Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Tnexster
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Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby Tnexster » 25 Jun 2018 21:39

Hong Kong firm plans huge Frisco development with shopping mall, office towers, hotel and apartments

So I guess the surge north continues, with the addition of office, hotels, residential and an enclosed mall this seems well placed to support growth further north and expansion of the tollway into Grayson County. Say hello to Marilee and Gunter, the expansion of the metro marches on.

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... apartments

A Chinese industrial conglomerate plans to build a huge mixed-use real estate development on the northern edge of Frisco.

Hong Kong-based China Lesso Group's U.S. subsidiary is seeking planning approvals from Frisco to build a 77-acre office, retail, hotel and residential project on the south side of U.S. 380 just west of the Dallas North Tollway.

The proposed development would include office, hotel and residential high-rises plus an enclosed shopping center.

DPatel304
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby DPatel304 » 26 Jun 2018 02:03

I'm not as familiar about development or growth in this part of town, but aren't there already concerns about too much congestion on 380?

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DAFW
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby DAFW » 26 Jun 2018 02:24

Oooooo finally something more exciting released about this mysterious mall development. When it was announced last year that they would be putting a mall here, I was expecting a small strip mall. Nothing special at all. Now after reading about it and seeing what appear to be VERY early renderings (from Google SketchUp), I can say this looks much more exciting than just any ole strip mall. In fact, if it happens according to plan, it'll do exactly what Stonebriar mall, Willow bend, and the Galleria should'a did... encapsulating a true urban center, focused around a mall.

I'm not as familiar about development or growth in this part of town, but aren't there already concerns about too much congestion on 380?

In a city review of the development they did a traffic assessment, and once the expansions to Highway 380 are complete, it looked like the congestion wasn't going to be bad.

This project even tho it is quite far up north should still be very successful following the expansion of the metroplex into Prosper and Celina. Hell, when Stonebriar mall was built, Frisco was practically nonexistent, now the mall is one of the highest performing (malls) in the country because of the growth this area has seen. I expect the same thing to happen to Lesso Mall (or whatever they plan on naming it)

Now I did a LOT of digging for this, but in the plans filed with the city I found a construction timeline--
Phase one completion expected in 2021
FULL build out possibly by: 2025

Heres some renderings grabbed from the Dallas Morning News link that was shared above:
Image
What the inner courtyard of the mall could look like, I'm seeing the BARE BONES of a more futuristic hong kong style building, which I have to say that I will love if they execute it correctly and style the surrounding buildings similarly.

Image
This is a look at what an 18 story office building could look like in the development.. not bad

Image
Heres what one of the 14 story hotels could shape up to be.

Image
and here is one of the seemingly more conservative 9 story apartment buildings.

Image
And lastly here's a look at the plans. The shape of the mall is VERY interesting and it has so much potential to be a really cool piece of architecture in the city.

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ContriveDallasite
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby ContriveDallasite » 26 Jun 2018 02:45

Wow this is quite a project. Now why can't we can some international capital to buy up the Riverfront or Spire project?

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jrd1964
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby jrd1964 » 26 Jun 2018 05:14

If the mall does get built, I'm not sure what kind of retail environment we'll have by then. There have been many store/chain closures in the last 2 years. This may not be the traditional mall of old we're used to.

All that said, this same corner of US 380/DNTollway has been the "future site of" more than once, and, well, it's still not a "site of". Hopefully this won't be a Wade Park 2.0.

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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby DPatel304 » 26 Jun 2018 10:42

ContriveDallasite wrote:Wow this is quite a project. Now why can't we can some international capital to buy up the Riverfront or Spire project?


Haha, my thoughts exactly. Looks like an amazingly ambitious project, and I'm quite envious that we don't get stuff of this caliber closer to Downtown. Well, best of luck to this development, it would be cool to see it take shape.

With all the growth we are seeing up north, I feel like we'll eventually create another 'node' to the DFW metroplex that might one day be able to hold it's own against Fort Worth and Dallas. I feel like the DNT/121 intersection has the demand for something big, but the developments in that area lack any sort of long term vision. Perhaps this development (if it happens) could be the anchor for a new DFW 'node' up north. I know trying to compete with Fort Worth or Dallas is an insane thought at this point in time, but, with the amount of growth happening there, they certainly can have the population to support something in the distant future. If they can actually embrace true urban development, and not this partial urban/suburban crap we have seen recently, then they may be able to at least lay the ground work for something big.

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DAFW
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby DAFW » 26 Jun 2018 15:13

If the mall does get built, I'm not sure what kind of retail environment we'll have by then. There have been many store/chain closures in the last 2 years. This may not be the traditional mall of old we're used to.

I do see this as being a much more futuristic version of a shopping mall, geared toward the slow decline of brick and mortar stores(?). However, the whole mall experience of being able to go in store, try it on, and buy it immediately isn't the same as doing it online. therefore regardless of what people may say I personally don't see malls dying out completely anytime soon, especially if they are done like this, surrounded by an urban environment with people around 24/7.

All that said, this same corner of US 380/DNTollway has been the "future site of" more than once, and, well, it's still not a "site of". Hopefully this won't be a Wade Park 2.0.

