Hillwood Commons Launches Office Development

SPECIAL YEAR-END EDITION
VOLUME XV
★
2015
A D E V E L O P M E N T O F H I L LW O O D
Hillwood Commons Launches
Office Development at Alliance Town Center
Taking
Off
An Uncommon
Destination
Labor of
Love
Industrial
Evolution
VOLUME XV
CONTENTS
2015
FOR INFORMATION ON:
INDUSTRIAL, OFFICE AND RETAIL
DEVELOPMENT AT ALLIANCEHTEXAS
Contact: Bill Burton, Steve Aldrich,
Tony Creme, Mark Miller or Reid Goetz
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
2
Welcome Letter
1
Taking Off
2
The Sky’s The Limit
5
An Uncommon Destination
6
Labor of Love
10
Opening Doors to Opportunity
13
Timeline:
A Year of Great Success
14
Facebook “Likes” AllianceTexas
16
Industrial Evolution
18
Asset Alignment
21
Paving the Way
22
AllianceTexas Map
24
Facts at a Glance
25
6
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Contact: Doug Johnson
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
ALLIANCE LANDSCAPE COMPANY
Contact: Tom Harris or Tony Gile
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
18
Black Horse Carriers
Fort Worth Surgical Specialists
Mobility Marketplace
Booster Fuels
Funky Monkey
Panera Bread
Burger King
GDC Technics
Pei Wei
Charming Charlie
Heart Center of North Texas
Pigtails & Crewcuts
Chipotle
Jersey Mike’s Subs
Pinnacle Pain Management
Chuy’s
Lincoln Harris Corporate
Services Group
Quietside / Samsung
Computer CPR
Diamond Minds
EECU
Envy Nails
FAA
Facebook
Farmer Bros.
FedEx Ground
Logistics Plus
Lone Star Surgical Consultants
Los Cuando Best Burritos
Martin Baker
Medical Center Alliance
Metroplex Foot & Ankle
Metroplex Vapor
Mind Above Matter
HILLWOOD MULTIFAMILY
Contact: Mark McHenry or Chris Price
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT SERVICES
Contact: Andre Johnson
Alliance Opportunity Center
817.548.5274
AllianceOpportunityCenter.com
SageWater Village
Sunstone Yoga
Sylvan Learning Center
TEKsystems
Texas ENT Center
Three Dog Bakery
Title Source
UPS
Walmart.com
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RENEWAL OR EXPANSION!
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations
SC Johnson
Trican Well Service
GROUND SUPPORT SERVICES AND HANGAR
SPACE AT FORT WORTH ALLIANCE AIRPORT
Contact: Tom Harris or Chris Ash
800.318.9268
AllianceAviationServices.com
URBAN LIVING AT ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER
Monterra Village
SageStone Village
SageWater Village
Contact: Britney Ward
817.337.1600
WELCOME NEW CORPORATE RESIDENTS!
Clinical Pathology Laboratories
AIR CARGO/FOREIGN-TRADE ZONE SERVICES
Contact: Tom Harris or Steve Boecking
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
AllianceHTexas magazine is published
in the United States by:
Hillwood Development Company, LLC
13600 Heritage Parkway, Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76177
817.224.6000
©2015 Hillwood Development Company, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Hillwood, AllianceHTexas,
Alliance, Heritage, Circle T Ranch, Lone Star Crossing,
Alliance Town Center, Monterra Village and certain
other marks are service marks of Hillwood Development
Company, LLC, or its affiliated companies. Other proprietary
designations appearing in this publication are the marks
of third parties, as indicated.
Dear Friends,
HILLWOOD PROPERTIES HAS MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
in 2015 for AllianceTexas that we are proud to showcase in this year’s magazine. The past18 months
has been the busiest and most exciting time in commercial real estate that I have seen in more than
a decade.
The late-2014 opening of the 155,000-square-foot Hillwood Commons I at Alliance Town
Center brought fully amenitized, luxury office space for north Fort Worth. Businesses have been quick
to recognize the immense value of locating inside a master-planned community that offers
everything they and their employees need for work — and for living beyond the office, too.
The Hillwood Commons office program is the latest step in the long-planned evolution of
AllianceTexas from the world’s first industrial airport to a logistics powerhouse, and today, as a fully
realized, 18,000-acre, master-planned community with every real estate asset class.
To grow and prosper, businesses need a skilled workforce. Hillwood Properties continues its
commitment to the current workforce through the Alliance Opportunity Center, which moved to a
bigger, more centrally located, and service-enhanced office this year.
M i k e B e r ry
The airport also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Bell Helicopter Fort Worth Alliance Air Show.
This worthy, non-profit and fun event does so much for local charities, while entertaining and educating the
community about aeronautics and aviation, one of the major industries that keep the region’s
economy flying high. The completed relocation of FM 156 and the main BNSF rail line opens the way
for construction of the runway expansion, which began this year and, ultimately, will enable Fort Worth
Alliance Airport to offer non-stop routes to cities in Europe (and beyond) for industrial and cargo carriers.
Regional and local connectivity is essential, too. Hillwood, which helped establish the
35W Coalition in 2006, continues to support increased funding to improve and expand the heavily used
I-35W corridor. To that end, we realized a significant milestone this past year, as construction finally got
underway on the highway’s most-travelled segment between Downtown Fort Worth and U.S. Hwy. 287.
Beyond the infrastructure milestones, our real estate business has never been better, as
AllianceTexas welcomed several of the world’s leading brands to the region, while gaining expansions
from our valued existing customers, too.
In August, with much fanfare, AllianceTexas became home to social media giant Facebook, which
is building a massive data center facility to serve its more than 1 billion users. The announcement became
one of the biggest national business stories of the year, and represents a $1 billion investment in
the community, once completed. On the heels of the Facebook announcement, Walmart.com
selected AllianceTexas for its second e-commerce fulfillment center, as well.
2015 also saw the launch of our newest sector, Alliance Northport, which will include more than
250 acres of industrial, retail and other potential uses. Located across I-35W from the Texas Motor
Speedway, in the Town of Northlake, the Alliance Northport marks a new investment into the corridor
by Hillwood and extends the AllianceTexas development deeper into Denton County.
In closing, the foundation of our success directly connects to the success of our customers, and
to that of the greater community. We’re looking forward to extending each of these successes into the
future, ensuring a sustainable development that benefits each and every stakeholder.
Sincerely,
Michael K. Berry
President, Hillwood Properties
1
Left: Recent enhancements to
the Fort Worth Alliance Airport
FBO include improved customer
service facilities.
TAKING OFF
AT
25 YEARS AND COUNTING,
................................................................
FORT
WORTH ALLIANCE
................................................................
AIRPORT
CONNECTS NORTH
................................................................
TEXAS
TO THE WORLD
................................................................
F
ORT WORTH ALLIANCE AIRPORT continues to
soar as an essential destination for aviation and logistics
businesses that operate on a global scale.
This year, a major milestone for the airport was
realized when dirt was turned on the runway extension
project after a 20-year effort to secure funding and
complete infrastructure improvements.
By extending both runways from their current lengths
of 8,200 and 9,600 feet to 11,000 feet, Alliance Airport will
expand its range globally and allow long-haul cargo flights
to take off in any weather conditions.
The project has been a top priority for state and
federal officials, and should be complete by the start of
2018. Since the project’s inception, the airport has secured
funding from the FAA, the Texas Department of Transportation
and Tarrant County.
