DALLAS FORT WORTH | Urban + Suburban P & C

[maconahey]

Winspear Opera House










Jefferson at West End Station

[maconahey]

taken yesterday...

West End Station










The House (left) One Victory Park (right)



Saint Ann Court

[Nagih12]

On the construction site of the saint ann court, there are 3 cranes. can someone snap a couple of shots at the site, and others too?

[maconahey]

The Element/Mercantile







1900 McKinney


2000 McKinney

[MarkyPants2023]

Originally Posted by DIESELPOLO

hey dallas, how is that new northpark center doing? is it a big draw after the huge remodel?

When not at school, I live within 5 minutes of Northpark and the difference is very noticeable. a lot more energy and a lot more customers

[maconahey]

Developers break ground on $200M Uptown project

04:30 PM CST on Monday, March 3, 2008

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

Construction is getting under way on what will be one of the biggest projects yet in Dallas’ hot Uptown market.

Developers Granite Properties and Gables Residential are breaking ground on the two-tower development at Akard Street and McKinney Avenue.

The $200 million complex will include 361,000 square feet of office space in one high-rise and 296 luxury apartments in an adjoining tower.

The development will contain retail space and a fitness center for the apartments on a the lower floors.

Granite announced plans for the development last summer and has been quietly moving ahead with the deal.

This week construction barriers are going up, and site preparation is starting.

“The real work starts in about two weeks,” said Granite chief operating officer Greg Fuller. “We have to do some utility work and get rid of an old building there first.”

The large tract just north of Woodall Rodgers Freeway is now occupied by surface parking and a vacant commercial building. It’s one of the last large development sites along Woodall Rodgers.

Because of the scope of the project, the first tenants won’t move into Granite’s development until March 2010.

Mr. Fuller said he anticipates the Uptown office market should still be strong then.

“Because we are building two large towers, there is a long lead time,” he said. “It’s hard to look out that far.

“But the supply and demand balance down there are still good.”

More than 1.6 million square feet of office space is already being built in Uptown, but almost 70 percent of that is pre-leased, said broker Joel Pustmueller with Peloton Real Estate Partners.

“I wouldn’t have guessed two years ago the market could handle this many new buildings, but now I think it can,” Mr. Pustmueller said. “ I think Granite will do fine.”

The 24-story residential tower and a 20-story office building will be just east of the El Fenix Restaurant and across Woodall Rodgers from Hunt Consolidated’s new headquarters tower.

Architect Good Fulton & Farrell designed the project.

The development will be Granite’s first foray into the central Dallas market. The company has previously built projects in West Plano and, Farmers Branch and Irving.

[hunter wadle]

This webcam link to the construction of the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge provides great skyline shots of the expanding victory and uptown skylines...

http://trinityrivercorridor.com/bridgepics/index.html

[colemonkee]

^ That's a great view, and a helluva web cam resolution! It's a shame the Mandarin Oriental is on hold. That would create a pretty significant peak in the Uptown skyline from that vantage point.

The Akard and McKinney project is kind of ho-hum from a design standpoint, but good as infill, and stretches the density of the Uptown cluster closer to the Victory Park cluster.

Dallas sure as hell isn't slowing down...

[KevinFromTexas]

Here's another rendering for that Uptown project.

An artist's conception of the Akard Street project.


Granite Properties, Gables Residential

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/...ss072007dnbuswoodalltowers.8eb38a57.html

[TexasStar]

Wave of redevelopment hitting Dallas' Galleria area

Residential, office and retail are popping up

10:39 PM CST on Thursday, March 6, 2008
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News



Just a block from the Galleria, on Inwood Road, residents are moving into the latest Dallas mixed-use development.

Called Broadstone at Galleria, the 8-acre complex of shops and more than 300 rental units replaced an old furniture showroom and industrial buildings built before the Galleria and the Dallas North Tollway.
The change has been well received.

"We've had a great response and are ahead of expectations on leasing," said Steve Chilton of developer Opus West Corp., which built the project in partnership with Alliance Communities.

The apartments are renting for about $1,300 on average.

The Broadstone complex is the latest in a wave of redevelopment hitting the Galleria area.

Developers and investors are knocking down old apartments and low-rise commercial buildings to make way for a new generation of construction.

"There are a lot of properties in play up there and a lot of developers looking," said real estate broker Tom Clarke of Transwestern.

