A Weitzman Group team is in; a Woodmont Co. team is out. But, the parting has been amicable, say those involved in the mission to get the center to 90% occupancy before the grand opening in late May or early June. The mostly national apparel retailers will be rounded out with restaurants, community services and some medical tenants.

Weitzman's Dallas team for the assignment is David Levinson, senior vice president, and Chris Thomas, vice president. The Fort Worth-based Woodmont Co. team responsible for the 26,000-sf lineup so far has been associates Jim Weir, Jennifer Frank and Greg Rabin.

Levinson says work is "going vertical right now" as he and Thomas continue negotiations with some new names for the project of English & Continental of Boulder, CO. Woodmont's parting brought a 1,600-sf Cash Store, a Weir-Frank catch, and 1,600-sf Electronics Boutique, signed by Weir and Rabin. The Woodmont catches plan to open doors in August. In keeping with the other signings, it's a safe bet that both are in the five-year range. Dollar Tree recently reserved a 10,000-sf space. Meanwhile, the Weitzman team is talking to at least one newcomer for the East Dallas submarket: a 5,000-sf tenant with roots in San Antonio.

The center is located in a retail corridor that's some names historically backed away from because the median household income of $62,000 in a three-mile trade area wasn't tempting enough, Levinson explains to GlobeSt.com. Buckner Commons is changing the perception as it plays off the full parking lots of its retail neighbors, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Staple's and the Mercado, which took over a dark Kmart. With five letters of intent out for another 13,000 sf, Levinson is optimistic that it won't be too long after the opening before a "no vacancy" sign is hung on the shadow retail project rising on 6 1/2 acres on the southwest quadrant of Interstate 30 and Buckner Boulevard.