The public-private partnership, which created the
industrial airport concept back in the mid-1980s, supports
the runway extension because it will enable the airport to
accommodate non-stop flights to almost anywhere in the
world. The longer runways will give flights laden with cargo
and fuel direct access to Europe or Asia, improving the
shipping flexibility of the region’s many logistics companies.
This new phase of the extension project involves dirt
Above: GDC now occupies the entire hangar space on the former American
Airlines maintenance facility. The company modifies next-generation aircraft
for the luxury and business market.
work to bring areas around the runway up to airport grade.
This includes the former section of FM 156 as well as BNSF
Railway’s previous rail line north of the runway.
The FAA, the Texas Department of Transportation and
other sources paid to relocate SH 156 and the BNSF Railway
line. The railroad began using the new rail line in September
2015 and the new SH 156 has been in use since 2012.
The runway extension project is just one of the many
airport activities that made headlines this year. In early 2015,
GDC Technics received the Fort Worth City Council’s approval
for a 25-year lease of 840,000 square feet of space formerly
occupied by American Airlines.
“The scale of this hangar is unmatched in the industry,
and we’re pleased that GDC took advantage of the
opportunity so quickly,” said Tom Harris, president of Alliance
Air Services, which manages the airport under contract from
the City of Fort Worth. “Originally constructed to
accommodate seven wide-body aircraft at the same time
with the doors closed, the facility will provide GDC with a
competitive advantage in the growing luxury aviation market.”
3
San Antonio, Texas-based GDC modifies next-generation
aircraft, including the Boeing 787B, to unique specifications
for customers worldwide. The company plans to add more
than 600 jobs to its Alliance Airport operation over the next
few years, according to Mohammed Alzeer, GDC general
partner. Many of these positions will require high-level
engineering expertise.
“The Alliance facility enables us to accommodate
our growing aircraft engineering, modification and
systems development services in a world-class facility,”
Alzeer said, describing the airport as “an aviation center
that is invaluable to the region, the country and the world.”
In addition to GDC joining the airport’s roster of
customers, FedEx Ground added more than 300,000
square feet of space to the roughly 600,000 square feet
of space that FedEx already operates at AllianceTexas.
This new facility employs more than 350 workers and
primarily serves the growing north Fort Worth area.
According to the company, the facility will boost
FedEx’s delivery speed due to its “ease of access to major
highways, proximity to customers’ distribution centers and
a strong local community for recruiting employees.”
CEVA Logistics, one of the world’s leading
non-asset-based supply-chain management companies,
also opened a 100,000 square-foot-warehouse at the
airport this past year. Adjacent to the runway, this
warehouse location enables chartered flights to unload
cargo directly into the new facility.
While aviation- and logistics-related businesses have
been busy developing, renewing or expanding activities,
the airport has been busy enhancing its facilities for its
business and general aviation customers. This includes
Above: FedEx Ground has added more than 300,000 square feet of space to the
roughly 600,000 square feet of space that FedEx already operates at AllianceTexas.
4
“THE ALLIANCE FACILITY ENABLES US
TO ACCOMMODATE OUR GROWING
AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING,
MODIFICATION AND SYSTEMS
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN A
WORLD-CLASS FACILITY.”
— MOHAMMED ALZEER
GDC general partner
Above: FBO enhancements also include a more expansive lobby, updated pilot
lounge, technology upgrades throughout and new furniture within each space.
a recent expansion and renovation of the FBO facility, with
technology updates to the pilots’ lounge, space maximization
of the flight-plan area and customer service enhancements
to the greeting area and lobby.
The airport’s FBO provides an unsurpassed
hospitality experience for the business and aviation
community, offering computer docking stations, wireless
internet access capabilities and additional private
meeting rooms. Its state-of-the-art infrastructure,
world-class concierge services, and specialized corporate
aviation support has maximized the facility’s efficiency,
reinforcing it as an industry leader in customer service.
Adjacent to the existing FBO will be the airport’s
third and fourth community aircraft hangars, which Harris
said have been in the planning stages and should be under
construction in the near future.
THE SKY’S
THE LIMIT
BELL
HELICOPTER FORT WORTH
.......................................................................
ALLIANCE
AIR SHOW DRAWS
.......................................................................
RECORD
CROWD, STRENGTHENS
.......................................................................
COMMUNITY
CONNECTIONS
.......................................................................
F
OR THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY, Fort Worth
Alliance Airport has hosted the annual Bell Helicopter
Fort Worth Alliance Air Show, and this year’s
25th anniversary event proved to be one of the best ever,
with more than 120,000 spectators enjoying in-flight
demonstrations from more than 15 performers in September.
This year’s show included two jet teams: the U.S. Navy Blue
Angels, and for their first U.S. tour, the Breitling Jet Team.
Managed by Alliance Air Productions, a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization, this premier event is among
the top civilian U.S. air shows and supports multiple
non-profits around North Texas. This includes its primary
beneficiary, Carry the Load, which provides support to the
families of fallen servicemen, servicewomen and first
responders. Through the years, the air show has evolved
from an event centered around aviation enthusiasts, to its
role today as one of the community’s largest public events.
Since 2006, the event has raised more than $400,000 for
worthy causes supporting the air show’s mission.
“We’re very proud of what the Bell Helicopter Fort
Worth Alliance Air Show has come to represent,” said
Tom Harris, president of Alliance Air Productions. “It not
only showcases our region’s aerospace and aviation
industries, but it also helps to connect our students
to career pathways through activities conducted with
aerospace employers during air show week. What used to
be our Friday practice show, has become an opportunity for
students from numerous school districts to make a day at the
airport, touring its facilities, and ending the day experiencing
the air show event. All of this culminates with greater turnout
Above: The U.S. Navy Blue Angels soar above a record crowd at the 25th
Anniversary of the air show. Area school districts participated in pre-event
educational activities, as well as the show itself.
over the weekend, benefiting non-profit organizations
that support our troops, first responders and the
broader community.”
Bell Helicopter, which has been involved with this
non-profit air show since its beginning, was the primary
sponsor for the fourth consecutive year.
“We feel like it really is the best way for us to engage
our employees and their families, and to present aviation
and aerospace to the broader North Texas community,”
said JJ Cawelti, senior manager, corporate communications
for Bell Helicopter. “It touches our stakeholders across
the board.”
5
AN UNCOMMON
DESTINATION
HILLWOOD
COMMONS
........................................................
LAUNCHES
OFFICE
........................................................
DEVELOPMENT
AT
........................................................
ALLIANCE
TOWN CENTER
........................................................
O
VER THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY,
AllianceTexas has attracted a wide range of
business opportunities. Its customers are
represented by nearly every real estate asset class, including
industrial, corporate campus, retail, medical, residential
and multifamily, among others. As it matures, AllianceTexas
is doing much more than thriving. The development is
achieving its original vision for becoming a model of
sustainable development by offering amenities and facilities
that enable community members to live longer, healthier,
happier lives.
This progression is most apparent at Alliance Town
Center. In recent years, the development has enhanced
its retail mix with residential, multifamily and medical
6
offerings. With the launch of Hillwood Commons at
Alliance Town Center, this unmatched real estate mix now
extends to fully amenitized office space for businesses,
large and small.
