Latest Hillwood News

HILLWOOD ACQUIRES ROCKY CREEK RANCH RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (September 8, 2010) – Hillwood has purchased the 468-acre Rocky Creek Ranch residential community in southwest Austin from LegacyTexas Bank. The community already has 151 completed lots and can accommodate another 241 lots.

“Purchasing Rocky Creek Ranch is a terrific opportunity for Hillwood to provide great value for homeowners in one of the best areas of Austin to live and in one of the state’s top school districts,” said Brian Carlock, senior vice president of Hillwood Residential.

Rocky Creek Ranch will open in the first quarter of 2011, when the new entry is scheduled to be completed and the model homes will be available to tour.

Carter Breed and Colin Armstrong of CB Richard Ellis represented LegacyTexas Bank in the transaction.

Homes at Rocky Creek Ranch will be built by Highland Homes (http://www.highlandhomes.com/Community-RockyCreek.html) and Drees Homes (http://www.dreeshomes.com/) and will be offered starting in the high $200’s. Comparable new homes in nearby communities typically start at $360,000.

Rocky Creek Ranch also will feature an amenity center with a resort pool, tot pool and playground, as well as 300 acres of open space with extensive trails. The community is adjacent to the 4,700-acre Shield Ranch Nature Conservancy.

Located on the south side of Hamilton Pool Rd. (FM 3238) approximately five miles south of Texas Highway 71 and just west of Crumley Ranch Rd., Rocky Creek Ranch lies within the Travis Independent School District, which is rated as exemplary, the highest rating by the state of Texas. All three schools that Rocky Creek Ranch’s children will attend (Bee Cave Elementary School, Lake Travis Middle School and Lake Travis High School) also have each earned the exemplary rating.

In addition to the purchase of Rocky Creek Ranch, Hillwood’s residential group has completed a variety of deals in 2010. Earlier this year Hillwood sold five residential properties in the Las Vegas, Nevada market to a joint venture between New Jersey-based Ridgewood Real Estate Partners and New York-based Angelo, Gordon & Co. In May Hillwood purchased a $38 million performing loan from a national residential lender for five partially developed master-planned communities and two golf courses in Georgia and Texas.

“This year Hillwood has been able to create great opportunities across the country that are different from the core development deals that we have concentrated on in the past,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential.

Since 1989 Hillwood has developed residential communities with innovative features and top recreation amenities. The company has delivered more than 19,000 single-family lots in more than 30 cities, primarily in North Texas, over the past decade.

Hillwood (www.hillwood.com), a Perot company, is one of the country’s leading residential and commercial real estate developers and investors. The company is best known for its development of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas project, located 15 miles northwest of DFW Airport; the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas; and the 2,000-acre AllianceCalifornia development near Los Angeles.

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Rail Intermodal Containers Reach Highest Level in Three Years

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Intermodal container volume for North American railroads reached its highest level in nearly three years in the week ending July 3 as overall intermodal loads soared 36.6 percent over the holiday-shortened week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Weekly carload volume also grew 18.8 percent in the 26th week of the year, an expansion that was distorted by the comparison to a week in 2009 that included the Fourth of July holiday.

On a week-to-week sequential basis, carload volume actually slipped slightly from the period ending June 26, extending a relatively flat performance for North American railroads over the last two months.

But intermodal container volume, which was up 39.8 percent over last year, also grew 5.4 percent from the week before, a sign of the growing push by retailers to get goods to markets in advance of the peak shipping and sales season.

The 197,134 intermodal containers hauled during the week marked the highest total the railroads have reported since September 2007 and the sixth-largest total the AAR has recorded.

The AAR said the intermodal volume in the most recent week was up 19.1 percent from the same week in 2008, which also included the July 4 holiday.

Carload traffic expanded 7.8 percent in the first half of 2010 over the same period a year ago, while intermodal volume -- including trailers and containers -- was up 12.9 percent.

HILLWOOD LEASES RECORD 2.6 MILLION SQUARE FEET AT ALLIANCETEXAS IN FIRST HALF OF 2010

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (July 15, 2010) – Through the first six months of 2010, Hillwood leased 2.6 million square feet at its AllianceTexas development. That’s the highest lease total for the first half of a year in the development’s 21-year history, exceeding the previous high of 2.1 million square feet leased in the first six months of 2007. In the first half of last year, the company leased 1.9 million square feet at AllianceTexas.

Primarily due to the new leasing activity, close to 500 jobs have been added at AllianceTexas in the first half of the year. Another 1,300 jobs have been retained through renewals that were completed in the first six months of 2010.

Of the 2.6 million square feet leased so far in 2010, 1 million square feet are new deals and 1.6 million square feet are renewals.

“Equally as impressive as the amount of space that was leased in the first six months of 2010 is the diversity of what was leased,” said Mike Berry, president of Hillwood Properties. “Our bread and butter has always been our industrial portfolio, but close to 200,000 square feet of office space has been leased this year and several new retailers either completed leases or held grand openings at Alliance Town Center in the first half of 2010. Our Monterra Village apartment home community, which just opened in 2008, also is now 96% leased.”

Highlighting the leasing activity through the first six months of 2010 at AllianceTexas was LG Electronics leasing 165,402 square feet and adding 65 new jobs with the relocation of its cell phone repair unit from Alabama to AllianceTexas. Exel Logistics also expanded the North American Distribution Center that it operates for LEGO from the 402,500 Gateway 62 building to 596,000 square feet in the nearby Gateway 60 building. Texas Instruments, Lockheed, Ryder and Tarrant County College renewed leases at AllianceTexas.

At Alliance Town Center, leases were completed with AAA, Jos. A. Bank, Texas Health Resources and Zoe’s Kitchen, while Rooms To Go, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, and Tutti Frutti opened during the first half of 2010.

In addition to the record leasing activity, construction also was booming at AllianceTexas through the first six months of 2010. Health Care Service Corp., the parent company of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, recently completed its 250,000 square-foot data center. Kroger began construction on its 123,000 Marketplace Concept store at Alliance Town Center. In addition construction continued on the 750,000 square-foot Deloitte University training and leadership center at Circle T Ranch, as well as the 200,000 square-foot United Markets in the Alliance Global Logistics Hub. Texas Health Resources is scheduled to begin construction later this year on its new hospital campus on the 40 acres that it bought from Hillwood last year at Golden Triangle and Interstate 35W.

The 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the Monterra Village apartment home community, Alliance Town Center, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. More than 50 companies at AllianceTexas are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms.

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is one of the top commercial and residential real estate developers and investors in the country. The company's developments currently house facilities for 65 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

HILLWOOD ACQUIRES 602,500 SQUARE-FOOT INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AT KEY DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN PENNSYVLANIA

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

HILLWOOD ACQUIRES 602,500 SQUARE-FOOT INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AT KEY DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN PENNSYVLANIA

Real Estate Developer Eyes Growth in Pennsylvania through New Acquisition

CARLISLE, PA (June 22, 2010) — Hillwood Investment Properties announced today that it has acquired a 602,500 square-foot industrial building at Key Distribution Center in Carlisle, Pa. Hillwood currently owns a number of commercial properties throughout Pennsylvania. This acquisition will further solidify its presence in the market and contribute to the company’s growth in the area.

“With the challenges of the current economy, Hillwood is focused on identifying the right investment and growth opportunities,” said Gary Frederick, Senior Vice President with Hillwood Investment Properties. “We are pleased to acquire a state-of-the-art distribution facility that will expand our presence and commercial activities in central Pennsylvania. The building is available for immediate occupancy and we will be aggressively marketing it to prospective tenants.”

The Class A industrial property is located at 1700 Ritner Highway, also known as U.S. Highway 11, in Carlisle. Constructed in 2007, the facility resides on a 46.3-acre site conveniently located between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-81, which are major distribution routes through Pennsylvania serving a number of large population centers in the northeastern United States. Approximately 100 million consumers reside within an eight-hour drive of Key Distribution Center in Carlisle.

Hillwood acquired the property from a joint venture between Higgins Development Partners and Pritzker Realty Group, both based in Chicago, Ill. Michael Bartolacci, Gerald Bower, and Jerry Moore of The Garibaldi Group helped negotiate the transaction.

Despite tough economic conditions, Hillwood continues to seek strategic acquisition opportunities across the nation.

“This purchase reflects Hillwood’s commitment to making strategic decisions that not only make good business sense, but good sense for our local communities.” Frederick added. “Our latest investment in Pennsylvania represents the type of acquisitions and growth on which Hillwood will continue to focus.”

About Hillwood

Hillwood, a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate investors and developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities for 65 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceCalifornia, Hillwood is best known for its development of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas project, located 15 miles northwest of DFW Airport, and the $420-million American Airlines Center and the Victory district near downtown Dallas. For additional information about the company, please visit www.hillwood.com.

Jacksonville City Council selects Hillwood as developer of Cecil Commerce Center

David Bauerlein — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The task of bringing long-awaited jobs to Cecil Commerce Center officially fell on Dallas-based Hillwood when the Jacksonville City Council voted Tuesday to make Hillwood the center’s master developer.

The 16-0 vote capped a year of negotiations that started last summer when the city tapped Hillwood as the top-ranked applicant for the role of master developer.

Despite opposition that came mainly from businesses doing industrial development in Jacksonville, council members have said the commerce center needs a master developer and Hillwood has a track record of success.

“We’re looking forward to them getting busy out there,” Councilman Ronnie Fussell said Tuesday night.

The master developer contract will last up to 25 years and cover as many as 2,800 acres. As Hillwood attracts businesses, the company will purchase tracts of land from the city for construction of distribution centers and warehouses.

Hillwood will call its project Alliance Florida, the same “premier brand” the company affixed to its Alliance Texas and Alliance California mega-developments. Alliance California is at a former Air Force base in San Bernardino.

Opponents of the contract argued the negotiations between Hillwood and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission resulted in the city agreeing to sell land on the cheap.

Though some council members said the price would probably be higher if the city were just selling land in a straight land deal, they said the price is part of a much larger agreement that requires Hillwood to develop the center or lose its right to the contract.

Mayor John Peyton has supported making Hillwood the master developer, saying the city cannot afford to maintain the “status quo” at the commerce center.

The city and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority took ownership of the commerce center in 1999 from the Navy after the federal government closed the military base. Hillwood will be the master developer of city-owned land at the center. The aviation authority’s land is not covered by the contract.

What's next for Cecil Commerce Center after Hillwood approval

David Bauerlein — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

After winning the hard-fought battle to be master developer of Cecil Commerce Center, Hillwood faces a tall order in translating that political success to where it counts on the ground — construction of industrial buildings.

Hillwood, a Dallas-based company that is among nation’s largest industrial developers, will be in charge of bringing businesses to land where the city attracted just two companies in the past 11 years.

“We’ve got to deliver on our promises now,” Preston Herold, vice president of Hillwood Investment Properties, said after City Council approved the master development agreement Tuesday night.

Herold said Hillwood has talked with a couple of businesses about locating at Cecil Commerce Center. He said Hillwood wanted to get the master development approved before moving ahead with those discussions.

“That will be job number one — getting back to those folks,” he said.

Herold will move to Jacksonville to lead Hillwood’s marketing of the commerce center. He said Hillwood will set up its office in a former Navy building at the commerce center. The city and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority obtained thousands of acres of land from the federal government in 1999 after the Navy base closed.

One change that will take effect immediately when Hillwood takes over as master developer is real estate brokers will be able to earn fees when their clients decide to locate at the commerce center. The city hasn’t paid broker fees, but brokers will have a financial incentive to have their clients consider Cecil when Hillwood is on board.

The master development agreement with Hillwood can run for up to 25 years, but it establishes a series of benchmarks for development that Hillwood must meet along the way or else it will lose the contract. Those requirements are based on the square footage of construction.

Within three years, Hillwood must construct a 400,000 square foot building, regardless of whether Hillwood has tenants for the building or not.

In 10 years, it must have built 2 million square feet, and by the end of 20 years, the total tally must be at least 7 million square feet.

Since 1999, the city has struck two deals at the commerce center by selling land for the 1 million square foot Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation center and the 235,000 square foot Saft high-tech battery manufacturing plant.

City Councilman Daniel Davis, whose Westside district includes the commerce center, said he isn’t expecting Hillwood to come roaring out of the gate.

“We all know what kind of economic environment we’re in,” he said.

But he said he’s confident that Hillwood’s connections with industrial businesses will result in tenants and jobs coming as they building are built.

“I’m measuring success as consistent takedown of lots and consistent new job creation at Cecil,” he said.

The City Council voted 16-0 Tuesday to make Hillwood the center’s master developer. The unanimous support capped a year of negotiations that started last summer when the city tapped Hillwood as the top-ranked applicant for the role of master developer.

“We’re looking forward to them getting busy out there,” Councilman Ronnie Fussell said Tuesday night.

The master developer contract will cover as many as 2,800 acres. As Hillwood attracts businesses, the company will purchase tracts of land from the city for construction of distribution centers and warehouses.

Opponents of the contract argued the negotiations between Hillwood and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission resulted in the city agreeing to sell land on the cheap.

Mayor John Peyton has supported making Hillwood the master developer, saying the city cannot afford to maintain the “status quo” at the commerce center.

Hillwood will be the master developer of city-owned land at the center. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s land is not covered by the contract.

LEGO Expands Distribution Center by 200,000 SF

Jennifer Duell Popovec — Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

ROANOKE, TX-LEGO Systems Inc. has expanded its North American distribution center by nearly 200,000 square feet, moving into 596,000 square feet at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, which is part the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development.

The Denmark-based company, which provides toys and teaching materials for children, currently occupies the 402,500 square-foot Alliance Gateway 62 building at 400 Patriot Pkwy. LEGO first opened its Alliance distribution center in 2006. The center is managed by Exel Inc., a third-party logistics company that occupies about 2.5 million square feet at Alliance.

“LEGO only has one distribution facility in North America, and their business had grown exponentially so they ran out of space,” says Tony Creme, who represented Hillwood internally on the deal. The tenant was represented by Dan Cook of Cushman & Wakefield of Texas.

Creme tells GlobeSt. that LEGO is a textbook example of Hillwood’s flexibility. “We have the ability to tear up a lease mid-term and move a tenant into another space,” he points out, adding that LEGO/Excel had two years left on the original lease.

LEGO’s new distribution space is in the 756,000-square-foot Alliance Gateway 60 building located at 300 Freedom Dr. The company, which will occupy 79% of the building, has the opportunity to expand into the remaining space as it grows.

The building, which had an asking rate of $3.25 per square foot, triple net, had been vacant for a year. It was previously occupied by Ryder Logistics and Phillips Electronics and represented Hillwood’s largest vacancy in the Alliance project.

LEGO’s existing space will be returned to Hillwood’s vacant inventory, but Creme says it’s a great building to have back since it offers rail service and all the “bells and whistles” including foreign trade zone designation.

Originally, Alliance Gateway 62 did not have foreign trade zone designation, and Hillwood worked with the city and state to obtain it for LEGO. “The new building had to have a foreign trade zone, and we were able to get a modification for it like we did for the previous building,” Creme explains. “This is a great public-private partnership that made this deal work. The city has a pro-business attitude and wanted to make sure that the expansion would happen.”

