Allen says Oakridge and Baylor were in talks for other sites in the metroplex when its Terrell option came up for discussion. "It was just one of those things where the site they selected came together with our site selection," he says.

Richards

Although Baylor won't confirm what it's eyeing, the city's door is wide open to a new healthcare facility and expanded services for a fast-growing county population that's up to 98,350 residents and 1,300 annual housing starts. A Baylor-affiliated clinic at 200 N. Virginia St. is a 17,225-sf building that's serviced the city nearly two decades. The clinic is operated by HealthTexas Provider Network and the real estate's owned by HRT Properties of Texas Ltd. of Nashville. Less than three miles to the south is a 102-bed hospital built in 1977. In February 2007, Houston-based Renaissance Healthcare Systems rescued the facility at 1551 Hwy. 34 South from being shut down and renovated it. Also, the state operates a 316-bed hospital at 1200 E. Brin St.

It has been confirmed that Baylor and Renaissance have discussed their future plans for Terrell. There is speculation that it could lead to a division of services so as not to tread on each other's territory.

In any event, the medical sites and Terrell Market Center are part of a 500-acre tax increment financing district that was recently put in place as a development seed. Richards says to date there's been no discussions about tax abatements with either new property owner in town.

CB Richard Ellis team of managing director Jeff Cox and senior associates Scott Head and Stroud Arthur represented Baylor. Oakridge bought the dirt in a deal with a local family, who had Ray Utley, president of the land division for Henry S. Miller Commercial in Dallas, negotiating its terms.