Dallas

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Kroger 86s surface parking in favor of 375 apartments atop 2-floor urban grocer.

Kroger plans new store and urban apartments on the eastern edge of downtown Dallas

Early this year Kroger filed plans with the City of Dallas to build just a supermarket and surface parking on the site.

But now the grocery giant has teamed up with a local apartment builder and wants to include 375 apartments with the project.

The development designed by Dallas architect GFF would have four stories of rental units on top of a 2-level Kroger store, plans for the project show.

Dallas-based apartment builder Trinsic Residential Group would build the rental units on top of the grocery store and parking garage at Hall and Flora streets.

Along with the apartments, the area above the Kroger supermarket will include an amenity deck for the renters.

The entire development would be 484,000 square feet and will require city approval.

Full Article

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Park District via Facebook:

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Developer Craig Hall eyes plan that could double his Frisco office park

The hugely successful Hall Park at Dallas North Tollway and Gaylord Parkway already has more than 2 million square feet of office space.

"We are planning for another 3.5 million square feet — maybe more" of construction by building on parking lots and adding garages, Hall said. "We are finishing the master plan now."

Hall said that along with office space, he plans to add apartments, hotel rooms and retail at Hall Park.

"We will probably have some multifamily and will probably venture it with somebody else," he said. "We'll probably have a couple of hotels.

"I'm excited about the changes we are making in Hall Park," Hall said. "We are dramatically changing the density."

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Lower Greenville Development includes 450 apartments and 50 townhomes

Columbia intends to construct a new rental community on this 8 acre site. The property will have a central tower with 450 smaller units in a 5 story building with a parking garage. Surrounding this will be a ring of 50 townhome style individual units with garages. The entire property will be marketed to upscale renters. The project is expected to be online sometime around late 2017 or early 2018.

The developer at this site has been very friendly to the neighborhood. They reached out to the associations in the Lower Greenville area and met several times to review their plans before they committed to the project. They have also provided a website with a weekly updated summary of the progress on the project and any impacts to the surrounding area.

The developer has not settled on a name for the new development and has indicated that they are open to suggestions. The first home on the property was called “Bosque Bonita” which means “Beautiful Woods”.

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The former Cabana Motor Hotel is under contract (again) but this time to a hotel developer


(Vintage Cabana Motor Hotel, Candy's Dirt)

Instead of converting the 10-story, 357-room hotel at 899 N. Stemmons Freeway into a data center or retaining it as a possible county detention center, Dallas-based Circa Capital Corp. has put the mid-century modern hotel under contract and begun its due diligence to convert it back into a hotel.

"We have it under contract and we are doing our due diligence," Fred Aldridge III, president and CEO of Circa Capital, told the Dallas Business Journal."We are enthusiastic about where we are."

And, he said, the firm could always convert into a boutique hotel without a typical hotel flag. If all goes well, Aldridge said the firm could buy the building by the end of the year.

The former Cabana Motor Hotel was originally built by developer Jay Sarno as a luxury hotel for $6 million.

History:

• 1963: The Cabana Motor Hotel opens with the help of an investment from Doris Day. In June, Jimmy Hoffa stays at the hotel and holds a press conference and reception.
• 1964: The Beatles occupy the entire 9th floor in September when they were in Dallas to play the City Auditorium.
• 1969: The hotel sells to Hyatt House for $4.35 million and becomes the Hyatt House Hotel. In April, Jimi Hendrix stays at the hotel while he's in Dallas.
• 1970: Led Zeppelin stays at the hotel.
• 1984: Dallas County buys the hotel for $9.2 million and converts it into a minimum-security jail, which opens in 1987.
• 2005: The property provides temporary housing during Hurricane Katrina and Rita.
• 2015: Lincoln Property announces plans to demolish the building and construct a data center on the site.

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High-rise residential building in the works for Irving’s Las Colinas

Legacy Partners - one of the country's top apartment developers - has contracted to purchase a 5-acre site on Las Colinas Boulevard east of State Highway 114.

The vacant tract is on the south shore of Lake Carolyn.

"The site has lot of lake frontage," said Legacy Partners' Spencer Stuart. "It will be 17 or 18 stories with a great view across the lake and views of downtown Dallas."

