PlaceMKR, an Austin-based commercial real estate investment and development firm, made its entry into the Dallas-Fort Worth industrial market with the acquisition of a 325,300-square-foot flex industrial portfolio along Interstate 30 in Rockwall.

The Industrial Boulevard portfolio, at 2005 and 2020 Industrial Blvd. in Rockwall, was constructed between 1976 and 1993. It spans 21 acres and comprises 10 buildings, ranging in size from 10,000 to 163,000 square feet. Building tenants include local and national occupiers with an average time at the property of more than 10 years.

PlaceMKR plans to immediately implement an extensive capital improvement plan to enhance the tenant experience and performance of the assets. They have completed similar projects in Austin and New Braunfels that have enhanced industrial and IOS properties through aesthetic, utility, paving and wayfinding improvements.

Strategically located about 25 miles east of Downtown Dallas along I-30, the portfolio features outdoor storage, drive-in and dock-high loading, heavy power, HVAC and clear heights of 16′-24′. The property is near some of Rockwall’s major employers, including Channell Commercial Corporation, Graham Packaging Company, SPR Packaging and IKEA.

Additionally, the portfolio is in a highly desirable location, just 2.5 miles from the 550-acre Rockwall Technology Park industrial hub. Overseen by the Rockwall Economic Development Corporation, it is home to many of the city’s largest manufacturers and industrial job creators.

Rockwall’s industrial inventory of 7.1 million square feet represents about .6% of the Metroplex’s total market of 1.2 billion square feet. Despite its small size, Rockwall has consistently outperformed the broader region in occupancy, Cortese said. The submarket’s net absorption has remained strong with 197k SF absorbed within the previous 12 months, despite inventory expanding 20.5% in that same period.

Historically, new development in Rockwall has focused on big-box, tilt-wall construction where spaces are not easily demised for service industrial tenancy. This has resulted in a lack of available vacancies of less than 20,000 square feet, which in turn has led to asking rates achieving all-time highs. Furthermore, rising construction costs mixed with high land values make ground-up construction of small bay product unfeasible. The Industrial Boulevard portfolio benefits from this imbalance by offering functionality and existing availability, which is becoming increasingly scarce in Rockwall.

MDH Partners acquired a Class-A nine-building portfolio of light industrial assets totaling 563,343 square feet in Houston.

The portfolio included two buildings located at 7220 N Sam Houston Pkwy W and seven buildings at 3403 N Sam Houston Pkwy W. Located in the Northwest Houston submarket along Beltway 8, the Portfolio is 94% leased. Georga Rowe led the acquisition for MDH. 

Located on Sam Houston Parkway, the Portfolio is visible to 150,000 vehicles per day with premier frontage along Beltway 8, providing excellent access to all major transportation arteries. Developed between 2007 and 2013, the nine buildings in the Portfolio are highly functional Class-A assets with an average suite size of 19,425 square feet. The Portfolio is 94% leased to 26 tenants with a weighted average lease term of 4.47 years.  MDH has engaged Stream Realty Partners to lease the portfolio on its behalf.  

According to CoStar, shallow bay assets represent 36% of total U.S. industrial inventory as of Q1 2025, yet they account for only approximately 5% of all industrial space currently under construction, underscoring the limited new supply entering this category. This Portfolio is directly aligned with these national dynamics, offering a variety of suite sizes ranging from 6,800 square feet to 65,000 square feet. 

Stream Realty Partners reports that the greater than 50,000-square-foot distribution segment in Houston’s Northwest submarket has historically maintained one of the lowest vacancy rates out of all the size segments at approximately 3.5% over the last four quarters, reflecting exceptional tenant depth and leasing velocity in this infill shallow-bay size range.  

MDH is currently investing its Fund III, a $1.2 billion discretionary fund, and it currently owns or manages approximately 37 million square feet across 33 markets in 18 states.  

Consumers spent a record-high this Black Friday on online shopping, according to the latest research from Adobe Analytics.

According to Adobe’s stats, U.S. consumers spent $11.8 billion on online purchases this most recent Black Friday. If that seems like an impressive number, it’s because it is: That’s up 9.1% from 2024 and marks an all-time high.

And that’s not the end of the online shopping boom. Adobe said that it expects U.S. consumers to spend $14.2 billion online today, Cyber Monday.

Mastercard’s SpendingPulse said that e-commerce sales jumped 10.4% on Black Friday of this year, while in-store purchases only jumped 1.7% from 2024.

Online shoppers were especially active during the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern Time, according to Adobe. The company said consumers spent $12.5 million through online shopping carts every minute during this time.

