Developers Are Building Frisco's $5B Mile as a Spec Project

As Frisco's '$5 Billion Mile' begins to take shape in the one mile stretch of roadway off the Dallas North Tollway, the Dallas Business Journal held a Corridors of Opportunity event focused on the 549 acres slated for high-end development. The event Tuesday morning brought in more than 660 North Texas executives and professionals looking to learn more on the projects behind the $5.4 billion of real estate investment. Frisco Economic Development Corp. President Jim Gandy told me the event was the biggest real estate event he's seen in Frisco in the past two decades. Even as the Dallas Cowboys-anchored development with the football club's headquarters and new practice facility underway, developers are bullish on the corridor and are preparing to begin construction on speculative office space within the mile. The Cowboys plans to lease about 280,000 square feet of office space spanning two towers overlooking the practice fields, said Joe Hickman, CEO of Frisco-based Blue Star Land LP, who was one of four panelists at the event. “Jerry wanted to put black-out windows on the building to make sure the Redskins don’t lease space,” he added, laughing. Other panelists included Stan Thomas of Thomas Land & Development (Wade Park), Barry Hand of Gensler (The Gate) and Ran Holman of VanTrust Real Estate LLC (Frisco Station).