Laurie Wall                                     Larry Wall 

Great location at a bustling intersection? Check. Starbucks-esque, café-style lobby and reception area? Check. The latest technology including high-speed internet, iPads, Internet TV and conference space? Check.

Looks like Tim Nystrom, Larry Wall and Laurie Wall – owners of the newly opened Heritage III in Southlake – have what it takes to grow their business in Northeast Tarrant County.

“There’s great opportunity in our market, and we’re continuing to grow,” Nystrom said. “There are a lot of agents in our local marketing area that are looking for something different, and are looking for a change.”

Located at the hard corner of one of the three busiest intersections in North Tarrant County near Keller, North Richland Hills and Southlake, the new office also allows existing RE/MAX Heritage I and II agents to work from a new environment, Nystrom said.

“We’re now in two separate parts of Northeast Tarrant County, which gives our agents more access to more clients,” Nystrom said. “They can work out of either office to accommodate their clients.”

Nystrom and the Walls both previously worked together at Keller Williams, and the business partners opened their first RE/MAX office together in Keller in 2009. Nystrom said they switched to RE/MAX in order to offer the best complete package in the industry to their agents.

“We want to provide the right tools and best locations for agents to grow their business,” Nystrom said. 

What number comes after “jillion?” That’s how many cars pass through this intersection daily, with fantastic signage from RE/MAX Heritage III, owned by Tim Nystrom, Laurie and Larry Wall, opening at the corner of West Southlake Blvd. and Randall Mill Road in Southlake. 

The gorgeous office offers a coffee bar to patrons as soon as they enter the lobby. Tim has decorated his new office with beautiful black and white photos of iconic Southlake institutions which say, “We’re your hometown real estate company.”

The owners additionally operate RE/MAX Heritage in Keller and RE/MAX Heritage II in Colleyville Texas

The $793,639 contract with Transystems Corp. is to study the road and prepare a preliminary design for the segment from half-mile east of Precinct Line Road to Heritage Avenue. The preliminary design also will cover improvements at Glade Road and Bluebonnet Drive and Glade Road and Riverwalk Drive.

Transystems will look at alignments and rights of way, do survey work, study drainage and set up public meetings.

Extensive public involvement is expected to include a dedicated website, according to background material provided to the council.

Several public meetings are expected, as well as some 12 meetings with stakeholders involved.

Regular e-updates and social media updates also are included, as are alternate route maps and signs.

Once a preliminary design is completed, it will come to the council, which can make revisions if necessary.

The preliminary phase is expected to take a year. Construction could begin in late 2014 or early 2015.

The council on Feb. 19 authorized the staff to conduct contract negotiations and finalize the agreement.

The money will come from the city’s perimeter street fee account and the tax increment financing district.

Bell towers, 3,000-seat amphitheater, hotel, town hall, retail, restaurants among parts of development renamed Westlake Entrada

The idea of a 3,000-seat amphitheater in Westlake — population, roughly 1,000 — was the last major obstacle in discussions before the Town Council approved a $500 million development off Hwy. 114.

Entrada, on 85 acres, likely will have a river-type feature and other water features as the backdrop for an amphitheater, bell towers, hotel and convention center, town hall, a chapel, 322 homes and/or villas, restaurants, retail and movie theaters.

Other large anchors are still undetermined, although a memory care center and senior care have been mentioned during council presentations. Developer Jeff Blackard and developer/landowner Mehrdad Moayedi of Centurion American will return to the council later for approval of a more detailed site plan.

The council approved the concept plan unanimously April 22, about four months after the development along Hwy. 114 at FM 1938 and Solana Boulevard was first proposed.

At a workshop before the meeting, council members ironed out details with the developer including a requirement for a special use permit for major events at the amphitheater.

“I’m concerned about the perceived impact on the town,” said council member Clif Cox. “It’s kind of quiet, kind of sleepy.”

Moayedi said the amphitheater is a key part of the development.

“Events bring people to the destination,” he said. “Those people spend money in the restaurants and the shops.”

He estimated 20-25 acts a year would come in.

Blackard has likened his plans in Westlake to Adriatica, a project he developed on 45 acres in McKinney. His intent is to create a pedestrian-friendly village to resemble centuries-old towns in Europe.