AllianceTexas has provided office space for more
than a decade; however, there has been no luxury office
space available along the highly desirable I-35W Alliance
Corridor north of downtown Fort Worth, which has been
identified as the fastest-growing sector of the fastest-growing
large U.S. city. Offering 155,000 square feet, divided
between three flexible spaces, Hillwood Commons I (the
first planned office building in the program) is a game
changer for companies looking to locate in north Fort
Worth. It is the first of several million square feet of
office space planned for the 900-acre Alliance Town Center.
“There simply is no comparable office park between
downtown Fort Worth and AllianceTexas,” said Bill Burton,
executive vice president of Hillwood Properties. “With the
enormous population growth along the Alliance Corridor,
2015 became the year we made a concerted effort to
expand office space at Alliance Town Center.”
Title Source, the nation’s largest independent provider
of title insurance, property valuations and settlement
services, was the first office tenant at Hillwood Commons I.
Left: Hillwood Commons I
establishes the luxury corporate
office market in far north Fort Worth.
“WE’RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT
THE GROWTH POTENTIAL AND THE
AVAILABLE EXPANDED OFFERINGS OF
LUXURY OFFICE SPACE AT ALLIANCE
TOWN CENTER.”
— STEVE ALDRICH
Vice President
Hillwood Properties
Growing rapidly, Title Source moved 60 Texas team
members into approximately 10,000 square feet of space,
according to Jason Silva, director of Title Source Texas.
The company, which is headquartered in Detroit, has
already added 10 team members to its Texas division
since moving into the space, and plans to add more in
the near future.
The location of Hillwood Commons I sets the office
building apart as a true recruiting and retention advantage
for employers. Companies may initially be attracted to
the building for its expanses of square footage designed
with 10-foot-high ceilings, an elegant three-story atrium
trimmed with distinctive wood and stone accents, and
energy-efficient construction. Ample parking space was
another big factor in favor of Hillwood Commons I, Silva
pointed out.
Hillwood Commons I is also designed to accommodate
a wide range of office configuration requirements. Just
10 percent of the space is devoted to hard-walled offices.
The rest is open for breakout or huddle rooms that foster
the collaborative working situations preferred by many
businesses today.
Practical, cost-saving resource conservation is integral
to Hillwood Commons I’s design. Windows are floor-to-ceiling
Above: Alliance Town Center North will offer expanded dining and retail
options, which will serve the growing office, medical and residential
community in the corridor.
with double-pane 1-inch insulated glazing and SOLARBAN
60 Low E coating. There is a bicycle storage area;
charging stations for electric vehicles can be provided; and
certain parking spaces are designated for low-emitting and
fuel-efficient vehicles. Low-flow water fixtures throughout
the structure help cut water consumption, as does the
water-efficient landscaping using drought-tolerant native
plants. The building is designed with the capability to
harvest runoff water from building rooftops, parking lots
and surrounding property for non-potable uses.
Title Source is not the only new arrival. The Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) relocated 1,750 employees
to its new, 357,000-square-foot Southwest Regional
Headquarters at Hillwood Commons in 2015. The addition
of these new office residents is already changing the
daytime experience at Hillwood Commons and at Alliance
Town Center by transforming the development into a
vibrant urban center during both day and evening hours.
“We’re very excited about the growth potential and
the available expanded offerings of luxury office space at
Alliance Town Center,” said Steve Aldrich, vice president
of Hillwood Properties. “Hillwood Commons is the perfect
destination for companies wanting an unmatched office
environment with direct access to the shopping, dining,
medical, residential and entertainment destinations.”
“The amenities surrounding Hillwood Commons
played a key role in the decision to move there,” Silva said.
“Team members were very vocal about it. The dining, the
entertainment and the shopping in the area were quite the
7
Above: An expansive Courtyard by Marriott, which includes full-service banquet facilities, will open
in spring 2016. The FAA Southwest Regional Headquarters opened in Fall 2015, relocating 1,750
employees into a 357,000-square-foot office complex.
buzz leading up to our move.”
reserve called Bluestem Park (see insert on Page 9).
Hillwood Commons is a part of Alliance Town Center
Hillwood Properties is reclaiming this terrain that
North, which is attracting a wide range of new dining and
was altered 70 years ago for agricultural purposes, to
retail options, such as Chipotle and Pei Wei, to directly
provide a calming community centerpiece in partnership
serve the office community, in addition to the continually
with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. With a
growing business and residential community in the corridor.
restored stream flowing through it, this verdant oasis
For a lunch break or after-office-hours meals, Alliance
offers benches and provides paved pathways that
Town Center boasts dozens of dining options, with more
connect it to two major trail systems winding throughout
opening constantly. Shopping options include a strong mix
the residential areas of Alliance Town Center. The park
of national retail chains and independent boutiques. And
is one of only three Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
throughout the year, Hillwood organizes multiple events
collaborations in North Texas.
onsite, in addition to larger community events like the
“Hillwood’s commitment to stewardship has been
annual Fort Worth Alliance Air Show, which celebrated
a lasting theme during the quarter century of AllianceTexas’
its 25th anniversary in 2015 (see
development,” said Russell Laughlin,
story on Page 5).
executive vice president of
“THE TOTAL PACKAGE
The Dallas/Fort Worth area’s
Hillwood Properties. “Bluestem
first 100 percent non-smoking
Park represents the culmination of
PROVIDES ALLIANCE TOWN
community, Alliance Town Center’s
everything we’ve learned during that
CENTER CUSTOMERS AND
residential properties include 856
time, and is a project that was more
high-quality multifamily options.
than a decade in the making.
RESIDENTS ALIKE WITH
One of these options is the 303-unit
From a green space perspective,
EVERY
LIFESTYLE
SageWater Village, which provides
it’s the crown jewel of the entire
high urban sophistication with easy
AllianceTexas development and is
AMENITY, SERVICE AND
access to work, shopping, dining
unlike anything else in the North
WORK OPTION THAT ONE
and recreational destinations, to suit
Texas region.”
numerous lifestyle needs. The 306
This sustainability aspect of
COULD IMAGINE.”
unit SageStone Village offers one-,
this project is in line with Hillwood’s
— RUSSELL LAUGHLIN
two- and three-bedroom, three-story
company values and the belief that
Executive Vice President
apartment homes with attached
true ecological development has
Hillwood Properties
garages and floor plans that average
environmental, economic and social
940 square feet. In addition, Monterra Village provides
elements that benefit all stakeholders. Bluestem Park’s
550 townhomes and traditional-style apartment homes.
components of walkability and native landscape restoration
Equally compelling for businesses, however, is
have resulted in one of the largest original native prairie
the prospect of becoming a valued member of a thriving,
and stream restoration in the state.
master-planned community that provides everything necessary
“One of the aspects that we’ve enjoyed most about
for living life to the fullest, including the availability of
this project has been the ecological training of Hillwood’s
green space.
Alliance Landscape Company in how to maintain and care
Most urban office buildings available in the market
for these native systems over the long term,” said Michelle
today are surrounded by concrete and highways, not green
Bright, environmental designer at the Lady Bird Johnson
meadows and peaceful waters. In sharp contrast, Hillwood
Wildflower Center. “We’re excited that many of the strategies
Commons I overlooks a 14-acre prairie grassland
used on this project will also be replicated throughout
8
Above: Alliance Town Center has a robust medical district, with three onsite
hospitals (including a soon-to-open Cook Children’s facility), as well as a
cardiovascular center, surgical center and medical offices.