Stuart said the tower will be surrounded by 4-story apartments in the same development.

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Carrollton transit-oriented development will include downtown apartments

Stoneleigh Cos. — which is building one of Uptown Dallas' new apartment towers — and Realty Capital will develop the four-story, 234-unit Switchyard apartment community on Broadway Street at College Avenue, just east of Interstate 35E.

The planned rental project is across the street from the downtown Carrollton DART commuter rail station. And the site is at the crossroads with the planned Cotton Belt passenger rail line, which will run to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

"We're looking to break ground in February," Stoneleigh CEO Rick Cavenaugh said.

He said construction of the two buildings should take 16 to 18 months. Carrollton's planning and zoning commission recently approved the development.

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Via Maconahey:

1900 Pearl, on right







The Ascent, center



Katy Station



On left



Victory Parkside





Park District, PwC Tower



Center



Bleu Ciel, on right

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Deep faith: Deep Ellum update brings more restaurants, bars, hope

Following an impromptu tour of a new restaurant-filled project in Deep Ellum, developer Chuck Hixson dropped subtle hints that he's ready to move beyond the neighborhood's spotty history.

The project, Westdale's 2800 Deep Ellum, represents a mixture of city funds, developer determination, and neighborhood resilience as the community east of downtown Dallas labors toward its latest rebirth.

"We are surrounded by success," said Hixson, noting the burst of development in downtown and East Dallas. "And there will be success in this location as well. We think it's going to be successful in the future because of the new things that are happening and the [nearby] mass employment base.

The development, which is still in its formative stage, carved nine new spaces from five existing buildings, some of them 80 years old. All are in the 2800 block of either Elm or Main streets near the corner of Malcolm X Boulevard. The total project measures 30,000 square feet.

Seven spaces already have been leased to barkeeps and restaurateurs including Cindy and Jim Hughes, owners of the popular Bread Winners chain.

Opening soon:

• Hide Bar (2816 Elm Street)
• Harlowe MXM (2823 Main Street)
• Baker and Company (2820 Elm Street)
• Idlerye (2826 Elm Street)

Hixson estimates the total cost of the project at more than $8 million, not counting funds each restaurant operator will spend to get their locations ready for showtime.

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Full Proposal Document

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Bike lanes, trail extension planned in Stevens Park area

A big developer recently announced plans to redevelop a 12-acre site on Fort Worth Avenue at Plymouth, and the city wants to spiffy up the streets, sidewalks and bike lanes in that area.

Recommended enhancements include extending the bike lanes on Fort Worth Avenue, which now end at Edgefield, across Hampton all the way to Bahama Drive. The bike lanes would be physically separated from traffic, although the means of separation haven’t been determined, according to City Councilman Scott Griggs.

Bike lanes also would be installed on Bahama Drive, from Fort Worth Avenue to Plymouth. That stretch of Bahama also would get wide sidewalks.

The Coombs Creek Trail, which extends through Kessler Park to Plymouth and Hampton, would be extended to Bahama, and that would include bridge work.

Finally, there are plans to improve the intersections, including crosswalks, ramp and curb reconstruction, pedestrian crossing signals and short bike lane extensions into neighborhoods.

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Dallas leads Texas in historic preservation projects

When it comes to historic preservation projects, Dallas is the top dog in Texas.

Dallas has more of these projects than anywhere else in Texas, with 23 developments since 2002 totaling almost $371 million in value, the study found.

Some of the biggest historic preservation projects that included the tax credits were the Fidelity Union Life Tower (now Mosaic apartments) at $86 million, the Davis Building at $28.9 million and the Continental Building at $37 million.

Some major Dallas preservation developments haven't even made the list yet, including the LTV Tower, Statler Hotel and the former First National Bank tower redo.

After Dallas, Houston had the second-most historic credit projects with 13 developments. Fort Worth and San Antonio were tied with a dozen each.

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The Case, via Lyn Caudle:

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I love Dallas! <3

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Urban Land Institute released its 2017 Markets To Watch report. The group held its Fall Meeting in Dallas this October.

Topping the list were Austin and Dallas.