The project could take six to 10 years to complete, he and Moayedi have told the council.

Westlake Entrada first came to the council as Westlake Vallecito in December of last year.

Residents, including former Mayor Scott Bradley, attended council meetings to object to the mixed-use development, first because apartments were included and later because of fears it would change the rural atmosphere in Westlake.

The town a few miles west of Southlake off Hwy. 114 is a rural, wealthy community of large homes behind guarded gates.

The apartments were pulled from the plans, and then in February the entire project was withdrawn while residents met with the developers in design charrettes to discuss the concept.

The protests had dwindled to a handful of residents, including Bradley, when the development resurfaced at the April 22 meeting.

Under an economic development agreement also approved at that meeting, the developers will contribute $10,000 per residence to a fund for Westlake Academy.

The charter school run by the town is expanding — the international baccalaureate curriculum has attracted students from across the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Westlake residents can automatically attend the academy. Others from outside the town participate in an annual lottery to get in. More than 2,000 were on the waiting list before this year’s lottery.

Higher Demand

The luxury home market is gaining momentum, with prices rising and many areas where upscale housing once struggled now turning into a seller’s market, according to the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

“Prices have been trending up fairly strongly since the beginning of the year,” Laurie Moore-Moore, the institute’s founder, recently told the Chicago Tribune. “Inventory has been tight, though we're starting to see a little growth in inventory again. It's not stock-market driven, not necessarily. When you look back at the housing-market downturn, the low point probably was in 2007. Typically, a downturn would be driven by high mortgage-interest rates, but this time it was the whole real estate market that crashed. And at that time, the number of wealthy people in America actually declined, and the number of wealthy households is an extremely important driver of demand.”

But by 2010, there were nearly as many wealthy households as before the downturn, with affluent households recovering fairly quickly, Moore-Moore says.

“This group focused on residential real estate as a pretty desirable asset — for them, a second or third home turned out to be a portfolio play,” Moore-Moore notes. “Driving the recovery, we've had record low interest rates and a perception of bargain prices and then we've had this very affluent group saying, maybe real estate is a smart buy.”

The high-end markets flourishing the most are Baltimore; Charlotte, N.C.; San Francisco; and Washington, D.C., according to a monthly analysis by the Altos Research data firm on behalf of the Luxury Home Marketing. The report tracks 31 ZIP codes with the highest median prices.

But not all luxury home markets are gaining momentum, according to the report. For example, some luxury markets are considered stable, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, Denver, and Dallas. Also, luxury-home markets are still seeing prices fall in areas like Chicago, New York, Seattle, and Orlando.

Source: “Luxury home sellers feeling rich again,” The Chicago Tribune (May 10, 2013)

Give us a call Today 817-427-1200

2013 International Builders Show – Las Vegas, Nevada

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1785312249?bclid=1747275818&bctid=2243367407001

1. Assess your debt.

Zero debt is what you’re aiming for, right? Not necessarily. There’s good debt, and there’s bad debt. The good kind is debt that will produce a return in the future—or, at the very least, it’s deductible. Credit card debt is always bad debt. Pay it off first.

2. Set a monthly financial target.

Do the math, and determine how much money you need each month to return to stable financial ground. Getting there may require cutting expenses or it may require finding another source of revenue, such as a second job. Don’t damage personal relationships by counting on family or friends for credit. And don’t dip into retirement savings—or stop funding your retirement—unless it’s unavoidable. Compounding is your biggest ally.

3. Identify smart savings.

If you do have to make cuts, try to find savings that won’t hurt your household or your business. For example, it might be OK to go without letterhead for a month or cancel your cable TV, but don’t fall behind on the office or car lease since late payments have a way of multiplying the problem. As you learn to live with less, gradually increase the amount going into savings or toward paying off debt.

4. Look ahead.

Always be aware of new revenue opportunities and expenses that may lie down the road. On the revenue side, don’t get so wrapped up in the day-to-day work that you forget to prospect for tomorrow’s deals. That includes maintaining networks and your connections to allied professionals. They can be an invaluable source of trends or links to new clients. On the expense side, keep an eye on what you may need to replace or renew over the next five years. Will you need a new car three years from now? How much should you save annually to make sure there’s a substantial down payment or, even better, enough for a cash purchase when the time comes?