Hillwood’s real estate holdings in the area.”
Ecological thinking and planning literally run throughout
Alliance Town Center and Hillwood Commons. Alliance
Town Center was one of the first two projects in Texas to
receive LEED Neighborhood Development certification by
the U.S. Green Building Council. Underneath the streets
and sidewalks, Hillwood has added pipe to the sewer system
that is specifically designed to enable future recycling of
wastewater for non-potable uses such as irrigation. The
goal is to reduce water costs, saving money for businesses
and residents alike.
Another goal for the design of Alliance Town Center
and Hillwood Commons is to provide lifestyle options that
make it easier for residents and employees to make healthier
choices. Hillwood is working with the anchors of the
burgeoning medical district through various health and
wellness programs, to create facilities and amenities that help
people live longer, healthier and happier lives. This includes
the creation of walkable communities, the inclusion of trails
and recreational green space throughout the development,
the availability of healthy eating options and close proximity
to a wide range of medical services.
Serving the healthcare needs of Alliance Town Center’s
residents are Medical Center Alliance and Texas Health
Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance, two of the nation’s
largest hospital systems (HCA and Texas Health Resources).
In addition, the Wise Regional Health System operates a
cardiovascular clinic, and construction is underway for a
new Cook Children’s Medical Center, set to open next year.
“The total package provides Alliance Town Center
customers and residents alike with every lifestyle amenity,
service and work option that one could imagine,” added
Laughlin. “Coupled with a natural environment that
emphasizes health and wellness, it’s a destination that
brings out the very best in Texas living.”
BLUESTEM
PARK OFFERS
........................................................
VIEW
OF NATIVE TEXAS
........................................................
LANDSCAPE
........................................................
When Bluestem Park at Alliance Town Center
opens in spring 2016, it will provide an unprecedented
showcase of iconic Texas landscaping within an urban
setting. That’s because the 14-acre park is so much more
than a gathering space for programmed activities and
recreation. It is one of the the largest original native
prairie and stream restoration projects in the state of Texas.
Residents of all ages will have a chance to learn more
about this native environment in the park’s classroom
and through educational displays throughout the property.
In consultation with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center in Austin, Texas, Hillwood Properties is reclaiming
land that was altered in the 1940s for agricultural purposes
and returning it to its original terrain. The project includes
restoration of a natural stream that had been turned into a
man-made pond for watering cattle. Aerial photos from the
early 1940s provided landscape designers with a
roadmap for recreating the original stream, while the Lady
Bird Johnson Wildflower Center provided guidance for
selecting and planting native grasses, trees, wildflowers and
other prairie plants. The result is a native landscape that
has not been viewed in its original state for more than
70 years.
Bluestem Park will be a functional, sustainable piece
of land where people can feel like they are getting away
from the city and simply enjoy the natural landscape of
the region. It is the culmination of a 25-year effort to
incorporate sustainable practices into all of Hillwood’s
development efforts, and will certainly be a valuable
asset for AllianceTexas for many years to come.
9
LABOR OF LOVE
LONG-TERM
EFFORTS
......................................................
YIELD
LARGE DIVIDENDS
......................................................
FOR
ALLIANCE★TEXAS
......................................................
EMPLOYERS
......................................................
A
CCORDING TO THE LAST U.S. CENSUS,
Fort Worth was identified as one of the
fastest-growing major cities in the U.S., and much
of this growth is happening along the AllianceTexas Corridor.
This rapid growth means that an ever-increasing labor
pool of highly skilled workers is available to AllianceTexas
employers, and the developer is establishing a number of
unique partnerships to make it easier than ever for
companies to connect with top-tier workers.
Regionally, North Texas offers one of the most
educated labor pools in the nation. More than 850,000
individuals have a bachelor’s degree, and nearly half of
these individuals have graduate or professional degrees.
10
Add to this mix a number of retired military personnel
and a large number of individuals with specialized trade
certifications and licenses, and North Texas becomes an
ideal location for job recruitment.
Gaining access to this labor pool is a major reason
that more than 60 FORTUNE 500 companies have
established substantial operations at AllianceTexas,
including Amazon.com, CEVA, FedEx, Lockheed Martin,
UPS, Walmart.com and Facebook, which is constructing a
massive $1 billion data center set to open in the next year.
However, while a large, highly skilled labor pool may be at
their fingertips, many companies struggle with finding the
right strategies for engaging with these job candidates.
Recognizing the importance of helping companies
recruit and retain skilled workers, Hillwood spearheaded the
1998 creation of the Alliance Opportunity Center (AOC), a
satellite workforce center that engages public and private
organizations in an effort to place qualified job candidates.
The AOC partners include the Texas Workforce
Commission, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County,
Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas, the Fort Worth
Chamber of Commerce, Tarrant County College,
The T and Hillwood. The AOC, which recently moved into
Above: The Alliance Opportunity Center has been an important factor in AllianceTexas’ long-term ability to connect job seekers with employers, providing a one-stop
shop where candidates’ skills and experience are matched to available jobs at the more than 400 companies located within the development.
a permanent storefront at Alliance Crossing (see story on
Page 13), offers free job placement services, matches job
applicants with AllianceTexas employers’ workforce needs,
provides applicant screening for qualified referrals to
employers, maintains a current job applicant database and
assists with establishing training programs.
“In logistics and warehousing, labor is 30 percent of
a business’s cost,” said Bill Burton, executive vice president
of Hillwood Properties. “We are committed to doing
whatever we can, such as operating the Alliance Opportunity
Center, to help the companies at AllianceTexas manage
their labor and other costs.”
“The Alliance Opportunity Center is the result of
our will to build something that would be a true asset to
this community and that would bring added value to
local businesses,” said Andre Johnson, center manager of
the Alliance Opportunity Center. “By streamlining the
process for AllianceTexas employers to tap into our
workforce, we are ensuring their long-term success.”
The AOC has supported the recruitment efforts for
a number of companies joining the AllianceTexas roster
of tenants, including Amazon.com.
“The Alliance Opportunity Center played an
important role in the opening of the Amazon.com facility
in 2013,” said Steve Boecking, vice president of Hillwood
Properties. “Not only did the center assist in identifying and
hiring the initial 3,000 employees, but the center also
provided invaluable assistance to the company when it
needed to hire an additional 2,000 seasonal staff members
for the company’s local fulfillment centers.”
While supporting the AOC’s efforts to match current
job candidates to the businesses that need them today,
Hillwood has always seen the need to bring forward the
workforce of the future.
“From the beginning, we recognized the importance
of workforce education and training to the employers
operating at AllianceTexas,” said Tom Harris, president
of Alliance Air Services and a longtime champion of this
issue. “Employers need a reliable and ongoing source of
candidates whose education and training gives them the
skills that match the jobs these businesses have available.”
Hillwood’s longstanding, ongoing workforce
development efforts have produced considerable results.
In September of 2014, Tarrant County College opened its
TCC Northwest Campus Center of Excellence for Aviation,
Transportation and Logistics (CEATL), a 163,500-square-foot
facility at Fort Worth Alliance Airport that was previously
owned by Bell Helicopter.
“The region obviously benefits from a workforce
that’s educated and has the skills for 21st century jobs,”
said Elva LeBlanc, president of Tarrant County College’s
Northwest campus.
