Inland Port - AllianceTexas

VOLUME XI H 2011
A DEVELOPMENT OF HILLWOOD
Expansion Continues
At This World-Class
Inland Port
PLUS
CLUES FOR THE ECONOMY
ALL VITAL SIGNS ARE STRONG
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CONTENTS
VOLUME XI H 2011
2 All Vital Signs Are Strong
6 Clues For The Economy
10 Expansion Continues At
This World-Class Inland Port
Dear Friends,
1 Welcome Letter
14
Welcome To The Neighborhood
16
Growth At The Circle T Ranch
Comes Naturally
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
2035W Coalition Update
air cargo/Foreign-Trade Zone services
Contact: Tom Harris or Steve Boecking
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
Ground support services and hangar
space at Fort Worth Alliance Airport
Contact: Alliance Aviation Services
800.318.9268
AllianceAirport.com
Property management services
Contact: Frances Broussard
817.224.6000
AllianceTexas.com
10
6
16
Welcome New Corporate Residents!
Baker Bros.
Mi Cocina
Callaway Golf / Ryder
QuikTrip
Centennial
Texas Health Convenient
Cinch Cleaners
Care Alliance
Great Clips
Texas Health Harris Hawaiian Falls
Methodist Hospital Alliance
HCA’s Emergency Center
The Sweet Spot Bakery
at Alliance
Trican Well Service
James Avery
Tuesday Morning
Medical Clinic of North Texas Zoe’s Kitchen
CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Contact: Jim Linden
972.201.2800
Hillwood.com
MONTERRA VILLAGE (Multi-family)
Contact: Kellie Mayhew
817.431.3233
MonterraByHillwood.com
Employee recruitment services
Contact: Alliance Opportunity Center
817.548.5278
AllianceOpportunityCenter.com
CORPORATE TRAINING Services
Contact: Jim Broussard, TCC
817.515.2581
AllianceTexas.com
(MCNT)
Congratulations on Your Renewal or Expansion!
CEVA Logistics
Oxford Global Resources
DSC Logistics
Performance Team
eCommerce Industries
Staffmark
LG Electronics
TCC Corporate Services
Alliance HTexas magazine is published
in the United States by:
Hillwood Development Company, LLC
13600 Heritage Parkway, Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76177
817.224.6000
© 2011 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.
“Our challenge is to continue
to build upon the success of
the last two decades, and
make one of the finest publicprivate partnerships in the
nation even better.”
It is fair to say that the 2010
In the year ahead, the Hillwood team
Census confirmed what we have known will focus on ensuring that our regional
for quite some time – AllianceTexas has infrastructure meets the demands of our
matured into a thriving and vibrant community and businesses. For example,
community, and is the leading reason during the 82nd Legislature, the 35W
why Fort Worth is the fastest-growing Coalition spent a significant amount of
large city in the United States.
time working with our elected leaders
With nearly half a million residents in Austin to keep the I-35W portion of
and more than 260 of the world’s leading the North Tarrant Express project on
companies calling the region home, track. This vital project will continue
AllianceTexas has now created a sizeable to move forward, and we’re working
$38.5 billion in economic impact over diligently to ensure that mobility
the project’s 22-year history.
in our region remains a top priority
AllianceTexas is poised for even for lawmakers.
bigger impact. This fall, one of the
In addition, substantial work has
world’s premier corporate training been achieved in extending the runway
centers, Deloitte University, will open of Fort Worth Alliance Airport to 11,000
in the Circle T Ranch. The $300 million, feet. Both FM 156 and BNSF Railway’s
over 700,000-square-foot campus will be rail line needed to be relocated in order
home to nearly 500 employees, and will to extend the runway. The new FM 156 is
host Deloitte personnel from around now open and efforts to move the rail line
the world. Deloitte University will have begun.
not only be a spectacular corporate
When contemplating the growth of
training campus, it will also be one the past few years, it may be surprising
of the leading hospitality locations to some that we’ve only developed
in the Southwest, and will keep area 40 percent of available property at
restaurants and entertainment venues AllianceTexas. Our challenge is to
filled throughout the year.
continue to build upon the success of
Alliance Town Center also continues the last two decades, and make one of
to exceed market expectations with the finest public-private partnerships in
significant openings for new shopping the nation even better.
n
and dining over the past year, including
Kroger Marketplace, BJ’s Brewhouse,
Olive Garden, Rooms To Go, Chickfil-A, JoS.A.Bank, Kirkland’s and more.
