DALLAS — Audacy, a Pennsylvania-based entertainment and media holding company, has signed a 24,000-square-foot office lease at Lakeside Square in North Dallas. The 409,544-square-foot building is located at the intersection of North Central Expressway and the LBJ Freeway. The new space includes recording equipment and sound studios. Deme Mekras and Travis Boothe of Cushman & Wakefield represented Audacy in the lease negotiations. Trevor Franke, Gini Rounsaville and Hudson Neuhoff of JLL represented the landlord, Acram Group.
Interviews by Jessica Johnson and Abby Lestin Big deal, little deal or no deal? In a hypothetical survey among several dozen women who work in commercial real estate that examines the significance of their growing segment of industry leadership, answers would likely run the gamut of those three options. The answer is subjective, of course. But regardless of individual sentiments, there can be no denying that commercial real estate does currently have a strong cast of experienced, capable women in leadership positions, and there is little reason to think that trend will slow or backtrack in the future. At France Media, the Atlanta-based parent company of Texas Real Estate Business, we see this pattern manifest in multiple forms. Our conference division, InterFace Conference Group, hosts dozens of industry events every year with panel discussions that routinely feature women in prominent speaking roles. We see more announcements about advocacy groups within the industry that are largely devoted to women and their occupational advancement and achievements, as well as launches of companies owned and led by women. And we count a growing contingent of women among our regular editorial sources and contributors. This isn’t just some initiative driven by diversity, equity and …
MAGNOLIA, TEXAS — HALL Structured Finance, a Dallas-based lender, has provided a $58.9 million construction loan for Rasha at Audubon, a 326-unit multifamily project in Magnolia, a northwestern suburb of Houston. The site is located within the 3,000-acre Audubon master-planned development, and the garden-style property will consist of five three-story buildings and two four-story buildings. Information on floor plans was not disclosed, but units will be furnished with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, walk-in closets and private balconies/patios/yards in select residences. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center, clubroom, lounge, outdoor grilling and dining stations and a dog park. Cullen Atchison of The Houston Group Realty Advisors arranged the loan on behalf of the borrower, locally based developer XAG Group.
KATY, TEXAS — Palladium USA has broken ground on Palladium Park Row Katy Living, a $33 million affordable housing project in the western Houston suburb of Katy. The property will feature 93 units in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Amenities will include a pool, fitness center, conference center, dog park, business center, children’s playroom and clubhouse with a mini kitchen. Palladium expects to deliver the first units next December. Palladium is developing the property in a public-private partnership with the Harris County Housing Finance Corp. HEDK Architects designed the community, and Brownstone Group is serving as the general contractor. Financing for the project includes $15 million of 9 percent housing tax credits from the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs; $13.3 million of equity and $12 million of long-term debt from PNC Bank; and $5 million of ARPA funding from Harris County.
ORANGEFIELD, TEXAS — General contractor N&T Construction has begun renovations of three scholastic campuses within the Independent School District of Orangefield, located near the Texas-Louisiana border. The project will replace 21 portables with permanent facilities, enclose previously open areas and add windows to all new classrooms. At the elementary school, the project team will add a two-story structure with 32 classrooms, a new cafeteria and a renovated gym. The junior high school will see expanded classrooms and new support spaces, and the high school will receive a new cafeteria, library, classrooms and career and technical education spaces. Additionally, all campuses will receive upgraded safety features, utility enhancements, flood mitigation measures and new landscaping and walkways. Pfluger Architects designed the renovation projects, which are being funded by a $42.9 million bond approved in 2023.
HOUSTON — OKT Lighting USA has signed a 43,760-square-foot industrial lease in South Houston. The manufacturer of LED linear lighting and downlights is taking space at 2304 Reed Road, an industrial building that according to LoopNet Inc. totals 79,072 square feet and features 30-foot clear heights. Will Mason and Tyler Maner of Stream Realty Partners represented the tenant in the lease negotiations. Allison Bergmann and Jim Foreman of Cushman & Wakefield represented the locally based landlord, Hines.
DENTON, TEXAS — Weitzman has brokered the sale of University Lanes, a 17,657-square-foot bowling alley and entertainment venue in the North Texas city of Denton. The venue is located near Texas Woman’s University and includes a snack and alcoholic beverages bar. Kevin Butkus and Guillermo Lopez of Weitzman brokered the deal. The names of the seller and locally based buyer were not disclosed.
NORTHLAKE, TEXAS — A partnership between Houston-based developer Alliance Industrial Co. and Charlotte-based Barings has broken ground on Ironhead Commerce Center, a 906,271-square-foot project in Northlake, a northern suburb of Fort Worth. The development will consist of four buildings on a 57.3-acre site at the intersection of Harmonson Road and McPherson Drive. Buildings will feature 32- to 36-foot clear heights and will be able to accommodate tenants with requirements from 40,000 to 320,000 square feet. Stream Realty Partners is the leasing agent for the project, which is slated for a late 2025 completion.
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — Partners Capital, the investment arm of Partners Real Estate, has sold San Marcos Place, a 73,882-square-foot shopping center located roughly midway between Austin and San Antonio. Built in 1985 and renovated in 2017, the center was 82 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants such as grocer Poco Loco. Cathy Nabours and Kyle Shaffer of SRS Real Estate Partners represented Partners Capital, which purchased the property in 2018, in the transaction. The buyer and sales price were not disclosed.
RICHARDSON, TEXAS — Pepperidge Farm has signed a 45,406-square-foot industrial lease in the northeastern Dallas suburb of Richardson. The Connecticut-based commercial baker is taking space at the building located at 1405 E. Lookout Drive. Josh Barnes, Blake Troiani and Weston Porter of Holt Lunsford Commercial represented the landlord, Crow Holdings, in the lease negotiations. Micheal Paine of Cushman & Wakefield represented Pepperidge Farm.