DALLAS | The Spire | 1.7 million sq ft | 11 acres

[Dale]

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Who is they? I see nothing but a discussion here?

Don't be so sensitive. I was just impressed by how quickly Houstonians got here to tamp down enthusiasm about this project.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by Dale

Don't be so sensitive. I was just impressed by how quickly Houstonians got here to tamp down enthusiasm about this project.

LOLZ. You're funny.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by skys the limit

I think quoting a stale article that is a year old concerning vacancy rates in any city, much less Dallas, is more than a bit disingenuous.

I personally think that because you are from Houston the year old headline says what you want to hear, but the reality of things today and going forward is very much different.

The vacancy rate has gone down over the last year in Dallas' core CBD, from the close to 30% to around 25% now (of which the bulk of that is from Class C and Class B ).

As an aside, the positive of that situation is that the Dallas core CBD is increasingly creatively reusing the space in the vacant older buildings for wonderful developments - primarily residential developments which can only help build the core CBD that much more.

But it is not so much what has happened in the past year that is important but what is happening now and about to happen in the near future that intelligent business leaders are focusing on.

Here is a current article that discusses in detail what the current status is for Downtown Dallas and what is going on behind the scenes. I'm personally thrilled to read the incredible activities that have been going on behind the scenes that very well may lead to not only significant office space leasing by many multiple smaller relocations into Downtown Dallas but even super high profile relocations that are in the works.

Please read this article, in its entirety:

http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_CEO/...wn_Dallas.aspx

The article points out many specifics but one fact that is most interesting to this thread specifically is that Spire Realty Group is a Houston based development company.

Spire Realty Group of Houston is developing The Spire Dallas.

My personal guess is that Spire Realty Group of Houston evidently sees the handwriting on the wall (as the article clearly spells out) is why they are currently investing such a significant amount of effort, energy and money in Downtown Dallas.

I might suggest that if you have questions concerning why Spire Realty Group is pursuing their 11.3 acre, 1.7 million square foot office project plus residential and retail space in Downtown Dallas now instead of Downtown Houston you might call them locally in Houston to inquire.

I know people are so beaten down by all of the negative news, especially Houston in the last couple of weeks. Houston just received two blows that are really quite bad for the city.

First, Houston loses almost a billion dollars in Federal mass transit grant money just a week ago because of illegal activities of the Houston rail authority, putting Houston's much vaunted plans to inaugurate light rail on multiple routes behind by years.

I've read the posts of various Houston people wringing their hands on "how as a result Dallas will just continue to expand its already existing lead in mass transit over Houston".

And secondly just a few days ago, Houston received the negative news that hometown Continental Airlines is merging with United Airlines of Chicago and will be vacating its headquarters in Houston as a result. That will cost Houston a loss of prestige in a high profile corporate headquarters leaving the city and losing high paying corporate jobs.

Believe me, I wish only the absolute best for Dallas' smaller metro sister on the Gulf, Houston, because anything bad that happens to Houston affects the State of Texas which ultimately can have some affect on Dallas.

But I must tell you that it has been more than very irritating to hear the constant negative whine of people from Houston naysaying every positive development occurring in Dallas.

Please read the article with an open mind. It is quite informative on many levels to say the least.

And it is a current, contemporary article. Not a stale year old article.

Wow...whats with all of the Houston bashing in your post?

Houston has a lot of Dallas based firms that do large scale projects within the city of Houston & vice versa. Nothing new there.

The comment about Continental was a bit uncalled for as well. What if Exxon-Mobil moves its headquarters from Las Colinas (Irving) to North Houston like they've been talking about doing? Talk about a blow to D/FW's ego losing one of the largest oil company's in the world.

[eburress]

^^ Yeah, I think everybody needs to leave it alone. Both cities have great things happening right now and both cities have problems. There is no point in bashing either city because it's pointless, not constructive, and like folks have mentioned, we are all Texans and what's good for one city is ultimately good for us all.

