Tom Ligon, Grubb & Ellis Co.'s Dallas leasing director for One Main Place, says it's the first retail spot to open in the five years since he's been in charge of the assignment, above ground and below at 1201 Main St. in Dallas. Ligon says there'll be another spot soon, but it's not restaurant space and the retailers are already talking for the 4,000 sf.

The food court will slide into 4,927 sf that's been occupied for the last decade by Main Place Grill. Max Aliji, Afrim Kusari and Michael D. Derfler signed five-year leases. The trio combined two spaces for the court, which will feature Italian and German cuisines along with vegetarian offerings and the traditional 'burgers.

The international food court will open in 60 days amid a renovation of the 65,000-sf shopping center in the underground tunnel system. Building owner RAK Main Place Associates LP of New York City has spent the past year redoing common areas and elevators in the 82%-leased, one-million-sf high-rise and now it's time to go underground, Ligon tells GlobeSt.com. The renovation plan, which carries a three-month delivery schedule, is in its final design stages.

Max Aliji, for those who don't know, is the owner of an Italian restaurant in Ennis and operator of three concessions at the Texas Motor Speedway. Derfler, also from Ennis, previously owned a German eatery. Kusari's specialty will be the burgers. But the trio also will open a retail shop with European specialties to lend to the flavor.

"There's nothing else like it," Ligon says of the underground shopping venues. "Hopefully, it will be a destination restaurant to bring people to the building." He and John Kappus, Grubb & Ellis' leasing manager, negotiated direct leases for the international food court.