Don Epperson says the construction equipment's been offloaded tobegin the actual construction of a previously announced a200,000-sf, class-A office tower on six acres in Las Colinas. "Thecranes are there. They'll start up first thing in the morning,"Epperson told GlobeSt.com in an interview late yesterdayafternoon.

It's the first undertaking for a joint venture of MacfarlanRealty Partners and RREEF America LLC. The seven-story Las ColinasHighlands represents the newest project to kick off in the tonyDallas suburb. The Corgan Associates-designed tower is being builtat the intersection of Texas 114 and Texas 161.

But, the construction start also means it's time for Epperson tofocus on other projects in the Macfarlan pipeline. The new seniorVP says the 2001 game plan is to plot out projects for 14 acres atMacArthur Boulevard and Texas 114 and 10 acres at Fortune Road andTexas 114, both in Las Colinas, plus a 42-acre holding at theintersection of Texas 190 and Campbell Road in the 209-acreFirewheel Technology Park, a Macfarlan joint venture with TrademarkCos.