5. Prepare for the worst.

Ask yourself: If the next three sales fall through, how will I pay my mortgage? Putting together a simple “what-if” plan to deal with worst-case scenarios can be comforting because you know there’s already a solution in place.

6. Develop a savings habit.

Like any good habit, saving money can be difficult. People tend to drift away from things that are hard or that they don’t like or aren’t good at. But keep plugging away anyway. The literal payoff will be seeing your debt decrease and your savings increase.

Sources: Small Business Administration; Kevin F. Schulz & Associates, Financial Insight Group, Bellevue, Wash.

Hi Laurie,

Just wanted to reach out once more and say “THANK YOU”. The care and time you took to understand my situation is priceless.

The service and professionalism your team provided me is above reproach and 1^st class on a 787!

The solution that found us is one I’m trusting in until the right time happens. I look forward to working with you again and again…..

May you and your family be blessed!

P.S. – I dropped by cupcakes… hope you enjoy them 

Kenellias S. 

A key development that would add acres more upscale shopping and dining west of Central Market in Southlake is moving forward to a January public hearing, amid City Council concerns over how to shape the look of the city.

“This is the heart of our city from an economic and financial standpoint,” said Councilman Al Zito when the council got its first look at Southlake Park Village on Dec. 4. “This is the next piece.”

Concept plans for the corner of East Southlake Boulevard and South Carroll Avenue call for more than 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurants on about 22.5 acres. The now-vacant land sits across South Carroll Avenue from Central Market and Shops of Southlake.

If it stays on track, the shopping complex could open in spring 2014.

The 14 buildings in the development would house upscale retailers and distinctive restaurants.

Rick Machak, president of development services for developer The Woodmont Company, said in an interview that he could not release any store or restaurant names because no leases have been signed. He also said Woodmont hasn’t nailed down the budget for the project.

Machak told the Planning and Zoning Commission in November that no anchor store is planned.

“This is not a power-type center,” he said, describing it as “more lifestyle,” with smaller tenants.

The largest store would use about 22,500 square feet of retail space. A typical big-box store is around 100,000 square feet.

Finding the right look

The Woodmont Company, based in Fort Worth, won approval of several variances and the concept plan Dec. 4, but was asked to come to the Jan. 15 public hearing prepared to address several concerns.

One was whether the development should look like nearby Southlake Town Square.

Machak initially told the council he planned to come back in January with more of a “Southlake Town Square theme.”

But, said Mayor John Terrell, “I’m not sure everyone agrees it should look like Town Square. This is a little bit more contemporary than Town Square, but I don’t know that everything needs to look like Town Square.”

In fact, said Councilman Martin Schelling, “I don’t care to dilute Town Square by replicating it again. I think we dilute some of what we have if we perpetuate that architecture. I’d rather see something that’s different, maybe more traditional.”

Added Councilwoman Pamela Muller, “I think it should be complementary to Town Square and Central Market. I don’t want to see something stunningly different.”

In the end, Machak was told to come back with a somewhat less contemporary look. Terrell said, “You can probably get a sense that we don’t know exactly what we’re looking for.”

Along Southlake Boulevard

The council did agree that Woodmont will have to work on the concept for the backs of buildings on Southlake Boulevard, which currently are shown without any windows or ornamentation.

“The backs of the building as they face the street look like the back of a building,” Councilwoman Carolyn Morris said. “It’s not what I personally would think would be real attractive.”

The council also wants more detailed drawings of a 100-foot-wide water feature at the front corner.

“I was told this was going to be a knock -your-socks-off corner feature,” said Councilman Brandon Bledsoe. “We need to see more detail of what this is going to be.”

The plans show the cascading water at the corner would stream into a plaza area shaded by canopies.

Restaurants bordering the stream would have outdoor seating.

At the sides and back, two new streets — Zena Rucker Road along the south, paralleling Southlake Boulevard, and possibly Tower Boulevard on the west — would be built by the developer.

Parking concerns

The council also asked Woodmont to modify a four-level parking garage with 591 spaces on the southwest part of the property. Councilwoman Carolyn Morris said she would like to see the cars inside screened from public view.

