Exxon to open new campus in north Harris Co.

HOUSTON We're told the company sent an email to employees Tuesday morning about its long-expected new campus on a site near the border of Harris and Montgomery counties. An Exxon spokesperson told us they are consolidating 8,000 local employees from three separate facilities around Houston to the new campus, and the company will vacate its large presence in downtown Houston on Bell Street.

The complex will be located on a 385-acre wooded site near the intersection of I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road. The company says the campus will be energy efficient and will contain multiple low-rise office buildings, a laboratory, and conference and training centers.

"This new campus provides an opportunity to consolidate many of our Houston offices in one location, which will provide a high-quality working environment as our employees continue to support ExxonMobil's mission of delivering energy to meet growing global needs," said Bryan Milton, president of ExxonMobil Global Services Company.

Exxon had reportedly considered moving employees from California and Virginia to Houston, which would have been a huge boon to our area, but at this point it appears that is not part of the plan. The consolidation will leave huge office space vacancies in the Greenspoint area and downtown Houston.

Employees will start moving to the new campus starting in 2014 with full occupancy expected by 2015.

The consolidation will affect Exxon's Upstream businesses such as Exploration, Production, Development and Chemicals, whose staff will be based at the new campus.

The company says its headquarters will remain in Irving, Texas.

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