CEATL consolidates all of TCC’s Northwest Campus’s
aviation training under one roof along with technology
11
Above: Students from Tarrant County College’s Center of Excellence for Aviation, Transportation and Logistics are training to become the next generation
of aviation, aerospace and logistics professionals at Fort Worth Alliance Airport.
courses and its supply chain management program, which
includes warehouse and transportation management
classes. Among the aviation courses at CEATL are avionics
technology, airframe and powerplant maintenance
technology, advanced composite technology and
professional pilot training.
Along with technical training, CEATL offers classes in
core academic areas to support degree-seeking students.
One significant development has been bringing the CEATL
program together with the University of North Texas’s
four-year degrees in aviation and logistics to create a
pathway for students to leave their work at CEATL with
a pilot’s license and an associate’s degree and then
transfer to UNT’s four-year degree program.
“Many commercial airlines require a four-year
degree along with a certain number of hours in the
cockpit,” Harris said. LeBlanc added that TCC also
has agreements with Texas Christian University and
University of Texas at Arlington for students to receive
degree credit at these institutions.
As a result of listening to businesses at AllianceTexas,
TCC has added a two-year associate’s degree in logistics
at CEATL. Associate’s degree graduates can transfer from
CEATL to UNT for its four-year logistics degree, one of the
best logistics programs in the country with 100 percent
placement of its graduates, Harris pointed out.
Additionally, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
has established a campus at AllianceTexas to provide
dynamic and specialized education programs in the
field of aerospace science and aerospace engineering.
Hillwood also worked with TCC’s Northwest Campus
12
to expand the next generation of workforce training and
education to the high school level. Juniors and seniors at
Fort Worth ISD, Keller ISD and Northwest ISD may now
take advantage of dual-credit programs and receive TCC
credit for their coursework. By the time they are 19 or 20,
these young people can graduate from a TCC license
program or an associate’s degree program because they
started dual-credit classes in high school.
In partnership with TCC and Embry Riddle
Aeronautical University, Northwest ISD provides students
with a premier educational experience through the
Academy of Aeronautics & Aviation Sciences (AAAS)
located at V.R. Eaton High School.
The AAAS, through a partnership with TCC, offers an
aircraft maintenance and professional pilot program, while
the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University partnership features
entry level courses where students can learn special topics
in research, aviation/aerospace and navigation principles,
introduction to airport/airline operations, governmental
regulations and engineering.
“Presented at V.R. Eaton High School, the AAAS
attracts students who have a keen interest in the aviation and
aeronautics career field, and it offers enhanced learning
opportunities for those who are seeking entry-level
certifications along with dual enrollment opportunities
through TCC and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,”
said Dr. Karen Rue, superintendent of Northwest ISD.
“The program puts them on a fast track to a lifelong
career in the high-paying and in-demand aviation and
aerospace industry.”
OPENING DOORS
TO OPPORTUNITY
AOC
EXPANDS OFFERINGS
........................................................
WITH
NEW STOREFRONT
........................................................
O
N SEPTEMBER 16, HILLWOOD PROPERTIES
and its workforce development partners
celebrated the ribbon cutting of a new
storefront for the Alliance Opportunity Center at Alliance
Crossing (just west of the Westport Parkway and I-35W
Intersection). The event was attended by local dignitaries
that included U.S. Congresswoman Kay Granger, Tarrant
County Judge Glen Whitley, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy
Price and Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce President
Bill Thornton, among others.
Since 1998, the Alliance Opportunity Center has
played a critical role in helping AllianceTexas companies
meet their workforce needs by offering a wide range
of job recruitment and placement services that connect
businesses with qualified employees. The move enables
the center to further leverage its resources and increase
its capacity to serve job seekers and AllianceTexas residents.
The Alliance Opportunity Center’s new, larger
location provides greater visibility for job seekers,
and offers specialized onsite, company-specific and
position-targeted recruitment assistance, while also
providing expanded technological connectivity and more
space to conduct interviews.
The Alliance Opportunity Center has become a true asset
to the community that brings a great deal of added value
to local businesses. The center’s services, which are
provided free of charge to job seekers and employers,
are offered through partnerships with the Fort Worth
Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant
County, Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, the
Texas Workforce Commission, Tarrant County College,
The T and Hillwood.
21,000
number of job seekers assisted
over 15 years
82%
job seeker placement rate
1,900
number of services proviced to
AllianceTexas employers
13
2015: A YEAR OF GREAT SUCCESS
Heritage Bag Company opens its new company
headquarters and Southwest Division Manufacturing
Facility at Alliance Gateway.
May
With much fanfare and extensive media coverage,
Facebook breaks ground on 110-acre data
processing center in the Alliance Gateway.
Hillwood Properties announces AllianceTexas
economic impact has surpassed $55 billion for
the North Texas region.
The Bell Helicopter Fort Worth Alliance Air
Show announces a new partnership with
Carry The Load, a successful non-profit that
aims to restore the meaning of Memorial Day
by helping the families of fallen military and
first-responder heroes.
Title Source signs lease for office space at
Hillwood Commons I, officially launching the
office component of Alliance Town Center.
July
January
February
FedEx Ground announces plans to build a new
facility adjacent to the FedEx Southwest
Regional Sort Hub at Fort Worth Alliance Airport.
June
Hillwood launches new Hillwood Urban
division with Mike Berry serving as president.
Berry will continue to lead development efforts
at AllianceTexas, as well.
Fort Worth Alliance Airport announces 11.5 percent
increase in previous year operations figures.
14
Walmart.com selects Alliance Center North II as newest
e-commerce fulfillment facility. The nearly 1 million-square-foot
facility is located in the Alliance Center North sector and will
handle larger items purchased online.
August
Fort Worth Alliance Airport begins next phase
of construction on a massive runway extension
project, deemed one of the most complicated and
successful public-private partnership projects in
the nation.
Fostering workforce development programs for
more than two decades, Fort Worth Alliance Airport
receives the 2015 Industry Partner Appreciation
Award from Tarrant County College.
October
September
The non-profit Bell Helicopter Fort Worth
Alliance Air Show celebrates its 25th
anniversary with its largest-ever crowd.
The air show touts new partnerships with
area school districts, hosting more than 600
students from the Fort Worth, Northwest and
Birdville Independent School Districts for the
Friday preview show.
November
Hillwood announces plans to construct
Watercrest at Alliance Town Center, a
350,000-square-foot senior independent living
community located on more than eight acres.
The Alliance Opportunity Center opens a new
storefront at the Alliance Crossing retail
center. The new facility provides technology
enhancements and expanded offerings for job
seekers and employers alike.
15
22
FACEBOOK “LIKES”
ALLIANCETEXAS
SOCIAL
MEDIA GIANT
..................................................
BREAKS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GROUND
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ON
...........
MASSIVE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DATA
. . . . . . . . . . . .CENTER
.................
T
HIS SUMMER, FACEBOOK AND ALLIANCETEXAS
became “friends” when the social network giant
broke ground on a $1 billion data center at
Alliance Gateway.
The new facility will consist of three, 250,000-squarefoot buildings on a 110-acre site. It will be one of the most
advanced, efficient and sustainable data centers in the world,
powered by 100 percent renewable energy, thanks to the
200 megawatts of new wind energy through Citigroup Energy,
Alterra Power Corporation and Starwood Energy Group.
Construction on the power project is currently underway on
a 17,000-acre site in Clay County, 90 miles from the location
of the data center.