As part of the new lease, Hillwood made some improvements to the Alliance Gateway 60 building. “We repainted the exterior and refurbished the office area so their new home looks very similar to their old home,” Creme says.

LEGO joins a list of companies including General Mills, Motorola, ATC Logistics, SC Johnson & Sons, LG Electronics, and Bell Helicopter that have expanded at Alliance.

LEGO EXPANDS NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION CENTER AT ALLIANCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS HUB

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

LEGO EXPANDS NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION CENTER AT ALLIANCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS HUB

Deal Shows Development’s Ability To Accommodate Customer Expansions

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 24, 2010) – LEGO Systems Inc. has expanded its North American Distribution Center at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub by close to 200,000 square feet, moving into 596,000 square feet in the Alliance Gateway 60 building. The company currently occupies the 402,500 square-foot Alliance Gateway 62 building. Both facilities are in the Roanoke, Texas section of the Alliance Global Logistics Hub.

This deal shows Hillwood’s ability to accommodate customer growth at Alliance. LEGO can expand its operation to a facility down the street from its existing facility, thus avoiding many of the operational and labor issues inherent with most moves. LEGO joins a list of companies, such as General Mills, Motorola, ATC Logistics, SC Johnson & Sons, LG Electronics, and Bell Helicopter that have expanded at Alliance.

Lego’s distribution center is managed by Exel Inc., a third-party logistics company that operates in approximately 2.5 million square feet of space at Alliance.

Exel was represented by Dan Cook of Cushman & Wakefield of Texas. Hillwood was represented in-house by Tony Creme.

LEGO first opened its North American Distribution Center at Alliance in 2006. The 756,000 square-foot Alliance Gateway 60 building is located at 300 Freedom Drive.

The LEGO Group (www.lego.com) is a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company is engaged in the development of children’s creativity through playing and learning. Based on the world-famous LEGO brick, the company today provides toys, experiences and teaching materials for children in more than 130 countries. The LEGO Group has approximately 8,000 employees, and it is the world’s fifth largest manufacturer of play materials.

The Alliance Global Logistics Hub is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development. In addition to the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the development includes the Monterra Village apartment home community, Alliance Town Center, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. More than 50 companies at AllianceTexas are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms.

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities for 65 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

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HILLWOOD SELLS PROPERTIES IN LAS VEGAS AREA TO RIDGEWOOD AND ANGELO, GORDON

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

HILLWOOD SELLS PROPERTIES IN LAS VEGAS AREA TO RIDGEWOOD AND ANGELO, GORDON

5 Properties Can Accommodate 1,800 Lots, 759 Multifamily Units

DALLAS, Texas (May 18, 2010) – Hillwood has sold a portfolio of five primarily residential properties in the Las Vegas, Nevada market to a joint venture between Ridgewood Real Estate Partners and Angelo, Gordon & Co. This sale represents more than 1,800 residential lots and land that is already zoned for 759 multifamily units, plus approximately 10 acres for commercial use. Representing Hillwood in the sale was Michael Stuart, senior vice president of Colliers International – Las Vegas.

“The significant investment that already has been made in these parcels made this an extremely attractive portfolio,” said Brian Carlock, senior vice president of Hillwood Residential. “With the recent upswing in demand for developable residential property, Hillwood decided that this was an opportune time to market these properties.”

Approximately $70 million in infrastructure is already in place on this collection of properties, which Hillwood purchased as part of a larger portfolio in 2008. Nearly 600 of the residential lots are finished and more than 900 lots are partially completed. The remaining lots are zoned, entitled and ready for lot construction. This assemblage can accommodate single-family and multifamily homes, in addition to retail and commercial uses.

“With the substantially complete infrastructure and the increase in activity in the Las Vegas market, we are very excited to add these projects to our portfolio,” said Jonathan Grebow, president of Ridgewood Real Estate Partners.

Properties in the sale include:

Bilbray Ranch (Laughlin, Nevada) – The property in Bilbray Ranch consists of 497 single-family, triplex and duplex lots that are already completed in one of the nicest planned communities in Laughlin, which is a popular retirement and second-home community located along the Colorado River.

Boulder Ranch (Las Vegas) – In East Las Vegas, Boulder Ranch features partially completed lots for 114 single-family homes and 474 triplex homes. The 55-acre community is gated with many improvements already in place.

Boulder Ranch Apartments (Las Vegas) – Also in East Las Vegas, this 9.7-acre site is partially graded for apartment homes. Current plans call for nine 3-story buildings.

The Canyons (Henderson, Nevada) – Situated on nearly 150 acres, The Canyons’ original site plan called for 384 single-family lots. The property has since been reconfigured and rezoned for various multifamily and commercial uses. The parcel frontage on Green Valley Parkway will be built into four pods, which can support two apartment home communities, a townhome development and a commercial piece.

North Ranch (North Las Vegas, Nevada) – The 42 acres, which is part of a gated community, has the capacity for 122 duplex and 312 triplex homes in fast-growing North Las Vegas. Approximately 100 of the lots have already been completed. The others are 85% complete.

Ridgewood Real Estate Partners (www.ridgewoodrep.com), based in Florham Park, New Jersey, is a land development and investment company, specializing in residential projects. Ridgewood recently closed over $300 million of transactions, focusing primarily on the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, Phoenix, Las Vegas and other areas of the Southwest and California.

Angelo, Gordon & Co. (www.angelogordon.com) is a privately-held registered investment advisor dedicated to alternative investing. The New York-based firm, founded in 1988, has expertise in a broad range of absolute return strategies. Currently, Angelo, Gordon is investing the 7^th in a series of closed-end opportunistic real estate funds, representing $1.25 billion of equity capital.

Colliers (www.colliers.com) is one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the world, with 294 offices in 61 countries in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Greater Asia. Colliers International manages more than 1.1 billion square feet of commercial property and has revenue in excess of $1.6 billion.

Hillwood (www.hillwood.com) is one of the top residential and commercial developers and investors in the United States. The company owns 30 residential communities and four golf courses across the country, as well as a luxury home development in Costa Rica. Hillwood has delivered nearly 20,000 single-family lots over the past two decades since it was founded in 1988.

In addition to its exceptional residential communities, Hillwood, a Perot company, is best known for its development of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas project, located 15 miles northwest of DFW Airport; the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas; and the 2,000-acre AllianceCalifornia development near Los Angeles. The company's developments currently house facilities for 65 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms.

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Hillwood buys loan

Barry Shlachter, Scott Nishimura and Sandra Baker — Thu, 06 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood, best known for its 17,000-acre Alliance development in far north Fort Worth, said Wednesday that it bought a $38 million loan from a national residential lender secured by land owned by developer Bluegreen Corp.

Click here to read the full article.

HILLWOOD ACQUIRES $38 MILLION RESIDENTIAL LOAN

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

DALLAS, Texas (May 5, 2010) – Hillwood, a Perot company, has purchased a $38 million performing loan from a national residential lender. The loan is secured by five partially developed master-planned communities and two golf courses in Georgia and Texas. The loan collateral within the communities includes more than 800 platted single-family lots and 4,000 planned residential acres.

“Hillwood is actively pursuing acquisitions of residential loans throughout the country,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential. “The purchase of these loans is a natural extension of our core business. Our access to capital and our experience as a residential lot developer give us the unique ability to underwrite and close transactions in a quick and efficient manner.

“In this deal, we quickly became comfortable with the borrower, its business plan, and the value and positioning in their respective markets. Our familiarity with those markets, as well as our understanding of the development process, allowed us to move from offer to close in just 45 days.”

Hillwood is one of the top residential and commercial developers and investors in the United States. The company owns more than 30 residential communities and four golf courses across the country, as well as a luxury home development in Costa Rica. Hillwood has delivered close to 20,000 single-family lots over the past two decades since it began in 1988.

In addition to its exceptional residential communities, Hillwood (www.hillwood.com) is best known for its development of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas project, located 15 miles northwest of DFW Airport; the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas; and the 2,000-acre AllianceCalifornia development near Los Angeles. The company's developments currently house facilities for 65 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms.

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LG Electronics adding jobs at Fort Worth's Alliance corridor

Sandra Baker — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

LG Electronics plans to move as many as 65 cellphone repair jobs from Alabama to Alliance in far north Fort Worth next month, and that number could grow to a few hundred jobs during the year, a company executive said Monday.

LG, a Korean consumer electronics company with worldwide operations, is consolidating its cellphone repair business into one location, said Kevin Grey, human resources director at the company's facility in Huntsville, Ala. It has operated a manufacturing and repair facility there since 1981.

Click here to read the full article.

Perot, Sowell named to commercial real estate Hall of Fame

Bill Hethcock — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ross Perot Jr. and James E. Sowell have been selected for induction into the North Texas Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame.

Perot, chairman of both The Perot Group and Hillwood, and Sowell, president of Sowell and Co., will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for having made a significant impact on the commercial real estate industry in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They were selected by the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors, and will be honored at NTCAR's 23rd annual Hall of Fame Induction and Reunion on May 13 at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas.

Twin brothers John and Jerome (Jerry) Bradley will together receive the Michael F. McAuley Lifetime Achievement Award at the same event.

In 1977 the Bradley brothers started their own firm, Bradley & Bradley Realtors Inc., and began a career-long involvement in downtown Dallas real estate. Their firm has assisted in the brokerage of more than 110 properties in downtown Dallas. Recently the firm worked with Parkland Hospital to assemble more than 30 acres as part of the site of the new Parkland Hospital.

Usually the Lifetime Achievement Award goes to one individual, but this year the selection committee made an exception, said Robert Grunnah, co-chairman of the Hall of Fame Event.

"As twins, Jerry and John Bradley together have accomplished a great deal professionally and given generously of themselves to numerous charitable and civic endeavors,” Grunnah said.

Perot serves as chairman of The Perot Group, which manages the various Perot family interests that include real estate, oil and gas and financial investments. He's also chairman of Hillwood, one of the nation's top real estate developers, which he founded in 1988.

Perot is a founder of Perot Systems Corp. and served on its board of directors beginning in 1988. He served as chairman of the board from 2004 until the company was acquired by Dell Inc. in 2009.

Sowell is the president of Sowell and Co., an investment firm formed in 1972. Sowell was also the majority stockholder in American General Hospitality Inc., which was the largest operator of Hilton Hotels in the world.

Sowell has served on the board of directors of several New York Stock Exchange companies, including NL Industries, Todd Shipyards Corp., Lomas and Nettleton Mortgage Investors, and Ketchum Drug Co. He has also served as chairman of the Board of Regents for Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Medical School, and is a past president of the Boy Scouts of America's Circle Ten Council.

“Ross Perot Jr. and Jim Sowell have distinguished themselves in North Texas and across America for innovative, smart leadership in the field of commercial real estate and many other arenas,” Darrell Hurmis, co-chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee, said in a prepared statement. “They both have made a very remarkable impact on our industry that will be long remembered.”

The Hall of Fame was launched in 1988, when the first six distinguished real estate recipients were Trammell Crow; Lyn Davis; Henry S. Miller Jr.; John M. Stemmons Sr. and his brother, L. Storey Stemmons; and Angus G. Wynne. Later additions to the roster have included John Carpenter, Roger Staubach, Henry S. Miller Company and others.

General tickets to the Hall of Fame induction are $100 per person. Premium tickets are $150 per person.

RENEWALS RETAIN CLOSE TO 3,900 EMPLOYEES IN ALLIANCETEXAS

Contact: David Pelletier (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (April 27, 2010) – Hillwood has renewed leases for more than 3 million square feet at its AllianceTexas development over the past year. The renewals, many of which were with industry leading companies, also retained close to 3,900 jobs.

“While new deals tend to attract the most attention, renewals are just as important because they maintain the vitality of the development and show that existing companies are successful here,” said Bill Burton, senior vice president of Hillwood Properties, the developer and manager of AllianceTexas. “Our team at Alliance is particularly proud of the fact that we’ve retained every customer and every job we possibly could in a development that has 230 companies, 28,000 jobs and more than 31 million square feet.”

One of the largest renewals over the past year was for a total of 556,039 square feet in two buildings with ATC Logistics & Electronics, which employs 2,600 workers at Alliance. Renewals also were completed with industry leaders, such as LG Electronics (499,797 square feet), General Mills (670,000), S.C. Johnson (408,000), Exel Logistics/Texas Instruments (409,914) and Coca-Cola (127,200), over the past 12 months.

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DBJ Heavy Hitters—Q&As

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Heavy Hitters—Q&As: Industrial Project Leasing brokers

Steve Aldrich

Hillwood

HOMETOWN: Dallas

COLLEGE: Trinity University

CAREER DEBUT: 1997

SURVIVING THE EARLY YEARS: I loved my early years in the business. I got to see the tech bubble burst early on. I had no money, anyway, so it was a great lesson. When making money is easy and things seem too good to be true, they are.

TOP 2009 DEAL: My favorite deal of 2009 was having our second little girl, Georgia.

GOOD TIMES: Driving through AllianceTexas every day for the past 12 years. When I started, Highway 114 was a two-lane blacktop and we had less than 10 million square feet on the ground. It’s easy to lose perspective when you see something every day, but I try and remind myself regularly what has happened out here over the past 12 years.

CHALLENGES: We are having to get creative, but I think that’s a good thing. Fortunately, we have an excellent project to sell. Overall, however, the market is going to have to equilibrate, which isn’t completely in our control. We like seeing deals completed and if they don’t happen at Alliance, we like to see them happen anywhere in the market.

FOOTBALL PLAYER YOU’RE MOST LIKE: Ki Aldrich.

Tony Creme

Hillwood Properties

HOMETOWN: Syracuse, N.Y.

COLLEGE: Southern Methodist University

CAREER DEBUT: 1998

SURVIVING THE EARLY YEARS: I used the first few years to network and learn as much as I could so I would be prepared when the market came back.

TOP 2009 DEAL: Q-Edge, a 365,000-square-foot lease. It was a heavily negotiated deal, and the competition was extremely intense at the very end.

GOOD TIMES: Every deal we do is rewarding, especially the development deals that add new product to our project, AllianceTexas.

CHALLENGES: Filling our large blocks of vacant space. We are staying very close to our customers and getting aggressive on every deal we see.

OPPORTUNITIES: Foreclosed properties. That is where people are willing to put their money.

FOOTBALL PLAYER YOU’RE MOST LIKE: Peyton Manning. He always takes control of his offense and makes quick decisions on the fly to adapt to each situation.

Heavy Hitters—Q&As: Rookies

Reid Goetz

Hillwood Development Corp.

HOMETOWN: Fort Worth

COLLEGE: The University of Texas at Austin

CAREER DEBUT: 2005

SURVIVING THE EARLY YEARS: One of the most challenging aspects of beginning a career in commercial real estate is having to build professional relationships from scratch, as well as learning every piece of the development, leasing, acquisition and capital sides of business. I learned to never miss an opportunity to network and to become a sponge whenever I was in business meetings or working on new projects.

