PwC US Opens New Workspace in the Heart of Downtown Houston

Professional Services Firm Relocates 1,400 Employees and Donates to Local Literacy Foundation as it Implements New Modern Workspace Design

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PwC US

Dec 15, 2014, 09:00 ET

HOUSTON, Dec. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- PwC US, one of Houston's largest employers, today opened a custom-designed seven story office space in the Wells Fargo Plaza, located in the heart of Houston's downtown area at 1000 Louisiana Street.

PwC's new space spans 170,000 square feet and houses more than 1,400 employees. The building offers sky lobbies on the 34/35th and 58/59th floors, which boast stunning views of downtown Houston, and offers its people direct access from the street to the Houston tunnel system connecting many of downtown Houston's offices, shops and local amenities.

Signaling its faith and commitment to an exciting and thriving part of the city, PwC designed the space within the building to accommodate future growth plans. As one of the largest professional services firms in Houston, PwC's sees increased demand for its services and is optimistic about long-term growth prospects.

The new office design was developed specifically for PwC based on feedback from employees and will allow the firm to better meet current and future workplace and operational needs. In selecting the space, the firm studied everything from traffic and commuting options, to where its people live throughout Houston, including where clients are located.

"We implemented a new workplace design that incorporates a more modern and open floor plan to enhance team collaboration and client service delivery," said Niloufar Molavi, Vice Chair, U.S. energy leader and greater Houston market managing partner. "As we built out the space, we placed a premium on efficiency, a concern for the environment, personal flexibility and teaming. In fact, more than 70 percent of our new space was designed specifically for collaboration."

Molavi also noted that the space will be attuned to today's highly mobile worker with "touch-down desks" throughout all floors and advanced media sharing technologies throughout the office.

As another sign of how PwC is responding to how today's employees work, staff have access to fresh food options in an on-site "super cafe" to help promote a healthy lifestyle. There are also new lounge areas and conference rooms to provide increased spaces for social gatherings and team and client meetings. Additionally, the building is centrally located to a number of local restaurants, gyms, hotels and public transportation. The building also includes several environmentally-friendly attributes making it LEED Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Gold certified and the Firm is pursuing a LEED Commercial Interiors Silver certification in the PwC space.

"We see a bright future in Houston and are excited to continue our long legacy of providing quality services to our clients in the market," said Molavi. "We also plan to continue our work in the community, with a focus on helping local schools and organizations improve education and financial literacy. To that end, in connection with our office opening celebration, we're proud to donate 500 books to the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Houstonians across all ages through the power of literacy – the ability to read, write, speak clearly and think critically."

The news was greeted by Neil Bush, Co-Chairman of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, as good for both PwC's role as a prominent business leader in the city and for literacy efforts in Houston. "As Co-Chairs of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, my wife, Maria, and I are grateful for PwC's donation of children's books. There are far too many children in our community living in poverty, and books are simply a luxury that their families cannot afford. We hope that other corporations in Houston will follow suit and join us in our mission to improve literacy rates in our city."

About PwC US
PwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value they're looking for. We're a member of the PwC network of firms, which has firms in 157 countries with more than 195,000 people. We're committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com/US.

© 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the US member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.

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SOURCE PwC US