Top Ten Cities in Emerging Trends in Real Estate® 2017

1. Austin
2. Dallas/Fort Worth
3. Portland
4. Seattle
5. Los Angeles
6. Nashville
7. Raleigh/Durham
8. Orange County
9. Charlotte
10. San Francisco

San Antonio placed 32nd.
Houston placed 40th.

Texas Cities Overal Outlook:

• Austin (Generally Good)
• Dallas/Fort Worth (Generally Good)
• San Antonio (Generally Good)
• Houston (Fair)

Below is a summary of each category.
National ranking is first set of parenthesis.
City score is second set of parenthesis. Score is out of 5.

Hotel:

• Austin (3.60)
• Dallas/Fort Worth (3.53)
• San Antonio (3.25)
• Houston (3.00)

Housing:

• Dallas/Fort Worth (3.95)
• Austin (3.82)
• San Antonio (3.72)
• Houston (3.16)

Industrial:

• Dallas/Fort Worth (3.90)
• Austin (3.90)
• San Antonio (3.56)
• Houston (2.98)

Multifamily:

• Dallas/Fort Worth (4.00)
• Austin (3.50)
• San Antonio (3.43)
• Houston (3.39)

Office:

• Austin (3.57)
• Dallas/Fort Worth (3.62)
• San Antonio (3.01)
• Houston (2.48)

Retail:

• Austin (3.84)
• Dallas/Fort Worth (3.79)
• San Antonio (3.27)
• Houston (3.20)

Local Outlook - The South:

• (1) Dallas/Fort Worth (4.12)
• (2) Austin (4.10)
• (14) San Antonio (3.72)
• (32/32) Houston (2.69)

*Avg. score in each industry
*Ranking for The South


Investment:

• (1) Dallas/Fort Worth (3.78)
• (3) Austin (3.76)
• (32) San Antonio (3.36)
• (40) Houston (3.04)

Development:

• (1) Austin (3.61)
• (5) Dallas/Fort Worth (3.52)
• (31) San Antonio (3.22)
• (46) Houston (2.47)

Homebuilding Prospects:

• (9) Dallas/Fort Worth (3.95)
• (11) Austin (3.88)
• (23) San Antonio (3.72)
• (39) Houston (3.08)

Local Market Perspective - Investor Demand:

• (5) Austin (4.44)
• (10) Dallas/Fort Worth (4.29)
• (40) San Antonio (3.62)
• (76) Houston (2.58)

Local Market Perspective - Development/Redevelopment Opportunities:

• (4) Dallas/Fort Worth (3.84)
• (10) San Antonio (3.74)
• (16) Austin (3.67)
• (78/78) Houston (2.53)

Texas Overview:

"In a compressed cap rate environment with low interest rates, I like markets that can generate attractive cash-on- cash returns. That is very difficult in the gateway markets, but more possible in markets like Dallas and Austin.”

Austin (1). The capital of Texas has consistently ticked the majority of the top boxes related to recent real estate market attractiveness. The market has ben- efited from a diverse economy that was affected in a minimal way by the global financial crisis, a growing population base made up of an educated labor force, and the undeniable “hip” factor that makes Austin attractive to the millennial- dominated workforce.

Despite Austin’s growing popularity, it remains a comparatively small market in terms of investment opportunities. While Austin is unlikely to attract a meaning- ful amount of off-shore capital, it tops many domestic investors’ wish lists. This makes the market very competitive. Despite the amount of competition, local, regional, and national real estate participants operate in relative harmony in the market. This cooperation has helped keep adequate levels of debt and equity capital available for investment opportunities.

The interest in Austin has spawned a phrase that rivals the city’s own “Keep Austin weird” slogan. The real estate equivalent is: “I want to find the next Austin.” This reputation does, however, come at a price. ULI focus group participants expressed con- cern about transportation issues that continue to be a problem in a rapidly growing market. In addition, the cost of living and the cost of doing business in Austin have been on the rise. While these costs are still competitive with those seen in other top sec- ondary markets, the uptick has not gone unnoticed in the market.

The 2017 outlook for major property sectors re- mains good. The housing market, both multifamily and single-family, appears to be making adjustments to match supply with the requirements and locations desired by the changing population base. To address transportation concerns, the market is likely to con- tinue to see more mixed-use development not only to bring compatible uses together, but also to enhance the experiential feel of developments. Austin remains focused on encouraging an environment where local and national tenants can coexist.

