DALLAS FORT WORTH | Urban + Suburban P & C - Page 66

TTU Arch · #**1301** Posted **Jul 27, 2006, 1:52 PM**

Uptown site sold to office developer
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...e.343c8ee.html

High-rise to be built on land formerly marked for condo tower

11:37 PM CDT on Wednesday, July 26, 2006

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

"A suburban office builder is heading to the city with its latest project.

Granite Properties, which has developed office buildings in Plano and Las Colinas, has purchased a block of land in Uptown.

The developer plans to build a high-rise office and apartment complex on the 2-acre site.

"We will have office with residential on top, some minor retail and midrise apartments," said Greg Fuller, Granite managing director. "We like the location long-term."

The mostly vacant block is at Cedar Springs Road and Akard Street, just across Woodall Rodgers Freeway from downtown Dallas.

The property was previously owned by a Bedford developer who planned to construct a 21-story condominium tower on the land.

With the high-rise condo market starting to slow, it's no surprise that office developers would start to take a look at sites in Uptown.

Timing

Real estate brokers see Granite's purchase as a savvy move.

Jon Altschuler, managing partner with Stream Realty, said Granite has a knack for picking the right projects.

"I've always thought of that firm as one of Dallas' best market-timers," he said. "Whether it's industrial out north or office buildings on LBJ Freeway, State Highway 121 or in Las Colinas, they time markets exceptionally. We can all bet they'll do it again this cycle.".........."

Recent deals

"Granite's purchase comes on the heels of Lincoln Property Co.'s recent announcement of a 20-story, 445,000-square-foot office tower to be built at McKinney Avenue and Olive Street. That project will start this fall.

In the same general area on Harwood Street, Harwood International plans to build a 24-story office building called Saint Ann Court.

Other builders including Victory developer Hillwood and CarrAmerica also have office projects on the drawing board for Uptown."

E-mail stevebrown@dallasnews.com

Trae · #**1302** Posted **Aug 4, 2006, 8:16 PM**

Some good Dallas construction.

TTU Arch · #**1303** Posted **Aug 8, 2006, 1:48 PM**

Condos planned for Las Colinas site
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...s.1f53aaa.html
Hotel would also be part of lakeside project

08:11 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 8, 2006

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

".....Two Tarrant County real estate companies have purchased a lakeside building site in Las Colinas where they are planning a condo and hotel project.

Arlington-based Fortis Group and Realty Capital Partners of Colleyville bought almost five acres across the lake from the Omni Mandalay Hotel.

The property was previously zoned for a high-rise office building, but with demand for residential increasing in Las Colinas, the new owners are studying condo plans.

"We got the land use changed because before it did not allow residential," said Todd Thomas, a partner with the Fortis Group. "There is so much potential there that we want to make sure we get the right deal."

Mr. Thomas said that Fortis Group is planning a development with several buildings. "It's going to be mid-rise on the order of anywhere from four to 12 stories," he said.

The development site is near where another builder, Gables Residential, is planning a large mixed-use project with a shopping center and apartments. The property is also near where DART's new light rail line will run connecting Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport with downtown Dallas. ....."

E-mail stevebrown@dallasnews.com

Dale · #**1304** Posted **Aug 8, 2006, 2:50 PM**

What's the latest on the 900-footer for Fort Worth ? Is it dead ?

TTU Arch · #**1305** Posted **Aug 11, 2006, 1:49 PM**

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...l.1f3c8c0.html

11:12 PM CDT on Thursday, August 10, 2006

Criterion Development

"..A Dallas apartment development company has set its sights on a Cityplace-area building site.

Criterion Development Partners has contracted to purchase a vacant tract on McKinney Avenue just north of Blackburn Street. The land is adjacent to the Mondrian apartment high-rise.

Criterion is working on plans for a mid-rise residential community on the property.

The company was founded in 2004 by W. Pretlow Riddick with operations in Dallas and Austin. Criterion started with a joint venture with Boston-based General Investment & Development Cos. to build $250 million of apartments in Texas and the Northeast.

The developer has projects under way in Massachusetts and recently announced a 293-unit apartment community near Austin..."

TexasBoi · #**1306** Posted **Aug 12, 2006, 3:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

What's the latest on the 900-footer for Fort Worth ? Is it dead ?

I think it's dead.

TTUArch, is there a visual/rendering on what these apartsment may look like?

TTU Arch · #**1307** Posted **Aug 14, 2006, 5:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasBoi

I think it's dead.

TTUArch, is there a visual/rendering on what these apartsment may look like?

Not that I know of. There was a different group studying this parcel of land. Our firm was working on that proposal. These guys are a different group and have taken the land once our guys decided to shelf the project. I am suspecting the new owner has done only a capacity study at this point. They usually do that before purchasing the land. After that they will then move onto the look and feel of the building.

