 Milam St. on the former Houston Chronicle site, Brava comprises studio, one- and two-bedroom units between 628 and 2,926 square feet. Apartment units feature 10-foot ceilings, washers and dryers, walk-in closets, fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, digital locks and wood flooring. The building also includes 10 penthouse units located on levels 45 and 46, ranging from 1,739 to 2,927 square feet.
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Common-area amenities include a swimming pool on the tower’s 10th floor, a business center, a fitness center with virtual classes, cabanas, a private terrace and a coffee bar, as well as on-site storage space, bike shop and bike storage, among others. A sky deck, featuring a private dining room and catering kitchen, is on the building’s rooftop.
Situated between Market Square and Texas Tower, the luxury high-rise is close to the city’s Arts District, Central Business District and Historic District. The location is near MetroRail’s Red Line subway station at Main Street and several bus lines, while also providing easy access to interstates 10, 69 and 45.
An art-focused project
Hines appointed Munoz + Albin as design architect and Mayfield and Ragni Studio as interior designer for the building’s common areas. TBG is the project’s landscape architect, while Harvey Builders serves as general contractor. Brava is expected to be a LEED Gold-certified property.
Mayfield and Ragni Studio decorated Brava’s interior with commissioned art installations inspired by sections of the Houston Chronicle newspaper, such as business, lifestyle, wellness and others. The art collection features Sergio Albiac’s You have not changed generative digital collage and Headlines, a piece composed of concrete columns displaying the city’s historic events, as well as Henri Boissier’s haiku inspired pieces. MaRS, Houston-based Robynn Sanders and Maverick Murals Art and Design, Sachin Tekade and D’lisa Creager among others, will also be featured.
JLL provided construction financing and equity for the project; in 2019, the firm secured a $95 million loan held by Northwestern Mutual, Yardi Matrix data shows.
Hines has developed, upgraded and purchased approximately 1,530 properties around the globe, representing 511 million square feet, according to the company. Recently, Hines has partnered with PGGM to develop three multifamily projects totaling 1,400 sustainable units in Milan, Italy, and launched Aster Park, a 414-acre single-family home community in McKinney, Texas, together with Trez Capital.
