Concrete slabs, stacked one atop the other, sit just out of sight of passers-by along the U.S. 380-Interstate 35 interchange in Denton.
Last week,, a crew of 10, using a crane, pulled up the first walls of the $1 billion, 410-acre Rayzor Ranch - a now visible sign that the mixed-use development is closer to opening retail stores after years of anticipation among city officials, residents and passers-by.
The site, once owned by the J. Newton Rayzor family, was long known for grazing longhorn cattle, a multistoried house on a hill, and its historic prevalence as a lookout site in the 1800s before it was bought in April 2006.
Rayzor Ranch Marketplace, the northern half of the project bisected by U.S. 380, is the first section to be built in the coming months.
Two buildings with a combined 39,600 square feet will soon be up, with 80 percent of the space committed to new tenants, said Charles Hodges, project manager for the major development.
"The phone's ringing now that everyone sees it is real, and it's going to happen," said Hodges, who owns Hodges Development Services of Dallas.
Half of another 4,000-square-foot building has a 50 percent tenant commitment, and two sites will soon be ready to start for First United and First State banks.
Construction crews have been laying infrastructure on the north side of U.S. 380 in preparation for Rayzor Ranch Marketplace, which will eventually include a Sam's Club and Denton's second Wal-Mart.
The two major tenants will fill an estimated 280,000 square feet and are expected to begin construction this fall, Hodges said. The north side will eventually have a mix of restaurants, retail shops, banks and other similar services. Names of future tenants are expected in the coming months, officials said.
From the outset, Rayzor Ranch has been proposed as a historic tribute to the region in its design and architectural structure as well as its content. It is a concept the owners say they've always intended to follow.
"We're able to celebrate the community, and that's important," Hodges said.
Linda Ratliff, economic development director with the city of Denton, has been working with the project since November 2005. "This is a project that is going to have a huge impact on our community," she said. "It is the biggest mixed-use development that I know of in North Texas at 410 acres."
Plans for the south side of the project include medical businesses along Scripture Street, residential space along Bonnie Brae, a town center at the intersection of U.S. 380 and I-35 and a park at the apex of the property. The park will be several feet higher than the original site, offering a view of the surrounding area from Krum to downtown Denton. A museum and other features remain part of the project plans.
The site already has a commitment from Cook Children's Hospital, which purchased a 12-acre site, and several medical office complexes are under way. For the residential area, developers are looking at several concepts, including townhomes and cottage-style homes.
The town center is still proposed to include a mix of restaurants, retail shops, and other similar businesses.
The sizable development is one of few under construction across the country, said Rex Paine of Torreon Capital, one of the project's financial backers.
Its location at several major transportation routes and the continuing growth of Denton County make it an attractive location, he said.
"It truly is one of the few regional dominant sites," Paine said.
