University of Texas at Dallas and Plano-based Wolverine Interests are teaming up to advance the construction of a new mixed-use development that would have easy access to DART’s new Silver Line.
The two entities want to build a 36-acre transit-oriented development (TOD) just north of UT Dallas’ campus in Richardson. Wolverine Interests owns 15 acres of the desired site, while UT Dallas owns an adjoining property, according to documents from Richardson’s city plan commission.
A joint application for zoning changes was submitted to the commission, which unanimously approved the request at its last meeting earlier in July, reported The Dallas Morning News.
The new TOD is now zoned for a maximum of 4,000 residential units, two hotels, 500,000 square feet of office space, and 40,000 square feet of retail space.
“Additional allowable uses include university-related uses, museums, theatres, public buildings, and an event center which would require an additional traffic study if developed by the university,” according to commission documents.
Preliminary development designs reportedly show seven building sites with a big open space facing the new DART station, which is set to start running sometime in 2026, DMN reported. It is expected to be one of the transportation network’s busiest stations.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, DART has logged a considerable uptick in criminal incidents on its property in 2023 and plans on deploying contracted security officers aboard its trains. However, many of the reported incidents seem to be occurring in and around Downtown Dallas.
Officials expect the new development will be built in several phases over the next 10 to 15 years, per the commission documents. Despite the lengthy projected time until completion, such a development would likely take longer to build if constructed within Dallas city limits, where building and zoning regulations can add considerable time to projects.
Jim Leslie, president of Wolverine Interests, told DMN that he anticipates the Richardson City Council will consider the project during its meeting in September.