Due to its 1.5 billion users, as well as millions of users
of its Messenger and Instagram products, Facebook has
been aggressively growing its infrastructure to meet its
expanding audience. During its research to find a location
for its fifth and largest data center, the social media giant
reportedly considered more than 200 communities before
selecting AllianceTexas.
Facebook performed a tremendous amount of analysis
in choosing where to locate its newest data center, and
searched for a location that provided everything from a
shovel-ready site, to access to renewable energy, to great
partnerships with the local community, to a strong pool of
local talent for construction and long-term operations staff.
It found each of these attributes and more at AllianceTexas.
“Facebook is one of the most culturally significant
brands in the world today, and their decision to choose
AllianceTexas is a great source of pride for the Hillwood
team,” said Mike Berry, president of Hillwood Properties.
Above: Facebook and Hillwood executives, along with Texas Governor Greg
Abbott and regional leaders, attended a celebratory groundbreaking event in July 2015.
“This data center will add hundreds of millions of dollars
to the local economy over time, and will have a huge
economic impact on the region.”
Facebook’s entry into North Texas is another
example of how the region has grown to become the
third-largest data center market in the U.S. Additionally,
Facebook’s project is another major win for AllianceTexas,
which has counted Amazon.com, LG Electronics, UPS
and Walmart.com as major wins during the past few years.
“Facebook’s selection of AllianceTexas will ensure
that this region will continue to attract and receive full site
selection consideration for other business relocations,
consolidations and large-scale data center facilities, thus
boosting jobs and the local economy,” Berry said.
Facebook’s data center in Forest City, N.C., for
example, generated $680 million in economic impact.
Additionally, a Facebook-commissioned report said
construction of its data center in Prineville, Ore., made
a $72.9 million economic impact.
The AllianceTexas data center complex is being built
by DPR Fortis Mission Critical, a joint venture between DPR
Construction and Fortis Construction. The high-tech builders
also worked on Facebook’s data centers in Oregon, North
Carolina and Sweden.
17
INDUSTRIAL EVOLUTION
Above: Longtime AllianceTexas resident LG Electronics occupies Alliance Center North I —
a 1.1 million-square-foot facility that consolidates much of the company’s regional operations.
HILLWOOD
EXPANDS
......................................................
INDUSTRIAL
OFFERINGS
......................................................
FURTHER
NORTH
......................................................
A
LLIANCETEXAS, THE WORLD’S FIRST PREMIER
inland industrial port and international logistics
powerhouse, has fueled the North Texas economy
for more than a quarter century and become an unmatched
destination within the national industrial real estate market.
Expanding its offerings during that time, today AllianceTexas
provides industrial real estate options that serve a broad
spectrum of business uses, including distribution warehouses,
e-commerce fulfillment facilities, data centers and manufacturing
sites, among others.
18
With unprecedented growth within the AllianceTexas corridor
along I-35W, and a lack of adequate space in the market,
industrial demand has never been stronger.
To capitalize on this pent-up demand, and to stay ahead of
the industry’s square footage needs, Hillwood launched two new
industrial sectors within the past two years — the Alliance Northport
and Alliance Center North.
Alliance Northport is the newest offering, providing a range
of best-in-class distribution centers, from under 100,000 square
feet up to 1.3 million square feet, along with adjacent retail
offerings. The expansion will add more than 3 million square feet
to the AllianceTexas development, which currently totals more than
40 million square feet.
The addition also extends AllianceTexas’ land holdings
deeper into Denton County along I-35W into Northlake, Texas.
Situated at one of the area’s busiest intersections, I-35W
at SH 114, Alliance Northport provides close proximity to the
transportation infrastructure at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub,
which includes Fort Worth Alliance Airport, BNSF Railway’s
Alliance Intermodal Facility and the recently opened UPS and
FedEx Ground hubs.
With 260 acres of the Alliance
Northport project located in Northlake,
the development expands the Alliance
Corridor into a new municipality.
“Northlake understands growth is
coming, and we are in the direct path of
one of the fastest-growing areas in North
Texas,” said Town of Northlake Mayor
Peter Dewing. “We are proud of our
partnership with Hillwood, which started
with the development of the Harvest
residential community.”
Alliance Northport also has the
Walmart.com made headlines in August when it announced a new e-commerce fulfillment
benefit of being located in an area with an
facility would occupy the nearly 1 million-square-foot Alliance Center North 2 building.
advantageous tax structure, which is one of
the lowest in North Texas. The tax structure,
coupled with its location along the I-35W corridor, gives
Much of what attracts these global players to
Alliance Northport numerous advantages over many other
AllianceTexas is its multi-modal transportation connectivity
submarkets in the region.
to the region, the country and the entire world. Connectivity
“Hillwood’s new Alliance
is one of the foundations of AllianceTexas’
“HILLWOOD GETS
Northport development matches
success. From the outset, Hillwood
Northlake’s plan. Our vision is to
IT, AND WE ARE
Properties focused on the challenges
keep taxes low, attract great
of supply chain efficiencies that its
THRILLED TO
companies, respect and welcome
customers face.
WELCOME NEW
everyone, and limit regulations,”
“In logistics warehousing, transportation
RESIDENTS AND
Dewing said. “Hillwood gets it,
represents 60 percent of the costs,”
and we are thrilled to welcome
said Bill Burton, executive vice president
BUSINESSES TO
new residents and businesses
of Hillwood Properties. “We want to
NORTHLAKE.”
to Northlake.”
help our customers contain their costs,
— PETER DEWING
Providing the same direct access
because their competitive
Mayor, Northlake
to I-35W as Alliance Northport, the
advantage becomes ours, as well.”
650-acre Alliance Center North sector was launched in
The centerpiece of AllianceTexas’ competitive
2014 and quickly became the site of two of the biggest
advantage for industrial customers is the Alliance Global
industrial deals of the past 10 years in North Texas. In
Logistics Hub, which Forbes described as “one of the
2014, Alliance Center North 1, a 1.1 million-squareworld’s great logistics hubs” in 2013. This busy terminus
foot facility, was selected by LG Electronics to serve as a
provides direct connectivity between Asia, the ports on
consolidated distribution center for the region. This deal
the U.S. West Coast and the rest of the country, as well as
was followed in 2015 when Walmart.com selected Alliance
Canada, Mexico and South America. As many as 50,000
Center North 2 to be its newest regional e-commerce
containers per month pass through the BNSF Railway
fulfillment center for the distribution of larger sale items.
Alliance Intermodal Facility, which is one of the top five
The business-friendly environment of the Lone Star
in the BNSF shipping system, and one of the largest such
State, low taxes and a strong labor force have all helped
systems in the U.S.
AllianceTexas become an ideal location for each real
The hub has also been enhanced in recent years with
estate asset class, including office, retail, residential and
the addition of major FedEx and UPS ground operations,
medical, in addition to industrial.
which provide unmatched support to the burgeoning
Many of the world’s largest companies —
e-commerce fulfillment business at AllianceTexas.
Amazon.com, Deloitte, Facebook (See Facebook article
“There is tremendous expedited capacity coming
on Page 17), FedEx, Fidelity Investments, Mercedes-Benz,
into and out of AllianceTexas,” Burton said. “The proximity
Nestle, TD Ameritrade and Wal-Mart.com — call the
of the FedEx and UPS facilities provides a real competitive
18,000-acre AllianceTexas home.
advantage for next-day or second-day shippers like
19
Above: The BNSF Railway Alliance Intermodal Facility has been a key part of the
Alliance Global Logistics Hub and industrial development at AllianceTexas for
more than 20 years.
