Las Colinas/North Irving Development

[muncien]

DBJ reporting that a Fortune 20 company has signed a lease for 200,000 sq ft in Las Colinas... That's a pretty significant chunk! I have a few guesses- could just be that McKesson or ExxonMobil is looking for more space in the area, or possibly Verizon is needing more space. I don't think this is any sort of relocation, but should bring about 1000 jobs with it (whatever it is).

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news ... s_headline

That is a big chunk... and interesting to hear it going to one tenant. Very curious who that is...
I've been watching this building closely (if you look at the pic in the aricle super closely, you can see my office in the building adjacent ). I have been very impressed with the amount of money Veridesk has put into this place. For a couple of months, you could see straight through the building as every window was replaced and the whole thing was gutted. They redid the entire roof as well. Glad to hear it's working out for them.

[vman]

DBJ reporting that a Fortune 20 company has signed a lease for 200,000 sq ft in Las Colinas... That's a pretty significant chunk! I have a few guesses- could just be that McKesson or ExxonMobil is looking for more space in the area, or possibly Verizon is needing more space. I don't think this is any sort of relocation, but should bring about 1000 jobs with it (whatever it is).

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news ... s_headline

That is a big chunk... and interesting to hear it going to one tenant. Very curious who that is...
I've been watching this building closely (if you look at the pic in the aricle super closely, you can see my office in the building adjacent ). I have been very impressed with the amount of money Veridesk has put into this place. For a couple of months, you could see straight through the building as every window was replaced and the whole thing was gutted. They redid the entire roof as well. Glad to hear it's working out for them.

I've been watching the work here too. Is it crazy that I've always really thought this was a really cool building? I'm very interested to see how the makeover turns out.

[muncien]

I've been watching the work here too. Is it crazy that I've always really thought this was a really cool building? I'm very interested to see how the makeover turns out.

Not crazy... haha.
It may not be tall or shiny, but it is unique (in a good way), and a welcome sight in the sea of bland, 80's office architecture surrounding it.

Opening up the windows (previously glass block) was a great change. I am curious to see what they do with the courtyard area. That section has NEVER been functional, but I hear they have some fun plans for it. Time will tell.

On a side note... The new Pioneer HQ looks amazing. Probably the best building in LC.

[homeworld1031tx]

I must have missed it, which building are you guys referring to as being fully renovated with all the glass being removed??

[Kelley USA]

I must have missed it, which building are you guys referring to as being fully renovated with all the glass being removed??

It's the old Zales HQ off 114 behind the Sonic...

[Kelley USA]

Construction Updates...

Pacific Table at Water Street is cruising right along. Space is looking great! I would guess they're probably 6 weeks away from opening. Signs are up!

Kitchen 101 / Rayleigh Underground seems to be under construction at Music Factory. Peeked in and saw some of the framing going up. This will most likely be a Jan / Feb opening.

Mama Tried at Music Factory is getting closer. Looks like the interior work is starting to wrap up. I would say opening is about a month away.

Pacheco Taco Bar at Music Factory is at warp speed (although they already had a pretty nice build-out to work with. Some nice murals on the wall, building an indoor / outdoor bar. Sign is up- looks pretty sharp

Stumpy's Hatchet House at Music Factory is under construction finally. Looks to be a pretty big space. It'll be nice to have some sort of entertainment option here.

[Kelley USA]

Nice little article on D Magazine CEO on the state of Irving / Las Colinas...

https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/ ... s-to-life/

[Kelley USA]

Not the biggest news to report, but the Chick-fil-a on North MacArthur & 635 has finally closed for a $1 million 6 month renovation. Curious to see what the new restaurant will look like. Also in the same MacArthur Crossing center, it was sort of a quiet opening but The Halal Guys is now open too. This is all the same center where Total Wine is opening.

[Brettoj]

I didn’t see this reported. They tore down the three townhomes that were started by the convention center DART station.

Additionally, they are adding one AT&T 5G small cell in front of Water Street and I believe a Verizon one across the street from the music factory.

[muncien]

I didn’t see this reported. They tore down the three townhomes that were started by the convention center DART station.

Additionally, they are adding one AT&T 5G small cell in front of Water Street and I believe a Verizon one across the street from the music factory.

Such a waste... but shouldn't have been built in the first place. Any idea what the future holds for this site? I can't help but assume it'll be much of the same since that's what has been zoned, but probably by a different developer...?

[Kelley USA]

I didn't notice the townhomes had been torn down... They were still standing on Monday. I'll see if I can find out anything!

