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aul Hastings, a Los Angeles-based law firm, has leased 42,200 square feet at Hines' trophy asset, 609 Main Street in downtown Houston's central business district. The lease will double the firm's office space and includes the entire 25th floor and part of the 26th, with an interconnecting stair. Renovations are expected to cost $13 million, or $342 per square foot, and will be completed next spring.

    The move is a testament to the "flight to quality" trend in Houston's office market, where firms prioritize Class A buildings offering premium amenities. Hines has filed plans for another build out at Texas Tower, a 60,400-square-foot space for British law firm Clifford Chance, following a $20 million investment.

    In the third quarter, Houston's central business district secured four of the top 10 office leases, including a 60,800-square-foot lease by global investment firm Fayez Sarofim & Company at Texas Tower. The majority of these deals were relocations or renewals and expansions, totaling around 440,000 square feet.

    The 48-story building at 609 Main Street was developed by Hines and designed by Pickard Chilton, opening in May 2017. United Airlines anchors the building with a lease on one-fifth of the space until 2029. WeWork previously held a 56,000-square-foot lease but rejected it following bankruptcy.

    Paul Hastings also plans to relocate its Dallas office to an expanded space in The Knox Street Development, a mixed-use expansion slated for spring 2026 and costing $93.5 million.