Amazon.com or Walmart.com, and Hillwood will continue
improving the AllianceTexas transportation infrastructure
because it is so critical to our customers.”
“Our goal is to have space available at all times,
from 25,000 square feet to 1 million square feet,” added
Tony Creme, vice president of Hillwood Properties. “As a
result, we are able to provide our customers with immediate
solutions, which is essential to meeting the demands of
today’s rapidly changing market conditions,” added Tony
Creme, vice president of Hillwood Properties. Such flexibility
is essential to businesses adapting to rapidly changing
market conditions.”
Located on the eastern side of I-35W, the Alliance
Gateway provides unmatched connectivity to the rest of the
Dallas-Fort Worth area from the Alliance Global Logistics
Hub, while providing one of the primary industrial centers
in the Southwestern U.S.
Heritage Bag Company recently took advantage
of the Alliance Gateway’s location, moving its corporate
headquarters and Southwest Division Manufacturing
20
“WE WANT TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS
CONTAIN THEIR COSTS, BECAUSE
THEIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
BECOMES OURS, AS WELL.”
— BILL BURTON
Executive Vice President
Hillwood Properties
Facility into a 330,000-square-foot facility in the
sector. The move has been a winning formula for the
company, where it takes advantage of each amenity
provided by the Alliance Global Logistics Hub.
“Heritage Bag Company is pleased to be joining
the AllianceTexas community,” said Carl A. Allen,
president and CEO of Heritage Bag Company. “We
feel our new, state-of-the art facility will help us to meet
our growing needs, allow greater flexibility and access
to reach our distribution partners across the U.S., and
continue our long history of providing quality products
and service to our customers. The whole package that
AllianceTexas offers is unmatched anywhere.”
ASSET ALIGNMENT
HILLWOOD
....................................................
PROPERTIES
BROADENS
....................................................
DEVELOPMENT
REACH
....................................................
H
ILLWOOD PROPERTIES, THE DEVELOPER
of the 18,000-acre AllianceTexas project, is
augmenting its portfolio to include development in
core urban areas through two new endeavors in 2015.
The move to incorporate projects beyond the boundaries
of the AllianceTexas project leverages the expertise of
key Hillwood Properties personnel to develop successful
projects for the Hillwood brand throughout the region.
Hillwood Urban’s team combines Hillwood’s land
development and office development expertise with its
existing multifamily and retail development groups,
providing a complete mixed-use capability. The division is
led by long-time Hillwood Properties President Mike Berry;
Ken Reese, executive vice president of Hillwood Investments;
Walt Zartman, senior vice president for Hillwood Development;
Jacob Walter, vice president for Hillwood Development;
Bill Burton and Russell Laughlin, executive vice presidents
of Hillwood Properties; and Bill Brokaw, who rejoins
Hillwood for the new venture and will lead leasing efforts.
In addition to broadening its reach into urban
development projects, Hillwood Properties continues to
expand its suburban project portfolio in North Texas. This
year, the developer launched Frisco Station, a 242-acre
master-planned, mixed-use development in the heart of
Frisco, Texas’ fastest-growing corridor. The project is being
developed in conjunction with The Rudman Partnership
and VanTrust Real Estate.
Frisco Station is located to the west of the Dallas
North Tollway and to the north of Warren Parkway
surrounding the new Dallas Cowboys headquarters
complex. The proposed plan includes more than 4 million
square feet of Class A office and corporate campuses,
2,400 multifamily residential homes, unique destination
food and beverage concepts, and entertainment venues.
The design also includes facilities and spaces created
to help people make healthier lifestyle choices that result in
living longer, happier lives. Among these are medical and
wellness facilities and open space/greenbelt amenities with
walking paths, programmed events and public activities.
Above: Development of Frisco Station, a partnership between the Rudman
Partnership, VanTrust Real Estate and Hillwood Properties, is well underway
in fall 2015.
21
Regional leaders, Hillwood executives and 35W Coalition
members break ground on I-35W expansion.
PAVING THE WAY FOR
ECONOMIC SUCCESS
A
35W
COALITION AND
...............................................
HILLWOOD
ADVANCE
...............................................
EXPANSION
OF I-35W
...............................................
Above: Russell Laughlin, executive vice president of Hillwood Properties, has
been a statewide leader in transportation.
22
LLIANCETEXAS HAS BEEN THE CATALYST
for expansive transportation infrastructure
development for more than 25 years, making
northern Tarrant County a focal point of global commerce
that generates billions for the North Texas economy.
Like other growing areas, Fort Worth’s soaring
population and commercial traffic have created the need
for expansion along I-35W and the surrounding highways.
A significant piece to solving traffic issues along I-35W
began in the spring of 2014 with the start of construction
on 10 miles along I-35W, north of I-30 and to the south
of I-820, for improvement.
When finished, I-35W will become a “smart corridor”
that uses active traffic management technology and
dynamic tolling to control congestion on a real-time basis.
It will provide updated information to the traveling public,
improve trip times and allow transportation and law
enforcement officials to respond to accidents faster.
In addition to the current work being done along
I-35W, congestion relief has been realized in Tarrant County
via the North Tarrant Express (NTE). With a $2.1 billion
price tag, the NTE project included a massive overhaul
of I-820 and Airport Freeway in Northeast Tarrant County.
None of these road improvements has happened
overnight. Their genesis lies in Hillwood’s ongoing
planning efforts, from which the concept of public-private
partnerships emerged as an alternative means of
transportation funding. The very name, AllianceTexas,
refers to the partnership of the public and private sectors.
In 2006, led by Hillwood, a group of concerned
business leaders, landowners and residents formed the
35W Coalition to advance solutions that would improve
traffic congestion and enhance property values along the
I-35W North Corridor, from Downtown Fort Worth going
north to Denton.
“We knew back then that when you dropped in
150 million square feet of commercial development
out here, such improvements would be absolutely
necessary,” said Russell Laughlin, executive vice president
of Hillwood Properties.
Funding road improvements has been one of
Hillwood’s main priorities since founding AllianceTexas
in 1989, and was one of the main reasons for establishing
the 35W Coalition.
“Hillwood never advances a transportation project
without knowing we can justify the cost to benefit the
greater public,” Laughlin said. “Everything we propose
is based on benefits.”
Since then, the coalition has grown significantly to
include hundreds of businesses and residents advocating
for transportation solutions, new legislation and expanded
funding to meet the region’s transportation infrastructure
needs. It has become an important force in influencing
Above: When complete, I-35W will have expanded capacity between
Downtown Fort Worth and the Eagle Parkway exit at AllianceTexas.
“HILLWOOD NEVER ADVANCES
A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT
WITHOUT KNOWING WE CAN
JUSTIFY THE COST TO BENEFIT
THE GREATER PUBLIC.”
— RUSSELL LAUGHLIN
Executive Vice President,
Hillwood Properties
transportation improvements, identifying and pursuing
funding solutions, and improving development along
the corridor.
Along the way, Hillwood also made an ongoing
commitment to educate and work with the public and
elected officials, and help organize them to advocate
for much-needed highway improvements. Doing so has
improved infrastructure along the I-35W corridor, and
helped AllianceTexas become one of the most successful
master-planned, mixed-use developments in the U.S.,
and a vital piece for economic development in the state
of Texas.