The council also wants to know more about planned valet parking for the restaurants.

More detailed concept plans also were requested for screening for deliveries and garbage pickup along the southern boundary; a retention pond on one corner of the property; median work on South Carroll Avenue; changes to a sidewalk along South Carroll Avenue; and driveway alignments.

At the earlier Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing Nov. 8, three homeowners expressed concerns about garbage pickup, lighting and traffic.

“If you could reach out to the residential areas and try to help with sound and light, that would be very appreciated,” resident Joel Wood told the developer.

Residents of Oak Tree Estates, which backs up to Central Market, asked that garbage pickup not be placed in the southeast corner.

They said noise from garbage trucks at Central Market already awakens them.

How to learn more

The second reading on Southlake Park Village before the City Council will be Jan. 15, when the public hearing also is scheduled.

Meetings of the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commmission are available on video, indexed by agenda item, at www.cityofsouthlake.com.

“At the time that we open at [Terminal A,] Phase 1, there will be a bunch of new concessions, new restaurants, new stores and stuff that open along with it, and you’ll be able to get a good flavor of how the new DFW will look as we renovate every terminal,” said David Magaña, airport spokesman.

Geppeto’s Toy Store and Vino Volo, a wine bar, are two new stores in Terminal A. Two new restaurants are The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que and Qdoba Mexican Grill.

By the end of the project in 2017, the changes will include better parking and the ability to ride the DART Orange Line from Terminal A to Dallas.

Terminal work and rail

Each terminal renovation costs about $500 million and takes about a year, Magaña said, although Phase 1 of Terminal A took a little longer.

Work on Terminals A and C is being done consecutively because American Airlines uses them for mainline jet service. The other terminals will be done concurrently.

The renovations will be primarily of infrastructure such as the heating, cooling and plumbing systems.

Also new: Starting in late 2014, passengers will be able to take the DART Orange Line from Dallas into the airport.

“The station is being built now,” Magaña said. “We’ll build the station and then the tracks will come in and then the train.”

The airport is constructing the station, but DART will build the rails and supply the train, he said.

Flight paths

The airport did extensive runway rehab for about 45 days last year, altering flight paths and prompting complaints from Southlake residents about airplane noise.

Magaña said the work generally is done on a rolling schedule as needed and as weather permits.

“It’s only on those days when we’re doing a bit of rehab on a runway, and it’s only if the weather prompts a change in the flight direction, so those two things have to come together,” he said.

There are no current plans for major runway rehab work, Magaña said.

Parking

The parking garages at the airport also will be updated, adding spaces and integrating technology that indicates where parking is available.

The section of the garage that corresponds with the gates in Phase 1 will open as terminal renovations are complete.

http://impactnews.com/articles/phase-1-of-terminal-a-overhaul-opens-at-dfw-airport-next-month/

Dove Park Pool in Grapevine will be a whole new world for swimmers and everyone else come summertime, and so will Casey’s Clubhouse.

The city swimming pool and the clubhouse, a cherished memorial playground that accommodates disabled kids, are getting renovations for the new season worth a total of $3.95 million. The money was allocated from the city’s quality of life fund.

Both projects are at Dove Park, 1509 Hood Lane.

The $2.7 million pool portion will add family cabanas and a concession stand to the Dove Pool Bathhouse, said Kevin Mitchell, assistant parks director for the City of Grapevine. A wonderland of water features is being added to the pool, which will more than double in size.

On the south side, a shaded, gently sloping beach entry with bubblers and geysers will accommodate the littlest users. Kids will be able to use a climbing play structure or take a ride down a mini-slide.

A curving in-pool shelf submerged in six inches of water will hold lounge chairs where parents can keep cool while watching the kids.

Steps up to the shelf can serve as seats for “Mommy and Me” swim classes.

The pool will accommodate older swimmers as it goes north. A balancing waterwalk with floating logs and an overhead rope will be on the east side. On the west, pre-teens can hang out on floatables and try their skill on a Lucite climbing wall.

The pool will have two slides at the north end. One will end above the water, so sliders drop in the pool. The other will have two twists before it ends at a run-out trough.

