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A key piece of a theme park, an airport expansion, a loft apartment project and the future of a theater designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are up for discussion and possible votes in North Texas cities this week.
Lofts in West End
The City of Dallas' Economic Development Committee will be briefed Dec. 2 and potentially authorize spending $49 million on the West End Lofts project.
The proposed mixed-use, mixed-income and transit-oriented development in the city’s historic West End would be located at 805 Elm St., 711 Elm St. and 211 N. Austin St., within and adjacent to the City Center Tax Increment Financing District. The development agreement would be with a company called West End Lofts LP.
The estimated total project cost is $103.2 million.
The project is slated to consist of more than 300 multifamily units, some of which will be ground-up construction in a new six-story building, with others in in an adaptive reuse of an existing five-story historic building.
If authorized, about $28.3 million would come from the TIF district fund; $7.4 million from the Public/Private Partnership Fund; $7.7 million from the 2024 General Obligation Bond Fund; and $5.7 million from the 2012 General Obligation Bond Fund.
The EDC meets at 1 p.m. in City Council Chambers on the sixth floor of Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Dallas theater's future
A Dallas committee will get an update on the state of an architectural gem that’s slid into disrepair.
The city-owned Kalita Humphreys Theater, the only freestanding theater designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is in need of facility upkeep and operational updates related to the lease and management agreement the city’s Office of Arts and Culture has with Dallas Theater Center.
"OAC needs to take a primary and intentional role in addressing facility related operation, maintenance, and capital projects," according to a Nov. 27 memo to Dallas’ Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee from Assistant City Manager Liz Cedilla-Pereira. "As such, OAC is leading the process with DTC as a meaningful partner and collaborator to navigate the complex process of creating a successful and sustainable solution to the management of the Kalita."
The City of Dallas Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee meets at 9 a.m. Dec. 2 in City Council Chambers on the sixth floor of Dallas City Hall.
McKinney airport expansion
A 30,000-square-foot passenger terminal and other improvements slated for McKinney National Airport could get the go-ahead from the McKinney City Council.
The council is set to discuss a rezoning of airport land at a meeting starting at 6 p.m. Dec. 3 at 222 N. Tennessee St.
In addition to the terminal, a 1,500-vehicle parking lot, an aircraft deicing pad, aircraft refueling operations and infrastructure including water, sewer and storm drain upgrades to support the facility will be discussed.
McKinney city leaders envision the city-owned airport eventually becoming the third facility for commercial aviation in the Metroplex, after Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport.
Universal resort hotel
A facade plan for a hotel at the Universal theme park under construction in Frisco will be presented to the Frisco City Council on Dec. 3.
The five-story hotel, designed by architectural firm Gensler, is being constructed at the northeast corner of Dallas Parkway and Panther Creek Parkway. The hotel is subject to architectural and design review and approval by council. City staff has recommended approval of the facade plan.
The hotel will be part of Universal Kids Resort, a $550 million hospitality and entertainment complex with rides, shows, restaurants and shops. First announced in 2023, the theme park is scheduled to open in 2026.
The development team for Universal Kids Resort includes general contractor Balfour Beatty, architect Gensler and utility contractor Moss Utilities LLC.
The meeting in which the hotel facade will be considered starts at 5 p.m. at 6101 Frisco Square Blvd.
Plamedie Ifasso and Aayush Gupta contributed reporting.