Dallas/Fort Worth (2). The Dallas/Fort Worth metro area is once again near the top of the Emerging Trends in Real Estate® rankings. Dallas/ Fort Worth may well be an 18-hour market that is rapidly approaching the level where it is considered as a core primary market. The economy survived the global financial crisis better than most other U.S. markets, and real estate fundamentals continue to avoid the boom/bust behavior that has plagued the market in the past.

Dallas/Fort Worth area is perceived as a business-friendly environment that offers an attractive cost of doing business, an adequate and well-educated workforce, and world-class trans- portation access by air, rail, and road. The labor force continues to be supported by an attractive cost of living that continues to attract in-migration. The economy has continued to diversify and has exposure to growing medical facilities and an expanding technology sector. A number of colleges and universities in the metro area support the education level of the workforce, while coordination with the community college network is used to train workers for positions that do not require a four-year college degree.

The Dallas/Fort Worth metro area has avoided becoming a victim of its own success, although rising demand is pushing up the price of hous-
ing in the market. Once known as exclusively as a suburban market, Dallas is enjoying more growth of infill areas and the inner-ring suburbs. The market is also using smaller lots and higher density to keep housing affordable. The suburbs in Dallas/Fort Worth are accessible, if not exactly walk-
able. Dallas/Fort Worth residents value improved access to amenities even if it is by personal vehicle. Adequate and convenient parking is a key element to meeting this need.

San Antonio (32). Will San Antonio, Texas, be one of the markets ready to make a jump in investor interest in 2017? Institutional investors have begun to look for opportunities in this very affordable market located just an hour south of this year’s number-one-ranked market. San Antonio is gaining experience in multiple product types that have generated a significant amount of buzz over the past few years. San Antonio is seeing activity in shared office work locations in the CBD, urban residential, historic redevelopments, and top-tier distribution, and a move by some suburban employers of at least a portion of their employers downtown.

San Antonio is a very affordable market from both a cost of living and a cost of doing business standpoint. Job creation during this cycle has been primarily organic, with companies already in the market adding new jobs. The market would benefit if it could begin to increase the number of company relocations from other areas. ULI focus group par- ticipants noted that improving the local education system to help meet the needs of potential employ- ers would be another way to make San Antonio attractive as a relocation destination.

Houston (40). The Houston real estate market is dealing with a period of uncertainty, with partici- pants waiting to see how the energy industry will recover and how the market will deal with new space supply that was started when the Houston economy was benefiting from high oil prices. Employment growth has contracted, but not by as much as anticipated. Employment losses in energy-related exploration and services companies have been offset by growth in the services and leisure and hospitality sectors. While employment growth has remained positive, the mix of jobs has skewed toward lower-paying industries.

The 2017 outlook for Houston is muted. Employment growth should stay positive, and the energy industry may stabilize if energy prices can hold recent gains. Higher prices could lead to a cautious return of the exploration and production sector of the industry. But the slower economic growth is likely to hinder the housing market, with growth in permits and starts projected to be flat. The multifamily market will need to deal with a signifi- cant amount of new supply that is projected to be delivered over the next 24 months.

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I love Dallas! <3

Why?

Dallas along with Houston have to be the worst large cities in the country. I've just spent the last two weekends in Dallas for sports tournaments and have to go again in December and I hate the very idea of going again.

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Why?

Dallas along with Houston have to be the worst large cities in the country. I've just spent the last two weekends in Dallas for sports tournaments and have to go again in December and I hate the very idea of going again.

I'm not a fan of Houston, but Dallas is very sentimental to me as I pretty much grew up there. I also love the suburbs they have as Dallas builds suburbs right. I love the shopping centers and their freeways and the downtown is really beginning to progress into a nice downtown area.

If I had to list the worst largest cities in the US it would be any city to me in the rust belt and most of the flyover cities except OKC and Tulsa and I'm not a fan of southern cities either. I love cities in the east coast and north east. I love Chicago, I love almost anything west of the Dakotas and Kansas. I love Oklahoma, some parts of Texas, and Arkansas. I'm down with Louisiana. I don't like much outside of that.

