Construction Begins on $200M High-Rise Mixed-Use Project in Uptown Dallas

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorDallas–Granite Properties and Gables Residential has begun construction on a $200-million mixed-use project in uptown Dallas. The development, featuring a high-rise 292-unit residential apartment complex as well as a 19-story Class AA office tower, is located on 2.145 acres in the center of Uptown. Completion of the two-tower project is slated for March 2010. The Granite office tower at 17 Seventeen McKinney is located at the northwest intersection of McKinney Avenue and North Akard Street and the Gables residential high rise is at 1700 Cedar Springs and Akard.“Right now, there are a lot of office buildings around this area, but it is gradually evolving into a more residential neighborhood,” Thomas B Blakewell, regional vice president of Gables Residential, tells MHN. “The Gables project will continue to evolve the area in that direction. Also, our project will make the area more pedestrian friendly.”The 26-story residential tower is also being designed for LEED certification and will offer 20 living stories over six floors of parking. The rents will range from approximately $2,100 for a one-bedroom unit to $3,800 for a three-bedroom apartment.“This neighborhood is conducive to the kind of product we make. It has the highest rentals and square footage cost in Dallas,” says Blakewell.New plans unveiled this week also call for a one-acre, landscaped amenity deck on the seventh floor between the towers. The deck will feature a 4,000-sq.-ft. fitness center and outdoor infinity-edge pool in a park-like setting. Additionally, the project will have 15,000 sq. ft of retail and restaurant space. The project also features a movie theater/media room and cooking classes for the residents.Doug Chesnut, senior vice president of Gables Residential, says, “Our residences offer the unique opportunity to work and live at the same location. We are committed to development in the Uptown area, and we are excited to offer our residents a signature product in the booming Uptown neighborhood.”The 19-story office tower, on top of six levels of parking and retail, consists of approximately 361,524 rentable sq. ft. and is being built for LEED Silver Certification. It will also feature an exterior glass panel that will be illuminated at night with thousands of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and the option for color changes.Good Fulton & Farrell are the architects on the project and the general contractor is Austin Commercial.