by Chris Moss, Arlington Report
October 27, 2026

Since 2014, the city of Arlington and the Arlington Economic Development Corporation have purchased a total of about 41 acres of vacant land on the northwest corner of Interstate 30 and North Collins Street, now a valuable piece of real estate in a city with little room for large new development. 

The wheels are now in motion for that land to become a new anchoring development near the heart of the city.

On Tuesday, city council members voted unanimously to authorize the third-party creation of a master development for roughly 27 acres of that land. The deal will see the global firm Hines plan out the project with hopes of bringing the mixed-use development to life.

Mayor Jim Ross said the development is exciting to see, alongside the nearby redevelopment at Lincoln Square, which has been renamed Anthem.

“I’d rather hold it and mow it forever until you get the right deal — Hines is the right deal,” Ross said. “They’re a quality group, and we are happy to have them here.”

The land represents one of the prime development areas in the city, as it is currently vacant and sits across the interstate from the Entertainment District.

In 2014, the city bought roughly 18 acres of land at 1608 N. Collins St. Earlier this year, it bought approximately 20 acres for roughly $19 million, which it later sold to the economic development corporation for the same amount. 

In 2015, the city attempted to develop the property with the Dallas-based Trammell Crow Company but was unsuccessful, according to director of strategic initiatives Lyndsay Mitchell. The company is slated to build a Downtown Arlington mixed-use development for completion in 2031.

Of that land, 27 acres will go to the overall development, while 14 acres are slated for sale to a “large commercial anchor,” according to a staff report.

A sketch shows which piece of the property owned by Arlington and its economic development corporation will go to the master plan development. The property marked NAP is not in the development and is slated to be sold. (Courtesy | City of Arlington)

Ross told the Arlington Report that the 14 acres are being slated for a “grocery store use.”

“Hines is orchestrating this master plan that includes everything that’s helping with grocery store, retail, office, restaurant, multifamily and everything in there,” Ross said. “Our intent is to have a grocery store out there.”

According to the master development agreement, Hines DM Services LLC will create a master plan sometime around July 2027 and complete the platting process by roughly January 2028. The company is a subsidiary of Houston-based Hines, which is a global development firm.

In return for the planning, the city agreed to reimburse costs up to about $1.3 million.

The city expects the site to serve as a mixed-use development, bringing office, retail, residential and hospitality uses, according to the staff report. Mitchell added that the key point of the development is that it will generate employment opportunities.

Council member Mauricio Galante, whose district encompasses the development, said he is happy to see the focus on job creation from the development.

“I’m looking forward to see what is going to come of it,” Galante said.

In the deal’s terms, the project developer may build about 350 multifamily units and 35,000 square feet of retail space before constructing an office building. If this phase of the project is completed, the developer will be required to construct at least 50,000 square feet of office space before adding more multifamily housing or retail space.

For the duration of the agreement, and for a year after, Hines will have the exclusive right to solicit a sale of the land from the city for development.

According to the agreement, the city is willing to sell the property on a sliding scale that is based on the different uses proposed for the development:

Corporate office use: $12-$30 per rentable square foot.
Retail/restaurant use: $12-$30 per rentable square foot.
Multifamily housing use: $11,000-$20,000 per unit.
Hospitality use: $7,500-$15,000 per key (total construction cost divided by total rooms).
Mixed-use spaces: To be determined during the master plan phase.

If the city and Hines do not come to an agreement by the end of the exclusive period, which is set to end around July 2029, the city can turn to another developer. 

In the meantime, the city expects to negotiate with Hines over other deals for the development, which could include further incentive agreements, according to the staff report.

Galante added that he is glad to see the city’s implementation of a due diligence period within the agreement, which will require Hines to conduct a market analysis and feasibility study.

“It is very important for a piece of land like that, the entrance to the city and one of the most valuable (pieces of) real estate that we have right now, to do the due diligence like this proposal offers,” Galante said.

The agreement also lays out multiple terms in conjunction with the mystery buyer of the 14 acres. 

According to the terms of the deal, Hines will need to determine what utility improvements are needed for the land and what improvements are needed for Ryan Plaza Drive. The road runs through the 27-acre plot and north above the 14-acre plot.

The potential buyer will need about 150 parking spaces, and the location will be identified by Hines as part of the deal.

Hines will be required to complete these determinations by March 2027, so the city can complete terms for a site development agreement with the 14-acre buyer, according to the deal.

Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org.

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This article first appeared on Arlington Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. ""