U.S. shoppers didn’t limit their online spending to Black Friday, either. Adobe said that U.S. consumers spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day itself.

Big sellers this holiday weekend included video game consoles, home appliances and electronics.

Hillwood, BNSF Railway and the City of Fort Worth created the Alliance Logistics District in Fort Worth, Texas.

The district was officially designated and approved by the Fort Worth City Council at its Nov. 11 meeting. Effective immediately, the District will serve as a first-of-its-kind mobility logistics hub within the Smart Port at AllianceTexas, Hillwood’s 27,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use development in north Fort Worth.

Benefits for District Operators and Customers

The Alliance Logistics District is designed to deliver tangible operational advantages to any operator or customer within its boundaries. Key benefits include:

• The right to deploy semi- and fully autonomous vehicles along district roadways in the freight corridor, supporting next-generation logistics and automation.
• The right to use private hostler vehicles without a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to shuttle freight between BNSF’s intermodal facility and District warehouses, increasing operational efficiencies and reducing regulatory barriers.
• The right to perform heavy-haul freight movements (loads over 80,000 pounds) across District roadways without the need for special-use permits, enabling efficient transport of high-density or oversized goods.

These benefits are available to all users operating within the District, regardless of prior involvement or technical background, ensuring that the District’s innovative infrastructure and regulatory flexibility are accessible and understandable to both new and existing stakeholders. By being co-located with one of BNSF’s largest intermodal facilities, operators and customers can realize significant operational cost savings, enhanced connectivity and improved logistics efficiency.

District Impact and Vision

Anchored by North America’s largest inland rail port, BNSF’s Alliance intermodal facility, the Alliance Logistics District is the first of its kind within BNSF’s rail and intermodal ecosystem and will redefine how freight moves through North Texas while reducing traffic on public roads. By enabling more efficient and cost-effective cargo transport, including autonomous and semi-autonomous shuttle movements as well as overweight and private heavy-haul vehicles, the District will help customers save millions of dollars annually while solidifying North Texas’ position as a national leader in logistics innovation.

In its request to the Fort Worth City Council, Hillwood emphasized that the Alliance Logistics District aligns directly with the City’s 2023 Innovation Districts Policy, which encourages concentrated hubs of research, technology and entrepreneurship within defined geographic areas. Surpassing the City’s established criteria, the Alliance Logistics District will support industries including logistics, automation, and advanced manufacturing — anchored by Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport and the BNSF intermodal facility. The District will also advance innovation-driven employment, smart infrastructure and public-private collaboration to strengthen Fort Worth’s role as a global logistics and technology center.

Spanning nearly 1,400 acres, the District is purpose-built for next-generation industrial development, with direct BNSF rail access and flexible logistics infrastructure designed to support manufacturers and shippers handling heavy, dense or high-value goods — such as ceramics, plastics and auto parts — where speed, efficiency and connectivity are critical.

“By integrating advanced technology, modern infrastructure and regulatory flexibility, this initiative reinforces AllianceTexas’ standing as one of the most connected, forward-thinking logistics ecosystems in the country,” said Nicholas Konen, vice president of strategic development at Hillwood. “These advancements reduce costs for customers, improve logistics efficiency and take pressure off public roadways. Our long-standing partnerships with BNSF, the City of Fort Worth and regional transportation leaders are truly a testament to how public-private collaboration sparks innovation, accelerates industrial development and drives economic opportunity.”

The inland port at AllianceTexas serves as the primary port of entry for the southwestern United States, linking global trade directly to the region through intermodal rail connections from ports including Los Angeles, Long Beach and Houston. As one of only two intermodal logistics hubs in Texas that integrate air, ground and rail transportation, companies can efficiently move goods across all three modes of transit.

“The Alliance Logistics District aligns perfectly with BNSF’s vision to deliver transportation services that consistently meet our customers’ expectations, with these innovations delivering cost savings and additional supply chain value,” said Jon Gabriel, BNSF group vice president of consumer products. “By enabling the delivery of goods from rail to warehouse in a more efficient way, we’re increasing the traffic that can capitalize on the cost, capacity and sustainability benefits of intermodal while creating a scalable model for the next generation of inland ports. This strengthens the region’s freight infrastructure and keeps North Texas at the forefront of global supply chain innovation.”

According to a recently released study by the Texas Comptroller’s office, Texas ports generated $1 trillion in international trade in 2024, with AllianceTexas contributing $834.6 million — a 550.7% increase since 2016.