On another note and some TMF news, this is actually a pretty big get for not only the TMF but Las Colinas in general. Mercy Wine Bar is opening a 2nd location in one of the vacant Big Beat spots. They'll be taking the old Texas C-Bar space which is actually quite nice!

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/resta ... c-factory/

[kwilliam]

That is awesome, thanks for sharing Kelley. Mercy in Addison is terrific, should be a great addition to TMF.

[Kelley USA]

From watching the City Council Work Session yesterday, it looks like Council is setting the stage to approve the almost $10 million renovation of the Williams Square Plaza. Should probably see this come before council in the next few months.

[Tnexster]

From watching the City Council Work Session yesterday, it looks like Council is setting the stage to approve the almost $10 million renovation of the Williams Square Plaza. Should probably see this come before council in the next few months.

Maybe it will incorporate more grasses and landscaping to get rid of some of that giant concrete plaza.

[Kelley USA]

From watching the City Council Work Session yesterday, it looks like Council is setting the stage to approve the almost $10 million renovation of the Williams Square Plaza. Should probably see this come before council in the next few months.

Maybe it will incorporate more grasses and landscaping to get rid of some of that giant concrete plaza.

Yes, that's precisely what they're doing! Trees, landscaping, updates to the fountain, the leveling of the plaza, a stage for outdoor concerts etc... The focus will still be all about the Mustangs though!

[cowboyeagle05]

I assume this version released in May is basically what the plan is...

HPJXBPICZVMXDANVNKL37RYRXY.jpg

With this being the best before currentish pic...

WilliamsSquare-1-635x441.jpg

[Kelley USA]

TMF Updates...

Pacheco's Taco Bar is now in the middle of their soft opening... Place looks cool enough. Small inside / outside bar, several tv's with the games on etc... If the tacos are good people will come!

Mama Tried is having a Grand Opening this Thursday & Friday. They have 9 bands playing on 2 stages (stage inside the bar and also on the Texas Lottery Plaza). Doors will open at 6pm and concerts are free to the public.

Rayleigh Underground finally has permits in-hand and build-out as commenced. The total venue space is 38,000 sq ft and the build-out valuation is $11.5 million. So they're definitely putting some cash into it!

[muncien]

TMF Updates...

Pacheco's Taco Bar is now in the middle of their soft opening... Place looks cool enough. Small inside / outside bar, several tv's with the games on etc... If the tacos are good people will come!

Mama Tried is having a Grand Opening this Thursday & Friday. They have 9 bands playing on 2 stages (stage inside the bar and also on the Texas Lottery Plaza). Doors will open at 6pm and concerts are free to the public.

Rayleigh Underground finally has permits in-hand and build-out as commenced. The total venue space is 38,000 sq ft and the build-out valuation is $11.5 million. So they're definitely putting some cash into it!

Wow... Great news all around. Looks like I know where I'll be spending the end of the week. Thanks for the updates.

[Kelley USA]

Spoke with the Development Director about the townhomes that were torn down in the Urban Center... He told me it was their understanding that someone came in and bought the property, but that as of now no new plans have been submitted. He said the City has no idea what's going on with it.

It is interesting to think whom may have bought it... Is someone planning a large project and needed that parcel, or did David Weekley just want out of the project and sold it someone who bought it as an investment?!

[muncien]

Spoke with the Development Director about the townhomes that were torn down in the Urban Center... He told me it was their understanding that someone came in and bought the property, but that as of now no new plans have been submitted. He said the City has no idea what's going on with it.

It is interesting to think whom may have bought it... Is someone planning a large project and needed that parcel, or did David Weekley just want out of the project and sold it someone who bought it as an investment?!

Very strange... I don't see any changes on DCAD yet. It still shows as David Weekly (for all the already plotted homesites) and the HOA (for the streets). Seems like a LOT of work to go through just to change your mind. Totally confused by this one...

[R1070]

I don’t think those townhomes were a good fit for that area.

[muncien]

Not the biggest news to report, but the Chick-fil-a on North MacArthur & 635 has finally closed for a $1 million 6 month renovation. Curious to see what the new restaurant will look like. Also in the same MacArthur Crossing center, it was sort of a quiet opening but The Halal Guys is now open too. This is all the same center where Total Wine is opening.