New shopping and dining on the
horizon include James Avery, Mi Cocina
and Baker Bros. to name a few. In just Sincerely,
eight years, Alliance Town Center has
grown from a taxable base of $1.28
million to more than $162 million – a
staggering figure.
Michael K. Berry
President, Hillwood Properties
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 1
All Vital
Signs Are
Strong
FULL-SERVICE HOSPITAL AND
EMERGENCY ROOM ARRIVE AT
ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER
Above: A rendering is shown of the new Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance scheduled to open in fall 2012 within Alliance Town Center.
With nearly a half million Alliance which will come on line during the
residents now calling the AllianceTexas fall of 2012.
Growing population in and around
region home, health care providers have been lining up to meet demand in the the Alliance corridor is driving the need for
corridor’s rapidly growing market. During additional medical facilities. According to
2010, construction emerged on two major HCA, the AllianceTexas region has been on
health care developments within Alliance their radar screen for quite a while and the
Town Center. The Hospital Corporation time was right to expand in the market. “We
of America (HCA) began plans for a had recognized many, many years ago that
10,500-square-foot emergency care facility, the AllianceTexas area was the most exciting
and Texas Health Resources started work area in Fort Worth and had the most room
on the area’s first full-service hospital. for growth,” said Randy Moresi, hospital
HCA’s Emergency Center at Alliance administrator for North Hills Hospital and
will open in the fall of 2011, while Texas HCA North Texas’ lead executive on the
Health Convenient Care at Alliance will emergency center project. “Our history with
open in the summer of 2011 followed by AllianceTexas dates back to an occupational
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital health clinic that we launched in the late
2 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
Within the next 18
months, AllianceTexas
will be home to both
Texas Health Harris
Methodist Hospital
Alliance and HCA’s
Emergency Center
at Alliance.
1990s, and since that time we have been care facility in the region. The center will
locating physicians up and down the also have helicopter access for the transport
corridor. Our strategy in new markets is of patients needing immediate trauma care.
to build up to a full-service hospital, and “In the majority of emergency room cases, no
the addition of the emergency care facility is hospitalization is necessary,” added Moresi.
just a natural progression of that process. It “Our emergency care center will be able
is likely that the emergency care center will to treat about 90 percent of the patients
become the first phase of an HCA hospital seen, and will provide initial treatment
located at AllianceTexas in the very near to those moving on to a full-service
future.”
hospital. Moreover, it will be an important
The 24-hour-a-day emergency care health care service to the area that is
facility will open with 25 hospital-trained currently unavailable.”
doctors and nurses, and will be able As the emergency care facility opens
to provide standard emergency room in the latter part of 2011, construction
treatments. Patients needing additional care will be well under way on Texas Health
can be stabilized and sent to North Hills Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance. The
Hospital, or to another appropriate health hospital will be the first in the region,
and will include comprehensive 24-hour
emergency room facilities, women’s and
infant services, in- and outpatient surgery,
advanced imaging services, rehabilitation,
wellness offerings and physician offices.
According to Winjie Tang Miao,
president of the hospital, residents in
the AllianceTexas area, and beyond,
are expected to take advantage of the
facility. “The new hospital will allow us
the opportunity to accommodate patients
throughout North Tarrant County, as well
as portions of Wise and Denton counties,”
said Miao. “Currently, the region is in
short supply of full-service health care
facilities, and this hospital will have the
ability to serve the entire I-35W corridor
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 3
OVER 25 HEALTH
CARE PROVIDERS CALL
ALLIANCEHTEXAS HOME
Academy Foot and Ankle Keller
Alliance Orthodontics
Alliance Women’s Healthcare
Associates in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Consultants in Cardiology
Cook Children’s
Envision Imaging
EyeMasters
Dr. Robert Harla
HCA’s Emergency Center at Alliance
HealthFirst Medical Group
Heritage Family EyeCare
Heritage Pharmacy
Heritage Trace Dental
Horton Chiropractic Clinic
JPS Family Care Center
Kane Hall Barry Neurology
Dr. Debra Krieg
Medical Clinic of North Texas (MCNT)
Medifast Weight Control Centers
North Tarrant Dental Care
Onsite OHS
Premier Rehab
Quest Diagnostics
Texas Health Convenient Care Alliance
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance
Texas Interpreting
J. Patrick Wharry, DDS
4 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
Above: A rendering is shown of the 10,500-square-foot HCA’s Emergency Center at Alliance scheduled to open in the fall of 2011 at the southern end of Alliance Town Center.
