A rendering shows an $800 million mixed-use development at the southwest corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane.
Courtesy of GFF
The Dallas firms behind a hotly debated $800 million development at the southwest corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane have altered their plans, cutting height from their proposed Preston Hollow skyscrapers.
Burk Interests and Greenway Investment Co. are seeking a zoning change to redevelop 7 acres near the major city intersection.
Article continues below this ad
New plans revealed Friday show a proposed condo and hotel tower’s maximum height will drop from 28 stories (325 feet) to 25 stories (299 feet).
The proposed luxury apartment high-rise’s maximum height will also drop from 275 feet (24 stories) to 250 feet (21 stories). Current zoning at the site allows for a height of 54 feet.
The developers also reoriented the project’s layout. The project’s tallest structures will be closer to Royal Lane on the north side of the site.
Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.
Add Preferred Source
On the project’s south side, the height will be a maximum of 54 feet for the building’s first 50 feet before gradually increasing. The project is 175 feet away from the nearest residential structure on that side.
Article continues below this ad
The developers hope keeping the height lower on that side will create more of a buffer for nearby homes. Less than 30% of the site has buildings exceeding 54 feet under the new proposal.
Leland Burk, president of Burk Interests and former Dallas City Council candidate, said the 21-story apartment tower will include fewer than 200 units. The 25-story tower will feature 150 hotel rooms and fewer than 100 condos.
Burk estimates the value of the project at around $800 million once the development is finished.
“In our meetings with neighbors and city staff, we’ve heard the comment that our buildings are too high frequently,” said Evan Beattie of GFF, the project’s design architect. “We’ve heard the comment that it doesn’t feel like the scale of the buildings are transitioning as well as they should to the neighborhood to the south.”
Article continues below this ad
Other elements of the project have changed. Instead of two office buildings, there will be one 11-story office property.
The proposed project is expected to have a 21-story apartment tower that will feature 150 hotel rooms and fewer than 100 condos.
Courtesy of GFF
Key features of the project remain. Multiple restaurants and retail will be scattered throughout the 7-acre site. Improving walkability and green space remains a focus.
A public half-acre green space is meant to serve as the development’s core. The group plans to plant at least 200 trees on the site, which was heavily damaged following a 2019 tornado. A large majority of the project’s parking will be below grade.
Article continues below this ad
Burk and company plan to make traffic and pedestrian improvements around the site.
The group is building fewer apartments than it could on site under SB 840, which allows apartments and mixed-use residential in all zoning districts that allow office, commercial, retail or warehouse uses without a need for rezoning. The development team estimates they could build 800 units under the law.
A Kimley-Horn traffic study done on behalf of the developer shows that Burk’s Preston and Royal project would produce less traffic than development under the current zoning, which allows for low-rise residential, retail and other uses.
Kimley-Horn estimates Burk’s development would generate just over 5,000 trips per day. If this site was built retail-centric like the other three corners, there would be an estimated 9,435 daily vehicle trips.
Article continues below this ad
The group said its proposed project is consistent with community-mixed use development criteria in the Forward Dallas 2.0 land use plan, similar to projects at Preston Center.
Burk called the project a “needed infusion of development” on a corner defined by retail and surface parking lots.
“This is a very, very important project,” he said. “We believe in the future of Dallas.”
Neighbors’ response
Plans were first unveiled in October. Since that time, residents around the site have opposed the project, citing height and traffic concerns.
Article continues below this ad
They’ve formed a nonprofit, Preserve Preston Hollow, to campaign against Burk’s development. The group has collected donations to fund a social media strategy, signs, a website, and to obtain drone footage around the site.
The Preserve Preston Hollow group has obtained 2,300 signatures from Dallas residents who would support development at the current height limit of 54 feet. A majority live in the ZIP codes around the site. The group’s slogan — “No skyscrapers, no rezoning at Preston and Royal.”
Members of the group spoke with The Dallas Morning News before Burk and his group published the new plans.
“This is not NIMBY. We are pro-growth. We are pro-development,” said Doug Hazelbaker, a former Plano city planning commissioner who lives very close to the site. “We want to see it. … This area could use more apartments. Four or five story apartments at 54 feet, that’d be pretty cool.”
Article continues below this ad
Hazelbaker said he’s worried about what the future could hold for development at that corner if Burk’s zoning request is approved.
“We talked to the commissioners about [zoning precedent] in Dallas, and they say there is no such thing,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean a developer won’t come ask [about the other corners.]”
By signing up, you agree to our Terms Of Use and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy.
The Preserve Preston Hollow group is hosting a neighborhood meeting Tuesday to discuss the project. In May, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Gay Donnell Willis, whose district includes the project, will also hold a neighborhood meeting.
Article continues below this ad
Burk and his team have no timeline for when the case may appear before the city planning commission.
“It will be an enhanced experience for the neighborhood,” Burk said.