Across the park, longtime Grapevine residents might have been sad to see the Casey’s Clubhouse playground disappear recently, as workers took it down and began leveling the ground.

But what’s coming next is a $1.25 million redo that will include cutting-edge accessibility (see below) and lots to do.

The play area, which was accessible to disabled children, was dedicated to Casey Tridico more than a decade ago. The Grapevine girl suffered from spinal muscular atrophy and died a little more than 17 years ago, at age 7.

The project started when the business where her father worked wanted to dedicate a memorial to Casey. Her parents, Louis and Debra Tridico, met with city officials and eventually a playground was built that disabled children could use.

“When I would take her to a park, she would end up just sitting by me,” Debra Tridico said. “All the kids would run up to the highest part of the playground. We just wanted something where no kid would be left behind.”

She said Casey would have been “ecstatic” about the new playground.

Besides the special features, a zipline will be installed, as will a wheelchair-accessible clubhouse.

The water-squirting Dove dolphins will be back, honoring the connection between the park and Dove Elementary School across the street, whose mascot is the dolphin.

The turtles from the original Casey’s Clubhouse, Daisy and Skippy, also will return, skiing behind a boat.

Elsewhere, the basketball and tennis courts are being refurbished to include resurfacing, new fencing and new Lucite backboards. Those projects are being done with the city maintenance budget.

New, high-tech lighting for the tennis and basketball courts was added using money from the quality of life fund.

 http://impactnews.com/articles/dove-park-pool-gets-slides%2C-beach-entry%2C-climbing-wall/

Viridian creates a sense of place – and a sense of community – you won’t find anywhere else in DFW. The homes are as beautiful and unique as the natural environment surrounding them with traditional architecture, winding sidewalks, charming streetscapes, and elegant landscaping which complements the environment, instead of competing with it. Viridian will offer over fifteen different residential living choices, built by some of DFW’s most prominent builders, to meet a variety of homeowner preferences with prices ranging from the $180’s to over $1 million.

Home Builders will be Cambridge Homes, CB Jeni Homes, Darling Homes, David Weekly Homes, Drees Custom Homes, K.Hovnanian Homes, Plantation Homes, Struhs Construction.

Long before Huffines Communities® sought out Viridian, Nature was hard at work creating the beautiful place that you can now call home. It is a 2,300 acre nature preserve with abundant wildlife, a real dinosaur excavation and a master-planned community nestled within.

The miles of paved trails for hiking, biking, and walking are designed to help you experience Nature’s New Address. Those trails directly connect to Arlington’s River Legacy Park System which runs along the entire east and south boundary of Viridian. River Legacy Park features a $6 million Living Science Center along with 1,300 acres of easy walking trails, grasslands, woods and the Trinity River, just waiting for you to explore.

For less adventurous souls, simply sit back and watch the sun go slowly down over the peaceful water as evening comes.

Viridian is a true master-planned community - not your typical cookie-cutter subdivision. Viridian offers what others cannot; an environmentally conscious, beautiful, walkable, community with amazing natural amenities and an incredible Metroplex location. You’ll find everything is just down the street – work, a great education, lodging, shopping, churches, medical services, restaurants, and entertainment.

This is a place where you can live, learn, work, play and worship.

Everything is just up the street.

Viridian has it all from schools, shopping, restaurants, football, concerts, roller coasters, regional parks and trails.

The community is only minutes away from the DFW International Airport, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Six Flags Amusement Park, The Texas Rangers at the Ballpark at Arlington, Verizon Theater, Lone Star Park, six golf courses, five grocery stores, and so much more. Close by Downtown Arlington features a wide range of restaurants and entertainment venues including The Levitt Pavilion with over 50 summer concerts of all types of music, Johnny High’s Music Revival, the Caelum Moore Sculpture Garden and the Arlington Museum of Art.

When you live at Viridian, you’ll never be more than a few minutes from everywhere you want to be.

Viridian is the only master-planned community in Dallas/Fort Worth to have a major river running through it. You can explore over 200 acres of dedicated wetland habitat and perhaps see a Great Blue Heron, Northern Cardinal, Mallard, Snowy Egret, or Yellow Crowned Night Heron.