TOP 2009 DEAL: Each individual deal we did within AllianceTexas presented its own set of challenges and unique characteristics, making each deal my favorite in its own way.

GOOD TIMES: The relationships. Forming long-term relationships with customers and brokers in the marketplace has been very rewarding and is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this business.

CHALLENGES: One of the biggest challenges is developing original ideas in an effort to create new business opportunities while responding to the changing needs of companies in the current economic conditions. At Alliance, our approach to responding to those challenges remains the same — keeping our heads down and continuing to work hard while providing the best possible operating environment and services to our customers.

OPPORTUNITIES: The greatest opportunities are going to lie in the way companies re-evaluate the way they do business. As companies look for ways to improve operating costs, increase efficiencies in logistics and supply chains, I believe that AllianceTexas is in a terrific position to provide those companies with the compelling options to meet their needs.

FOOTBALL PLAYER YOU’RE MOST LIKE: Without being too partial to my alma mater, I would have to say Colt McCoy’s approach to football best exemplifies my approach to business (sorry, I can’t help it). Colt looks at each day as an opportunity to work harder and become a better student of the sport, a philosophy that guided him to the most wins for a quarterback in NCAA history and to the largest stage in NCAA collegiate sports. While any hopes of a national championship stage long passed me by (pro quarterback abilities and a sub-5.0 40 were never in my future), I still go into the office each day with the attitude to work harder than the previous day and with the desire to become a better professional.

Heavy Hitters—Q&As: Retail brokers

Mark Miller

Hillwood

HOMETOWN: Dallas

COLLEGE: Texas A&M

CAREER DEBUT: 1997

SURVIVING THE EARLY YEARS: The early years were not too rough. I learned to be patient. I stuck it out because it was fun and interesting.

TOP 2009 DEAL: Kroger Marketplace because it was the first one they were doing in Fort Worth and although it was a challenging deal, it will be a good deal for everyone.

GOOD TIMES: Just the day to day learning of the different facets of the business.

CHALLENGES: Financing. Trying to find ways to get a harmonious marriage between equity and debt where everyone benefits.

OPPORTUNITIES: Single tenant deals.

FOOTBALL PLAYER YOU’RE MOST LIKE: Dat Nguyen because he is an Aggie and he was tenacious and persevered.

Exec has bright hopes for Entech Solar in Fort Worth

Barry Shlachter — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

David Gelbaum marked Earth Day 24 hours in advance, welcoming scores of guests ranging from local middle schoolers to landlord Ross Perot Jr. into his solar energy skunk works at Fort Worth's Alliance industrial park.

Click here to read the full article.

Airport tops its field

Barry Shlachter, Scott Nishimura and Sandra Baker — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Alliance Fixed Base Operation at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, a private passenger terminal and airplane hangar, has received the Exxon Mobil Premier Spirit Award for the 14th consecutive year as top among 200 Exxon Mobil facilities worldwide.

Click here to read the full article.

ALLIANCE FACILITY EARNS TOP FBO HONOR FOR UNPRECEDENTED 14TH STRAIGHT YEAR

Contact: David Pelletier ((817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas – For an unprecedented 14^th consecutive year, the Alliance Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Fort Worth Alliance Airport has received the ExxonMobil Premier Spirit Award as one of the top FBOs among the approximately 200 ExxonMobil facilities around the world. Last year Fort Worth Alliance Airport handled close to 105,000 operations, which are the most at the facility since 2001.

The Alliance FBO is particularly recognized for the services provided during NASCAR weekends at Texas Motor Speedway. Between Wednesday and Sunday, more than 400 flights will arrive at the airport. Approximately 200 aircraft will be parked at the facility during Sunday's race. NASCAR officials have used the Alliance FBO as the example of excellence that should be achieved by other airport facilities on their racing circuit.

The ExxonMobil Premier Spirit Award is based on surveys of independent pilots who visit FBOs around the country and detailed inspections by ExxonMobil’s professional quality Assurance Team. No other FBO has won the honor more.

A Fixed Base Operation is a private terminal and hangar that provides passengers, pilots and cargo carriers with a wide array of services, including catering, maintenance, fuel, accommodations, ground transportation and plane storage. The facility is managed by Alliance Aviation services, an operating company of Hillwood, the developer of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development.

The Alliance FBO serves passengers and pilots of private planes, as well as military aircraft. The 83,409-square-foot facility features a 23,000-square-foot aviation/office center and more than 62,000 square feet of hangar space. Among its amenities are a plush lounge, a pilots room complete with a shower and sleeping area, and a flight control room for pilots to file flight plans and monitor weather.

AllianceTexas also includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the Monterra Village apartment home community, Alliance Town Center, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities.

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Ross Perot Jr. and one other selected to real estate Hall of Fame

Steve Brown — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Dallas businessman Ross Perot Jr. and real estate investor James Sowell are getting top honors from the North Texas commercial property industry.

Perot and Sowell next month will be inducted into the North Texas Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame.

The award is sponsored by the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors and Real Estate Professionals and will be presented on May 13 in Dallas.

Perot’s Hillwood companies have developed landmark North Texas real estate projects including the Alliance complex in North Fort Worth and Dallas’ Victory Park development.

Sowell’s investment firm, Sowell and Co., has built residential communities throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and in other Texas markets.

The new hall of fame members will join a group that includes the likes of Trammell Crow, Henry S. Miller Jr. and Roger Staubach. More than 70 past and present real estate players have been honored with this industry accolade.

Along with the awards to Perot and Sowell, a lifetime achievement award will be given to Dallas brothers Jerry and John Bradley, who’ve worked as commercial real estate agents here since 1970.

Twin Creeks' last phase

Sandra Baker — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Residential has broken ground on the last phase of the master-planned Twin Creeks community in Allen.

Hillwood, based in Fort Worth, began developing the 2,400-acre community in partnership with Dal-Briar Corp. in 1993. Twin Creeks is now home to more than 2,400 families.

Click here to read the full article.

Texas Tops FTZ Value Tally

Adam Bruns — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

According to the recently released 70th Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to the U.S. Congress, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone No. 196 in north Texas admitted US$5.357 billion in foreign products in fiscal year 2008, tops in the U.S. among general-purpose FTZs, and was joined in the top five by fellow Texas zones in Houston and El Paso. The state is home to 31 of the nation’s 164 general-purpose FTZs, with half of the top 10 by foreign goods value located there.

According to AllianceTexas developer Hillwood, “in large part due to its role in handling imports, AllianceTexas has had an economic impact of $36.4 billion on the North Texas economy. In addition the development has attracted $6.8 billion in private investment, generated more than $730 million in property taxes and created 28,000 fulltime jobs.”

The FTZ board in fiscal 2008 issued 47 formal orders, including approvals for one new general-purpose zone and 20 new subzones. Authority was also granted for the expansion of 10 existing general-purpose zones. Other actions included six expansions of the scope of manufacturing activity, as well as six approvals for new manufacturing activity in zones. “The number of facilities using subzone status during the year was 254,” said the report. “The combined value of shipments into general-purpose zones and subzones totaled over $692 billion, compared with $502 billion the previous year. General-purpose sites received nearly $75 billion in merchandise. Total shipments received at subzone sites amounted to over $617 billion.”

Over $40 billion worth of exports were shipped from facilities operating under FTZ procedures during fiscal 2008, and total FTZ employment came to approximately 330,000 persons at some 2,500 firms.

Exports from FTZs have grown steadily over the past decade, more than doubling in value since 2002. Vehicles led the way in value of foreign status goods admitted in FTZs, at more than $10.4 billion, followed by petroleum products and consumer electronics.

Jacksonville's largest industrial sale of 2009: West Point Trade Center

Christian Conte — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When Dallas-based Hillwood Investment Properties first put its 600,000-square-foot industrial warehouse on the market in July 2009, it didn’t get many takers.

It wasn’t until after pulling the West Point Trade Center back off the market that the Dallas-based office and industrial development company found a suitable buyer in CB Richard Ellis Realty Trust, which bought the property Dec. 30 for $29 million.

“This property benefits from an excellent location in the most desirable and active submarket in the Jacksonville (area),” said Chuck Hessell, director of investments for Princeton, N.J.-based CBRE Realty Trust in a press release announcing the sale.

The property at 2300 Pickettville Road, which is 100 percent occupied by beverage maker Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS), was actually one of three properties the trust bought at the same time for a total of about $70 million. The other two are fully leased office buildings totaling 222,600 square feet in Miramar.

Hillwood spent about $17.1 million developing the West Point Trade Center in 2008. Dr Pepper Snapple has leased out the space since it opened in 2009. The lease expires in 2019.

West Point Trade Center

Location: 2300 Pickettville Road

Value: $29 million

Size: 601,500 sq. ft

Date: December 2009

Buyer: RT West Point Jax LLC

Buyer’s agent: WND

Seller: Hillwood Investment Properties

Seller’s agent: Terry Quarterman, Jeff Nelson; CB Richard Ellis

Blazing a Trail Across the High-Tech Frontier

Jenny Vickers — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In a struggling global economy, Texas is making made great strides to stand apart from the crowd. If Texas were a nation, its economy would rank as the 12th largest in the world by GDP, according to the Texas Comptroller’s 2008 estimates. A leader in the global marketplace, the Lone Star state was ranked as the number one state by export revenues for the eighth year in a row, totaling $163.4 billion in 2009. It is also home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other state in the nation.

Texas continues to garner national attention, including top economic rankings by the Milken Institute, CNNMoney, and Forbes, which ranked the Lone Star State number 1 for Economic Climate in its “Best States for Business” report.

One of the most successful industries in Texas is its innovative energy and technology development sector. Pushing Texas into the high tech frontier is the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF). In January, Gov. Rick Perry reauthorized $203.5 million for this initiative, which is helping to attract new investments in the state’s emerging technology centers.

UT-Pan American is receiving $3.4 million through the TETF for the creation of its Rapid Response Manufacturing Center, geared to reduce the lead time in a product’s life cycle between inception and delivery to the customer. The center will provide greater commercialization opportunities in South Texas by centralizing all product development, design, testing and distribution in one location, in Edinburg, TX, driving new products into the market faster.

Photon8 Inc., a startup company leading the development of algae bio-fuel technology in partnership with The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, received a $1 million grant from TETF. The company will use the award to genetically enhance the performance of the algae and advance its extraction technology.

“Texas is a leader in the energy sector and a leader in research and use in alternative energy,” Gov. Perry said, announcing the grant. “Through the help of Photon8 we hope to spur innovation in biofuels that does not interfere with our food supply.”

The partnership between Photon8 and UTB/TSC is leading research in algae-based biodiesel fuel. Photon 8 is housed at the ITEC Center.

“Photon8 and UTB/TSC are charting new pathways and together making unanticipated breakthroughs,” said Brad Bartilson, president and CEO of Photon8. “We are committed to making Texas the leader in sustainable energy.”

Since August, Photon8 Inc. moved its headquarters from New Jersey to the UTB/TSC campus and has begun working with professors and students in the chemistry, environmental science, molecular biology, MEMS and electro-magnetics departments.

ScanTech Sciences Inc. is receiving $2 million from TETF for the development and commercialization of food sterilization technology that uses electronic pasteurization to ensure the safety and freshness of food. The technology will allow for safer food imports by removing more insects, bacteria and toxins without using chemicals.

In addition to these TETF projects, National Instruments has announced a new NI Texas Emerging Technology Grant Program, which provides software and training services to companies that receive TETF investments. NI’s LabView software helps young companies make the transition from the lab to the market.

To date, TETF has allocated more than $126 million in funds to 98 early-stage companies, and $153 million in grant matching and research superiority funds to Texas universities. For more information on the TETF, visit http://www.emergingtechfund.com.

ALLIANCETEXAS: THE NATION'S TOP FOREIGN TRADE ZONE

AllianceTexas, developed by Hillwood (a Perot Company), is a 17,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use community located in north Fort Worth. AllianceTexas offers a variety of commercial real estate options, including new industrial, office and retail. Anchored by the inland port known as the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, AllianceTexas is home to 230 companies, 28,000 employees and 7,100 single-family homes.

In February, the Alliance Global Logistics Hub was named the nation’s top foreign trade zone by the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) Board for the third consecutive year. About $5.4 billion worth of foreign-made products passed through the local, general-purpose zone last year, according to the board’s annual report to Congress. That surpasses the $4 billion admitted through the second-place Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

“With Alliance, you have an airport, two rail lines and a highway [Interstate 35W], which is huge in distribution circles,” said David Pelletier, a spokesman with Hillwood, the developer behind the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development.

The foreign trade zone helps lure companies to AllianceTexas, Pelletier said. The designation allows companies to import products before U.S. customs inspections are made and pay no duty until the products leave the foreign-trade zone. “It’s just one more cost-savings measure that helps attract companies into the development,” Pelletier noted.

Hillwood officials expect the value of products passing through the zone to grow as ATC Logistics & Electronics continues to operate after setting up shop in 2009. The company provides repair and assembly services for GPS and cell phone manufacturers and providers. Other companies with operations in the FTZ include Motorola, Lego and Hyundai.

Since opening Fort Worth Alliance Airport—considered the centerpiece of AllianceTexas—Hillwood has watched companies flock to the development. Proximity to the world’s first industrial airport, which opened in 1989, and major freeways and rail lines, has made AllianceTexas a major player not only for attracting corporate tenants, but for enriching the local economy.

AllianceTexas now houses more than 230 companies, including 65 from either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes list of Top Private Firms. These companies have built more than 3,129 million square feet and created more than 29,000 jobs. For more information, visit http://www.alliancetexas.com/.

Hillwood adding lots in Allen

Bill Hethcock — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Residential has launched another phase at its Twin Creeks community in Allen. Forty residential lots will be added to the development, which already has more than 2,000 homes.

Dallas-based custom homebuilder Sanders & Associates has purchased the 40 lots and has presold about 10 of them, said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential. The lots are priced at about $130,000, and the homes will be priced at $500,000 to $1 million, he said.

This will be one of the last phases of Twin Creeks, the largest residential project in Allen and one of the largest masterplanned communities in North Texas. Construction on the project began in 1993. Only 60 lots will remain after Hillwood completes this 40-lot phase in June or July, Balda said.

Hillwood is developing the 2,400-acre Twin Creeks community west of U.S. Highway 75 in a partnership with Dal-Briar Corp. Breaking ground on a new phase at Twin Creeks is a bright sign for what has been a sluggish North Texas residential real estate market, Balda said.

“In Allen and Twin Creeks, it’s a matter of supply and demand,” he said. “We’re out of lots, and the market for this particular project continues to sell very well.”

Allen currently has a 28-month supply of vacant developed lots, which is lower than it is in most of Dallas-Fort Worth, Balda said.

Six-year supply of lots

Overall in North Texas, there are about 85,000 vacant, developed lots — more than a six-year supply, said Ted Wilson, principal of Residential Strategies Inc. A 24-month supply is considered a balanced market. About 4,000 lots currently are under development in North Texas.

