Category: Editorial

Plano Office Project is One of the Few Groundbreakings During the Pandemic

Posted on by Sarah

Primera Cos.’ new building will open next September.

The Town Square II building is being constructed near the southwest corner of Preston Road and S.H. 121 (O’Brien Architects.) Developers have broken ground on a Plano office building — one of the few such projects moving ahead during the pandemic. Primera Cos. is building its Towne Square II offices near the southwest corner of State Highway 121 and Preston Road. The 80,000-square-foot building will join a similar project the developer completed three years ago. “This deal has been in the works for the last year,” said Primera Cos.’ Randy Sutton. “The land behind our existing building was going to be used for a hotel. “That project fell through, and we purchased the property.” The new project is designed for small tenants. “Our niche is the office suites are all pre-finished — move-in ready,” Sutton said. The planned two dozen office suites will range in size from about 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. The building will also have two shared conference rooms. “The suites in the new building on average are a little bigger,” Sutton said. “We are trying to retrofit for today’s environment — touchless elevators, automatic doors and clean air that we think is going to be important.” O’Brien Architects designed the new building, which is planned to open next September. Sutton said the company was encouraged to forge ahead with the project, even with the impacts of COVID-19. “Our portfolio is a mixed bag of industrial and office space,” he said. “We’ve had to work with some tenants, but overall it really hasn’t hit us extremely hard. “We still see a lot of people coming in and looking at space, and we are signing new leases,” Sutton said. “If we have something ready, tenants can move in.” Town Square II is the second Plano office project to start construction in the last couple of weeks. Developer Cawley Partners just broke ground for a 120,000-square-foot building on the Dallas North Tollway near Windhaven Drive. The Parkwood building will house First United Bank’s mortgage company. While some office project starts have been paused because of the pandemic, about 6 million square feet of office space is currently under construction in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Wolff Companies Announces Significant Access Improvements to U.S. 290, Plans for Waller County Mixed-Use Residential and Commercial Community

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(Houston, TX – October 27, 2020) Wolff Companies announced today during a virtual groundbreaking event for its latest mixed-use residential and commercial community, Beacon Hill, that it has received approval from the Texas Department of Transportation to create significant access improvements to U.S. 290.

According to the agreement, the access improvements will include:
• an off-ramp for a new 290 interchange, named Beacon Hill Boulevard, located west of FM 362;
• a mile-long U.S. 290 frontage road, connecting Beacon Hill Boulevard to James R. Muse Parkway;
• an auxiliary lane from the entrance ramp from FM 362 to the Beacon Hill exit; and
• a U-turn under U.S. 290 at James R. Muse Parkway, to aid traffic flow from Beacon Hill toward Houston.

“We are excited to announce the planned improvements to US 290 in Waller County,” said Eliza Paul, P.E., Houston District Engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation. “The interchange will serve not only Beacon Hill but also the surrounding community, improving traffic mobility between FM 362 and James R. Muse Parkway. It will also create a significant economic benefit, providing access to large tracts of land for development, and in turn stimulating significant future job opportunities, residential alternatives, and tax revenues to both the City of Waller and Waller County. TxDOT is glad to be a partner in the development of these access improvements with Wolff Companies, Waller County and MUD #33.” Beacon Hill Boulevard is expected to be completed in September 2021. The construction on the interchange is expected to start in spring 2022 and be completed in 2023. The project will be funded through a public-private partnership between Wolff Companies, TXDOT and the Beacon Hill Municipal Utility District (Waller County MUD #33), with Wolff Companies providing the majority of the capital as well as the right-of-way for the project. Beacon Hill, located on 521 acres, directly on the north side of U.S. 290, between FM 362 and James R. Muse Parkway, continues Wolff Companies’ long history of creating master-planned, mixed-used developments along emerging freeway corridors. The property’s elevation approaches 300 feet, making it one of the highest points in the Houston metro area. With almost 4,200 feet of frontage on U.S. 290, the development will feature a business park on the 251 acres abutting the freeway with uses ranging from light industrial and distribution to office, multifamily and retail, all supported by utilities and services from the City of Waller. The property is shovel-ready, with storm water detention and drainage, trunk water lines, trunk sanitary sewer and a lift station as well as electrical lines already in place, representing an $8 million investment in the property. “The availability of large tracts of land, the quality of the local school district, crucial access to utilities and improved mobility have placed Waller County in the path of growth, not unlike the opportunity we saw years ago along I-10 in The Energy Corridor,” said David S. Wolff, Chairman and President of Wolff Companies. “We expect the pace of development in the area will increase steadily now that U.S. 290 construction is complete and as we introduce new commercial sites in Beacon Hill.” The company also announced that the northernmost 270 acres of the tract have been purchased by Long Lake Ltd. to develop a master-planned residential community featuring approximately 870 houses. Priced from the low $200s to the mid-$400s, a wide variety of homes will be available from four distinct design series offered by Long Lake, including multiple floor plans and elevation options, allowing homeowners to fully customize their home plans to create their ideal living environment. Model homes will be open and the first residential deliveries are anticipated for the first quarter of 2021. The community will also feature 30 acres of green recreational spaces, including ponds and miles of paved trails as well as a community recreation center. “Beacon Hill will fill a housing void in the area, bringing convenient, quality, affordable living options to the faculty and staff of Prairie View A&M as well as the many employees of the burgeoning businesses in Northern Waller County,” said Craig Jones, CEO of Long Lake, Ltd. “The population served by this neighborhood will deliver valuable tax revenue for the county and city.” Waller County and the surrounding area have been undergoing steady industrial and residential growth over the last few years. The low cost and availability of land near an intersection of two major highways have placed it firmly on the map for developers and manufacturers, attracting investment from companies such as Japan-based Daikin, the world’s largest manufacturer of heating, cooling and ventilation equipment, which built the nation’s second largest manufacturing plant in Waller. Additionally, the completion of the Grand Parkway’s Segment E in 2013, which extends north from I-10 to U.S. 290, has made Waller more attractive to a future workforce. The long-awaited completion of 290 construction has further reduced commuter drive times and opened up the area for development, including residential, industrial and distribution uses.