Above: A variety of medical services
is available within the AllianceTexas
development, including family and
sports medicine at MCNT.
between Loop 820 and where I-35W and Resources have owned land within the
I-35E meet.”
AllianceTexas development for many years,”
Located on more than 40 acres, at the said Bill Burton, senior vice president of
corner of Golden Triangle Boulevard and Hillwood Properties. “It is exciting to see
I-35W, the hospital will expand with the both facilities coming out of the ground. It
area’s continued growth. “The hospital’s means the market has matured enough to
first phase will include 100 beds,” said support higher-density services. With the
Miao. “We really want to be a partner in the hospital on the north end and the urgent
community, whether on an individual level care center on the south, the next generation
or on a community level,” she said. “What
of development will extend fully from
we want to provide is care that is simple, easy
North Tarrant Parkway through Heritage
and accessible.”
Trace and up to Golden Triangle.
HCA’s Emergency Center at Alliance
“We have traditionally had a wide
and the Texas Health Harris Methodist variety
of medical services within the
Hospital Alliance are both located in
development,
including dentists, family
the growing Alliance Town Center. The
practitioners,
OB/GYN, optometrists
mixed-use center is currently known as a
and
more.
In
fact,
Cook Children’s has
home to leading retailers such as JCPenney,
Belk, Best Buy and Kroger Marketplace. a pediatric facility within the Heritage
Master plans include additional retail, neighborhood,” said Burton. “Texas
residential, offices and medical facilities. Health Resources and HCA really take
“Both HCA and Texas Health the medical options at Alliance to the next
level and provide additional services for our
residential and corporate customers.”
In addition to the major facilities
at AllianceTexas, growth throughout
Northeast Tarrant and Southern Denton
counties is bringing additional health
care providers to the area. One of the
newest facilities emerging is the Cook
Children’s Hospital Specialty Care Center
in Southlake. An outpatient facility, it will
be the first full-service health care center
in the corridor with a specialty in pediatric
medicine. The initial phase will feature
more than 34,000 square feet of treatment
space, with specialties in ophthalmology,
MRI and X-ray services.
With the variety of medical facilities
emerging, the Alliance Corridor is poised
to become a fully integrated health and
wellness community with services available
for all life stages. n
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 5
Clues For
The Economy
A LOOK AT BNSF RAILWAY AND FEDEX
FACILITIES AT THE ALLIANCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS HUB
that trend has continued into 2011,” said Pat record year in 2010. According to the Fort
gets under way in the United States, two Kinne, general director for BNSF Railway. Worth Star-Telegram, the company reported
of AllianceTexas’ corporate residents have “As we move forward, our international a 20 percent increase in 2010 revenue, and a
become leading barometers for gauging customers are continuing to add capacity, 38 percent gain in operating income, which
growth. Focused on delivering goods to while domestically we are beginning to see exceeded $4.5 billion. The company has also
and from the United States to the rest of record prices for commodities like corn and recalled about 3,000 employees who were
the world, BNSF Railway and FedEx have cotton. Each of these bodes very well for the furloughed during the peak of the recession,
become essential components in the global U.S. export market, where cotton shipped to and has begun a robust hiring effort to meet
supply chain and at the Alliance Global Asia today, will return as finished goods for the demand of its customers.
the U.S. consumer.”
Looking ahead, the company expects
Logistics Hub.
Historically speaking, the tail end of the trend to continue for the foreseeable
According to BNSF Railway, the company has historically seen an increase a recession is often followed by a period of future. “Our carriers have told us that they
in freight volume just prior to the end of exponential growth in the economy. Though expect to grow between 6-8 percent during
a recessionary period, and 2010 was no many economists are expecting a more the next few years, while adding capacity at
exception. “We really started seeing strong modest recovery than following previous even higher numbers,” said Kinne. “This is
growth toward the second half of 2010, and recessions, BNSF Railway experienced a in stark contrast to volume numbers during
As a modest economic recovery
Opposite page top: Volume at BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal Facility is returning to prerecession levels. Bottom: The FedEx Southwest Regional Sort Hub at Alliance is
one of the most highly automated locations in the FedEx network.
Cargo levels at Fort Worth Alliance Airport
are climbing toward prerecession levels
with a 24 percent increase in 2010.
6 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 7
FedEx, which provides
regional sorting of boxes
and documents for the
Southwestern United
States, is now operating
close to full capacity.
Above: FedEx offers direct access to 18 markets from its Alliance location with 23 inbound and 22 outbound flights daily. Bottom left: Trucks drive outgoing containers from the BNSF
Railway Alliance Intermodal Facility to nearby distribution centers.
the worst period of the recession, which saw
us drop more than 30 percent in a little more
than a year. It’s good to be moving toward
the kinds of numbers we were seeing between
2000 and 2007, where we were growing at a
compound rate of 13 percent annually.”