Dale · #**1308** Posted **Aug 15, 2006, 1:23 AM**

Wow! I've never heard of a project dying that quickly.

TTU Arch · #**1309** Posted **Aug 16, 2006, 5:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

Wow! I've never heard of a project dying that quickly.

Its not that the project died quickly. Our guys had been working on it for well over a year trying to get different numbers to work to make it profitable for them. Once steel prices went through the roof, (this being right after a blip in the Dallas Morning News of our group working on something for that site) our client shelved it. So now there is someone else working on it and sounds like they are pretty aggressive to making it work.

Side note: I think we may hear of more projects underway (West Village) in the next couple of years by developers. Reason for this is that the TIF district of the West Village is set to expire I beleive in 2009. So developers only have a limited amount of time to get their projects to the city and apply for tax incentive money. Also, construction pricing has leveled off somewhat as manufacturers have been catching up with the demand. So we'll see.....

Dale · #**1310** Posted **Aug 16, 2006, 5:56 PM**

Gotcha.

TTU Arch · #**1311** Posted **Aug 18, 2006, 4:00 PM**

A resuscitation for Old Parkland
Crow Holdings to fill hospital's early buildings

11:36 PM CDT on Thursday, August 17, 2006
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...d.31b0714.html

"When Dallas' historic Parkland Hospital opened its doors in 1913, the location on the edge of town was described as "rolling meadows on all sides."...Today, the landmark complex of vacant buildings is surrounded by urban development...And starting next year – if things go as planned – the old Parkland Hospital will become a centerpiece for revitalization of western Oak Lawn....Crow Holdings, the investment company operated by Dallas' Trammell Crow family, and Phoenix-based Alliance Properties are teaming up to redevelop the 8.3-acre complex into office space, residential and other uses....."

"...Historic preservationists are pleased with what they have seen of the plan, which would keep most of the old buildings. Even the hospital's sweeping front lawn and the grove of oak trees, which predate the buildings, would stay...."This is one of the best historic building reuse proposals I have seen in a long time," said Dwayne Jones, executive director of Preservation Dallas. "The concept for the addition is a brilliant solution that is rarely done with buildings."...Plans for the property by other developers called for everything from surface parking lots in front to towers perched above the landmark........."

"....Today, the complex is nestled near booming Uptown, the Dallas Design District and Love Field....The site is less than a half-mile down the road from the Design District, where we own 23 buildings and 28 acres," said Crow Holdings director Steve Bancroft....."We think we can be under construction on our new office in the first quarter of 2007."...The project will take about 18 months to complete.....Good Fulton & Farrell Architects has designed the addition to the old buildings. It will be constructed of limestone, metal and glass...."We are fortunate that we have all the architectural drawings for the original buildings," said architect Larry Good. "Even though there has been a lot of deterioration over the 15 years it has been vacant, we are able to restore it."....."

"...Redevelopment of the hospital property will be the most visible change in a neighborhood already in transition... East of Maple from old Parkland, developers are knocking down blocks of apartments and small houses and putting up new apartments, condos and townhomes...."

See pictures and a news story from Parkland's opening in 1913: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...6/parkland.pdf

Project elevation: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...delevation.pdf

Site plan for project: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...ndsiteplan.pdf

TTU Arch · #**1312** Posted **Aug 18, 2006, 6:41 PM**

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...l.2d8f267.html

BY STEVE BROWN
FirstWorthing is pairing with DART

A Dallas apartment developer is pushing ahead with plans to build a retail and rental housing complex at DART's Mockingbird rail station.

FirstWorthing Corp. was selected by DART to lease more than 6 acres now used for parking at the transit stop.

The developer and transportation authority still have to negotiate terms of the deal.

If everything proceeds as planned, the developer would replace DART's parking with garage space.

That would free up the land to build additional shops and apartments.

TTU Arch · #**1313** Posted **Aug 24, 2006, 12:50 PM**

Design District to get a residential element
Crow Holdings, partner to redevelop site west of Stemmons Freeway

10:31 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 23, 2006
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...n.2f7508e.html

"..Dallas' Design District – a close-in neighborhood with acres of aging showroom and industrial buildings – will soon be an urban apartment address.

Crow Holdings, the major property owner in the area between Stemmons Freeway and the Trinity River, and an Atlanta developer plan to build a retail and residential complex on Oak Lawn Avenue at Hi-Line Drive.

A retail and loft-style residential complex will be built in the Design District at Oak Lawn Avenue and Hi-Line Drive.
It's the first of a series of redevelopments planned in the area by Dallas' Trammell Crow family.

The kick-off development, southwest of Stemmons and Oak Lawn, will contain 240 lofts with up to 40,000 square feet of ground floor retail, showroom and gallery space, said Crow Holdings director Steve Bancroft...."