Homebuilding is beginning to spark in a couple of fast-growing northern suburbs. Last month, homebuilder K. Hovnanian Homes contracted to buy 88 lots in The Villas at Craig Ranch in McKinney.

Housing starts bottomed at about 13,000 units annually in 2008 — down 73% from a peak of more than 50,000 in 2006, RSI’s information shows. RSI’s forecast calls for about 15,000 new home starts in 2010.

Balda said the consumer confidence is boosting the residential market.

“There seems to be a lot more optimism,” he said. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but we are seeing signs of improvement.”

Twin Creeks Groundbreaking

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood broke ground last week on one of the final phases of its 2,400-acre Twin Creeks residential community in Allen. The next phase includes 40 lots in the Lexington Village section of Twin Creeks, which is the largest master-planned community in Allen. Homes on the new lots will be built by Sanders Custom Homes with a $500k to $900k price tag. The lots are expected to be completed by the end of the year. After this phase, only 59 more lots will remain to be developed in Twin Creeks; 30 of those lots are in the Lexington Village section. The remaining lots are in the Wimberley Place section, where homes start at $1 million.

Deloitte to open Westlake campus 'mid-2011'

A. Lee Graham — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Deloitte's Westlake campus will not be available for public education - at least not in its early days.

"It's something we will consider," said Stephen Silverstein, director of real estate and workplace strategies with the New York-based accounting and consulting firm.

Speaking at the March 2 Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Silverstein described the $300-million training facility and corporate campus under construction on 107 acres bounded by Dove, Ottinger and Precinct Line roads and State Highway 114.

When complete in mid-2011, the resource dubbed "Deloitte University" will educate, entertain and likely inspire the thousands of visitors expected to walk through the mammoth facility.

"We really landed a great piece of property," said Silverstein. Deloitte employs 45,000 and operates 102 U.S. offices in 92 cities with nearly $11 billion in total U.S. annual revenues. After considering multiple sites as its next significant location, Silverstein said several factors made Westlake the obvious choice: airport access, an attractive physical location, surrounding amenities and climate. "We'll scratch this year," said Silverstein, drawing laughter from the capacity crowd.

Thousands of visitors are expected to train on the sprawling campus, broadening their skills while enlivening the local economy. Area restaurants, sports arenas and other recreational locations are expected to benefit from their business.

Deloitte employees are expected to give back, as well, donating one day a year to community volunteerism.

"We buy the paint, we buy the paintbrushes, we teach in schools," said Silverstein, touching on only a few ways in which he said Deloitte employees provide volunteer time in their respective communities.

"When you see the faces of those you impact, that's what makes it worthwhile."

Pressed to specify an opening date for the Westlake campus, the executive said "mid-2011. That's all you'll get out of me."

An unusually snowy winter has pushed back the construction schedule by a few weeks, said Silverstein, vowing that workers will catch up.

Though sizable, the campus conforms to Westlake's rural flavor and hilly terrain. Silverstein assured folks that the community's next major corporate tenant will not disrupt its way of life.

"We've built the project into the property," said Silverstein, estimating that construction has cost only about six trees. Primary access to the property will be via a private road extending from Westlake Parkway, minimizing the traffic impact on Dove and Ottinger roads. As for the facility itself, Silverstein touted its aesthetic qualities in a PowerPoint presentation.

"It's very Texas, low country, very ranch," Silverstein said of facilities that incorporate natural light and open space. In addition to several cyber cafes, a restaurant and a 30,000-square-foot ballroom will be an 800-room company hotel.

HILLWOOD BREAKS GROUND ON FINAL PHASES OF TWIN CREEKS COMMUNITY IN ALLEN, TEXAS

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817/224-6044)

dave.pelletier@hillwood.com

ALLEN, Texas (March 10, 2010) – Hillwood today broke ground on one of the final phases of the 2,400-acre Twin Creeks residential community in Allen, Texas. The next phase includes 40 lots in the Lexington Village section of Twin Creeks, which is the largest master-planned community in Allen.

Homes on the new lots will be built by Sanders Custom Homes (www.sanderscustomhomes.com) and will be offered from $500,000 to $900,000. The lots are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

After this phase, only 59 more lots will remain to be developed in Twin Creeks. Thirty of those lots are in the Lexington Village section. The remaining lots are in the Wimberley Place section, where homes start at $1 million.

Since 1993, when development began on Twin Creeks, the master-planned residential community has been a key part of the growth of the city of Allen. Twin Creeks has accounted for approximately 25% of the area’s new home closings over the past decade. Since 1993 Allen’s population has almost quadrupled from 22,728 in 1993 to more than 83,000 today. The number of people working in the city also has grown, from 4,200 in 1993 to 39,423 today.

“Allen is a shining star in North Texas in terms of job growth and residential growth,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential. “The city is one of two places in North Texas that has a tight supply of lots. While some areas of North Texas have lot supplies of more than 100 months, Allen’s lot supply is close to equilibrium (24 months) with a 29.4-month supply. We expect that number to drop in the next few months, in part due to the federal homebuyer tax credit.”

Despite the recent slump in residential real estate, there have been 450 housing starts in Allen over the past 12 months. The city also added 500 jobs in 2009, and with the new Cisco Systems Data Center and the recent expansion by Experian, another 400 new jobs have already been created in 2010.

Twin Creeks (www.twincreeks.com) is located southwest of the intersection of North Central Expressway (U.S. 75) and Texas State Highway 121, primarily between Exchange Parkway and McDermott Rd.

The 18-hole daily fee Arnold Palmer-designed Twin Creeks Golf Club is one of the many amenities that are part of the Twin Creeks development. Residents of Twin Creeks also enjoy extensive hike and bike trails, an on-site elementary school, two swimming pools, lighted tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, basketball courts and baseball/softball diamonds.

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New TCU scholarship program honors former Mayor Bolen

Gene Trainor — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH -- Texas Christian University has received $2.5 million to endow scholarships in honor of former Fort Worth Mayor Bob Bolen.

Click here to read the full article.

TCU announces Bob Bolen scholarship

Leslie Wimmer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

An endowed scholarship has been set up in the name of former Fort Worth Mayor Bob Bolen at Texas Christian University.

The Sarah & Ross Perot Jr. Foundation funded the scholarship.

“Mayor Bolen lived by the philosophy that was passed down by his father of ‘Always leave a place better than you found it,’” Ross Perot Jr. said in a statement. “This scholarship program will reward students who already have made the commitment to serve their community and their country, and who encourage others to do the same.”

Recipients of the Bob Bolen Leadership Scholarship will be chosen by a special selection committee, according to a release. Priority will be given to students who have served in the military or who are currently involved in ROTC or other military programs, and will also be awarded based on leadership and community service.

Hillwood breaking ground on next phase of Twin Creeks community in Allen

Steve Brown — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Developer Hillwood Residential is breaking ground Wednesday on the next phase in its Twin Creeks community in Allen.

The 2,400-acre development west of U.S. Highway 75 is being built in a partnership with Dal-Briar Corp.

Hillwood founder Ross Perot Jr. will be on hand Wednesday morning when construction starts on 40 more residential lots in the project, which is already home to more than 2,400 families.

The work starting Wednesday will be one of the last phases of Twin Creeks.

Construction has been underway on the project since 1993.

Allen is one of the Dallas-area’s fastest growing communities. According to the City of Allen, there have been 450 housing starts during the last year.

Fort Worth Intermodal Airport, AllianceTexas, Celebrates 20 Years

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As it reached its 20th anniversary on Dec. 14, AllianceTexas has had a $36.4 billion economic impact on North Texas. The 229 companies that now call the development home have built 31.2 million sq ft and created 28,000 jobs. Since the development began, the companies and residents of the AllianceTexas also have paid more than $730 million in property taxes, including more than $105 million in 2008.

Fort Worth Alliance Airport opened on Dec. 14, 1989 as the world’s first industrial airport and the centerpiece of an Alliance development that initially was designed to attract air cargo and aerospace manufacturing facilities. The subsequent addition of the BNSF Intermodal Facility on the west side, along with the existing Union Pacific mainline to rail serve buildings on the east side of the development, as well as the FedEx Sorting Hub, created an inland port intermodal logistics hub that is now the prototype for similar projects across the country.

Groundbreaking on one of the last phases of Twin Creeks

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: Groundbreaking on one of the last phases of Twin Creeks, one of the largest and most successful master-planned communities in North Texas.

Hillwood Residential will break ground on 40 lots at the Twin Creeks community in Allen, Texas. Hillwood began developing the remaining portion of the 2,400-acre community in 2004. Twin Creeks is now home to more than 2,400 families.

Twin Creeks and the city of Allen have grown together since 1993, when development began. Twin Creeks is the largest residential community in the city. Over the past nearly two decades, Allen’s population has almost quadrupled from 22,728 in 1993 to more than 83,000 today. The number of people working in the city also has grown, from 4,200 in 1993 to 39,423 today. Approximately 25% of new closings in the area over the past 10 years have taken place at Twin Creeks.

Due to continued job growth in Allen and the quality of life in the city and in Twin Creeks, it is one of the few areas of North Texas that has a tight supply of single-family lots. While many sub-markets of North Texas have lots supplies of more than 100 months, Allen is one of only two DFW sub-markets approaching equilibrium (24 months) with a 29.4 month supply. In part due to the federal homebuyer tax credits, that supply is expected to drop in the next few months.

Despite the recent slump in residential real estate, there have been 450 housing starts in Allen over the past 12 months. The city of Allen added 500 jobs in 2009, and with the new Cisco Systems Data Center and the recent expansion by Experian, another 400 new jobs have already been created in 2010.

WHO: Ross Perot Jr., Chairman, Hillwood

Fred Balda, President, Hillwood Residential

Charles Nies, Vice President, Dal Briar

WHERE: The groundbreaking will be held at the corner of Shallowater Dr. and Walnut Springs. From 75 go west on W. McDermott Dr. to Twin Creeks Dr. Go right on Twin Creeks Drive to W. Exchange Pkwy. Go left on W. Exchange Pkwy to Lexington Ave. Go left on Lexington Ave. to San Jacinto Dr. Go right on San Jacinto Drive to Walnut Springs Dr. Go left on Walnut Springs Dr. Shallowater Dr. is the next street.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 10 10:00 a.m., lunch will be provided after program

Contact: Dave Pelletier, Hillwood

817-224-6044(office)

817-366-9933 (cell)

dave.pelletier@hillwood.com

FORMER MAYOR BOB BOLEN HONORED WITH ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lisa Albert

Director of Communications

817-257-5063

l.albert@tcu.edu

FORMER MAYOR BOB BOLEN HONORED WITH ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 9, 2010) – Former Fort Worth Mayor Bob Bolen has been honored with the establishment of an endowed scholarship in his name, made possible by a gift from The Sarah & Ross Perot Jr. Foundation. The scholarship will be awarded based on the leadership and community service that Mayor Bolen has embodied throughout his life. Preference will be given to applicants who are or have been in the military.

The $2.5 million commitment for the Bob Bolen Leadership Scholars program is rooted in shared beliefs by both donor and honoree. The Perots and Mayor Bolen believe that higher education must be affordable and accessible. They agree that scholarship support is one of the most important investments one can make in the lives of young people. They also believe it is critical to develop young leaders to think and act ethically as responsible citizens in the global community.

“ Mayor Bolen lived by the philosophy that was passed down to him by his father of ‘Always leave a place better than you found it.’ This scholarship program will reward students who already have made the commitment to serve their community and their country, and who encourage others to do the same,” said Ross Perot Jr.

“We are especially grateful for this commitment,” said Chancellor Victor Boschini. “Sarah and Ross Perot Jr. honor Bob Bolen and the TCU community with their wonderful gift. We are thrilled that their generosity will enable generations of student leaders to benefit from the TCU experience. And there could not be a more fitting tribute to Mayor Bolen.”

Scholarships enhance the University’s ability to attract the most talented and deserving students. For this reason, scholarships are the highest priority of the University and The Campaign for TCU – a $250 million comprehensive fund-raising effort. The Perots’ commitment directly supports the campaign and a $100 million Scholarship Initiative. More importantly their support will benefit current and future generations of TCU students.

Recipients of the Bob Bolen Leadership Scholarship will be chosen by a special selection committee. They will exemplify the mission of TCU by thinking and acting as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community. Priority will be given to students who have served in the military or who are currently involved in ROTC or other military programs.

Robert (Bob) Bolen served as Mayor of Fort Worth from 1982-1991. He joined the TCU staff as Senior Advisor to the Chancellor in 1991 and serves as a Visiting Lecturer and Advisor to the Dean of the M.J. Neeley School of Business. He received the TCU Royal Purple Award in 1992 and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Texas A&M. Mayor Bolen holds honorary doctorates from TCU, the University of North Texas and Texas Wesleyan University. He was the founder and CEO of Bolen Enterprises before serving as mayor.

His tenure as mayor was noted for his leadership and ability to collaborate with corporate executives and public officials on transformative projects. He also was the city’s driving force behind the creation of Fort Worth Alliance Airport and the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that surrounds it. That project has received national recognition as a model for public-private partnership.

Mayor Bolen continues his lifelong devotion to education and to providing opportunities for young people. He is passionate about helping people and has been a mentor to generations of business executives, public officials, friends and students.

Mayor Bolen and his wife Fran have established scholarship funds at TCU and other institutions. They funded The Beatrice Bolen Piano Scholarship in 2002 in memory of his mother. The scholarship benefits piano performance majors.

In addition, the R.E. “Bob” Bolen Scholarship was established in 1991 by the generosity of community leaders and friends to honor Mr. Bolen for his nine-and-one-half year term as mayor of the Fort Worth. Mayor Bolen is involved in selecting recipients each year and 19 undergraduate and graduate business students have received this scholarship to date.

The Perots have been leaders in the business community and supporters of charitable and civic organizations in Fort Worth for many years.

Ross Perot Jr. founded Hillwood, which is now one of the country’s top real estate development and investment companies, in Fort Worth in 1988. Together with its public partners, Hillwood created one of the country’s greatest economic development projects. In its two decades of existence, AllianceTexas has had an economic impact of more than $36 billion on Fort Worth and the surrounding communities.

Education has always been a big part of the Perots’ community involvement in Fort Worth. They helped establish and support education foundations for the local school districts and donated two school sites, one of which was named Bette Perot Elementary School for Ross Perot Jr.’s aunt, who was a teacher and principal in the Fort Worth school district.

For more information on the scholarship, contact Don Whelan at (817)257-7785 or visit www.scholarship.tcu.edu.

END

Vacuum cleaner maker finds cheap lease in San Bernardino

Lou Hirsh — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Vacuum cleaner maker Royal Appliance Manufacturing is relocating its Ontario distribution operations to a larger facility in San Bernardino.

Its new landlord says the move reflects a trend of growing companies seeking out more favorable business terms in a buyer's market for industrial space.

Royal will begin operations in early May in a newly constructed building purchased in December by Hillwood Investment Properties. According to statements from Hillwood and CB Richard Ellis, Royal has signed a five-year lease for a 415,000-square-foot space at Hillwood's Alliance California industrial development, built on land that once housed Norton Air Force Base.