Opportunities abound to enjoy water based activities at Viridian. Our 600 acres of community lakes are for sailing, canoeing, rowing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, and so much more. More water fun is along our southern border with the 8 mile River Legacy Parks Paddling Trail which winds through the heavy tree lined Trinity River.

http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_Magazine/2012/September/Viridian_DFW_The_Last_Wasteland_of_Arlington.aspx

http://www.viridiandfw.com/homes

Plans for a new subdivision in Westlake and a $500 million development along Hwy. 114 that could include water taxis, town hall, an amphitheater, an assisted living center and more have residents flocking to meetings in an effort to stop them — or at least slow them down.

Vocal and sustained opposition from residents who said they chose the town of about 1,000 for its rural atmosphere and upscale homes dampened both proposals and prompted leaders to step back and look at Westlake’s comprehensive plan.

One opponent, former Mayor Scott Bradley, said the town originally was planned to accommodate mostly large office campuses like Deloitte University and Solana, which are in the town now.

“If you can attract a corporate campus, they generally agree to buy a large tract and leave the perimeter undeveloped,” said Bradley, who was mayor of the town for more than a decade. “It leaves the impression of a rural atmosphere.”

Plans for the mixed-use development Vallecito, at FM 1938 and Solana Boulevard extending to Hwy. 114, surfaced in December along with a request to change zoning and add an $89 million housing development called Granada at FM 1938 and Dove Road. Both are from developer Mehrdad Moayedi of Centurion American, who has developed much of nearby Trophy Club.

Growth is coming

Situated as it is along Hwy. 114 between the DFW and Alliance airports, Westlake is going to have to deal with development one way or another, town officials said.

“There are two things you can say about change,” Mayor Laura Wheat said at a Jan. 28 council meeting. “One, change is difficult and two, change is inevitable.”

Besides Solana Corporate Campus and Deliotte, Fidelity Investments also has an office park in Westlake.

The community also is known for Vaquero, a guard-gated golf course community where luxurious homes rest on manicured, treed lots of well over an acre. The Jonas Brothers and several elite athletes live there.

Eddie Edwards, town planning and development director, said at a joint Town Council-Planning and Zoning commission workshop Feb. 4, that the property proposed for Granada could be used as a corporate campus under current zoning, but it also could be used for a shopping center with a grocery store and large retailers such as furniture stores.

Moayedi is asking to have the zoning changed to residential, so he can put in the 84-lot subdivision with lot sizes averaging 30,000 square feet. Home prices would be $1 million and over.

He has made many changes to the plans after meeting with residents and staff, including reducing the number of lots, agreeing to different roof levels and prohibiting the use of composition roofing material.

A major resident concern was whether a so-called production builder would be constructing the homes rather than a custom homebuilder. Moayedi told those at the Feb. 4 workshop that the new restrictions likely would rule out production builders.

The rezoning request likely will come to the Planning and Zoning Commission again later this month and, if approved, goes to the Town Council.

‘European village’

A primary objection frequently voiced by residents about Vallecito was the plans included 137 upscale apartments. The apartments were eliminated by early February.

Neither Westlake nor nearby Southlake has apartments within city limits.

“What I’ve taken from all the meetings is that most of the residents of Westlake are OK with the concept; however, multifamily was a four-letter word,” Moayedi said. “We’ve done away with rental product, period. We’re trying to take the units from 559 to about 300-350 owned town home villas and condos.”

Moayedi said he and developer Jeff Blackard are looking for ways to attract exclusive businesses, such as offering incentives to chefs or restaurateurs to be owners/operators of restaurants there. He said a similar strategy in Dallas drew 125 applicants including a sous chef from the Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek.

At the end of the Feb. 4 session after the Granada discussion, Blackard said he is willing to sit down with residents and town leaders with pencil and paper.

“I just saw what Mehrdad went through on something that’s relatively simple,” he said. “I wouldn’t be interested unless everybody here is part of the process. This could be the greatest project in Texas, but I can’t be fighting the world.”

Blackard developed Adriatica, a similar project in McKinney. Council member Rick Rennhack said he drove through it and didn’t like what he saw.

“You lose me on this village concept because it seems manufactured,” Rennhack said. “All the great cities I’ve been to evolved over time.”