Like BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal
Facility, the FedEx Alliance Fort Worth Sort
Operation is seeing volume return to
prerecession levels. The facility, which provides
regional sorting of boxes and documents for the
Southwestern United States, is now operating
close to full capacity after a brief pullback.
“Coming out of the worst economic times in
recent memory, we’ve moved quickly to
get our volume back to normal levels,” said
Tom Beaury, managing director of the facility.
“This has translated into a 30 percent increase
in our workforce in recent months, which has
been great for local employees and the regional
economy, in general.”
8 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
Currently, FedEx has direct access to Fort Worth Alliance Airport also has
18 markets from its AllianceTexas operation. experienced increase in cargo levels with
Some of the cities served from the 23 inbound a 24 percent rise in 2010. This compares
and 22 outbound flights daily include Los to significant decreases in freight moving
Angeles, Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale, Oakland, through the airport in 2008 and 2009. An
Ontario and Anchorage, which serves as increase additionally has been seen in fuel sales,
a primary connection to Asian markets. which translates into more corporate, military
Moreover, the company takes advantage and cargo operations.
of the adjacent highway and Central Time The BNSF Railway Alliance Intermodal
Zone location, with truck deliveries coming Facility and the FedEx Southwest Regional
to AllianceTexas from 12 different metro areas Sort Hub are both key transportation
across the United States.
components in the Alliance Global
“We have one of the most highly Logistics Hub. Companies located within
automated locations in the network,” added AllianceTexas benefit by close proximity to
Beaury. “This will allow us to ramp up their international trade routes via rail and
and be extremely efficient as the economy air. In addition, companies can feed product
continues to rebound. In tandem with the directly into their operations.
upcoming runway extension at Fort Worth With its multi-modal transportation
Alliance Airport, our 600,000-square-foot options and supply chain support systems, the
facility is well-poised for potential future Alliance Global Logistics Hub is positioned to
expansion.”
lead the country into positive growth. n
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 9
Left: Fort Worth Alliance Airport
(top) and BNSF Railway’s Alliance
Intermodal Facility (bottom).
Expansion Continues
At This World-Class
Inland Port
RELOCATION OF FM 156 AND RUNWAY EXTENSION OPEN NEW
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN ALLIANCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS HUB
t
he 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development continues to be a bright spot in
the commercial real estate industry, bringing nearly 3 million square feet in
expansions and renewals in 2010. Much of the project’s success, especially
during the recent down economy, can be attributed to the Alliance Global
Logistics Hub’s unique position as one of the world’s premier inland ports, with
access to Intermodal, Class I rail, airport and highway options within minutes.
“Logistics costs continue to be a leading concern for shippers,” said Bill Burton, senior
vice president with Hillwood Properties. “This has been exacerbated by the economy in
recent years, which has made it critical for companies to maximize efficiency in their supply
chain processes – ensuring a competitive advantage in a weak market. With adjacent access
to BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal Facility, Union Pacific, Fort Worth Alliance Airport,
the FedEx hub and Interstate Highway 35W connecting Mexico to Canada, the hub has
become a leading player in the national supply chain.
“In addition, the project’s size at 17,000 acres enables us to be extremely flexible with a
variety of space options that meet our customers’ changing needs.”
Evidence of AllianceTexas’ place among the world’s leading ports and distribution centers
can be illustrated by the companies that are calling the development home. In 2010 alone, new
or expanded facilities from Exel / Lego, Motorola, Ryder / Callaway Golf and General Mills
accounted for nearly 800,000 square feet of leased industrial space. This is in addition to more
than 2 million square feet in lease renewals from leading corporations like Lockheed Martin and
LG Electronics, among others. In all, more than 50 companies listed on the Fortune 500 and
Global 500 are taking advantage of what the hub has to offer. “We’ve certainly been fortunate
during the past few years,” added Burton. “What makes me even more optimistic is that a
10 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
Above: Fortune 500 companies enjoy north-south
access with Interstate Highway 35W and east-west
connections with nearby Texas Highways 114 and
170 and Interstate Highways 20 and 30.