Officials of Ohio-based Royal, whose brands include Hoover and Dirt Devil, could not immediately be reached for comment. Financial terms were not disclosed for the deal that will bring Royal to the space at 925 Ninth St.

John Magness, a Hillwood senior vice president, said by phone the new location will give Royal about 65,000 more square feet than it had in Ontario, and it will be paying less for rent, taxes and other overhead. The building is also located in a state-sponsored county enterprise zone that gives tax credits for future job creation.

Magness said the current economy has prompted many companies to shop around for space before renewing leases, and Hillwood has received more inquiries about its properties this quarter "than the past three quarters combined."

In December, Hillwood also purchased another building in the same vicinity, with more than 600,000 square feet of space. At the time, Magness said that because Hillwood got a favorable price for the buildings, it is able to offer lower rents to potential tenants.

Hillwood is a division of Dallas-based Perot Companies. It is the primary commercial developer of land on the outskirts of what is now known as San Bernardino International Airport.

Appliance Firm Expands in 416,000-SF Lease

Bob Howard — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

SAN BERNARDINO, CA-Royal Appliance Manufacturing Co. is expanding its operations by more than 65,000 square feet and relocating to an industrial building owned by Hillwood Investment Properties in a five-year lease for a 415,825-square-foot building at 925 E. Ninth St. The deal marks one of the largest new leases in the Inland Empire so far this year, according to brokers from CB Richard Ellis who represented Hillwood.

Royal Appliance plans to relocate to the new building upon completion of tenant improvements at the beginning of May. Hillwood acquired the building last year from Blackrock in a transaction brokered by the same CBRE team that represented Hillwood in the Royal Appliance lease: Frank Geraci, Walt Chenoweth, Juan Gutierrez and Patrick Wood of CBRE's Ontario office.

Chenoweth says the new lease produces positive cash flow for Hillwood soon after an acquisition in a slow market. Royal Appliance, which now occupies a 349,000-square-foot facility in the West Inland Empire, manufactures brands including Hoover and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners.

Royal Appliance was represented by Jeff Smith and Jeff Huberman of Lee & Associates. The five-year lease is valued at more than $5 million.

In December, Hillwood Development also acquired a sister building at the same location. CBRE is also the leasing agent for that building, which is a 609,000-square-foot warehouse at 7776 E. Tippecanoe Ave.

Both buildings are located in the San Bernardino Enterprise Zone at Hillwood's AllianceCalifornia project at the former Norton Air Force Base. According to John Magness, president of Hillwood’s operations in California, the AllianceCalifornia redevelopment project now totals more than 8.6 million square feet.

Billions of foreign goods come through Alliance trade zone

A. Lee Graham — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Alliance Global Logistics Hub for the third consecutive year was named the nation's top foreign trade zone by the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone Board.

About $5.4 billion worth of foreign-made products passed through the local, general-purpose zone last year, according to the board's annual report to Congress. That surpasses the $4 billion admitted through the second-place Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

"You have an airport and two rail lines and a highway [Interstate 35W], which is huge in distribution circles," said David Pelletier, a spokesman with Hillwood, the developer behind the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development.

"It's just one more cost-savings measure that helps you attract companies into the development," Pelletier said.

Other companies with operations at the foreign trade zone include Motorola, Lego and Hyundai.

Since opening Fort Worth Alliance Airport -- considered the centerpiece of AllianceTexas -- Hillwood has watched companies flock to the development. Proximity to the world's first industrial airport, which opened in 1989, not to mention major freeways and rail lines, has made AllianceTexas a major player not only for attracting corporate tenants, but for enriching the local economy.

No fewer than 15 of the Northwest school district's top 20 taxpayers are within AllianceTexas. For the current budget year, Citicorp Technology stood as the top AllianceTexas taxpayer, providing the school district $157,571,000 in taxable assessed valuation. But the district's top taxpayer overall is Devon Energy Production Co. , which provided $1,172,741,570 during the same period. Devon has no operations at AllianceTexas.

Other AllianceTexas companies on the list span several industries, with Cardinal Health 411 representing health care; Bell Helicopter Textron, Peregrine Point and AT&T Mobility representing commercial and industrial; and Cabela's Retail TX representing retail.

Of the $3,820,463 in commercial property listed on the school district's 2009-2010 taxable property breakdown, the lion's share of the property value is within AllianceTexas.

"Out of the $3.8 billion, quite a bit would be Alliance," said Jon Graswich, the district's chief financial officer.

Construction & Development

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cousin’s Bar-B-Q is planning to open a 4k SF location at Heritage Marketplace at Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth after the building is completed in the fall. It will be the company’s seventh location. Located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive, Heritage Marketplace is also home to the new 123k SF Kroger Marketplace, which will open in the 4Q10. Also scheduled to open this year at Alliance Town Center are Rooms To Go, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, and Olive Garden.

Alliance Town Center space

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cousin’s Bar-B-Q leased a 4,200-square-foot building from Hillwood at Heritage Marketplace at Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth. The new Cousin’s location is expected to open after the building is completed in fall 2010 and will serve as the company’s seventh location.

Located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive, Heritage Marketplace at Alliance Town Center also is home to the new 123,000-square-foot Kroger Marketplace, which will open in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Also scheduled to open this year at Alliance Town Center are Rooms To Go, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, and Olive Garden.

Cory McCord served as broker for Cousin’s Bar-B-Q in the transaction.

Cousin's Bar-B-Q to open at Alliance

Shlachter & Co. — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cousin's Bar-B-Q catered the Dec. 14, 1989, opening celebration of Fort Worth's Alliance Airport, and this fall it will become a permanent tenant.

Cousin's has leased a 4,200-square-foot building at Alliance Town Center, off Interstate 35W in far north Fort Worth. The building is under construction at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive and should be completed this fall.

Click here to read the full article.

Texas Takes Top Honors in FTZ Report

Texas Takes Top Honors in FTZ Report — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FT. WORTH-According to the recently released Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board to the US Congress, the Board issued 47 formal orders during the 2008 fiscal year. The decisions included approvals for one new general-purpose zone and 20 new subzones.

Authority was also granted for the expansion of 10 existing general-purpose zones. Other actions included six expansions of the scope of manufacturing activity, as well as six approvals for new manufacturing activity in zones.

There were 164 FTZ projects fully active during the year, with subzones in operation in more than 100 of them. The number of facilities using subzone status during the year was 254.

The combined value of shipments into general-purpose zones and subzones totaled over $692 billion, compared with $502 billion the previous year. General-purpose sites received nearly $75 billion in merchandise, while total shipments received at subzone sites amounted to over $617 billion. Some 89% of zone activity took place at subzone facilities, which is consistent with the pattern of the past 15 years. Exports to foreign countries from facilities operating under FTZ procedures totaled over $40 billion.

Nearly 330,000 people were employed at some 2,500 firms that operated under FTZ procedures during the year. Industries that continued to account for most zone manufacturing activity included the oil refining, automotive, pharmaceutical and electronic product sectors. About 57% of the shipments received at zones involved domestic status merchandise.

For the third consecutive year, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 in Fort Worth, TX ranked as the top general purpose Foreign-Trade Zone in the US in terms of the value of foreign goods admitted, which accounted for $5.357 billion.

Located at the inland port-known as Alliance Global Logistics Hub-FTZ #196 should continue to grow with the 2009 addition of ATC Logistics & Electronics, which is leasing close to one million square feet and employing 2,600 workers at its Alliance facilities.

The port is part of Hillwood-developed AllianceTexas, a 17,000-acre master-planned, mixed-use community that includes Alliance Town Center, the Monterra Village apartment home community, the corporate campuses of Circle T Ranch, the Vaquero estate golf community and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. AllianceTexas now houses 7,200 single-family homes and 229 companies that occupy 31.2 million square feet.

In large part due to its role in handling imports, AllianceTexas has had an economic impact of $36.4 billion on the North Texas economy. In addition, the development has attracted $6.8 billion in private investment, generated more than $730 million in property taxes and created 28,000 fulltime jobs. Theres even a 9,400-acre international transportation complex, dubbed Alliance Airport.

We anticipate that the use of the Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone will allow us to realize significant cost savings for our customers, says Antony Francis, president of ATCLE. As we grow and gain a better understanding of how effective it can be, we expect to expand our use of the Foreign-Trade Zone in order to provide the best cost structure to our customers.

In addition to ATC Logistics & Electronics, major users of Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub include Hyundai, Trans-Trade, LEGO and Motorola.

COUSIN’S BAR-B-Q TO OPEN AT ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Restaurant Returns Two Decades After Catering Opening Event Of

Fort Worth Alliance Airport

FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 3, 2010) – AllianceTexas recently reached its 20^th anniversary. Now one of the companies that was part of the airport’s opening celebration two decades ago will open a permanent location in the development. Cousin’s Bar-B-Q, which catered the original airport lunch on Dec. 14, 1989, has leased a 4,200 square-foot building from Hillwood at Heritage Marketplace at Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth.

The new Cousin’s Bar-B-Q is expected to open after the building is completed in the Fall 2010. It will be the company’s seventh location.

“Cousin’s Bar-B-Q was at the Alliance opening 20 years ago, when there wasn’t anything there except the airport,” said Jeff Payne, CEO of Cousin’s Bar-B-Q. “Now there are 28,000 employees in the development and thousands of new homes in the area. After searching throughout North Texas, Cory McCord, our real estate broker, determined that this is a great location for many reasons, including the great business environment that Hillwood has created there even during tough economic times. Retailers at Alliance Town Center have done extremely well, while retailers in other places have struggled.”

Since 1983 Cousin’s has been serving up Texas-style Bar-B-Q with all the “fixins” for thousands of customers and several dignitaries, including President H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev. Last May, Cousin’s Bar-B-Q was named one of four finalists in the ABC Good Morning America “Best Barbecue Challenge.” The restaurant also was named one of the top 50 Bar-B-Q Joints in the state by Texas Monthly magazine in 2008.

Located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive, Heritage Marketplace at Alliance Town Center is also home to the new 123,000 square-foot Kroger Marketplace, which will open in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Also scheduled to open this year at Alliance Town Center are Rooms To Go, BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, and Olive Garden.

A joint development of Trademark and Hillwood, Alliance Town Center is located along the east side of Interstate 35W between North Tarrant Parkway and Heritage Trace Parkway. The 300-acre development is in the middle of one of the fastest growing areas in the nation over the past decade. Many restaurants and stores already have reached sales levels that are among the best for their respective companies.

More than 20 retailers occupy more than 600,000 square feet at Alliance Town Center. In addition to Cousin’s Bar-B-Q and the Kroger Marketplace, retailers include Bank of Texas, Belk, Best Buy, Cheddar’s, Dress Barn, Eye Masters, Freebirds World Burrito, Hobby Lobby, Jason’s Deli, JCPenney, Justice, Kincaid’s, Kirkland’s, Mattress Firm, McDonald’s, PetSmart, Rack Room, Rue 21, Sam Moon, Smoothie King, Sports Clips, Ulta, Wells Fargo, and Which Wich.

Alliance Town Center is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that also includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, the Monterra Village apartment home community, and the single-family communities of Heritage, Saratoga and Vaquero. AllianceTexas houses more than 7,200 single-family homes and 229 companies that have built more than 31 million square feet and created 28,000 jobs.

# # #

U.S. Manufacturing Surges to 2004 High

Agence France-Presse — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The manufacturing sector kicked off the year with a strong surge in January, The Institute for Supply Management showed on Feb. 1. It is the sixth consecutive month of expansion in the sector leading the economic recovery.

The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index, also known as the purchasing managers index, climbed to 58.4% in January from December from 54.9% in December.

It was the highest PMI reading since August 2004, when the index registered 58.5%.

The reading was much stronger than the 55.5% expected by most analysts. Any number above 50% indicates growth.

"This month's report provides significant assurance that the manufacturing sector is in recovery," said Norbert Ore, head of the ISM survey committee. Ore pointed out that both the new orders and production sub-indexes were above 60%, "indicating strong current and future performance for manufacturing."

Daniel J. Meckstroth, Chief Economist for the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI points out that "ll the component indicators were moving in a positive direction in January, including the index for production which was exceptionally strong. There is a major inventory swing underway in the manufacturing sector that explains why industrial activity is so strong.

"Firms were previously in a panic mode and drastically slashed their inventories by reducing production, but now they find themselves low on materials and components," he added. "Once orders started rising again there is an acceleration in production to catch up with underlying demand. U.S. manufacturing physical production was up 4.5% in December from its trough in June 2009. Furthermore, a global recovery in world industrial activity has helped U.S. exports and supplemented domestic demand. The overall tenor of the ISM report is very positive and a good way to start 2010."

Alliance Nation's Top Foreign Trade Zone

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH (Hillwood) – For the third consecutive year, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 ranks as the top General Purpose Foreign-Trade Zone in the United States in terms of the value of foreign goods admitted.

In the recently released Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to the U.S. Congress, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 admitted nearly $5.4 billion in foreign products.

Use of Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub should continue to grow with the activation by ATC Logistics & Electronics in 2009. ATC Logistics & Electronics handles assembly, repairs and logistics for GPS and cell phone manufacturers and providers. The company leases close to one million sf and employs 2,600 workers at its Alliance facilities.

Other major users of Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub include Hyundai, Trans-Trade, LEGO, and Motorola.

Alliance Tops FTZ List Again

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For the third consecutive year, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 ranks as the nation's top General Purpose FTZ in the value of foreign goods admitted ($5.4 billion). Harris County ranked third nationally with $4 billion; Dallas 15th with $679 million; and DFW Airport 23rd with $379 million. FTZs are secure areas under the supervision of US Customs and Border Protection and are considered outside the US customs territory for duty payment until imports enter domestic consumption; then the importer may choose paying duties on the original foreign materials or the finished product. There’s a high school algebra question in there somewhere.

ATC Logistics & Electronics prez Antony Francis says using the FTZ will allow significant cost savings for customers. ATCLE opened in 2009, leasing 1M SF. The firm assembles, repairs, and provides logistics for GPS and cell phone manufacturers and providers. Besides ATC, major users of FTZ #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub include Hyundai, Trans-Trade, LEGO, and Motorola.

CNBC Video: Ross Perot Jr. on Tech, Oil & Real Estate

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

CNBC Video: Ross Perot Jr. on Tech, Oil & Real Estate

Ross Perot Jr., Hillwood Development Co. chairman, discusses technology, oil prices and commercial real estate with CNBC's Becky Quick.

Inventories Push U.S. GDP Up 5.7 Percent

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Exports expanded 18 percent in growing fourth quarter, Commerce Department says

The U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in six years in the fourth quarter, expanding 5.7 percent as companies scaled back their attempts to cut inventories, the U.S. Commerce Department said Friday.

The department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said an 18.1 percent gain in exports also helped push GDP upward, along with stronger business investment in equipment and software.

“The acceleration in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected an acceleration in private inventory investment, a deceleration in imports, and an upturn in nonresidential fixed investment,” the BEA said in its initial estimate on the last three months of 2009.

