Catalyst Houston
Houston
Best Project

Owner: Marquette Properties Inc.
Lead Design Firm: Ziegler Cooper Architects
General Contractor: Webber Commercial
Subcontractors: RSL Contractors Ltd.; Jomar Electrical; Comfort Systems USA; Power Plumbing Inc.; Ranger Specialized Glass Inc.

Two 500-year storms and a massive hurricane tested the team constructing the Catalyst Houston tower. The team delivered the 359-unit, 28-story high-rise luxury apartment tower overlooking Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston despite scheduling setbacks and damage to the $97-million project.

The first 500-year storm took place during installation of pile caps and underground utilities. The storm delayed the project by a few weeks, but the contractor was able to plan and regroup to make up lost time.

The second 500-year storm affected many of the manufacturing plants providing materials for the project. The team revised sequencing of construction phases to accommodate the new delivery dates.

In addition to the storms, the contractor had to plan around street closures near the project site during Super Bowl LI. The team held numerous subcontractor meetings far in advance to ensure that all construction materials would be delivered well in advance.

Just before the project was scheduled to open, Hurricane Harvey made landfall and caused chaos for the Houston community. Although the storm delayed the opening, the team repaired and replaced damaged materials without compromising the quality of the finished product.

Back to "ENR Texas & Louisiana Best Projects 2018: Building the Best Across the South"