"Renovation" was a bit of a stretch. The entire building and foundation have been obliterated. Starting fresh apparently. lol

[Kelley USA]

A new proposal for the entryway into the Urban Center. It's the vacant piece of property at the corner of O'Connor and Las Colinas Blvd... Proposal calls for 4 hotels into 2 dual-branded buildings- 1 would be 10 stories and the other 9 stories. In addition, there would be a 4 story office component that fronts the 114 access Rd. Not sure how I really feel about the overall design. You can find all the info and a bunch of renderings here (starts on page 68ish).

https://www.cityofirving.org/DocumentCe ... -10-21-19-

[muncien]

A new proposal for the entryway into the Urban Center. It's the vacant piece of property at the corner of O'Connor and Las Colinas Blvd... Proposal calls for 4 hotels into 2 dual-branded buildings- 1 would be 10 stories and the other 9 stories. In addition, there would be a 4 story office component that fronts the 114 access Rd. Not sure how I really feel about the overall design. You can find all the info and a bunch of renderings here (starts on page 68ish).

https://www.cityofirving.org/DocumentCe ... -10-21-19-

Good info. thx!
The Urban Center is in desperate need of some more hotels, so I think that is a no brainer. I actually don't have any serious issues with the design other than the fact that it should be twice as tall, easily. This isn't exactly a 'gateway' type project... but I am sick of seeing the field of tall grass be the gateway... lol. And this is much better than another simple office building.

[cowboyeagle05]

I am still hoping they can come with half-decent park space that is less side hustle and more feature-rich. Something that has some of the presence of a Klyde Warren aka signature park. This site for the hotels above wouldn't be a good candidate for that and hotels here make sense near the new entertainment at the Toyota Music Factory but as the last sites around the lake are going I hope the city does get more aggressive with a parkland that is worth visiting.

[muncien]

I am still hoping they can come with half-decent park space that is less side hustle and more feature-rich. Something that has some of the presence of a Klyde Warren aka signature park. This site for the hotels above wouldn't be a good candidate for that and hotels here make sense near the new entertainment at the Toyota Music Factory but as the last sites around the lake are going I hope the city does get more aggressive with a parkland that is worth visiting.

The city did take ownership of that large piece of land on the S/E end of the lake where they historically borrowed for fireworks and dragon boat races. Hopefully they have some big plans to establish a signature park there. It is a bit far from most of the residential that has gone up recently, but there is plenty of room around it to build more.
Time will tell...

[Kelley USA]

I am still hoping they can come with half-decent park space that is less side hustle and more feature-rich. Something that has some of the presence of a Klyde Warren aka signature park. This site for the hotels above wouldn't be a good candidate for that and hotels here make sense near the new entertainment at the Toyota Music Factory but as the last sites around the lake are going I hope the city does get more aggressive with a parkland that is worth visiting.

The city did take ownership of that large piece of land on the S/E end of the lake where they historically borrowed for fireworks and dragon boat races. Hopefully they have some big plans to establish a signature park there. It is a bit far from most of the residential that has gone up recently, but there is plenty of room around it to build more.
Time will tell...

Well I have some bad news for you guys... The City has already approved the plans for this park and it's absolutely nothing to write home about. They're spending about $2 million to plant some trees, put in a sidewalk wide enough for vendors and food trucks, new sod and a paved area where they can put up a temporary stage for certain events. I'll see if I can find the plans.

My only concern with regards to the hotel project above is that they do absolutely nothing to interact with the streets. It's basically walled off garages on both O'Connor and Las Colinas Blvd. The entire project is basically inward facing. I would love to see some interaction. I think the hard corner could support a really cool signature restaurant.

I will also tell you that the City is very concerned with the amount of hotels being built / proposed. Within 2 miles of the Urban Center you have 11 hotels either under construction or proposed. I'm not sure Las Colinas is in need of that many rooms.

[Kelley USA]

Video on the proposed Hotel / Office Development at O'Connor & Las Colinas Blvd.

https://vimeo.com/364323462

[TXGunLover]

Total Wine & More opens Nov 16.

[muncien]

Total Wine & More opens Nov 16.

Any word on what the place taking the other half of the former ToysRUs (Babies R Us side)?
I saw a 'now hiring' sign on front yesterday, but I couldn't make out the name. I want to say it was something like 'Woo Hoo'... but don't quote me on that.

[TXGunLover]

The Babies R Us side is the Total Wine.

[muncien]

The Babies R Us side is the Total Wine.

Oh, okay... I saw the 'Total Wine' sign on the left side, a divider in between, and the 'Woo Hoo' Now Hiring on the right. I assumed they weren't related. But maybe they're just excited to be opening soon (lol), and are taking both sides?

[TXGunLover]

It says Woo Hoo we're hiring Total Wine...

[muncien]

It says Woo Hoo we're hiring Total Wine...

That's what I get for practicing 'Drive-By Journalism'. lol Thx

[Kelley USA]

Water Street has signed another tenant... OUZI Mediterranean is going into the spot between The Gingerman and Creamistry (about 4K sq ft). There are only 3 spots remaining and 1 of them has a pending lease.

