DALLAS—The successful entrepreneurship of Mike Hoque, CEO of Hoque Global, has been credited as a key catalyst in the revitalization of the city's urban center. For the past three years, Hoque has acquired several blocks in downtown from dozens of owners with the goal of creating a development with lasting impact for the Dallas economy. Understanding the key positioning of this area and its potential for redevelopment, Hoque Global strategically acquired the property for the Dallas Smart District.

“In the 1980s, the CBD was empty,” Hoque tells GlobeSt.com. “City leaders decided to make the city vibrant, and we've now quadrupled the employment with that effort. Now, many Fortune 500 companies are looking at Dallas.”

With that continued revitalization strategy, Hoque Global and KDC have released plans for the acquired land of more than 20 acres in downtown to include class-A office, residential, retail, hospitality and open space uses. The master-planned development is located on several prime contiguous blocks that frame Canton Street from the Dallas Convention Center to the Farmers Market neighborhood, adjacent to city hall.

“Mike Hoque and his team have put together an incredible vision that is sure to draw the attention of corporations, new residents and tourists, further elevating Dallas on the international stage,” said Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings. “I'm especially proud that this project falls within the GrowSouth boundary, making it part of the downtown gateway to southern Dallas.”

The team started formulating plans in 2016. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects is the lead architect on the project and KDC is directing the office space development. Hoque Global is directing the residential, retail and hospitality development, with announcements coming soon on major brand locations to be located at the project.

“It is rare for a first-tier American metropolitan area to have this amount of contiguous developable land and building rights, all located in the heart of the city,” said Gregg Jones, principal of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. “The site is significant in its ability to assemble a critical mass necessary to link the surrounding city districts through the creation of an innovative, smart technology hub.”

More than 8 million square feet of office space has been master planned for the project with a major focal point being a 78-story tower. Phase one of the development will include 600,000 to 1 million square feet of class-A office space, a CBD location for a major urban grocery store brand to serve 20,000 residents, a food hall with a culinary incubator, upscale casual dining and innovative culinary concept experiences, a boutique hotel with residences, a park and greenspace with ample recreation areas, and pet-friendly environments.

“The Dallas Smart District is a unique development that provides the tech capabilities that are on the top of Corporate America's wish list,” said Randy Cooper, vice chairman of Cushman & Wakefield.

The design also establishes a digitized infrastructure that allows corporate tenants to operate businesses in a technology-driven, connected community. Through a next-generation cloud digital platform, the smart district infrastructure will encompass not only communications, but the operational systems of security, parking, energy, water, lighting, waste management and recycling.

“Dallas is perfectly poised to take an international leadership position in genuinely next-generation technology and infrastructure for business,” said Hoque.

The site is adjacent to downtown amenities including walkable restaurants, services and retail, extensive residential options and hotels, and convention center and meeting facilities. The development is adjacent to the main city library, parks and the Arts District.

An extensive network of flexible and integrated transportation systems support the smart district including immediate access to four interstate highways and the Dallas North Tollway, walkable access to an integrated DART light rail and bus transit system, and direct freeway connections to nearby DFW International Airport and Love Field Airport.

“The Dallas Smart District development is situated in an exciting location at an exciting time for downtown Dallas,” said Kourtny Garrett, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc. “Sitting in the southern area of downtown, the sites will feed off of the energy of projects like the AT&T Discovery District and Dallas Farmers Market, and will contribute to the efforts to better connect to the central core of downtown with the Cedars. The smart district intent is also well aligned with our goals for the integration of technology, talent recruitment and overall innovative thinking for the future of downtown Dallas.”

“Dallas is perfectly poised to take an international leadership position in genuinely next-generation technology and infrastructure for business,” said Hoque.

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Smart District's Goal is to Leave a Legacy

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