“Through this public-private partnership, Fort Worth continues to lead in smart, sustainable infrastructure that drives our region’s economic vitality,” said Lauren Prieur, Fort Worth’s director of transportation and public works. “The Alliance Logistics District strengthens our position as a global logistics hub while ensuring forward-looking, responsible transportation planning.”

Accompanied by these operational enhancements, Hillwood’s $20 million investment in a private heavy-haul bridge over FM-156 unlocks the District’s true value, directly linking its 15 million square feet of distribution, logistics, and manufacturing space to BNSF’s Alliance intermodal facility.

Planned to meet TxDOT standards and engineered for 120,000-pound axle loads, the three-lane bridge will enable the efficient movement of heavy-haul freight while reducing truck traffic on public roads. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2026, reinforcing Hillwood’s commitment to next-generation infrastructure that supports industrial growth and regional mobility.

BI Group and Texas-based Vita Group, are proud to announce the launch of The Winford, an exclusive community of 26 boutique townhomes in the heart of Houston’s Galleria Area.

Designed to blend the scale of a single-family home with the connectivity of city life, The Winford reimagines vertical living and offers a uniquely private and peaceful urban experience within one of Houston’s most desirable neighborhoods.

The Winford distinguishes itself through open, modern architecture and light-filled interiors that reflect a European-inspired aesthetic rarely seen in Houston’s townhome market.

The development consists of 26 private-entry, four-story townhomes that offer the convenience of low-maintenance living with the space of a single-family residence.

Ranging in size from almost 2,800 to 3,400 square feet, each home features three to four bedrooms, two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half bathrooms and an attached two-car garage.

Prices range from $815,000 to $985,000. Completion is anticipated in Q4 2026.

Layouts are defined by clean architectural lines, timeless materials and generous proportions made to support multigenerational living, remote work and effortless entertaining. Oversized windows, high ceilings and rooftop terraces bring natural light into each home, encouraging indoor-outdoor living for residents.

The community does not include shared hallways, and all homes are elevator-ready, offering increased privacy and a more residential lifestyle than traditional urban multifamily buildings.

Located minutes from The Galleria, Memorial Park and leading Fortune 500 employers, The Winford offers residents walkable access to premier dining, entertainment and everyday conveniences, in addition to efficient connections to Loop 610, US-59 and I-10.

“We saw a clear demand in Houston for homes that provide privacy, space and style, without giving up proximity to the city’s best amenities,” said Olzhas Ayazbayev, CEO of BI Group USA. “The Winford delivers that balance and elevates what it means to live in Galleria Area.”

“Galleria Area continues to evolve as one of Houston’s strongest residential neighborhoods, and we’re proud to add a community that reflects where the market is heading,” said Andy Yaltir, CEO of Vita Group. “The Winford is purpose-built to reflect this momentum, offering larger homes, smarter layouts and a focus on everyday convenience.”

The Winford is developed through a strategic partnership between BI Group USA and Vita Group, combining international excellence with deep local expertise. BI Group USA brings 30 years of global development and engineering capabilities across eight countries, and Vita Group contributes more than two decades of success delivering commercial and residential projects across Texas.

A joint venture between two well-known commercial real estate firms has begun construction on a new, upscale apartment community in the Clear Lake, Texas area, a growing suburban community southeast of Houston.

OHT Partners and a real estate fund advised by Crow Holdings have begun construction on a 336-unit apartment community located at 16200 State Highway 3, which offers an abundance of nearby employment opportunities that include NASA Space Center, Bay Area Medical Center and the Port of Houston. The site is also within the coveted Clear Creek Independent School District.

The community, which has yet to be formally named, will feature a “modern European farmhouse” design aesthetic, blending traditional architectural forms with refined, contemporary finishes. The exterior showcases clean gabled rooflines and light brick while the interior introduces soft, natural materials to invoke a sophisticated, yet understated, style.

Units will range in size from one to two bedrooms with anywhere from 689 to 1,072 square feet. Upscale features will include smart technology for doors and thermostats, quartz countertops, refrigerators with French doors, brass hardware, built-in open shelving and mud rooms.

Community-wide amenities will include a 24-hour accessible co-working space, fitness center, clubroom with a kitchen, package lockers, resort-style pool with a pavilion and cabanas, 3,500-square-foot dog park, pet spa, elevators, conditioned corridors, electric vehicle chargers and community-wide Wi-Fi.

Construction is slated to wrap up in the third quarter of 2027.

In addition to the developers, project team members include:

·         Architect: Meeks + Partners

·         Civil engineer: Quiddity Engineering

·         Structural engineer: United Structural Consultants

·         Mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer: MEP Delta Design

·         Interior design: Ellie Aiello Interiors

·         Landscape architect: KFM Engineering & Design