Land values between Inwood and Montfort Drive have increased to about $40 a square foot from about $30 a couple of years ago, Mr. Clarke said.

Still, that's only a fraction of the cost of property in Dallas' booming Uptown district.

And land costs are likely to go higher because some of the biggest projects planned for the Galleria area are yet to come.

Icon Partners hopes to start work early next year on its mixed-use development at Noel Road on the north side of LBJ Freeway. The 19-acre high-rise complex is expected to cost almost $1 billion. (...see next post for details)

Smaller developments have just been completed in the area or are under way.

"It's starting to take shape as one of the hottest areas of town," said Dallas City Council member Linda Koop, who represents the neighborhood and has been pushing for redevelopment.

More than 300,000 cars a day travel by the district on the tollway and LBJ.

Even before the Galleria opened in 1982, the area around the LBJ-tollway intersection was in transition. Higher-density development was replacing old buildings, and office construction was spreading along the freeway.

Nearby Valley View Center got its start as a free-standing Sears store constructed in the 1960s, before LBJ was built.

But construction of the Galleria with its luxury shopping mall, office towers and high-rise hotel upped development standards in the area.

Maybe that's why the latest projects in the Galleria's shadow would be as much at home in Uptown as north of LBJ.

The Village on the Green complex at Noel and Alpha Road combines almost 90,000 square feet of shopping space with more than 200 apartments. It was built by Cypress Equities and Columbus Realty Partners and has leased well.

"We've been pleased with our performance in a market that is surprisingly healthy," said Columbus' Robert Shaw.

"Uptown has gotten overpriced," he said, "and this is one of the next good stops for apartment development, if you think about it.

"The area's got great accessibility, lots of retail and it's becoming more walkable," Mr. Shaw said.

North of Village on the Green, at Southern Boulevard, Dallas-based residential developer Boulevard Builders is selling units in its Citta Park townhome complex on Noel.

The three-story community, which opened late last year, has about 50 homes priced from $280,000.

And an Omaha, Neb., developer – Richdale Group – is putting up the newest apartment complex on Noel, across the street from the Galleria.

"Hopefully, we'll get some big shoppers for tenants," said Richdale partner Rachel Slosburg. "We are doing 250 apartments in a five-story building."

Construction is finishing up on the Villa Piana apartment's parking garage and should start soon on the rental units that front on Noel.

"We are going to be opening the first units probably in August and September," Ms. Slosburg said.

An even bigger apartment complex is being considered south of LBJ.

Inland American Communities is studying redevelopment plans for the Harvest Hill Apartments, a 400-unit complex between Noel and Montfort.

The Illinois-based developer has talked with the city about tearing down the old rental community built in the 1970s and 1980s.

In its place would be yet another mixed-use complex.

[TexasStar]

Icon Partners Announces Plans for a World Class, Mixed-Use Development Located in Midtown Dallas

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/...s_view&newsId=20080307005436&newsLang=en

Midtown Will Include 3.7 Million Square Feet of Entertainment, Retail, Office, Hotel and Residential Uses in Phase One, in a One-of-a-Kind, Urban Lifestyle Community

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Icon Partners, L.L.C. announced today plans to develop Midtown, a new 3.7 million gross square foot mixed-use development, to be located at the most traveled intersection in Texas: I-635/LBJ Freeway and the Dallas North Tollway. The 20-acre first phase of Icon’s Midtown is being built on the east side of the Dallas Galleria, with frontage along I-635/LBJ Freeway and Noel Road – a prime location where the new Midtown development will be viewed by more than 300,000 vehicles daily.

Midtown’s brand identity reflects its location as the center of the Dallas region, situated half way between Downtown Dallas and the explosive growth corridors of North Dallas and Frisco.

“Icon’s Midtown will be developed as a unique, authentic and exciting walking community which takes people beyond just a shopping, working or living experience to an urban lifestyle of fun,” said Paris Rutherford, president of Icon Partners, LLC.

“Midtown will be Dallas’ first family-friendly, mixed-use walking district featuring Main Street architecture and lushly landscaped streetscapes,” Rutherford added. “It will be the place in North Dallas where people will come to walk, shop and just spend time hanging out.”

Midtown’s high quality neighborhood district will create synergy and complement the surrounding buildings, serving to ignite the next evolution of redevelopment in this prominent location.

