Corbett Nichter, vice president with general contractor KeyConstruction's Fort Worth office says dirt started to move at the6.7-acre site on Cooper Street and Wimbledon Drive about 10 daysago. He says the project will be completed by late summer 2009,with 50,000 square feet on the first floor dedicated to retailleasing, while 50,000 square feet on the upper level is reservedfor office tenants. Weitzman Group of Dallas has the leasingassignment.

Mojy Haddad, principal of the Arlington development company,says the idea for an office and retail project to attract the730,000 people visiting the 142-acre sports complex annually madesense to the City of Arlington, which sold the adjacent the parcelabout a year ago. He says it made sense for other developers, ascompetition for the project was fierce. Ultimately, "our design wasa pedestrian-oriented concept," Haddad says. "We created apedestrian link between the complex and the project without trafficflowing over it and the city liked it." Haddad's other company, CHSArchitects, is the project architect.

Haddad tells GlobeSt.com that the development will have a sportsthemed plaza to tie in with the complex, complete with a largefountain in the shape of a football. "The idea is that athlete'sparents and visitors could come and meet up at our place, by thefountain, and get a cup of coffee or go eat," Haddad comments.