Hmmm, I see your concern, but I think this might actually happen. The Lesso group is a huge company that (stated in the DMN article) raked in $3 billion in revenue last year. I'm no mathematician, but they seem a lot more credible and capable of bringing the capital they need to pull this off. Unlike Thomas land and development. But we shall see...

With all the growth we are seeing up north, I feel like we'll eventually create another 'node' to the DFW metroplex that might one day be able to hold it's own against Fort Worth and Dallas. I feel like the DNT/121 intersection has the demand for something big, but the developments in that area lack any sort of long term vision. Perhaps this development (if it happens) could be the anchor for a new DFW 'node' up north. I know trying to compete with Fort Worth or Dallas is an insane thought at this point in time, but, with the amount of growth happening there, they certainly can have the population to support something in the distant future. If they can actually embrace true urban development, and not this partial urban/suburban crap we have seen recently, then they may be able to at least lay the ground work for something big.

Wouldnt that be something... It appears that the growth is on track for something like this to happen, I just wish new forms of pedestrian connections or a LOT more of the flying uber vertiports could be built around the city near major developments to connect everything together, or maybe an inter-city hyperloop that could also be used because the flying cars would be useless in bad weather. In the plans it looks like Frisco Station is the only one on top of their game (building a vertiport).. also we need an entire night-scene to birth up here to create a 24/7 environment anchored by these already very popular destinations (Stonebriar, Legacy West, Shops of Legacy, The star- etc.) and the onslaught of new ones that are being built (Grandscape, Frisco Station, The gate, The new Hall Park, Lesso Mall, and whatever else is planned~)

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DAFW
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby DAFW » 10 Nov 2018 22:03

oh wow... this rendering

Image

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tamtagon
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby tamtagon » 10 Nov 2018 22:22

Looks great from above, and seems to be better from ground level! There's so much going on in Collin County, even I'm surprise. These pictures really make me think about what will happen with NorthPark when that mall enters the 21st century when the recurrent open air, mixed use, live-work-play, office and entertainment expansion day dreams become tangible.

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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby Tnexster » 11 Nov 2018 14:15

This would certainly help solidify the next major business center going up the tollway that never seems to end. Wonder what is after this?

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tamtagon
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby tamtagon » 11 Nov 2018 14:39

During the next century, the well-being of Collin and Denton County residents is directly related to urban growth boundaries established before too much longer. Development rule of thumb north of Hwy 380, if the land drains to Lake Lewisville keep it rural, if the land drains to Lavon build it out.

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whit5125
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby whit5125 » 13 Nov 2018 13:53

I honestly hope this doesn't happen , it is too far north , and if it did I really don't see it being anything more than something out on it's own surrounded by suburban houses.

Plus, if this is truly going to be on the corner of the tollway and 380....dear God the traffic nightmare that will be.

On top of that, the drive to the north is going to have to stop at some point.

If this was further south on the tollway fine, but it is going to be massively out of place.

It seems like it was a group of investors not familiar with the are that wanted to develop a mall, looked for cheap land in Frisco near a highway and just decided to build there without extra thought.

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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby DPatel304 » 13 Nov 2018 14:18

whit5125 wrote:It seems like it was a group of investors not familiar with the are that wanted to develop a mall, looked for cheap land in Frisco near a highway and just decided to build there without extra thought.


All the growth happening this far north just feels like it's from people hoping this area will become the next Frisco, but aren't really thinking about things like traffic and distance away from everything else.

That's what this development feels like to me. It seems like maybe they are hoping this intersection will be the next DNT/121. Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe this area will boom, but I agree with you, it's just too far from everything else and traffic will indeed be a nightmare.

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muncien
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby muncien » 13 Nov 2018 15:04

But the commute from OKC gets a little easier...
"He doesn't know how to use the three seashells..."

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I45Tex
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby I45Tex » 22 Dec 2018 12:49

Pertaining to Lesso Americas' track record, not to news on Frisco or on moving their headquarters there from California as the original DMN Gensler quotes suggested they were floating:

June 2017: http://www.ngkf.com/home/media-center/p ... XNQYa.dpbs

Feb 2018: https://www.cpexecutive.com/post/nkf-to ... all-in-ny/

Nov 2018: https://libn.com/2018/11/27/lesso-home- ... ew-tenant/
"...Newmark Knight Frank resigned from the project..."

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undefinedprocess
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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby undefinedprocess » 04 Nov 2020 09:45

Haven't seen any updates on this... Anyone know anything new about this project?

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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby Tnexster » 30 Dec 2020 11:46

undefinedprocess wrote:Haven't seen any updates on this... Anyone know anything new about this project?


It doesn't seem to appear on the Frisco EDC webpage as a current development. Maybe it got shelved.

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Re: Frisco: China Lesso Group Mixed-Use Development

Postby undefinedprocess » 30 Dec 2020 11:55

Tnexster wrote:
undefinedprocess wrote:Haven't seen any updates on this... Anyone know anything new about this project?


It doesn't seem to appear on the Frisco EDC webpage as a current development. Maybe it got shelved.


Too bad, wasn’t necessarily insanely excited for it, but it would’ve made a nice addition to the area once Fields (especially the city center portions) is built up.