[jtk1519]

Arts South Coming Into Focus in Dallas
Thursday, Apr 14, 2011 | Updated 12:08 AM CDT
By Ken Kalthoff

An area of mostly vacant land on the eastern edge of downtown Dallas is the location for an entire neighborhood soon to move off the drawing board.

The Downtown 360 plan approved by the City Council on Wednesday calls the neighborhood "Arts South."

It lies between a Dallas Area Rapid Transit Pearl Station and the Dallas Arts District west of the Central Expressway.

Developer Spire Realty has quietly acquired about 13 acres of parking lots and small buildings there for a project it calls The Spire.

"We're really not building an office building or a residential building. We're building a neighborhood," said Jon Ruff, a Spire executive.

Plans call for shops and restaurants located at the street level of high-rise buildings, which would include office and residential space above.

Artwork and a model of the neighborhood show wide sidewalks along a privately constructed street with lush landscaping that would provide a pedestrian path between the DART station and the Arts District.

"We intend to be a vehicle for people to get from this station up into the Arts District, through this park-like atmosphere," Ruff said.

Spire is recruiting a lead tenant, hoping to break ground on the first building in the development early next year.

Additional buildings would follow over a period of several years.

The Downtown 360 plan includes a long list of strategies to revitalize the center of Dallas, divided into several sections of the downtown core.

It was drafted for the city in cooperation with a property owners group called Downtown Dallas Inc.

The group’s leader, John Crawford, said officials hope projects such as The Spire would help attract more visitors downtown.

"Not only do we want them to just come down for one time and turn around and go back, we want them to come back and come back again," Crawford said.

The Arts South area in the 360 plan also includes the old Crozier Tech High School, a historic building near the Pearl Station that has been abandoned for years but is protected from demolition by the city.

Crawford said there is also new interest in a mixed-use development including that iconic building.

"There's a number of people actually talking about doing it," Crawford said.

Passengers at the DART station said they welcomed the changes.

"It's a little bit vacant, somewhat of an eyesore, what I see now," said Waylon Oliver.

"This is the Arts District, so we need as much attention for downtown as we possibly can get," he said.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/the-scene/real...119814144.html

[JR Ewing]

Does anyone have news about this? Thanks.



http://www.wdgarch.com/portfolio/pro...00-ross-avenue

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by Dale

Don't be so sensitive. I was just impressed by how quickly Houstonians got here to tamp down enthusiasm about this project.

Well, the fact that it's now Q4 2014 and this one is still in the conjecture phase tells a lot.

[dollaztx]

Spire Realty updates plans for its proposed downtown Dallas development

A Dallas developer has updated plans for a mixed-use project it plans to build on the northeast side of downtown.

Spire Realty Group’s 12-acre Spire project is planned at San Jacinto and Routh Streets near the Arts District.

The development has been in the works for several years.

Spire Realty just released a new set of plans for the project on its updated company website.

[chris08876]

Man Dallas is on fire. Literally. So much going up. I'm assuming its the boom capital of Texas? I know Houston has lots in the pipeline, but Dallas just keeps popping up. Either that, or its dollaztx fantastic coverage of it. Keep up the fine work.

[dollaztx]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Man Dallas is on fire. Literally. So much going up. I'm assuming its the boom capital of Texas? I know Houston has lots in the pipeline, but Dallas just keeps popping up. Either that, or its dollaztx fantastic coverage of it. Keep up the fine work.

Thanks Chris. Dallas has always been busy booming in regards to mid-rise developments but there hasn't really been many Dallas members here on SSP. I won't things that have been built/proposed in the past but I am trying to add everything that is currently being developed or proposed as it's announced. And yes it seems likely that Dallas will built a little higher in the future due to lack of available space in the urban core.

[xboarder84]

Good luck keeping up dollaztx. I work downtown and i still lose track of how many construction cranes I see each day. Seems like every time I look at the skyline I suddenly notice a new crane that wasn't there before. Give it a year or two and this city will look completely different, it's insane how much growth there is here!