Big Budget Buildings in the Works

New construction projects dominate North Texas region while expansion and massive remodeling projects compete for dominance.

UT Hires Program Management Team for $4.2 Billion Project

The University of Texas System's and Facilities Planning and Construction Capital Improvement Program is planning a 10-year, $4.2 billion project of repair and rehabilitation as well as new construction projects. The university retained Boyken International, a worldwide program management and consulting firm with Texas offices in Houston and Dallas, for a project management continuing service agreement.

The first four years of the long-range plan to preserve and enhance facility assets is approved and under way. Boyken will provide project management staff extension for the OFPC for the duration of the program.

Projects vary from wellness facilities to a thermal energy plant and garage.

Red Oak Realty Builds Downtown Fort Worth's Cantey Hanger Plaza

Representatives from Cantey Hanger law firm, Red Oak Realty, Texas Capital Bank, Gideon Toal and The Staubach Co. throw the first dirt at the Cantey Hanger Plaza in Fort Worth.(Photo by Glen Ellman.)

The Cantey Hanger law firm has selected Red Oak Realty LLC to develop Cantey Hanger Plaza - a Class A building owned by First on 6th LP in Fort Worth.

Cantey Hanger is expected to move from its current location in Burnett Plaza by summer 2008.

The building, encompassing 86,300 sq ft, will have 82,936 sq ft of leasable space. A sky bridge will connect the Bank of America parking garage and Cantey Hanger Plaza. Gideon Toal of Fort Worth designed plaza with a precast and glass exterior and the client’s logo set into the building at the lower southwest corner. Austin Commercial of Irving has been selected as general contractor.

The announcement of the move to Cantey Hanger Plaza is concurrent with the celebration of the law firm's 125th year in Fort Worth.

Todd Burnette and George Duncan, senior vice presidents of the Fort Worth office of The Staubach Co., negotiated the lease for Cantey Hanger. Eagle represented Red Oak Realty.

Shown In the photo above from left to right are: Mike Palmer, Oleta Thompson, Pollard Rogers, Jim Eagle, George Duncan, Todd Burnette, Greg Ibanez and Darrin Lawrence.

IDI Remodels Clubhouses on Ridglea Country Club Courses

Fort Worth's Ridglea Country Club will get a new 11,000-sq-ft clubhouse facility surrounded by a 4,000-sq-ft porch. The country club's board of directors selected Fort Worth-based Innovative Developers Inc. as its construction manager for clubhouse projects on the North and South courses.

The South (Championship) Course will undergo renovations as well. Work is expected to be completed by summer 2008.

Cadence McShane Builds Industrial Park Near DFW Airport

Cadence McShane Corp. of Dallas will build RiverPark 700, its fourth construction assignment from Atlanta-based developer Seefried Properties Inc. RiverPark 700 is a new 328,828-sq-ft single- or multi-tenant industrial facility situated at Seefried's 320-acre RiverPark business park, two mi from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Atlanta-based Realacorp America will provide the architectural services. The project is on a fast-track schedule to provide tenant occupancy in October.

$50 Million Multi-Purpose Events Center Planned in Allen

Global Properties I will be part of a joint venture to build a $50 million multi-purpose events center for the city of Allen along with its parent company, Global Entertainment Corp. of Phoenix.

The MGHerring Group of Dallas and the city of Allen are developing a multi-use entertainment facility for the residents of Allen and the surrounding region. The facility will include 7,500 fixed seats and 26 luxury suites and will be part of The Village at Allen, a 181-acre mixed-use development of The MGHerring Group. In addition to the event center and a full service hotel, the development features over 1.5 million sq ft of retail, restaurant and office space. The development, located 25 mi. north of Dallas, is scheduled to open October 2008.

International Coliseums Co. will head design and construction. The new $50 million multi-purpose events center is anticipated to open in the fall 2009. “A regional event center has been on the Allen City Council's strategic plan for many years,” says Allen Mayor Stephen Terrell. “The multi-purpose facility will have a significant ripple effect through our local economy. The public-private partnership of the project will create a first-class entertainment and sports venue without creating an impact to local taxes.“

The two projects will be separated by a road but will be designed and developed as one project. Upon completion, the 400-acre development will feature more than 3 million sq ft of retail, restaurant and office space.

Beck Celebrates Completion of New Austin Retail Destination

The Beck Group recently celebrated the completion of The Domain-Phase I - a $100 million project for the city of Austin. The Domain-Phase I offers 700,000 sq ft of luxury fashion and restaurant space, 400,000 sq ft of which was built by Fort Worth-based Beck. The second phase of the project is under way. Work has begun on Domain II, which will provide an additional 350,000 sq ft of retail stores, restaurants, apartments, a theater and other entertainment options.

Beck is providing integrated design and construction services for this new phase. Domain I and Domain II are part of the 2,300-acre North Burnet/Gateway Planning Area.

Mixed-Use $135 Green Project Planned for Midlothian

De Soto-based Options Real Estate Investments Inc. is scheduled to break ground any day on MidTowne in Midlothian, a $135 million, LEED-qualified, mixed-use community.

The 131-acre project will feature single-family units, brownstones and row houses as well as entertainment, retail and 10 commercial buildings. The plan calls for 75,000 sq ft of neighborhood retail, 15,000 sq ft of office space, 85 to 90 assisted-living units, a daycare and an elementary school. The project will take about seven years to complete.

Options Development Group is the construction manager and developer. Dallas-based 5Gstudio Collaborative LLC will design a number of merchant homes and condos. TPG Partners Inc. of Dallas was the land planner and architect along with Options’ in-house designer. Jones & Boyd Inc. of Dallas is the civil engineer.

MidTowne's 33-acre first phase will be completed next year.

Tellepsen to Construct New Texas Children's Hospital Campus

Houston-based Tellepsen will build the new Texas Children's Hospital West Campus in Houston. Upon scheduled completion in 2010, the facility will be one of the largest suburban pediatric health-care facilities in the nation.

PageSoutherlandPage, with Texas offices in Austin, Houston and Dallas, designed the facility.

Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, scheduled to break ground by end the end of 2007, will sit on a 55-acre tract at IH-10 and Barker-Cypress and involves more than 500,000 sq ft of ambulatory, diagnostic, office and inpatient/outpatient facility space.

$55 Million Forney Medical Plaza Under Construction

Houston-based PM Realty Group plans to develop the first large-scale, comprehensive medical complex in the Dallas suburb of Forney. Construction began on the $55 million Forney Medical Plaza earlier this year.

Designed by Dallas-based GSR Andrade Architects and Houston-based McCalla Rios Architects, the development plans encompass a full-service, acute-care hospital; a medical office building; an ambulatory surgery center; and a diagnostic center.

The first 7.2 acres acquired are located 20 mi east of Dallas in Forney's City Plaza. An additional 6.6 acres is under contract for future expansion.

The project consists of three buildings to be constructed in three phases: phase I is the 54,000-sq-ft medical office building; phase II is the 12,000-sq-ft ambulatory surgery center and diagnostic center; and phase III is the 60-bed hospital. Phase one is slated for completion in summer of 2008.

The development is a joint venture between 18 specialists and primary care physicians, and an affiliate of PMRG. PMRG is in charge of leasing, property and construction management of the project.