DALLAS-- Turner Construction Co. hosted a Topping Out and lunch celebration yesterday to acknowledge those who played a role in the design and construction of Phase I at Hall Arts. The five-acre, two-city-block, multi-use real estate project in the center of the Dallas Arts District is owned and being developed by Craig Hall and Hall Financial Group.

“Today marks another special day in our journey to deliver what we hope will be a destination development that is good for the city, for the Dallas Arts District and for us,” said Hall, chairman and founder of Hall Financial Group. “The efforts of so many, especially Turner Construction, are now clearly visible and we are proud to be a real contributor to the vibrant heart and soul of Dallas in the largest and most impressive arts district in the country.”

Topping Out activities began at 11:00 a.m., with workers signing the final steel beam to be placed on the building's rooftop. Afterwards, the steel beam, with a large Evergreen tree on one end and the American flag on the other, was hoisted by crane to the top of KPMG Plaza. Once the beam was securely placed, Turner Construction treated workers and guests to a barbecue lunch buffet.

Phase I of Hall Arts includes KPMG Plaza, an 18-story, 500,000-square-foot, Class AAA office building that includes 20,000 square feet of premium restaurant space; and the Texas Sculpture Walk, an adjacent half-acre landscaped public sculpture park with a cascading water feature, outdoor seating areas and walkways that span Ross Avenue to Flora Street. The Texas Sculpture Walk was designed to physically

connect the Dallas Central Business District with the Dallas Arts District with large, prominent displays of contemporary sculpture and art by some of the state's leading artists.

“We feel fortunate to be part of such a great project team whose participants have collaborated to achieve this important milestone,” said Turner Construction company director Steven Whitcraft. “We look forward to celebrating the next milestone together in the spring.”

KPMG Plaza at Hall Arts is 60 percent pre-leased to anchor tenant KPMG LLP, Jackson Walker LLP, UMB Bank and Hall Financial Group. Notable Dallas chef Stephan Pyles will also be relocating his flagship restaurant to one of the building's two primary restaurant spaces facing Flora Street, and overlooking Sammons Park and entrances to the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Winspear Opera House.