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Medical City Dallas Building ‘Luxurious’ $125M Women’s Hospital

Medical City Dallas will offer women a “luxurious and spacious option” to receive high level, specialized healthcare for a comprehensive range of women’s services in a new, state-of-the-art Women’s Hospital.

Construction on the $125 million hospital begins this month. It will add five floors to the top of Care Tower D, and will feature a total of 222 private and peaceful patient rooms. World-class and innovative care from experienced specialists will also serve the complex needs of newborns, from delivery to intensive care.

Once the Women’s Hospital expansion is complete it will include:

· 24 modern labor and delivery rooms
· 4 new C-section operating rooms
· 84 Level IV (highest level) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) rooms
· 12 spacious women’s VIP suites
· 27 women’s medical/surgical rooms
· 19 antepartum rooms
· 56 postpartum rooms
· 2 floors of physician offices for additional convenient access to specialists

The upgraded VIP suites will feature a larger bedroom for mothers, a room for families and a spa-like bathroom. The suites will accommodate family for overnight stays, allow easy access to a nursery on the same floor, and also include concierge amenities such as upgraded linens, chef-prepared meals, family meal options and spectacular views of the city.

Construction is expected to be complete in March 2018 with additional patient rooms opening in April 2018.

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Uptown Dallas imports Italian from big-shot restaurateur


(DPR Construction)

Uptown Dallas will get its Italian fix in a big way with the opening of a branch of North Italia, the modern Italian concept from Fox Restaurants Concepts, opening at the Union Dallas in 2018.

North Italia is the modern, full-service pizza and pasta Italian concept from restaurant mad genius Sam Fox. The 5,500-square-foot restaurant will be located on the ground level and open onto Field Street, with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the central plaza of the office, residential, and retail project in the Uptown area of Dallas.

Known for from-scratch daily pastas and pizzas, the restaurant will bring a fresh and moderately priced dining option to the area. It will join another Sam Fox restaurant at this location, The Henry.

"After the success we've seen with North in Austin, we've been eager to bring this restaurant to Dallas," says founder Sam Fox.

The menu at North Italia will be the same mix of pizzas, chicken, seafood, and steak options offered in their other nine locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, and Texas. Short ribs, New York strip, Atlantic salmon and diver scallops will be on the menu, along with home-made strozzapreti with Bloomsdale spinach, Bolognese tagliatelle, and several pizza options, all accompanied by an extensive wine list and desserts such as salted caramel budino and olive oil cake.

The Union’s 21,000-square-foot green space and events plaza will enhance North Italia’s exceptional culinary experience. The central plaza will be designed by top Texas landscape designer James Burnett, and will be surrounded by water features, seating areas, trees, and a performance area so that diners may extend their experience before or after their meal with a stroll through the green space or simply sit and enjoy the ambience of the park-like setting.

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PwC Tower at Park District, via CTroyMathis:

Notice the glass on lower right.

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Nearly 1,000 rooms coming to Frisco Station:

IT'S OFFICIAL: FRISCO STATION NAMES HOTEL FLAGS

NewcrestImage will develop an AC Hotel, Residence Inn and Canopy by Hilton that will break ground next quarter, and a Hyatt Place that will break ground later in 2017.

The AC Hotel and Residence Inn will have 300 rooms each and the Canopy and Hyatt Place will have 150 rooms each.

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Central Market to open two more Dallas locations:

The first location will replace the Albertsons West Village in Uptown.

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The second location will replace the Sun Fresh at W NW Highway and Midway in Preston Hollow, less than a mile from the Central Market-HEB division office.

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When open, there will be four Central Markets in Dallas, and seven in DFW.

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Park District, via Facebook:

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Developer Bill Cawley unveils new $30M office building in Allen's Watters Creek

The three-story, 100,000-square-foot office building could sit on 7.68 acres of land in between Bethany and Legacy drives at Watters Creek along North Central Expressway.

And Cawley says he expects the proposed office building to do well in the market.

"There's another new building going up by the proposed convention center and everybody is excited about it," Cawley told me. "We want to give them another option."

The Watters Creek location is key because it brings office tenants closer to restaurants and apartments, he said. Ultimately, he said, the two buildings will do well.

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The Case, via Thymant:

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Hilton Canopy / Residential tower, West Village

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