Sixty-five of the 119 units of The Vendome already have beensold at a cost of $350 per sf, John Conroy, partner in theMetropolitan Group, told GlobeSt.com. He says the owners, whoseidentities are being withheld, represent the well-heeled elite ofNorth Texas - from Gen Y to the metroplex's old guard. What each isgetting for the money is an unobstructed view of downtown on a sitethat the developer says is the last of the "best sites in town."The construction start is falling two weeks after an officialgroundbreaking ceremony.

"There's a lot of money in Dallas, both old and new, so wedecided to tap it," Conroy says of Metropolitan's October purchaseof 2.1 acres at the intersection of Turtle Creek Blvd. and LemmonAve. Conroy won't disclose the end price paid to owner MichaelBlock, but did say it was "north of $6 million."

Conroy and his partner, Jonathan Breene, are buying a condo soMetropolitan can have a presence in Dallas, where they plan todevelop other properties. In a world of closely guarded deals,Conroy is mum about Metropolitan's future in the metroplex, butfreely talks about The Vendome, a project that had started andstopped until Metropolitan stepped into the picture."We're reallygoing all out," he says, adding that there isn't anything the"smart" building is lacking. "We have maxed out that site." Theproject's goal: European-level services and Texas-size spaces withall the features of the most upscale NYC condominiums.