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 11
“We offer shipping companies the opportunity
to load the containers
directly onto a train for
breakdown here at
Alliance.“
— Steve Boecking, vice president
of Hillwood Properties
Above: The relocation of FM 156 opens strategic land options immediately adjacent to BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal Facility.
modest recovery seems to be under way, and effort for more than 15 years, and there
we are well-positioned to grow to meet our is still work to be done, but having the
customers’ demands.”
relocation complete is tangible evidence
One of the most signif icant that we are moving forward and making
developments at AllianceTexas during the real progress,” said Ward. “It’s exciting
past year has been the partial relocation of to think about how this will benefit our
FM 156, previously located at the end of customers and the region, as a whole.”
the airport’s runway. The relocated FM 156 To date, the airport has received
provides a new arterial for the hub, opening approximately $195 million in funding for
up new site opportunities for AllianceTexas’ the extension, with nearly $100 million
customers. The positive effect of the coming from the FAA, and the rest from
relocation is twofold because it will also free numerous public and private partners.
up needed land for the runway’s extension, “This is certainly one of the most notable
which will give FedEx and other airport public/private partnership projects that
customers the ability to fly fully loaded, fully the North Texas area has seen through
fueled to Asia on even the hottest day of the years,” added Ward. “It’s taken a longthe year.
term commitment from government at the
According to Fort Worth Alliance
federal, state and local levels, which speaks
Airport President Tim Ward, the extension to the project’s importance to the region.”
will usher in a new era for the airport and With the new FM 156 arterial in place,
will help Hillwood achieve its long-range Hillwood Properties is now able to develop
vision for the aviation component of additional industrial pad sites, just adjacent
AllianceTexas. “This has been an ongoing to BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal
12 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
Facility, along the new stretch of highway.
Moreover, the new sites will be able to take
advantage of the Alliance Heavy-Load
Container Area, which provides fortified,
private road access for shipments needing
to exceed public road weight restrictions.
One company that has taken
advantage of the configuration is TransTrade, which has seen significant interest
from shippers looking to minimize drayage
costs to their customers. “A key issue for
shipping companies is the cost of breaking
down heavy containers at the point of entry,”
said Hillwood Properties Vice President
Steve Boecking. “Instead of breaking
down the containers at a seaport like
Long Beach, we offer shipping companies
the opportunity to load the containers
directly onto a train for breakdown here at
Alliance. This enables them to efficiently
distribute goods bound for areas beyond
the West Coast, and delay the breakdown
process until the goods are closer to their
The Alliance Global
Logistics Hub provides
unique access to
important transportation
nodes with Intermodal,
Class I rail, airport
and highway options
within minutes.
final destination. In the case of TransTrade, we were able to construct a private
road from the intermodal yard, directly to
their facility, which borders the reroute of
FM 156.”
This kind of master planning has
paid big dividends for Alliance corporate
residents, who are able to reduce their cost
of occupancy without having to sacrifice
the quality of their facilities. “It’s been our
goal, since the inception of the Alliance
project, to provide exceptional value
to our customers,” said Burton. “North
Texas real estate prices are already some of
the most competitive in the nation, but
when you take into consideration the
proximity of rail, air and ground, all in one
location, the Alliance Global Logistics Hub
provides one of the most efficient logistics
centers in the nation. This translates into
real cost savings for our residents, and
is one of the reasons we have one of the
highest retention rates in the business.”
With retention rates high and new
companies taking advantage of what
AllianceTexas has to offer, the hub has grown
to be one of the top three General Purpose
Foreign-Trade Zones in the United States –
a significant accomplishment for an
inland port.
“The net effect is that the Alliance
Global Logistics Hub has become a job center
during a time when jobs have been hard to
come by,” added Burton. “Though we’ve
certainly felt the impact of the recession,
I believe we’ve weathered it well. When
you combine Hillwood’s internal efforts
with the pro-business spirit prevalent
in North Texas, a climate emerges that
is very favorable to the kind of growth
we are experiencing here. And that
combination translates into a big win for
our customers and the people who call our
region home.” n
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 13
Welcome To
The Neighborhood
Fort Worth ranked as the fastest-growing large
city in the entire UnITED STATES for the past decade
1999
Much of the growth in Fort Worth has been within the Alliance Corridor.
Comparison aerials between 1999 and 2011 depict the increase in population.
2011
As Alliance HTexas matures
into a world-class development, it continues
to drive tremendous growth in one of the
fastest-growing areas of the country’s
most vibrant state. Recently released U.S.
Census data revealed that Fort Worth has
grown by 38.6 percent since 2000, adding
over 200,000 new residents, with much
of that growth taking place in the north
Fort Worth corridor around AllianceTexas.
