Thor Equities has inked its first office leases within Kirby Collection, a large mixed-use project under construction in Upper Kirby. The New York developer signed long-term leases with Hancock Whitney Bank, Novum Energy Trading and Regency Centers totalling 36,775 square feet. The deals are indicative of companies' growing appetite for office space within larger mixed-use projects where workers can not only work, but live, eat and play. Move-ins are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2018. "All three tenants were attracted to the project's highly desirable location, attractive amenities and modern design," Melissa Gliatta, COO of Thor Equities, said in a statement.

Quantum Energy Partners has leased the top floor of Capitol Tower, a Class A office building in downtown Houston.

Falcon Steel America plans to open a new factory in Conroe that will increase its manufacturing capacity by 60 percent.

In 2015 Houston's high-flying real estate market ranked at the top of a prominent national list of cities to watch. That same list, published annually by the Urban Land Institute and PWC, now ranks Houston no. 60.

WASHINGTON - Americans bought more homes last month, as sales snapped back in hurricane-hit Texas and Florida. Yet the market is still suffering from a dwindling supply of available homes. Sales rose 2 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.48 million, the National Association of Realtors said this past week. That's the fastest pace since June. Still, sales have slipped 0.9 percent from a year ago. The number of available homes has fallen 10.4 percent from a year earlier to just 1.8 million. That's the lowest for any October since the real estate group began tracking the data in 1999. The tight supply is pushing up prices and thwarting many would-be home buyers. The median home price jumped 5.

Air General has signed a 101,460-square-foot industrial lease near George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

SATURDAY Fall Vegetable Gardening: with Jim Maas, Pat Cordray and Lisa Gaige. 10 a.m. at Maas Nursery, 5511 Todville, Seabrook; 281-474-2488, maasnursery.com. $40. Peckerwood Garden Open Day: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Peckerwood Garden, 20559 FM 359, Hempstead; 979-826-3232; register at peckerwoodgarden.org. $10. SEPT. 2 Insider's Tour: The North Dry Garden: 10 a.m.-noon at Peckerwood Garden, 20559 FM 359, Hempstead; 979-826-3232; register at peckerwoodgarden.org. $15. SEPT. 7 Small Ornamental Trees for the Houston Area: with Linda Gay; Nottingham Country Garden Club program. 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Utility Building, 805 Hidden Canyon, Katy; ncgctx.org. Free. SEPT.

Renters paid an average of $1,105 for an apartment in October, the highest average rate in two years as the need for post-Hurricane Harvey housing is shoring up Houston's glutted multifamily market.

Salem Lutheran Church has leased a 106,000-square foot warehouse and covered space at 1121 FM 2920 Road in Tomball for its Heart for Texas program. Tomball-based BJ Services, a provider of pressure pumping services to oil and gas companies in North America, donated the space to assist with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Auto Financial Group has subleased 6,598 square feet at 5555 San Felipe from Marathon Oil Corp. Griff Bandy and John Simons of NAI Partners represented the tenant. Axiom Medical Consulting has subleased 26,189 square feet of office space at 8401 New Trails from Hunt Guillot & Associates. Scott Covington of S.E. Covington & Co. represented the subtenant. Rob Banzhaf and Ryan Dierker of Newcor Commercial Real Estate represented Hunt Guillot, which relocated to an 11,000-square-foot space in The Woodlands. Capital Plastics International will relocate from 10702 Cash Road in Stafford to 1601 Gillingham Lane in Sugar Land.

Lily Rain, a lifestyle brand out of Houston that's grown to 20 stores across the United States, will add a third area location in CityCentre on Houston's west side during the holidays. The 1,821-square-foot store, across from the central plaza on Town & Country Boulevard between Elaine Turner and J. Crew, will offer women's apparel and accessories, home décor and gifts. It will take over the space previously occupied by ivivva, an active-wear brand by Lululemon. Originally an online shopping site, Lily Rain opened its first store in Rice Village in 2014.

The midcentury Southwestern Bell building in downtown Houston will get new life as a 150-room Hyatt Place Hotel. The development group, including Anthony Patel and Nick Patel of Pride Management, has obtained a $22.8 million loan for the long-vacant building from Dallas-based Hall Structured Finance, the companies announced. Renovation of the 16-story high-rise is targeted for completion by March 2019. The first-lien construction loan, which closed after Hurricane Harvey and represents a portion of the development costs, will jump start the project.

The 411,442-square-foot facility will feature 32-foot-tall ceilings, a fast response sprinkler system, docks on both sides of the building and storage space.

Public officials and executives from The Howard Hughes Corp. posed for photos Wednesday morning next to a tent on a newly poured street on the site of a new master-planned community under construction 13 miles north of The Woodlands.

Houston earned a spot on a global ranking of the best cities to raise a family, according to online real estate portal Homeday. Berlin-based Homeday examined 15 factors identified by parents as contributing to what makes a city great. They included infrastructure, maternity laws, healthcare quality, happiness levels, activities for children, and expert perception. Homeday selected the top 100 cities in the index after analyzing thousands of cities, with Copenhagen, Denmark earning the top spot.

Z Resorts and MetroNational have unveiled Houston's second Hotel ZaZa, which will open to the public on Dec. 1.

Ivy Spargo will oversee the Houston-based retailer's merchandising team starting Nov. 27.

Goya Foods is expanding its manufacturing and distribution facility west of Houston.

Houston-based Hines is developing an office building in Chicago constructed of wood, the first heavy timber structure of its kind built in the Windy City since the 1800s.

Miami-based One Real Estate Investment has sold two large apartment complexes totaling 882 units in the Houston area to S2 Capital for more than $60 million, the company reported.