North Texas Engine Speeds at Full Throttle
Bright Realty recently broke ground on the new lifestyle destination that includes office, dining, retail, entertainment and multifamily developments, with Phase I of the project called Offices at The Realm.
LEWISVILLE, TX—A 324-acre mixed-use development, The Realm at Castle Hills, is situated on the former HR “Bum” Bright family ranch. Upon completion, the project will be a connected, walkable environment with an extensive trail system.
Bright Realty recently broke ground on the new lifestyle destination that includes office, dining, retail, entertainment and multifamily developments. The development is located just west of State Highway 121/Sam Rayburn Tollway and Josey Lane in the Castle Hills community.
Phase I of the project, Offices at The Realm, is a nine-story class-A office building consisting of 235,000 square feet of office space and an additional 15,000 square feet of first-floor restaurant space. Situated in front of the office building is Crescent Park, an expansive park and outdoor entertainment space. The office building and park are scheduled to deliver in mid-2019. Groundwork has also started on Phase II of the project, a 260-unit multi-family complex above 35,000 square feet of retail.
The Realm is a 15-minute drive to DFW International Airport, and minutes to Grandscape, Nebraska Furniture Mart and Legacy West, with the corporate headquarters of Toyota, Liberty Mutual, FedEx and JP Morgan Chase. Its location is commutable from Plano, Carrollton, The Colony and Frisco.
“The demand to live, work and play in the same area has transformed our suburban communities,” said Chris Bright, Bright Realty CEO. “The Realm is designed with that in mind and with a focus on an overall quality of life that offers a sophisticated suburban setting with generous outdoor and event spaces. We want people to live, work, play and stay at The Realm and with the varied and numerous lifestyle products we are offering here, they will be able to do just that for generations to come.”
Inspiration for the architectural and interior design of the community blends classic forms with contemporary design to create a new interpretation of Texas Hill Country.
“In collaboration with our design partner, 505Design, BOKA Powell incorporated contemporary materials into the design of the office building to create a place that is welcoming and refined. The exterior of the building is a blend of limestone, concrete, glass and metal with a 47-foot core-to-glass lease depth and a five-foot grid for ease of space planning,” said Chris Barnes, principal-in-charge at Dallas-based design firm BOKA Powell.
Offices at The Realm includes Wi-Fi-connected tenant common areas to promote interaction including a community lounge and patio, conference center, rooftop deck seating, computer bars and a fitness center. The office complex also includes surface and structured parking. Second-floor terraces overlook Crescent Park, which includes shaded seating, event space, water feature with custom water shows sequenced to music and a splash fountain for children and pets. In addition to architect BOKA Powell and 505 Design, Offices at The Realm landscape architect is Land Design and general contractor is Hill & Wilkinson. Southwest Bank, a division of Simmons Bank, is the lender for the project. Colliers International will oversee leasing the office space and Bright Realty is managing the brokerage of the retail/restaurant space.
Phase II of the project, with a delivery date of mid- to late-2020, is a mix of multifamily with first-floor boutique-style retail space. The Realm apartment architect, design architect/interior designer and landscape design are the same as those for the office project. The general contractor is Andres Construction. Additional phases of The Realm include condominiums, a large amphitheater entertainment district, retail, restaurants and additional multifamily living opportunities.
The Realm at Castle Hills complements Bright Realty’s Castle Hills master-planned community, which currently has single-family homes, a multifamily development, an all-rental single-family home neighborhood, a private golf course and country club, and a neighborhood shopping and entertainment destination with condominiums.
“The Realm is situated next to Castle Hills, one of the largest master-planned communities in North Texas. There are currently more than 4,500 single-family homes, townhomes and condos here along with a golf course, retail center and numerous amenity centers and parks,” Bright tells GlobeSt.com.
“The Realm mixed-use master plan is an extension of Castle Hills with a more urban vibe to meet the demand of multiple demographics, and current and anticipated growth in the coming years. With corporate relocations and the current job market, this portion of North Texas is one of the fastest growing in the state and region. People are looking for urban-type live-work-play settings in suburban locations and The Realm is designed to meet those needs.”