"Midtown is an exciting development, with many attributes that will make it a unique element in an important area of commerce in Dallas,” said Chris Buehler, vice chairman of the City of Dallas’ Plan Commission. “The location and timing of this development sets the stage for the entire region, and it will serve as a catalyst for forward-thinking redevelopment opportunities in the area."

Retail and Entertainment

At street level, Midtown is designed as a pedestrian-friendly gathering place. Its 525,000 square feet of predominantly upscale boutique shops, a movie theater and restaurants will open onto a park and interactive street designed for walking that spans five city blocks. Shopping, dining and entertainment venues will offer every resident and visitor an engaging walking experience that is open and active throughout the day and night. Highlights will include specialty and fashion stores not currently in Dallas and three major anchors.

Of particular note, a 50,000 square foot “Food District” will anchor Midtown’s north side and include a famous cooking school with a T.V. studio, an Italian grocery, 20 boutique food shops offering a huge selection of fresh food take-out options and a classic New York deli-bakery. On weekends, the street will be closed to autos. Street vendors will take center stage and retailers will offer outdoor presentations and culinary delights in a pedestrian-friendly, street fair atmosphere.

“Two major, new-to-Dallas entertainment venues and a collection of 14 destination restaurants will help build awareness that Midtown is the place to go to ‘see and be seen’ while walking around, having fun and people watching,” noted Daniel Robinowitz, chairman of Icon Partners. “Our goal is to create an urban experience that will bring lots of local people and visitors together to enjoy the type of walking district for which great cities are known.”

Office Design

The powerful architecture of Midtown’s 34-story world class office tower has been designed by noted architect Ross Wimer of the internationally acclaimed architectural firm Skidmore Owings Merrill (SOM). Icon Tower will present a powerful and contemporary landmark on I-635/LBJ Freeway. Drawing from Wimer’s highly successful, innovative building designs in Dubai, London and Singapore, the office tower’s fluid shape is derived from a geometry of motion, which shifts three degrees from floor to floor. The 715,000 square foot office tower will also be a LEED certified development incorporating the latest in green-driven technology to create a sustainable development.

Designed to be as efficient as it will be distinctive, the tower’s 30,000 square foot floor plates will efficiently accommodate both single- and multi-tenant configurations. Employees will not have to travel long, linear distances between departments and/or divisions that are typical in conventional, rectangular floor plates. Instead, all tenants will have convenient access to the elevator, lobby and other common area facilities.

“Icon Tower is truly a new paradigm in office design; it blends convenience, technology and fun to create a better workplace,” added Rutherford.

Hotel/Residences

A notable boutique hotel will delight local guests and business travelers with a “talk-of-the-town” restaurant and bar, as well as a destination spa.

For those wishing to live an enviable, urban lifestyle at Midtown’s prestigious address, there will be tempting choices of luxury apartments atop the hotel or chic, loft living above a dynamic streetscape.

An enclosed courtyard valet area will be shared by hotel guests and office users. In the same area, extra energy and excitement will be created by a captivating, artist-designed, inverted fountain.

Other prominent components of Midtown’s world class public spaces will include the most customer-friendly parking in Dallas conveniently located throughout the project, interactive water fountains, an art park, a sculpture garden and a generous children’s play area; all within close view of outdoor dining and shopping.

Reflecting special attention to every detail and dedication to creating a great walking district within a great city, Midtown will authentically blend offices, a hotel, residences, shopping and an array of dining and entertainment choices in a lively and engaging 24-hour urban community.

About Icon Partners, Inc.

Icon Partners, L.L.C. is a real estate development firm founded by Daniel Robinowitz and Paris Rutherford and is based in Dallas, Texas. Icon specializes in developing Great Places that are defined by their compelling customer experience. Icon’s awarding winning team has more than 250 years of combined experience in all aspects of real estate development and currently has over $3 billion in its development pipeline. For more information, contact Paris Rutherford at (972) 367-4800 or visit www.iconpartners.com.

[Nagih12]

Minor League Ballpark planned in Downtown Dallas:
--------------------------
Dallas Business Journal - by Dave Moore Staff Writer
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dalla...10/story20.html

"A 5,000- to 12,000-seat baseball stadium is being proposed as a component of the convention center hotel planned for downtown Dallas, according to city records.

Details are sketchy, due to a city-imposed gag order on those who are bidding to be the hotel's developer, but a review of city archives shows that one of the groups who entered proposals pitched a stadium to Dallas in 2006.