In fact, Fort Worth ranked as the fastestgrowing large city (population over 500,000)
in the entire U.S. for the past decade, and
Tarrant County, in which Fort Worth
is found, grew by over 25 percent over
the period, adding more than 350,000
new residents.
According to a recent study by the
Gadberry Group, an Arkansas-based
intelligence service and data collection
14 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
firm, the Haslet and north Fort Worth across the nation are grappling with a slowly
area surrounding AllianceTexas is now the recovering economy.”
second-fastest growing area in the nation, As further proof of this trend, the town
experiencing a 735 percent growth from of Westlake, also near AllianceTexas, was
2000 to 2010. The Keller area, also located recently identified by Forbes as the country’s
in the AllianceTexas corridor, ranked as most affluent neighborhood, with a median
the third-fastest growing community in income of $250,000. Westlake is home to
the national study – growing by more AllianceTexas’ Circle T Ranch development,
than 226 percent during the same period. which includes corporate campuses for
Together, both areas brought more than companies such as Fidelity Investments,
35,000 households to the AllianceTexas Deloitte and Chrysler Financial Services.
region from 2000-2010.
According to Berry, the company is
“The area surrounding AllianceTexas committed to the long-term health of the
has experienced a staggering amount of region. “This growth comes with challenges,
growth in recent years, and we are glad to such as the need to continue expanding
have contributed significantly to the success transportation infrastructure along the I-35W
of our nearby communities,” said Mike Corridor, but we’re confident that Hillwood
Berry, president of Hillwood Properties. is well-positioned to continue building on
“We’re continuing to add to the regional tax this momentum and take AllianceTexas to
base and add jobs, while other communities an entirely new level,” added Berry. n
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 15
Growth At The
Circle T Ranch Comes
Naturally
DELOITTE UNIVERSITY JOINS FIDELITY
INVESTMENTS AND CHRYSLER FINANCIAL
SERVICES IN THIS UNIQUE TEXAS SETTING
P
reserving some of North Texas’ finest natural landscape, the Circle T
Ranch remains a shining jewel in the AllianceTexas region. The ranch
is located within Westlake, Texas, recently ranked as the nation’s most
affluent community by Forbes and named a Scenic-City Gold Medalist
by Scenic Texas and the Texas Municipal League. Circle T showcases
some of the most picturesque land in the state against a backdrop of
stunning Southwestern architecture.
This ideal combination of beauty has made the Circle T Ranch one of the premier
corporate addresses in the nation, which includes Class A campus facilities for Fidelity
Investments, Chrysler Financial Services and Deloitte, among others. The property is
also home to the Hillwood Land & Cattle team, who maintain the ranch and manage
one of the largest Brangus cattle breeding operations in Texas.
One of Circle T Ranch’s newest highlights is Deloitte University, an over 700,000square-foot corporate training campus, featuring guest rooms for up to 800 employees.
With construction well under way, Deloitte expects the $300 million facility to open
in the fall of 2011. Once open, Deloitte University will be one of the most spectacular
corporate training centers in the nation, featuring a wide array of recreational activities
for visiting Deloitte personnel. The facility includes multiple conference spaces, dining
venues, a business center, ballroom and a fitness center. With a corporate culture deeply
committed to employee retention and growth, Deloitte University will be a focal point for
the company, providing a venue for learning and leadership development opportunities.
16 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
Opposite page: Deloitte University aerial
(photo date: May 2011) and rendering.
Above: Fidelity Investments has built
1.2 million square feet of Class A office
space within Circle T Ranch.
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 17
“The Hillwood Land & Cattle team has been honored to receive
recognition from the agricultural industry, but it is our
commitment to quality and customer service that really counts.“
— Mark Baker, manager of Hillwood Land & Cattle
Above: Pictured left to right. Randy Tawater, Sawyer Smith, Jeff Franks, Art Hammonds, Brett Burton,
Shirley McPherson and Mark Baker.
TEAM CHAMPIONS
Headquartered at the Circle T Ranch,
Hillwood Land & Cattle was created
in 1988 for the primary purpose of
maintaining the agricultural aspects of
AllianceTexas’ undeveloped land. It also
serves a valuable role in marketing the
image of Hillwood and AllianceTexas
by focusing on its Texas heritage.
A team of seven associates
manages approximately 20,000 acres
of grazing pastures and farmland
spread over two ranches: the historical
Circle T Ranch in Tarrant County
and Hunter Ranch in Denton County.
Hillwood Land & Cattle
manages a current herd of nearly 800
Brangus cattle. The breeding program
is centered on the most basic concepts
in the cattle business: fertility, milking
ability, and breeding good-growth
18 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
cattle with muscle and depth of body.