"...The development is being funded in part with $4.4 million provided by the city of Dallas' Design District Tax Increment Financing District.

Mr. Bancroft said Crow Holdings plans to spend money to upgrade utilities, landscaping and lighting to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.

The Design District – which was transformed from a warehouse sector starting in the 1980s – is near the booming Victory project.

It's also adjacent to the planned Trinity River park.

Crow Holdings owns almost 30 acres in the area.

Several developers are testing the waters with small residential projects in the neighborhood...."

"...."That view back toward downtown is going to be a killer," Mr. Puls said.

"It's a cool deal as long as their rents aren't too high."

Mr. Bancroft said the developers plan to price the rental units below rates in nearby Uptown.

E-mail stevebrown@dallasnews.com

TTU Arch · #**1314** Posted **Aug 25, 2006, 12:53 PM**

Here is a link to the 635 LBJ Reconstruction new website. This will tunneled "managed" toll lanes. Interesting....

http://www.635project.org/

TTU Arch · #**1315** Posted **Aug 25, 2006, 4:56 PM**

Hotelier Revs Up Work on $170M CBD Project
By Connie Gore Email this story | Printer-friendly | Reprints

http://www.globest.com/news/684_684/.../148426-1.html
Omni Fort Worth Hotel

"FORT WORTH-Using a residential component to help offset the cost, Omni Hotels Inc. will begin excavation Wednesday on a privately financed, $170-million convention center hotel with 97 condos. The long-awaited landmark project will be ready to light in December 2008...."

"...More than 300 onlookers braved the sweltering Texas heat for yesterday's ceremonial groundbreaking at 1300 Houston St. And, several in the crowd already were asking for details about placing deposits on the Omni Fort Worth Hotel's condo units...."

"...Dallas-based HOK designed the glass-skinned hotel, which represents $115 million of the total project cost. Looney & Associates, also from Dallas, is the interior designer. The hotel will feature a 19,000-sf ballroom, the largest in the city, 40,000 sf of meeting rooms, 10,000 sf of outdoor meeting space, full-service spa and 550 underground parking spaces for guests and condo owners. "This is uniquely Texan and uniquely Fort Worth," Johnson says of the design...."

TTU Arch · #**1316** Posted **Aug 31, 2006, 3:17 PM**

National retailer will set up shop downtown
Jos. A. Bank Clothiers takes plunge; officials hope residential growth draws more tenants
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...k.3025037.html
09:15 AM CDT on Thursday, August 31, 2006
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

"With thousands of new residential units in downtown Dallas, retailers have been taking a hard look at the central business district....The 75-year-old Dallas Power & Light Building has been remodeled. Now a national apparel retailer has decided to take the plunge and open a store on Commerce Street....Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. is leasing space in the historic Dallas Power & Light Building for its first downtown location. The Maryland-based clothing chain already has more than a half-dozen stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area...."

"..."It's the first such national retailer that's taking an interest in downtown," said developer Ted Hamilton, who admits that attracting merchants back to the city's core has "been a real struggle."..."

"But with downtown's residential base expected to increase to more than 4,400 units next year, more merchants are taking a look, he said...."We've been getting nibbles from lots of places that had never considered being downtown," he said. "With construction going on almost every corner, it was only a matter of time.'...Hamilton Properties last year completed construction to convert the 75-year-old DP&L building into 158 apartments and retail space."

"Jos. A. Bank is the first large apparel merchant to expand to downtown Dallas in more than a decade...."It is noteworthy in terms of size and reputation," said John Crawford, chairman of DowntownDallas, which represents center-city business interests. "We are hoping this helps set the trend for other large and meaningful retail tenants to join downtown."..."

"Downtown was once a shopping hub, but retailers began leaving the central business district in the late 1980s as office vacancies grew and the area went into decline....In the last 10 years, almost $650 million in private investment has been pumped into the city's core, primarily in apartment and condominium units."

E-mail stevebrown@dallasnews.com

colemonkee · #**1317** Posted **Aug 31, 2006, 11:25 PM**

I spent the last two days in Dallas and was amazed at the amount of construction going on in downtown and uptown. Azure was coming along very nicely - the glass looks great. I stayed at the Stoneleigh Hotel and it looks like they're getting ready for the Stoneleigh Residences. There was a big pit where the tower will go.

CTroyMathis · #**1318** Posted **Sep 4, 2006, 9:56 PM**

1900 Pacific:

CTroyMathis · #**1319** Posted **Sep 4, 2006, 10:00 PM**

Design competition visuals for 1900 Pacific that aren't going to be used:

Four more here, viewable if you are a member of the forum: http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/sh...&postcount=135

TexasBoi · #**1320** Posted **Sep 4, 2006, 10:01 PM**

Holy Damn....is that a proposal? How tall is it?