"A number of us thought a well-marketed team in downtown Dallas would have great appeal," said former Dallas City Councilman Gary Griffith, who attended the presentation on Dec. 18, 2006, as a member of the City Council's Economic Development and Housing Committee.

"We wanted to engage in discussions to bring it about, but those serious discussions didn't materialize when I was on the council," Griffith said. "I continue to believe there's a market for a team that's marketed properly for downtown Dallas."

Jones Lang LaSalle, a commercial real estate brokerage, has joined forces on the project with former Congressman and United League Baseball founder John W. Bryant, as well as Richard Seib, who works for his son, Bankers FirstSource CEO and owner Todd Seib.

Richard Seib also is involved with developing the La Reunion residential, retail and office project in the Fort Worth Avenue development corridor, an area near the Trinity River in South Dallas. Last year, the city of Dallas voted to create a district where increases in property tax bills would be directed to improve sewers, sidewalks and other amenities along 3.5 miles of Fort Worth Avenue.

Introducing a baseball stadium to the mix of a convention center hotel could help to satisfy the city's request for "creativity" from developers, as part of an effort to lure more people to downtown Dallas.

Griffith says he believes the ballpark would draw fans from across the city and from across the area, and that stadium attendance would be supported by Dallas' growing downtown population.

But Vinson & Elkins partner Jeff Chapman isn't so sure. Chapman arranges sports ticket buys for the firm's Dallas office and says he doubts his firm's clients would be interested in going to the park.

"I'm skeptical that there'd be great demand," he says. "We've bought at the ballpark in Arlington for years," adding that the Rangers Ballpark and Frisco Rough Riders stadiums are within a relatively short drive of Dallas. The Fort Worth Cats also provide minor-league baseball team play, he said.

Building a baseball stadium near the convention center hotel would create a second sports-related development in downtown Dallas, joining American Airlines Center, which anchors Victory Plaza and is home to both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars.

The stadium component would fulfill the mixed-use request the city made to potential developers of the convention center hotel.

In its 2006 proposal to the city of Dallas, representatives from United League Baseball offered to finance the construction of its own stadium, as long as the city acquired the land on the league's behalf. That proposal called for the development of complementary residential and retail development, depending on the size of the stadium. The proposal didn't mention what the construction cost of the stadium would be.

Richard Seib, Bryant and Jones Lang LaSalle all declined to comment on the hotel/stadium proposal when contacted by the Dallas Business Journal.

The city's purchasing department has issued a statement to all potential developers of the hotel convention center, effectively prohibiting them from speaking to the media.

"Due to the competitive nature of this evaluation and selection process, and the fact that subsequent submissions will be required, project information contained in submissions must be kept confidential," the statement said. "At this time any public release of project information from specific proposals is prohibited."

In its request for qualifications, the city of Dallas stated that those who violate its submission rules risked being eliminated from consideration."

[email protected] | 214-706-7112

[DFW LUV]

^^^ I really like the proposal. Ultimately if it develops into a small scale "Wrigleyville-like" feel downtown, this could help give Dallas the type of character it's missing.

[KevinFromTexas]

Nagih12, your avatar is AWESOME. Do you have a larger version of that picture?

[TexasBoi]

Hey, TexasStar, what exactly are the boundaries of midtown in Dallas? Seems like a great proposal.

[maconahey]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Nagih12, your avatar is AWESOME. Do you have a larger version of that picture?

http://flickr.com/photos/ninjatune/465898203/

[maconahey]

West End Station


Ritz-Carlton II



Rosewood Court



Saint Ann Court



Glass House


1900 McKinney (left) Rosewood Court (center) 2000 McKinney (right)



The House and One Victory Park

[kazpmk]

That's horrible to hear that the mandarin is on hold. Chicago's Mandarin proposal is having trouble too.

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by Owlhorn

Thread last edited by Troy on 04 FEB 08 (only for the .kmz file, not the text list which is severely outdated, but, will be remedied soon). . .

I'm seeing an awful lot of "cancelled" and "on hold" in that list. What gives?

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by maconahey

http://flickr.com/photos/ninjatune/465898203/

Thanks. I see Ninja crafted that one. Amazing photo. In the avatar I thought it looked like the clouds were hands about to grab Fountain Place. Amazing picture.