Moayedi and Blackard plan to withdraw the proposal from Planning and Zoning and then resubmit it after conducting a design charrette. Everyone involved in a project, including residents, will study and discuss every aspect.

Chesapeake sells West Seventh-area property for development

The already bustling West Seventh Street corridor could get even busier when a new mixed-use development opens between the Trinity River and Montgomery Plaza.

Overseeing the development is Centergy Retail LLC of Dallas, which purchased the property from Chesapeake Land Development Co. LLC.

Centergy and HGC Commercial Real Estate of Fort Worth, one of the firms representing Chesapeake in the transaction, declined to specify the sale amount for a deal that closed late Wednesday.

“This is a key property for the city of Fort Worth. It’s the last piece of any size in that West Seventh corridor that’s remaining,” said West Miller, principal with Centergy.

The 27-plus acres sold stretches from West Seventh Street on the south to Kansas Street on the north and from the railroad tracks on the west to the river on the east.

An agent representing Chesapeake in the transaction lauded the deal.

“I think it’s fantastic,” said Eric Walsh, a principal with HGC Commercial.

“Seventh Street is an anomaly nationally. At a time when urban growth is either flat or declining, Seventh Street has exploded,” Walsh said.

The project will follow the corridor’s focus: mixed uses with retail, residential, office and hotel, Miller said.

Negotiations are under way with several potential tenants, said Miller, who declined to name them.

“There will be a parking structure because of the dense nature of the area,” said Miller, asked whether the development would feature a parking garage in a corridor already packed with traffic.

Centergy will maintain the partnership Chesapeake had with the city of Fort Worth and the Texas Department of Transportation in allowing the property to serve as the staging area for the new West Seventh Street bridge fabrication.

The bridge, connecting downtown with the Cultural District, is expected to open before Thanksgiving 2013.

Until then, lease negotiations are expected to occur for some of the development’s 2 million-plus square feet of mixed-use space.

“We’re going to start right away with civil engineering and utility relocation and go vertical as early as first-quarter 2014,” Miller said of erecting buildings.

The property is zoned MU-2, a city zoning category allowing medium-density mixed use.

Miller has negotiated numerous Fort Worth deals, though the Seventh Street development marks his first with Centergy. While at Lincoln Property Co., he developed the Trinity Commons shopping center at Hulen Street and Bellaire Drive and handled several deals while at Regency Centers.

A. Lee Graham - Reporter

Pool, roundabouts, plaza, space for seniors included in plans for $30.1 million addition, renovation of Municipal Way complex

A soaring, two-story pool complex, two roundabouts and a common plaza are among the elements of the proposed master design plan for the Grapevine Community Activities Center.

The pool would be visible through a glass wall from the new, second-floor fitness area, and the front entrance would move to the opposite side of the building to face east.

The City Council saw the plans from Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture of Denver at its Feb. 5 meeting.

Voters in November approved a $30.1 million bond issue to expand the 48,000-square-foot center to 70,000 square feet. The addition will house the Senior Activities Center, the new natatorium and the fitness center.

The design also includes a roundabout at Municipal Way and Vine Street and another that would connect to future convention center parking.

Architect Steve Blackburn showed the council plans that include a festival plaza for community gatherings between the new natatorium and the convention center.

A trail looping around the complex would go through a park on the west side.

Vine Street would be extended east between the library and convention center as a campus access road.

Inside the Community Activities Center, a racquetball court would remain on the lower level, which also would accommodate classrooms, a game room, lockers and family cabanas for the pool.

The existing 1/8-mile track on the upper level would be resurfaced. The fitness area on the second floor would extend over the pool complex.

The council saw three proposed designs for the exterior, and chose a traditional style over one that was more contemporary and another that looked more like the existing center.

The council plans to meet later to discuss the fee structure for the activities center after the expansion.

Now, users pay $35 annually for a card that provides access to the entire center. The option being considered would have different fees for different combinations of usage.

“We would program the card and they’ll have access to some facilities and not to others,” Mayor William D. Tate said.

The council is scheduled to hire a construction manager in March.

Birdville ISD Information

Birdville ISD's 33 campuses proudly serve Richland Hills and parts of Colleyville,

Fort Worth, Haltom City, Hurst, North Richland Hills and Watauga