The herd consists of 100 percent
commercial Brangus cows bred to
handpicked Steiner Ranch bulls.
The Hillwood Land & Cattle
team is proud to have earned many
awards from the agricultural industry
through the years, including the Fort
Worth Southwestern Exposition &
Livestock Show, where the team’s
entries in the commercial Heifer
Show & Sale earned the 2010 overall
Grand Champion.
Hillwood Land & Cattle also
participates in an important aesthetic
initiative at AllianceTexas by
managing small herds of Texas
Longhorn cattle and North American
Bison along certain highly visible
highway frontage areas. n
Fidelity Investments, which located its
Southwestern Regional Headquarters to
the Circle T Ranch in 2000, has recently
expanded the facility – almost doubling
the size of its operations to approximately
1.2 million square feet. Fidelity has
developed the property with employee
recruitment and retention in mind.
At the facility, employees can take
advantage of a comprehensive fitness
center, nature trails that weave throughout
the campus and an adjacent pond, and a
full-service cafeteria.
Neighboring the Fidelity site is Chrysler
Financial Services, which offers regional
financial services from its 130,000-squarefoot operations center. The facility serves
as Chrysler Financial’s national hub for
the company’s “remarketing” efforts. In
addition, consumer and dealer transactions,
such as loans and new vehicle financing,
are handled at the facility, while a call
center provides consumers with answers
to questions about their leases. With
traditional Texas stone and landscaping,
the office was also built with employee
satisfaction in mind. Amenities include a
cafeteria, personal health room, and an open
environment with glass dividers that allow
natural light to filter throughout the space.
Just adjacent to the corporate residents
at Circle T Ranch is the private residential
development, Vaquero, developed
by Discovery Land Company. The
community is anchored by a private-equity
golf course designed by famed PGA course
architect Tom Fazio. Centered within
the property is the 28,000-square-foot
Vaquero Club, which provides residents
of the community with five-star dining,
a heated lap pool and tennis center,
full-service pro shop and health spa, and
luxurious locker facilities.
For families living in the Town
of Westlake, Westlake Academy, an
Exemplary public charter school owned
and operated by the community, provides
Top: Westlake Academy students walk to class on a pathway made with materials from a local stone quarry. The facility was designed to preserve the area’s natural look and feel.
Above left: The Vaquero Club provides residents of Discovery Land Company’s Vaquero Community with luxurious dining amenities. Above right: The Vaquero entrance welcomes
residents into this private-equity golf community at Circle T Ranch.
the much-sought-after International
Baccalaureate curriculum for students
attending grades K-12. The curriculum
puts a focus on individual learning and
smaller class sizes, enabling students to
receive a more personalized education, with
an emphasis on college preparation.
The program is proving successful with
the first two graduating classes earning
over $7.8 million in scholarship offers
with only a total of 56 students combined.
Additionally, the classes of 2010 and 2011
were accepted into several of the nation’s
top 30 colleges (as listed in U.S. News &
World Report).
Located within Circle T Ranch, the
54,000-square-foot academy is made from
environmentally friendly materials and
rocks from a local stone quarry to preserve setting and also have direct access to needed
the natural look and feel of the area’s rich amenities. Within 15 minutes, executives
landscape. Classrooms use mostly natural have access to all major cities in North
lighting, and each room has an outdoor America within four hours via DFW Airport.
area for days when it’s just too beautiful Corporate aviation services at Fort Worth
to hold class indoors.
Alliance Airport are also available within 10
As the Circle T Ranch continues to grow, minutes. Additionally, the ranch is located
Hillwood is working with companies to near a variety of high-quality housing price
promote design standards that complement points, well-performing school districts, a
the beautiful trees, plants and wildlife strong employee base and adjoining retail.
native to the ranch. Buildings are carefully
Only a decade into its development, Circle
constructed to accent and harmonize with T Ranch is maturing into one of North
the ranch’s rolling hills and meadows. Texas’ finest master-planned communities.
Natural Texas landscaping not only provides Its storied past is making way for a future
for unity in aesthetics, but also promotes a filled with opportunity. And, through the
sustainable environment.
years, Hillwood Properties will maintain
The unique benefit of Circle T Ranch is its commitment to preserving the ranch for
being able to enjoy a naturally beautiful future generations to enjoy. n
A l l i a n c e HTe x a s 19
35W Coalition Update
AVAILABLE PROPERTIES
NORTH TARRANT EXPRESS AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES MOVING AHEAD
FORT WORTH
ALLIANCE
AIRPORT
114
121
287
Anticipated
Completion 2017
Construction
Complete 2015
DFW
AIRPORT
161
IRVING
820
MEACHAM
AIRPORT
635
820
183
Meacham Blvd.