[Kelley USA]

Microsoft is growing it's Las Colinas campus. It'll invest $31 million into the current location and add 575 new jobs. In return they'll receive incentives from the City, as well as, $4.5 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund. Great add for Irving!

[Tnexster]

Microsoft is growing it's Las Colinas campus. It'll invest $31 million into the current location and add 575 new jobs. In return they'll receive incentives from the City, as well as, $4.5 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund. Great add for Irving!

Big win for LC!

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/tec ... rce=pushly

[muncien]

^^
How exactly does this work? It doesn't say anything about leasing more space. Sounds like they will remain in their existing footprint. How exactly do you squeeze 575 'new' bodies into an existing building? Were they that empty?

[Kelley USA]

^^
How exactly does this work? It doesn't say anything about leasing more space. Sounds like they will remain in their existing footprint. How exactly do you squeeze 575 'new' bodies into an existing building? Were they that empty?

I was kind of thinking the same thing... From what I can gather the building is about 230K sq ft, and they have about 1800 employees on property right now.

[LongonBigD]

^^
How exactly does this work? It doesn't say anything about leasing more space. Sounds like they will remain in their existing footprint. How exactly do you squeeze 575 'new' bodies into an existing building? Were they that empty?

You take out cubes and replace them with flex space (unassigned seating at tables intended for WFH types).

[Kelley USA]

Looks like Fit Factory has leased the space next to Total Wine. Appears to be a small chain out of Mass with 6 locations and expanding into DFW with Colleyville, Garland and Las Colinas. Looked at the photo gallery. Appears to be a nice place!

[TXGunLover]

Also, I was wrong about Total wine being on the endcap, they're in the middle...

[muncien]

After months and months of zero activity at the Hidden Ridge development (other than Pioneer HQ, of course), there are finally some signs... Literally, Development Plan Request DVP19-0004 has been posted on the property. I haven't seen this on the City of Irving website, but I'm never very good at finding these things.
This is the plot of land between the Pioneer HQ building and Green Park Dr (along Hidden Ridge).
Not sure what it entails, but it would be nice to see some updated plans here. I was growing a little concerned as the Pioneer building is all but completed, but we hadn't see ANYTHING on any other parts of the development. Now, I know there were stipulations about Pioneer being done first, but it still made me nervous.
Curious to see what is in store, and how things may have changed. This proposal doesn't seem to include the area across Green Park Dr over towards 114.

[Kelley USA]

^^ It could be something, but not really too much to report right now on Hidden Ridge. This case is going before P&Z on Monday. They're simply trying to replat 2 lots in Block A into 1 lot for FWY (Freeway) uses. It's about 9 acres. Hopefully just the first step to a much larger announcement.

[Kelley USA]

IT Consulting Firm Gartner is expanding its presence in Las Colinas with a 55K sq ft lease. That's a lot of space! The market in Las Colinas continues to be strong.

https://rebusinessonline.com/gartner-si ... in-irving/

[Kelley USA]

Probably nothing, but someone has been kicking the tires on the site of the cancelled Market Street development... Crews have been taking soil samples for a week now.

[TXGunLover]

Total Wine opened last night. Great staff and prices, like all their other stores.

[Tnexster]

New Irving high-rise project includes two hotels

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... wo-hotels/

[Kelley USA]

Looks like yet another hotel project is coming before P&Z tonight... This will be a 7 story new Hilton concept on 114 in the Urban Center. From what I can gather it looks like it'll be a Motto concept. This will make 7 hotels that will go up on 114 all within a 1/2 mile of each other, and 12 hotels either under construction or planned between 161 and Riverside Dr / Rochelle Blvd (about a 3.5 mile stretch). All concepts combined will add almost 4000 additional rooms per night.

[muncien]

Looks like yet another hotel project is coming before P&Z tonight... This will be a 7 story new Hilton concept on 114 in the Urban Center. From what I can gather it looks like it'll be a Motto concept. This will make 7 hotels that will go up on 114 all within a 1/2 mile of each other, and 12 hotels either under construction or planned between 161 and Riverside Dr / Rochelle Blvd (about a 3.5 mile stretch). All concepts combined will add almost 4000 additional rooms per night.

Curious how this discussion went. I don't mind another hotel in the urban center, and this plot seems perfect for one... But, this proposal seems to be lacking significantly. While I can live with the height (seven stories), the all surface parking and limited number of rooms seems inappropriate here. It seems that they could easily could have double decked the parking and extended the structure along the full length of northern canal frontage.
I know the staff has favored approval here, but I think we need to set the bar a bit higher. Curious what the council will do with this.