“Mobility improves the quality of life for commuters
and people who have to drive the roads every day,” said
Vic Suhm, executive director of the Tarrant Regional
Transportation Coalition.
Smooth-flowing highway traffic is essential for
continued regional growth. “If we cannot keep people
moving when they get here, they will stop coming here,”
added Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley.
“Apart from education, there is no other factor so
directly linked to economic growth than transportation
mobility,” Laughin emphasized. “You can’t have the first
without the second. Good surface transportation is one of
the top two or three deciding factors for businesses looking
to expand or relocate to a region.”
Continued legislative advocacy by the coalition and
its members to advance funding initiatives for infrastructure
development is why AllianceTexas, BNSF Railway, Fidelity
Investments, GE Transportation, Texas Motor Speedway
and numerous others have invested in the coalition to find
a solution for better mobility along the corridor.
Hillwood is already thinking about and preparing for
the future of the corridor. The company is part of the
collective effort to secure funding to improve the remaining
sections of I-35W north into Denton, and for further
enhancements at SH 170 to increase connectivity between
AllianceTexas and the communities of Roanoke, Trophy
Club and Westlake.
23
N
TEXAS
MOTOR
SPEEDWAY
114
ALLIANCE NORTHPORT
114
35W
TROPHY CLUB
114
ALLIANCE COMMERCE CENTER
ALLIANCE CENTER NORTH
ROANOKE
ALLIANCE GATEWAY
CIRCLE T RANCH
ALLIANCE WESTPORT
114
FORT WORTH
ALLIANCE AIRPORT
170
WESTLAKE
ALLIANCE CROSSING
170
VAQUERO
HASLET
LONE STAR CROSSING
SARATOGA
SOUTHLAKE
377
1709
35W
1709
KELLER
1709
FORT WORTH
287
COLLEYVILLE
ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER
Mixed Use
(Retail, Office, Residential, Medical)
HERITAGE
Retail
Office
287
CREEKWOOD
Residential
PARK GLEN
CHISHOLM
RIDGE
Industrial
377
Aviation
26
WATAUGA
SAGINAW
820
35W
NORTH
RICHLAND HILLS
820
26
820
HURST
FORT WORTH
ALLIANCETEXAS
.................................................
FACTS
AT A GLANCE
.................................................
• 18,000-acre master-planned, mixed-use
development
• AllianceTexas (18,000 acres) is larger than
Manhattan (14,478 acres) by 15 percent
• At 65 square miles, AllianceTexas covers
an area that is roughly the size of Plano,
TX (71 sq. mi.) or Frisco, TX (69 sq. mi.)
• AllianceTexas is located within two counties
(Denton and Tarrant), five cities (Fort
Worth, Haslet, Roanoke, Northlake and
Westlake) and two school districts
(Northwest ISD and Keller ISD)
PROJECTS WITHIN ALLIANCETEXAS
Alliance Town Center — Mixed-use center with shopping, dining, entertainment,
office, medical and urban living, located between North Tarrant Parkway and Golden
Triangle Boulevard along I-35W in north Fort Worth. ATC includes such brands as
Best Buy, Belk, JCPenney, Kroger Marketplace, Sam Moon and more. ATC is
anchored on the north and south by a full medical district including full-service
facilities and medical office (Texas Health Harris Methodist Alliance, Cook Children’s,
Parkway Surgical, HCA’s Medical Center Alliance)
• 900-acre master-planned, mixed-use development
• 500-acre community retail center, medical and urban living – South
FACTS AND FIGURES
• 400-acre corporate campus, medical office, retail and urban living – North
•Approximately $60 billion in economic
impact (1990-2015)
• $4.32 billion economic impact (2015)
• $8.43 billion – total public and private
investment (1990-2015) - ($8,433,060,198)
• 13 to 1 private to public per dollar
investment
• $7.81 billion / 92.56 percent – total private
investment (1990-2015) - ($7,805,622,630)
• $627 million / 7.44 percent – total public
investment (1990-2015) – includes roads,
infrastructure and schools ($627,437,568)
• $1.59 billion property taxes paid
(1990-2015) - ($1,585,621,570)
• $140.5 million paid in property taxes (2014)
• 40 million square feet developed
(1990-2014) – (40.4 million)
• 3.2 million square feet of mixed-use
development in Alliance Town Center
• 1.2 million square feet under construction
in ATC (Chipotle, Pei Wei, Cook Children’s,
Watercrest Village, Marriott Courtyard,
Tallgrass, Chuy’s, Panera)
• 43,500 direct jobs created (43,431)
• 425+ companies at AllianceTexas
• 1159 multifamily units existing
(Monterra Village, SageStone Village and
SageWater Village)
• 284 multifamily units under construction
(Tallgrass Village) - First unit ETC Q3 2016
• 128 hotel rooms – Courtyard by Marriott
Alliance Town Center
• Several thousand heads of cattle,
longhorns and buffalo
• Hillwood Commons I – now leasing
Alliance Global Logistics Hub — Nation’s largest inland port (9,600 acres),
offering strategic multi-modal transportation access. Elements of the hub include:
• BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal Rail Facility
• Two Class I rail lines (BNSF Railway and Union Pacific)
• Fort Worth Alliance Airport – the world’s first 100 percent industrial airport
• Interstate Highway 35W from Mexico to Canada (NAFTA Highway)
• Texas State Highways 114 and 170
• FedEx Southwest Regional Sort Hub (Air Express & Ground)
• UPS Ground Hub
• Business parks and retail/office facilities within the logistics hub include Alliance
Gateway, Alliance Center, Alliance Center North, Alliance Commerce Center,
Alliance Crossing, Alliance Northport and Alliance Westport
Circle T Ranch — 2,500-acre mixed-use, master-planned community in Westlake
with corporate campuses and private equity golf community. Features and corporate
residents include:
• 2,500 acres of scenic land
• 800 acres dedicated to corporate campuses and office sites
• 10 minutes from DFW International Airport (to the East) and Fort Worth Alliance
Airport (to the West)
• Beautiful setting preserves the natural Texas landscape
• Vaquero by Discovery Land Company – Luxury living and private gated golf community
• Westlake Academy – public charter school featuring the International
Baccalaureate program
• Home to industry leaders such as Fidelity Investments, Deloitte University and TD
Auto Finance
Lone Star Crossing — 980 acres planned for destination retail, dining and
entertainment. Anchored by Cabela’s. Located at I-35W and SH 170.
25
Hillwood Commons An Uncommon Destination.
AT ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER
Located within one of the most vibrant and unique mixed-use developments
in North Texas, Hillwood Commons at Alliance Town Center provides
an unmatched office experience with a direct connection to large-scale,
highly amenitized, walkable master-planned community offerings.
Professional service and corporate residents alike will enjoy the surrounding
natural parks, walking/biking trails, retail/restaurants, and innovative
health and wellness facilities all connected to Alliance Town Center.
For more information, call us at 817.224.6000 or visit
www.officeatalliance.com.
LOCATION AMENITIES
•
Three-story Class A office space in
region’s fastest-growing corridor
•
Walking distance to dozens of dining
and retail options
•
Direct access to parks and walking
and biking trails
•
Unmatched transportation access in
north Fort Worth