The government said real private inventories actually contracted $33.5 billion in the fourth quarter from the third quarter, but that was far less than the $139.2 billion inventory retrenchment in the third quarter and the $160.2 billion decrease in the second quarter.

The inventory improvement contributed 3.4 percentage points to the quarter’s economic growth.

The report mirrored assessment from transportation and retail industry executives who have said companies have been pushing goods to distribution centers and stores to restock shelves after sharply curtailing inventories early in the year.

Alliance is tops in nation again in foreign goods admitted

Sandra Baker — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

More than $5.3 billion worth of goods came into the U.S. in 2008 through the foreign trade zone at Alliance in far north Fort Worth, ranking it No. 1 in the country for the third consecutive year, according to a new government report.

Click here to read the full article.

Hillwood's Alliance Foreign Trade Zone named country's top performer

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Alliance Global Logistics Hub has again topped the list of best-performing U.S.-based free trade zones. The list rates FTZs by the value of foreign goods admitted.

The Fort Worth Alliance trade zone admitted $5.357 billion in foreign products in the year 2009.

This is the third year in a row that the hub ranks first in the nation as a foreign free trade zone, according to a new report compiled by U.S. Congress.

The 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development was developed by Hillwood, a Perot company.

Other top ranked foreign-trade zones in Texas include No. 3 ranked Harris County (or Houston), which recorded a foreign trade value of $3.7 billion; and No. 5 ranked El Paso, which posted $1.2 billion in foreign trade value.

FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR, ALLIANCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS HUB RANKS AS TOP FOREIGN TRADE ZONE IN THE U.S. IN TERMS OF FOREIGN PRODUCTS ADMITTED

Contact: David Pelletier (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Future Values Should Increase With Activation By ATC Logistics & Electronics in 2009

Contact: David Pelletier (817/224-6044)

dave.pelletier@hillwood.com

FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 27, 2010) – For the third consecutive year, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 ranks as the top General Purpose Foreign-Trade Zone in the United States in terms of the value of foreign goods admitted. In the recently released Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to the U.S. Congress (www.ia.ita.doc.gov/ftzpage/annualreport/ar-2008.pdf), Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 admitted $5.357 billion in foreign products.

Utilization of Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub should continue to grow with the activation by ATC Logistics & Electronics in 2009. ATC Logistics & Electronics handles assembly, repairs and logistics for GPS and cell phone manufacturers and providers. The company leases close to a million square feet and employs 2,600 workers at its Alliance facilities.

“ATCLE anticipates that the use of the Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone will allow us to realize significant cost savings for our customers,” said Antony Francis, president of ATCLE. “As we grow and gain a better understanding of how effective it can be, we expect to expand our use of the Foreign Trade Zone in order to provide the best cost structure to our customers. ATCLE appreciates Hillwood’s diligence in providing a low-cost operating environment at Alliance and working closely with us to establish our Foreign-Trade Zone status.”

In addition to ATC Logistics & Electronics, major users of Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub include Hyundai, Trans-Trade, LEGO, and Motorola.

TOP U.S. GENERAL PURPOSE

FOREIGN TRADE ZONES

By Value Of Foreign Goods Admitted

(in millions $)

1. Fort Worth/Alliance (Texas)... $5,357

2. Newark/Elizabeth (N.J.).............. 4,060

3. Harris County (Texas)................. 3,775

4. Port Hueneme (California).......... 3,063

5. El Paso (Texas)........................... 1,200

6. Harrison County (MS)................. 1,168

7. Jacksonville (Florida)................... 1,101

8. Long Beach (California)............... 1,067

TOP TEXAS GENERAL PURPOSE

FOREIGN TRADE ZONES

By Value Of Foreign Goods Admitted

(in millions $)

U.S.

Rank

1. Fort Worth/Alliance ...... $5,357 1

2. Harris County.................... 3,775 3

3. El Paso.............................. 1,200 5

4. Ellis County.......................... 995 9

5. Brownsville........................... 987 10

6. Dallas.................................... 679 15

7. McAllen................................ 456 19

8. DFW Airport......................... 379 23

Foreign-trade zones are secure areas under the supervision of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They are considered outside the customs territory of the United States for the purposes of duty payment. Under zone procedures, the usual formal customs entry procedure and payment of duties are not required on the foreign merchandise unless and until it enters U.S. Customs territory for domestic consumption, in which case the importer normally has a choice of paying duties either on the original foreign materials or the finished product. Foreign-trade zone sites and activities remain within the jurisdiction of federal, state and local governments and agencies.

In large part due to its role in handling imports, AllianceTexas has had an economic impact of $36.4 billion on the North Texas economy. In addition the development has attracted $6.8 billion in private investment, generated more than $730 million in property taxes and created 28,000 fulltime jobs.

In addition to the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development includes Alliance Town Center, the Monterra Village apartment home community, the corporate campuses of Circle T Ranch, the Vaquero estate golf community, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. AllianceTexas now houses 7,200 single-family homes and 229 companies that occupy 31.2 million square feet. Approximately 60 companies at AllianceTexas are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms.

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. Close to 80 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms have chosen to locate in Hillwood developments. In addition to the AllianceTexas project, Hillwood is best known for its development of American Airlines Center and the Victory mixed-use district near downtown Dallas and AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles.

# # #

New Hospital coming to Alliance

Jan Jarvis — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Alliance residents will be getting a new hospital close to home in late 2011.

Texas Health Resources plans to build a full-service hospital off Golden Triangle Boulevard, east of Interstate 35W.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for this fall with service beginning in late 2011 and construction complete by 2012. The hospital is expected to include an emergency room, acute-care inpatient beds, outpatient and surgical services, and offices.

The site, at 10001 Old Denton Road in Fort Worth, was chosen to meet the needs of residents in the Alliance area, one of the fastest-growing communities in North Texas, said Barclay E. Berdan, senior executive vice president of system alignment and performance at Texas Health Resources.

"They really don’t have great access to hospital and ambulatory services, and we thought this was a great opportunity to match up with the population up there," he said.

The new hospital will serve residents from Keller to east of Eagle Mountain Lake and northward about halfway to Denton. Initially, the facility will be a little smaller than Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital H-E-B and larger than Texas Health Azle.

Texas Health Resources bought 40 acres at the southwest corner of Old Denton Road and Golden Triangle Boulevard from Hillwood, Alliance’s developer, in mid-December, deed records show.

The deal involved swapping land that the health care company bought from Hillwood more than a decade ago. In 1999, Texas Health Resources bought 35.8 acres in the Circle T Ranch, east of U.S. 377 and along Alliance Gateway in Westlake. In December, it traded the Westlake land for the property about five miles south in Fort Worth.

After considering the distance that Alliance residents must travel for hospital care in Fort Worth’s medical district, the new site was better, Berdan said.

"We keep track of everything from drive times to rooftop counts, and it’s taking longer and longer for people to drive south down I-35," he said.

Mark Miller, Hillwood’s vice president of retail, said the hospital and ancillary services will be a "great boon" for the area. Alliance residents have long asked for more and closer medical services.

The facilities could also draw other businesses to Alliance, such as restaurants, to meet work-force needs.

Texas Health Resources approached Hillwood about six months ago, indicating that the company would rather have a site near I-35W, Miller said.

"Having one of the bigger players make a move, it’s going to be great," Miller said.

Not too far away, on I-35W and North Tarrant Parkway, HCA Health Services of Texas owns 73.5 acres where it has planned to build a hospital and medical offices.

The company, part of Nashville-based Hospital Corp. of America, first bought 60 acres in January 2003 and later acquired 13 acres near North Tarrant Parkway and Old Denton Road, just south of Alliance Town Center.

"We don’t have anything concrete yet ready to announce," said Randy Moresi, CEO of North Hills Hospital, an affiliate of HCA. "We’re still studying the situation."

But the area is a fantastic growth engine for Tarrant County, he said.

"There’s no question that the north part of Fort Worth through the Alliance area is going to be an incredible population generator for a long time," he said.

Texas Health Resources, which is based in Arlington, operates 14 hospitals, including the Harris Methodist hospitals, Presbyterian in Dallas and Arlington Memorial.

The 35 Biggest Moments in Modern Dallas History

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We had the bright idea of not just chronicling these important moments, but getting the people who made the moments happen to write about them. This proved to be a Herculean task, but our efforts paid off. What other city magazine in America could get no fewer than seven billionaires to contribute to such an undertaking?

AllianceTexas Reshapes the West

By Ross Perot Jr.

The AllianceTexas program is halfway through its 40-year plan, and is only 40 percent developed. But its impact has already been felt: 220 companies, 31 million square feet of commercial real estate, 28,000 jobs, 7,100 single-family homes, one new highway (Texas Highway 170, which connects Alliance to DFW Airport), and on and on. Expect all those numbers to keep rising during the coming years.

This is why the rich get richer: they constantly see opportunity where others see only obstacles. Ross Perot Jr. didn’t have AllianceTexas in his mind when he began buying land north of Fort Worth in 1983. He knew only that it was cheaper to buy there than it was in Dallas at the time. Or maybe he just doesn’t have a strong sense of smell.

Part of the reason the land north of Fort Worth was so readily available was that in the past the prevailing winds from the south brought the smell of the stockyards north and made living in that area extremely unpleasant. Although by the early 1980s the stockyards had been closed for years, that general perception still remained.

In the mid-1980s, the Federal Aviation Administration was looking for reliever airports around DFW Airport. When they approached us about putting one of these airports on our property north of Fort Worth, we decided to talk to some of the local aerospace companies about their future needs and any suggestions as to what type of airport should be built. The response we received was that the area needed a full-size airport that could accommodate any size jet. It would be one designed primarily for aerospace manufacturing and air cargo uses. We shared the idea with the FAA and the city of Fort Worth, which both saw the value of creating an airport-anchored project that would have more of an economic impact on the area than a small reliever airport.

Ironically, the first deal that was done at Alliance was rail related. While the runways were under construction, we were approached by Santa Fe Railroad, now BNSF Railway, about purchasing land to build a facility to offload automobiles from trains, adjacent to its mainline on the west side of the development. This led to the realization of the importance of rail, along with the airport and Interstate 35W, in creating a multimodal inland port logistics hub.

The intermodal concept became even more refined when the Hillwood team worked with BNSF to build one of the country’s largest intermodal facilities, where containers filled with goods from Asia arrive by train via the West Coast ports. Those goods then are transferred from train to truck and transported to a nearby distribution center and eventually to other regions of the United States.

Alliance is now the prototype for the inland port logistics hubs, which became more prevalent as manufacturing moved overseas. The development is the busiest Foreign-Trade Zone in the country, admitting $7.46 billion in foreign products, which is almost twice as much as the next busiest U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone.

Ross Perot Jr. is chairman of Hillwood Development Company. He is also a founder and former president and CEO of Perot Systems, where he served as chairman until its purchase by Dell last year.

U.S. port volume back in black

AMERICAN SHIPPER — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Import cargo at major U.S. retail container ports ended a nearly two-and-a-half-year streak of year-over-year declines in December and is on track to show gains through the first half of 2010, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Monday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“These numbers are a clear sign that retailers are optimistic about 2010,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy. “Retailers are still going to be cautious with their inventories, but we wouldn’t see these increases in imports if stores weren’t expecting sales to improve. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen year-over-year volume go up, so this is definitely good news.”

U.S. ports handled 1.09 million TEUs in November, the latest month for which actual numbers are available. That was down 8 percent from October, traditionally the busiest month of the year, and 10 percent from November 2008.

The November number marked the 28th month in a row to show a decrease from the same month a year earlier. But the trend was broken in December, which was estimated at 1.08 million TEUs, down slightly from November as the holiday season came to a close, but a 1.7 percent increase over December 2008.

Year-over-year increases are expected to continue through the remainder of Global Port Tracker’s six-month forecast range:

• January is forecast at 1.15 million TEUs, a 9 percent increase over January 2009.

• February, traditionally the slowest month of the year, is forecast at 1.05 million TEUs, up 25 percent from the previous year.

• March is forecast at 1.16 million TEU, up 21 percent as retailers begin to stock up for spring and summer.

• April at 1.19 million TEUs, up 20 percent.

• May at 1.2 million TEUs, up 15 percent.

While final data won’t be available until next month, the report estimates that 2009 ended with a total volume of 12.7 million TEUs, down 17 percent from 2008’s 15.2 million TEUs and the lowest since the 12.5 million TEUs reported in 2003.

“The U.S. economy is experiencing positive growth, with imports on the rise as a result of restocking and a rising consumer demand,” said Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett. “Consumer sentiment remains cautious, however.”

Two Mill For Hill

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Investment Properties acquired almost 2M SF of vacant industrial buildings: two properties adjacent to Hillwood’s Alliance California development in San Bernardino and the third is the Frankford Trade Center in Carrollton. Specifics weren’t released, but Hillwood prez Tal Hicks says the properties were identified as opportunities. Frankford is a Class A commercial building built in 2000 with renovations expected to finish in 30 days. It's located at the northeast corner of the George Bush Tpke and Interstate 35. It has 660k SF, with 60k of that for office space.

Texas Health Resources Planning New Tarrant County Hospital

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Texas Health Resources has announced plans to construct a new full-service hospital in north Tarrant County. The facility will be built on a recently acquired 40-acre parcel located at the intersection of Golden Triangle Boulevard and Old Denton Road, within Hillwood's AllianceTexas development. While the design stage is currently under way, initial plans call for between 50 and 100 beds with expansion capability. Other features of the hospital will include an emergency room, outpatient and surgical services, physician offices and acute-care beds. Groundbreaking is expected to occur this fall, with the grand opening scheduled for late 2011. Texas Health currently has two Tarrant County medical properties in Saginaw and Keller.

Hillwood Development buys two San Bernardino buildings

Andrew Edwards — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Development, the master developer for the land around San Bernardino International Airport, has acquired two new industrial buildings near the project.

Hillwood, which is based in Dallas, did not disclose the purchase price. The company announced the deal Tuesday.

"It's such a price that allows us to make good market deals below what the market was a year ago," Hillwood senior vice president John Magness said. "Put it this way: It's below replacement."

The airport area properties have never been occupied. Hillwood purchased the buildings from a company called Black Rock.

Current economic conditions make it cheaper to buy buildings than to build new ones, Magness said. The buildings, which together have more than 1 million square feet of space, could be used for warehousing or manufacturing, Magness said.

Inland Empire economist John Husing said upon hearing of the deal that Hillwood's purchase is not likely to signal any major changes in the industrial market.

"They saw a good deal and they jumped on it," Husing said, interpreting the news.

Hillwood did not announce tenants for the industrial buildings, the first of which is in the 7700 block of Tippecanoe Avenue and the second in the 900 block of East Ninth Street.

The newly acquired buildings are in the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone, and are adjacent to Hillwood's AllianceCalifornia project. That project includes Stater Bros.

Markets' corporate headquarters and large warehouses used by such companies as Mattel, Kohl's and Pep Boys.

AllianceCalifornia has about 8.6 million square feet of redeveloped land, including the newly acquired buildings.

Texas Health Resources Plans Alliance Hospital

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH – Texas Health Resources will break ground in the fall on a hospital to service north Tarrant County, where it's just bought a tract of land near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Golden Triangle Boulevard.

