KBR confirms plans for West Houston campus

Houston Business Journal - by Jennifer Dawson

KBR Inc. on Friday confirmed plans to develop a West Houston campus near Katy.

The global engineering and construction firm intends to lease about 910,000 square feet of office space that will be constructed near the Grand Parkway and Interstate 10.

While company officials have declined to comment previously, they now say construction will begin on the new corporate campus before the end of the year and be finished in 2010.

KBR (NYSE: KBR) signed an earnest-money agreement on the deal, and plans to enter into a long-term lease for the new facility.

The company's West Houston campus will consist of low-rise buildings with tiltwall construction and will follow Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design specifications for sustainable development.

The Houston-based firm will also maintain a presence in downtown Houston.

William Utt, KBR chairman, president and chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement that it will be beneficial to have employees at both ends of the Energy Corridor -- an area in West Houston along I-10 where many oil and gas companies are located.

"Not only will the new campus enable KBR to meet our future growth demands, but it will also provide the company with a more favorable location amongst its growing employee and customer base in the Houston metropolitan area," Utt said.

KBR serves clients in the energy, petrochemicals, government services and civil infrastructure sectors.