360
121
FORT WORTH
820
30
ARLINGTON
Above: A map of the North Tarrant Express shows timelines for completion of highway improvements.
Five Years Later: Progress
More than a decade ago, a core
group of business and community
leaders began discussing the need
to improve mobility in the region,
particularly along Interstate 35W
from downtown Fort Worth to Texas
Highway 114.
At that time, AllianceTexas was
10 years old and already having
tremendous economic impact as
commercial and residential growth
flourished. But, increasingly, those
who worked and lived along the 35W
corridor wrestled with heavy traffic
that greatly impacted businesses,
residents and visitors trying to
navigate congestion.
That is why the 35W Coalition was
formed: to bring together citizens,
businesses and elected officials with
a common and vested interest in
finding solutions to transportation
and development challenges along
I-35W.
Five years later, the Coalition has
much to celebrate. Early efforts
focused on drafting development
guidelines for signage, landscaping,
lighting and setbacks along the
corridor that would impact future
20 A l l i a n c e HTe x a s
developments. A series of public
meetings gave residents and
businesses the opportunity to
provide input into the guidelines,
which went through multiple
revisions and drafts. In February of
this year, the Fort Worth City Council
formally adopted these guidelines,
marking a huge milestone for the
region and the Coalition.
Driving improvements to major
arterials – including I-35W, Loop 820
and SH121/183 (Airport Freeway) –
have remained a top priority for the
Coalition. By galvanizing the support
of members, the Coalition continues
to deliver a strong and powerful
message that these highway
improvements are absolutely
essential to protecting the economic
vitality, air quality and quality of life
in the region.
In just five years, the Coalition has
been successful in advancing the
initial phases, segments 1 and 2W,
of the North Tarrant Express project,
a $2.5 billion reconstruction of the
13-mile Loop 820/Airport Freeway
corridor from I-35W east to the
SH121/183 split in Euless. A publicprivate partnership between the
Texas Department of Transportation
(TxDOT) and NTE Mobility Partners
leveraged public investment in the
project with private equity funding
that allowed the project to begin
nearly five years ahead of schedule.
Subsequent phases of the North
Tarrant Express master development
plan, including I-35W north from
Fort Worth to US 287, are in the final
planning and financing stages, with
construction of those improvements
beginning in the coming months.
“This progress is overdue,” said
Mac Churchill, chairman of the
35W Coalition and president of the
Mac Churchill Acura located on the
northeast corner of the I-35W/Loop
820 interchange. “We are living in
the fastest-growing region in the
United States, with more than 500
people moving here every day. We
must do everything we can to push
infrastructure development that will
support that growth.”
Despite progress on several key
initiatives, the Coalition’s work is
far from done, according to Russell
Laughlin, senior vice president at
Hillwood Properties. “Our state
is facing a crisis in transportation
funding. With no new money for
highway construction available as
of next year, all of these projects
that are on the drawing board will
go away. We must reauthorize
public-private partnerships, look at
transportation reinvestment zones
and examine all possible revenuegenerating mechanisms.”
With the support of its growing
member base, the Coalition is
confident in its ability to continue
to effect change in the region. “We
have heard all along from legislators
and transportation officials that they
never hear from the private sector
when it comes to discussions about
solutions to the mobility crisis,”
says Churchill. “We have been very
successful in bringing much-needed
private sector involvement into the
mix,” he adds. n
For additional information on the
35W Coalition, or to get involved,
please go to www.35WCoalition.com.
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For more information on industrial, flex or office,
please contact Tony Creme, Steve Aldrich or Reid Goetz
at 817.224.6000.
For more information on retail, please contact
Mark Miller at 817.224.6000.
AllianceTexas.com
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Paid
Fort Worth, TX.
Permit no. 1016
Hillwood
13600 Heritage Parkway, Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX 76177
Return Service Requested
The Gateway To A Brighter Future
ALLIANCE GATEWAY 72
has 472,500 SF available, minutes
from DFW Airport and the Fort
Worth Alliance Airport. The
AllianceTexas location provides
direct transportation access to
BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal
Facility, Fort Worth Alliance Airport,
Texas Highways 170 and 114
and Interstate Highway 35W.
Foreign-Trade Zone status and
triple Freepor t inventor y tax
exemption are available.
Call us today to learn more.
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