If all goes as planned, the hospital will open in late 2011 along Old Denton Road, situated within the footprint of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas. The facility will include an emergency room, outpatient and surgical services, acute-care inpatient beds and doctors' offices.

"North Tarrant County is one of the fastest growing communities in North Texas with limited health care resources to meet the needs of residents," said Barclay E. Berdan, senior executive vice president of the Arlington, Texas-based Texas Health Resources. "Growth in this market will give us the opportunity to provide better coordination of care for patients throughout Tarrant and surrounding counties as well as reach new patients."

Texas Health Resources buys land for new northern Tarrant County hospital

Jason Roberson — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Texas Health Resources Inc., the largest hospital system in North Texas, said Wednesday it has bought 40 acres in northern Tarrant County with plans to build a full-service hospital.

The Arlington-based company will break ground on the hospital in the fall near the intersection of Interstate 35W and Golden Triangle Boulevard, with hopes of opening it in late 2011.

Texas Health bought the land from Hillwood Development Co. but did not disclose the price.

The hospital will include an emergency room, outpatient and surgical services, physician offices and acute care inpatient beds to serve North Fort Worth, Saginaw and Keller.

"North Tarrant County is one of the fastest-growing communities in North Texas with limited health care resources to meet the needs of residents," said Barclay Berdan, senior executive vice president at Texas Health.

The purchase adds to a trend in North Texas of not-for-profit hospital systems buying up large amounts of undeveloped land. In fact, the two largest not-for-profit hospital systems in the area – Baylor Health Care System and Texas Health – own more than 460 undeveloped acres in North Texas, according to property records.

It takes 35 acres, on average, to build a hospital. At that size, Baylor and Texas Health, owner of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, could build 13 hospitals on their vacant land.

Hospital executives say they are buying the land in preparation for a population boom.

Tarrant County has 1.7 million people but is expected to have 2.2 million in 15 years, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Alliance area to get new Texas Health hospital

Jan Jarvis and Sandra Baker — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Residents in the Alliance area in far north Fort Worth will be getting a new hospital close to home in late 2011.

Texas Health Resources plans to build a full-service hospital off Golden Triangle Boulevard, east of Interstate 35W.

Click here to read the full article.

TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES ANNOUNCES PLANS TO BUILD NEW HOSPITAL AT HILLWOOD’S ALLIANCETEXAS DEVELOPMENT IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (Jan. 6, 2010) — Texas Health Resources, the largest health care system in North Texas, has purchased land in north Tarrant County with plans to build a full-service hospital in the AllianceTexas development near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Golden Triangle Boulevard in Fort Worth, Texas.

In December Texas Health Resources purchased the 40-acre site from Hillwood, the developer of AllianceTexas.

“North Tarrant County is one of the fastest growing communities in North Texas with limited health care resources to meet the needs of residents,” said Barclay E. Berdan, senior executive vice president of system alignment and performance at Texas Health Resources. “Growth in this market will give us the opportunity to provide better coordination of care for patients throughout Tarrant and surrounding counties as well as reach new patients.”

Groundbreaking for the new hospital is scheduled for fall of 2010, with hopes to begin offering services in late 2011. Texas Health is currently in the early designing and planning stages of the hospital, which will include an emergency room, outpatient and surgical services, physician offices and acute-care inpatient beds.

“Our top priority is to bring necessary medical services to the community so that care can be accessed close to home,” Berdan said.

With two physician office buildings in Saginaw and Keller, Texas Health has had a presence in north Tarrant County since 2006.

“We are excited about expanding the services we offer to this community, as we work to fulfill our mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we serve,” Berdan added.

In addition to the new Texas Health Resources Hospital, the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the Monterra Village apartment home community, Alliance Town Center, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. The development houses 220 companies, 31.2 million square feet, 28,000 employees and approximately 21,000 residents. More than 60 companies at AllianceTexas are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms.

For more information about the north Tarrant County project, please visit www.texashealth.org/northtarrant

About Texas Health Resources

Texas Health Resources is one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health care delivery systems in the United States and the largest in North Texas in terms of patients served. Texas Health’s system of 14 hospitals includes Texas Health Harris Methodist, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, and Texas Health Presbyterian, and an organization for medical research and education. The Texas Health Organization for Physicians and Texas Health Physicians Group provide a variety of models for engagement with physicians. Texas Health Partners is a joint venture development and management company owned by Texas Health Resources. Texas Health MedSynergies is a joint venture that offers physicians a range of office management and other business services to support their practices. Texas Health is a corporate member or partner in six additional hospitals and surgery centers. For more information, call 1-877-THR-WELL, or visit www.TexasHealth.org.

About Hillwood

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities for more than 85 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

# # #

Hillwood Nabs 1.6 Million SF

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

DALLAS – Hillwood Investment Properties has added more than 1.6 million sf of industrial space to its portfolio, scooping up the Frankford Trade Center in Carrollton and two recently completed warehouses in San Bernadino, Calif.

The 659,340-sf Frankford Trade Center at 1649 W. Frankford Rd. is a vacant, class A building that's undergoing renovation. It was built in 2000, with a 30-acre deal-making location at the corner of the George Bush Turnpike and Interstate 35 and Triple Freeport tax exemption. Its former occupant was locally based Home Interiors & Gifts Inc.

In California's Inland Empire, Hillwood bought Northgate Buildings 10 and 11. The class A buildings, totaling more than one million sf, are adjacent to Hillwood's AllianceCalifornia development, formerly the Norton Air Force Base. The Northgate Buildings are part of the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone. The portfolio addition pushes AllianceCalifornia to more than 8.6 million sf.

"With the challenges of the current global economy, Hillwood is focused on identifying the right investment and growth opportunities across the country," said Ross Perot Jr., chairman of Dallas-based Hillwood.

Tal Hicks, president of Hillwood Investment Properties, added that the company is "committed to making strategic decisions that not only make good business sense, but good sense for our local communities."

Hillwood Investment Strikes, Acquires 2M SF

Amy Wolff Sorter — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, TX-Hillwood Investment Properties has bulked up its portfolio with the acquisition of assets in Southern California and North Texas. Through separate deals, local company bought the 659,340-square-foot Frankford Trade Center in Carrollton, TX from LNR Partners Inc. and in a separate deal, acquired the 415,825-square-foot Northgate Building 10 and 609,499-square-foot Northgate Building 11 in San Bernardino, CA from Blackrock Realty.

Tal Hicks, president of Hillwood Investment Properties, tells GlobesSt.com that the attraction with both deals was the "price per pound" at which the vacant assets were purchased in the all-cash transaction. Hicks declined to discuss a sales price, though did acknowledge the purchase price was a substantial discount to replacement costs.

Frankford Trade Center at 1649 W. Frankford Rd., was built in 1999 and once served as the headquarters for Home Interiors & Gifts Inc. The company inked a sale-leaseback deal in late 2006 with First Industrial Realty Trust Inc. and UBS Realty Investors, but filed for bankruptcy in 2008, The warehouse-office building, valued by the Denton Central Appraisal District at $17.7 million, was foreclosed on last summer.

"We'll spend approximately $1 million on the building," Hicks says. "It's a second-generation building that needs work done." The work in question, he continues, will include cosmetics, such as interior and exterior painting.

Hicks goes on to say that the California properties, Northgate Building 10 at 927 E. 9th St. and Northgate Building 11 at 7776 Tippecanoe Ave. were completed in June 2009, and won't require anything in the way of upgrades. The California buildings are adjacent to Hillwood's AllianceCalifornia development in San Bernardino, CA.

With these properties safely in its portfolio, Hillwood Investment is on the hunt for more, and Hicks says the company wants to make similar acquisition in Texas, California and other markets. The investor's sweet spot is vacant industrial buildings in excellent locations.

"They don't have to be brand new, they could be second generation, though we like first generation," Hicks adds. "But if we can get a substantial discount to replacement cost for a well-located, functional building, we'll be looking at it."

Hillwood buys local buildings

Lou Hirsh — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Investment Properties, a division of Dallas-based Perot Co., announced Tuesday it has purchased two buildings totaling 1 million square feet in San Bernardino. Hillwood senior vice president John Magness said the buildings were purchased from investment firm Blackwood, but the sales price is not being disclosed.

The recently completed and unoccupied commercial buildings are adjacent to Hillwood's Alliance California development near the former Norton Air Force Base.

Tenants have not yet been lined up for the acquired buildings, but the space can handle distribution or manufacturing. Magness said Hillwood was able to buy the buildings at a cost that allows it to lease them at lower rates than would have been feasible for the former owner.

Hillwood acquires Frankford Trade Center

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Commercial real estate company Hillwood Investment Properties — a Perot Co. — has acquired 2 million square feet of vacant industrial buildings in Dallas and San Bernardino, Calif.

One of the purchases is the Frankford Trade Center in Dallas, a Class A commercial building that was constructed back in 2000. The property is currently under renovation and is located at the corner of the George Bush Turnpike and Interstate 35.

The other two building, which are located in the San Bernardino, Calif. area, also were acquired in a transaction that Hillwood says will stimulate the local economy.

“With the challenges of the current global economy, Hillwood is focused on identifying the right investment and growth opportunities across the country,” said Ross Perot, Jr., chairman of Hillwood.

“We are very proud of our work to redevelop the Norton Air Force Base into AllianceCalifornia and these new acquisitions are an important step in furthering that effort. I am also especially pleased that Hillwood has an opportunity to invest in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — a community of which Hillwood has long been a part.”

Hillwood's new location in Dallas offers the benefit of its Triple Freeport Tax Exemption since it’s part of the Foreign Trade Zone. The development includes 659,340 square feet of space.

Hillwood buys industrial buildings in Carrollton and California

Sandra Baker — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Dallas-based Hillwood Investment Properties has bought three industrial buildings, one in Carrollton and two in California, totaling nearly 1.7 million square feet of space.

The local property is in the Frankford Trade Center at the northeast corner of the President George Bush Turnpike and Interstate 35E. The 659,340-square-foot warehouse/office was built in 2000 but is being renovated. It is in a foreign trade zone, which offers tenants certain tax benefits.

Hillwood also bought two newly built structures in San Bernardino. Calif. They are adjacent to Hillwood’s AllianceCalifornia, a redevelopment project of the 2,000-acre former Norton Air Force Base.

The buildings, totaling 1 million square feet, are in the Inland Empire industrial market, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.

"With the challenges of the current global economy, Hillwood is focused on identifying the right investment and growth opportunities across the country," Chairman Ross Perot Jr. said in a statement.

Hillwood recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of AllianceTexas, a 17,000-acre development in far north Fort Worth, and it also owns the American Airlines Center and land in the Victory district near downtown Dallas.

Hillwood buys three more industrial buildings

Steve Brown — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Investment Properties said Tuesday that it has purchased three industrial buildings – two in California and one in the Dallas area.

The real estate company owned by Ross Perot Jr. and his family acquired the Frankford Trade Center in Carrollton near State Highway 190 and Stemmons Freeway. The 10-year-old project has 659,340 square feet of office and warehouse space and is located in a foreign trade zone.

Frankford Trade Center is being remodeled and will be finished in 30 days.

Hillwood also bought two new Northgate industrial buildings in San Bernardino, Calif. The properties have more than 1 million square feet and are next to Hillwood's AllianceCalifornia business park.

Terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed.

"They were all purchased substantially below replacement cost," said Tal Hicks, president of Hillwood Investment Properties. "We are excited about these purchases, despite the uncertainty about where the bottom is in the market."

Hicks said the Carrollton complex was bought from a mortgage servicer who had foreclosed on the property.

The California buildings were purchased from an investor who bought them after they were finished in 2009.

"With the challenges of the current global economy, Hillwood is focused on identifying the right investment and growth opportunities across the country," Perot said. "I am also especially pleased that Hillwood has an opportunity to invest in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – a community of which Hillwood has long been a part."

Hillwood is a major industrial building owner with properties in several states. The company owns the huge AllianceTexas business park in North Fort Worth and the undeveloped portions of the Victory Park project near downtown.

Olive Garden files to build at Alliance

Sandra Baker — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Olive Garden has filed plans with the state to build a restaurant on a parcel site at Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth.

Click here to read the full article.

Retailers Forecast Strong Import Growth

Joseph Bonney — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Containerized imports at 10 major U.S. ports are expected to rise in three consecutive months starting in February, breaking a 31-month streak of year-to-year declines, the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight said in their monthly Port Tracker report.

“We’ve been seeing hints of a turnaround in our past few reports but this is starting to look like a clear trend,” said Jonathan Gold, the NRF’s vice president for supply chain and customs policy. “If retailers are starting to import more merchandise, it’s because they expect to be able to sell more, and that’s a good sign for our industry and the overall economy.”

By predicting a 9 percent year-to-year increase in April, the new report extended the cautious optimism shown in last month’s Port Tracker, which a forecast year-to-year increases of 16 percent in February and 6 percent in March. Volume through the ports in January is forecast to be down 4 percent. Port Tracker forecasts cover only six months.

Ports surveyed handled 1.18 million TEUs in October, the most recent month for which actual numbers are available. That was up 4 percent from September but was down 14 percent from October 2008. November was estimated at 1.09 million TEUs, down 12 percent from last year, and December is forecast at 1.05 million TEUs, down 1 percent.

The report now expects 2009 to end with a total volume of 12.6 million TEUs at the 10 ports. That would be a drop of 17 percent from last year’s 15.2 million TEUs and the lowest since the 12.47 million TEUs reported in 2003.

“The second half of 2009 has seen an improvement, with ‘less bad’ year-over-year numbers compared with the first half,” said Paul Bingham, an IHS Global Insight economist. “While improving, import container traffic is projected to be weak through March due to the traditional slow season combined with the weak pace of economic recovery.”

The drop in cargo has produced one benefit: All 10 ports covered by Port Tracker – Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York-New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah and Houston – continue to be rated by the survey as “low” for congestion.

Beyond the Business Card - John Magness

Kari Hamanaka — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

John Magness

TITLE: Senior Vice President

COMPANY: Hillwood Investment Properties

CAREER EXPERIENCE: Magness was a member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Regiment's Nightstalkers. He worked overseas as an aviation consultant for the United Arab Emirates for two years before he was hired at Hillwood in 1998.

EDUCATION: B.S. in mechanical engineering from United States Military Academy at West Point and an M.S. in business from Boston University

ASSOCIATIONS: Legislative co-chair for NAIOP Inland Empire

In his book "Pilot Vision," John Magness bridges his experiences as a U.S. Army special operations pilot commander to his present experiences in real estate development where he runs Hillwood Investment Properties' West Coast operations. Based in the company's San Bernardino office, the location keeps him close to Hillwood's 2,000-acre master-planned AllianceCalifornia industrial project and the InterChange Business Center.

Following his time in the military, Magness worked as an independent contractor for the United Arab Emirates as an aviation consultant. He made so many business contacts he could not wait to come back to the United States to put those newfound relationships to work. After three years as vice president in Hillwood's Dallas office, Magness relocated to San Bernardino in 2001. Since that time, he has helped bring about significant change in San Bernardino's industrial landscape while also adding to Rancho Cucamonga's office market and partnering with Lewis Community Developers on the future Renaissance Rialto project.

