The driving force behind some of the city’s most successful development projects now owns a nearly 2 million square foot industrial complex, just south of downtown Dallas.
Jack Matthews and his real estate firm Matthews purchased the former Sears Roebuck distribution center at 1600 Roe Street — a nearly 39 acre site.
David Davidson Jr. and Jake Milner of Davidson Bogel Real Estate brokered the transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Plans for the property have not yet been determined, though Matthews indicated the site will have multiple uses. The group wants to hear from the community, investors, tenants and other key players before making a decision.
D-FW Real Estate News
The property was once a hub for Sears’ national retail operations. It later became the Cedars Commerce Center, and the the property was most recently occupied by LBA Logistics.
The project is Matthews’ latest in three-decades worth of investments in the Cedars neighborhood.
“We’ve created a destination that draws nearly 1.8 million visitors annually to the Cedars,” Matthews said in a statement.
We believe that with the right plan, this can be a flagship property that will more than double commercial activity in the area — a fully mixed-use property that all of Dallas can enjoy,” he added.
Other projects in the neighborhood feature the Southside development that includes the preservation of the landmark Sears Roebuck buildings, construction of residential units, and development of the Canvas South Side hotel.
He also donated land in the area to the city for a new police headquarters.
Beyond the Cedars, Matthews’ Inspire Dallas was hired to oversee the $3.7 billion convention center redevelopment. The city approved a six-year, $65 million deal with his company back in 2023.
In 2011, his Matthews Southwest developed the $500 million, more than 1,000 room Omni Hotel adjacent to the convention center.
One of his company’s key restoration projects involved the conversion of the more than century-old Dallas High School on Bryan Street into office space.
Matthews’ development company operate in North America, Europe and the Middle East and includes five divisions — Matthews Hospitality, Matthews West, Matthews Energy Matthews Switzerland, and Inspire Dallas.
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