About Wolff Companies
For 50 years, Wolff Companies has been a leader in developing master-planned, mixed-use business communities in the Houston area. The company’s developments include: Beltway; Park 10; Interwood; Westway Park; First Crossing; Ten Oaks at the Texas Medical Center – West Campus; Central Park; and Beacon Hill. The American Society of Landscape Architects, Scenic Houston, Keep America Beautiful, the American Institute of Architects and the Municipal Art Commission have all recognized Wolff Companies’ developments for enhancing and preserving the natural beauty of land, while meeting the ever-changing needs of business. For more information, www.wolffcompanies.com.

About Long Lake Ltd.
Long Lake, Ltd. is Houston’s largest primary privately owned homebuilder. Its seasoned leadership team boasts more than 150 years of combined experience in the industry. Since its inception in 1997, the company has delivered more than 24,000 new homes ranging from the upper $100s to the $400s in more than 30 communities across the Houston Metro area. For more information on Long Lake, Ltd. or Woodmere Development, visit www.LongLakeLTD.com. To join the VIP interest list or for information regarding Beacon Hill or any Long Lake, Ltd. communities, email info@longlakeltd.com.

Golfinity Coming to Austin, Texas in 2021

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Austin, Texas (October 19, 2020) – Golfinity, a revolutionary new indoor golf performance club, is coming to Austin, Texas in early 2021. Golfinity is focused on growing the game through quality instruction and game improvement techniques for all levels of golfers, including families and kids. Golfinity will provide the information, tools, and coaching necessary for golfers to reach their maximum potential in a safe, family-friendly environment. The facility, programming, and culture are all designed around creating positive golf experiences, skill development and fun. The Golfinity concept is the vision of co-founders Aaron Bergman and Marc Rankin. Rankin is a proven business leader with experience in golf resorts, real estate and private equity. Bergman is an award-winning Class A PGA Professional whose world travels allowed him to bring golf to new communities and inspired his first business, Golf in Schools, an after-school enrichment program and junior golf academy. Bergman, who has taught golf lessons in nine countries from beginners to elite players will serve as CEO, while Rankin will focus on facility design, strategic partnerships and national development plans. “Teaching and growing golf is my passion,” said Bergman. “I have witnessed its power to enrich lives and connect people across class and cultures. Golfinity has a unique opportunity to remove entry barriers to the game and reach a much wider audience. Click to read more at www.troon.com.

Park Coming to Fair Park: Dallas City Council Approves Master Plan

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One of the plan’s first priorities is to create a new community park, which will have free programming for children, adults and seniors.

Community members are one step closer to seeing a park at Fair Park after Dallas City Council approved the park’s master plan at a meeting Wednesday. The historic 277-acre park is best known as being the home of the State Fair of Texas from late September to October, but the city wants to attract events and community members from across North Texas year-round. Plus, the revitalization hopes to bring amenities within walking distance that the South Dallas community around Fair Park can enjoy. In 2018, the city approved the management of the park by private firm Spectra and nonprofit Fair Park First for $34.5 million. Those entities would manage the park for the first 10 years of a 20-year management agreement. The Parks and Recreation Board approved the master plan this year in June and it was approved Wednesday by City Council. The Fair Park Master Plan and Community plan aims to create a year-round destination and preserve the park’s legacy while bringing entertainment, culture and a welcoming place of opportunity for neighboring communities, according to the master plan presentation. Fair Park First says the revitalization will meet “the needs and interests of the current institutions at Fair Park, surrounding neighborhoods and park users from the DFW Metroplex.” Click to read more at www.wfaa.com.

CBRE Relocating Corporate HQ to Dallas

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CBRE Group Inc. is moving its corporate headquarters from California to Dallas, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the deal. The company is already a major player locally with at least four offices in North Texas, including its main office at 2100 McKinney Avenue in Uptown. CBRE’s current headquarters is listed as 400 South Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles. Some of CBRE’s top executives are already based in Dallas, including the company’s CFO, Leah Stearns, and CBRE’s global CEO of real estate investments, Mike Lafitte. The company’s local operations are headed by Michael Caffey, president of advisory services for the South-Central Division and Latin America. CBRE’s top executive is president and CEO Robert Sulentic, a former Trammell Crow Company chief executive who was named CEO of CBRE after the Los Angeles-based firm acquired the Dallas-based development and property management company in 2006.

Tech Company’s Move to Plano Sets the Stage for New Development

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A tech company’s move to Plano will enable a developer to move ahead with a new industrial park. TT Electronics, an international manufacturer of electronic components and service provider to manufacturers, is leasing 58,000 square feet in the Plano Commerce Center on Plano Parkway near Jupiter Road. The almost 180,000-square-foot industrial project was developed by Dallas’ Provident Realty Advisors. The two 90,000-square-foot buildings were the developer’s first industrial project in Plano. TT Electronics, based in England, is moving its North Texas operation from Carrollton to Provident Realty’s project. The tech company will join Airbus Solutions USA and Critical Electrical Systems Group as tenants in the project. “We only have about 30,000 square feet left,” said John Bunten, Provident Realty’s executive director of industrial development. That’s why the developer is buying a site nearby for more construction. “We are closing on the 66 acres just down the street,” Bunten said. “We hope to start the first phase of a project there in January with 300,000 square feet of office-flex industrial space in two buildings. Click to read more at www.dallasnews.com.