How did you get into real estate development?

My Bachelor's was in mechanical engineering at West Point. I used that degree and the concentration in aerospace engineering to fly with the military for nine years after I graduated, but real estate came much later in my career.

After I left the military, I went to work overseas and came back to the U.S. to work for Ross Perot Jr. What attracted me to real estate was the ability to perfect large-scale change. Our projects tend to be associated with redevelopment and taking a previous land use that may have been from 30, 40 or 50 years ago and changing that into a job generator that's also aesthetically pleasing.

What was that transition to real estate development like?

Some aspects were relatively easy such as the travel and critical learning skills. It was a steep learning curve coming out of the military, out of flying, and learning the ins and outs of real estate. With real estate being local, I learned all the local players. But I feel like I've gotten the best experience that money can buy and provide.

What was the transformation process like in converting a brownfield to the InterChange Business Park?

It took several years of testing and going through regulatory agencies at the federal and state level. If you have the patience and the money, getting through those hurdles is not impossible. It's now a major job center.

What do you find to the most challenging aspect of your job?

I think it's in keeping up with the ever-changing regulatory environment in California as it relates to real estate and logistics. In California, especially, you have regulations that are three and four deep and agencies and commissions that have power over how you build a building and when you build it. That's very uncommon in the rest of the country. And trying to find that balance between building a project that creates jobs in a city and the desires of a city to control its land use and to have open space and to have clean air and clean water is challenging.

What do you like most about working with industrial and office product?

I like the job-creation aspect of it when you walk into the mayor's office and say, "We're going to create 500 jobs by building this building." Politicians get elected by changing their community for the better. Establishing that relationship with electeds is my favorite part and then also seeing the changing of the landscape - seeing the change to a piece of land that had a different use at one time.

Looking at industrial, are there any major, long-term trends or shifts you are noting right now in the marketplace?

Green building was a trend that started a couple years ago. Looking at the InterChange project, that was our first foray into the U.S. Green Building Council and the LEED certification process and learning that trend is here to stay. If anything, it's going to become more of a part of the industrial real estate industry. I think the next wave or next trend to build on that will be utilizing rooftops to create renewable energy. That's taking the next logical step in terms of energy efficiency for these buildings.

Is there anything from your experience as a special operations pilot that you apply to your current work?

I definitely think there are similarities between flying and leading a company in real estate when you're looking at a piece of property or looking at an existing building that you're going to rehab. You have to have a vision. Getting from the conceptual sketch or idea all the way to the realization takes a unique set of skills. Some are good at coming up with a vision. Some are good with execution. In leading real estate companies, you get to do a little bit of both.

Tell us about the book you wrote.

I pitched it to publishing companies back in 1998/1999 and Adams-Hall Publishing out of Los Angeles published it. I was living overseas at the time when I found them and they saw the direction the book was going and helped edit it.

It wasn't until I got into business that I saw the similarities between flying and business leadership and started doing research, reading and interviewing different CEOs like Ross Perot Jr. and seeing the similarities between flying and leading a company.

Where were you were working?

I was working for one of our great allies, the United Arab Emirates, specifically for Abu Dhabi.

What was that like?

It was great. It really opened my eyes to the international business side and to see how different cultures approach business. But I was very anxious to get back to the U.S. only because I made so many great business contacts oversees and was anxious to apply that here in the U.S.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I'm an avid scuba diver. I spend a lot of time playing catch with my son. He's 12. I spend time coaching baseball, scuba diving, traveling and writing.

Can we expect to see another book from you?

I'm working on several book ideas right now. Once a writer, always a writer.

Where do you like traveling?

We love California - San Diego, Catalina Island. Since my wife is from the Gulf Coast, we try to get back to Alabama and Florida beaches every couple of years. And since we're halfway to Hawaii, we love going to Kaui.

If you weren't doing what you are doing now, what would you be doing?

For sure I'd be back in the military.

Would you be a pilot or something else?

A pilot. The last four years of my career I worked in special operations. That aspect of flying in the military was the most fun and the most rewarding thing that I'd done in the military. I keep in close contact with friends and have relationships with many of those in the military because a lot are still in.

Alliance at 20: Continuing to impact area economy

Aleshia Howe — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Through 2008 Fort Worth’s sprawling AllianceTexas development has had a $36.4 billion economic impact on North Texas since its start, according to the latest impact study commissioned by its developer.

Coinciding with the north Fort Worth development’s 20th anniversary, Alliance’s creator, Hillwood Properties, hired Insight Research to perform the economic impact report, which shows the ever present impact of the multi-purpose development.

In addition to the overall impact, the report shows the 229 companies currently in AllinaceTexas have built 31.2 million square feet and created 28,000 jobs. And since the development began, the companies and residents of AllianceTexas also have paid more than $730 million in property taxes, including more than $105 million in 2008.

“Over the past year at AllianceTexas, new jobs were created, companies were added and property taxes paid increased despite the challenging economic times that we’ve experienced,” said Mike Berry, president of Hillwood. “This is the vision that the political leadership, led by Bob Bolen and Jim Wright, had in the late 1980s, when the area was facing equally tough economic conditions, which led them to make the bold decision to invest in an Alliance project that would help create more jobs and diversify the economy of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.”

Of the $7.2 billion that was invested in AllianceTexas, $6.8 billion, or 94.6 percent, has come from the private sector, while 5.4 percent has come from the public sector including the city of Fort Worth, the state of Texas and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The city of Fort Worth’s year-to-date investment of $39.2 million has yielded $140.9 million in property taxes alone, according to the report.

“AllianceTexas also is only about 40 percent developed, so it’s equally important now that additional investment is made in critical transportation infrastructure that will allow the development to continue to grow, create jobs and fulfill the intentions that these leaders had when they made the initial public investment two decades ago,” Berry said.

2009 – an untallied year

Though 2009 was not a part of economic impact study, Hillwood reports that nearly 800 new jobs have been created at AllianceTexas to date in 2009.

Q-Edge added 500 jobs at its 365,440-square-foot electronics assembly and distribution center it moved from California to Alliance in March. In September, United Supermarkets purchased 14 acres at Alliance to build a 200,000-square-foot distribution center that will employ 75 workers. And last month Kroger announced the grocer will bring its new Kroger Marketplace concept to Alliance Town Center, the massive retail portion of AllianceTexas, with a 123,000-square-foot store that will employ 100 workers.

Deloitte also began construction in October on its 750,000-square-foot training center that will employ 450 workers beginning in 2011 when it opens at Circle T Ranch, another sector of AllianceTexas. Also, Health Care Services, the parent company of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, completed construction earlier this year on its 220,000-square-foot data center that employs 130 workers at Alliance.

Alliance’s 2009 retail picture also improved as Sam Moon opened its 168,000-square-foot center at Alliance Town Center in May and Kincaid’s Hamburgers and Freebird’s World Burrito opened new restaurants at Alliance Town Center this year. Construction already has begun on BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse, Olive Garden and Rooms To Go – all set to operate within Alliance Town Center.

A groundbreaking impact

Insight Research performed its original report on AllianceTexas’ economic impact on North Texas in 2000 and continues to review the report annually based on new data.

AllianceTexas is a 17,000-acre mixed-use development that includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, Circle T Ranch, Alliance Town Center, Saratoga, Heritage and Monterra Village, an apartment home project. AllianceTexas has about 10,000 residents in its single-family and apartment home communities and 220 companies that employ 28,000 workers. Hillwood’s developments currently house facilities for more than 85 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms.

The $730.5 million in property taxes from AllianceTexas since 1990 has been paid to three cities (Fort Worth, Haslet and Roanoke), two counties (Denton and Tarrant) and two school districts (Northwest and Keller) that it falls within. That number has grown from the $223,000 in property taxes generated from the same area in 1990.

According to the report, Tarrant County saw a $20.2 million property tax impact in 2008 and has received $121.5 million in property taxes via the development from 1990 to 2008.

Alliance, After 20 Years

A. Lee Graham — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

From restaurants to retail, diversity has rocketed AllianceTexas to riches while bringing tax dollars to several Northeast Tarrant County communities.

That was the emphasis as Hillwood Properties executives trumpeted the development’s success before the Fort Worth City Council.

"Over the past year at AllianceTexas, new jobs were created, companies were added, and property taxes paid increased despite the challenging economic times that we’ve experienced," said Mike Berry, president of Hillwood Properties, outlining those achievements in a press release.

As the developer of AllianceTexas, Hillwood had big plans when it launched the development and Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the world’s first industrial airport that opened on Dec. 14, 1989.

Considered the centerpiece of AllianceTexas, the airport symbolized something greater: fulfilling a vision that transcended local geography, one that spread its wings to welcome businesses nationwide.

The approach paid off as several companies relocated or opened new operations at AllianceTexas. In March, Q-Edge added 500 jobs at its 365,440-square-foot electronics assembly and distribution center that it moved from California to Texas. And in September, United Supermarkets announced plans to employ 75 workers on a 14-acre parcel it purchased at Alliance.

And with finance consultin firm Deloitte constructing a 750,000-square-foot training center set to employ 450 workers when it opens in 2011, not to mention several other companies plotting similarly sizable developments, AllianceTexas foresees no downturn in interest from potential tenants.

But it does foresee a slowdown.

"It will be slower than in years past," said Tom Harris, senior vice president of operations. "The pace of development and the pace of growth will be slower than what we’ve been used to. But we’re blessed to be in Texas because we haven’t been hit as hard [economically] as many, many other places."

Despite possible slowing in new leases, area municipalities continue to benefit from AllianceTexas. In 2008 alone, Roanoke enjoyed $3.7 million in property taxes from the development. That’s part of $18.3 million Roanoke received between 1990 and 2008, according to Hillwood. In the same period, Haslet reaped $6.2 million; the Northwest school district, $284.7 million; and the Keller school district, $139.7 million.

Boasting 25 million square feet of industrial space, the development comprises a 3-percent chunk of Dallas-Fort Worth’s 747 million-square-foot industrial market and 38 percent of Fort Worth’s 65.3 million square feet of industrial.

Similar boasts come as good news for Hillwood, the Perot company that also operates the American Airlines Center and Victory development near downtown Dallas.

But closer to home, residents and employees in Roanoke and other parts of Northeast Tarrant County have ensured the development’s success. Whether dining at newly opened Kincaid’s Hamburgers or shopping at Sam Moon, they feed a development that trumpets diversity as its key to survival.

"It’s the diversity we offer," Harris said. "We hit just about every sector of real estate that’s out there."

From industrial, office and retail to multifamily and single-family residential living, Harris described Alliance as a "one-of-a-kind project."

""When companies are considering either consolidating their operations or when companies go through a merger and are looking to either relocate or move or build, we always end up at the top of their list and certainly at the top three four locations."

Credit three words for that scenario: location, location, location.

"There aren’t too many places in this world where you can find the rail, highway and airport infrastructure that’s in place at Alliance," Harris said.

With Olive Garden, B.J.’s Brewhouse and Rooms To Go just some of the new names expected to enliven the Alliance development in the coming year, the growth keeps continuing.

Alliance gets mix of private enterprise and government right

Mitchell Schnurman — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Who says government can’t get anything right? The trick is doing it consistently.

Twenty years ago, local, state and federal officials went to bat for Ross Perot Jr. and his Alliance project in far north Fort Worth. Together, they turned 17,000 acres of prairie land into one of the region’s economic engines.

Click here to read the full article.

Hillwood touts impact of AllianceTexas' growth

Sandra Baker — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It’s been two decades since Hillwood Properties, Ross Perot Jr.’s real estate development company, took 1,700 acres of mostly farmland in far north Fort Worth and transformed it into a multibillion-dollar economic engine called AllianceTexas.

Click here to read the full article.

AT 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, ALLIANCETEXAS ECONOMIC IMPACT GROWS TO $36.4 BILLION

Contact: David Pelletier (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (Dec. 8, 2009) – As it reaches its 20th anniversary on Dec. 14, AllianceTexas has had a $36.4 billion economic impact on North Texas. The 229 companies that now call the development home have built 31.2 million square feet and created 28,000 jobs. Since the development began, the companies and residents of the AllianceTexas also have paid more than $730 million in property taxes, including more than $105 million in 2008.

Of the $7.2 billion that has been invested in AllianceTexas, $6.8 billion (94.6%) has come from the private sector, while 5.4% has come from the public sector, including the city of Fort Worth, the state of Texas and the Federal Aviation Administration. Every dollar of public money invested in the project has yielded more than $17 in private investment. The city of Fort Worth’s year-to-date investment of $39.2 million has yielded $140.9 million in property taxes alone.

The economic impact report determines the direct and indirect impact of the investment, employment and tax revenue from AllianceTexas. The study includes construction as well as ongoing business operations.

“Over the past year at AllianceTexas, new jobs were created, companies were added and property taxes paid increased despite the challenging economic times that we’ve experienced,” said Mike Berry, president of Hillwood Properties, the developer of AllianceTexas. “This is the vision that the political leadership, led by Bob Bolen and Jim Wright, had in the late 1980s, when the area was facing equally tough economic conditions, which led them to make the bold decision to invest in an Alliance project that would help create more jobs and diversify the economy of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

“AllianceTexas also is only about 40% developed, so it’s equally important now that additional investment is made in critical transportation infrastructure that will allow the development to continue to grow, create jobs and fulfill the intentions that these leaders had when they made the initial public investment two decades ago.”

To date in 2009, close to 800 new jobs have been created at AllianceTexas. Q-Edge added 500 jobs at its 365,440 square-foot electronics assembly and distribution center that it moved from California to Alliance in March. In September United Supermarkets purchased 14 acres at Alliance to build a 200,000 square-foot distribution center that will employ 75 workers. Last month Kroger announced it will bring its new Kroger Marketplace concept to Alliance Town Center with a 123,000 square-foot store that will employ 100 workers.

In addition Deloitte began construction in October on its 750,000 square-foot training center that will employ 450 workers beginning in 2011, when it opens at Circle T Ranch. Health Care Services, the parent company of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, also completed construction earlier this year on its 220,000 square-foot data center that employs 130 workers at Alliance.

Also Sam Moon opened its 168,000 square-foot center at Alliance Town Center in May. Kincaid’s Hamburgers and Freebird’s World Burrito also opened new restaurants at Alliance Town Center this year, while construction began there on BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse, Olive Garden and Rooms To Go.

As the project continued to grow and become more diversified with the addition of office, residential, entertainment and retail, Hillwood rebranded the development as AllianceTexas, which now includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, Circle T Ranch, the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities, Alliance Town Center, the Vaquero luxury golf community, and the Monterra Village apartment home community.

The $730.5 million in property taxes from AllianceTexas since 1990 has been paid to three cities (Fort Worth, Haslet, Roanoke), two counties (Denton, Tarrant) and two school districts (Northwest, Keller) that it falls within. That number has grown significantly from the $223,000 in property taxes generated from the same area in 1990. AllianceTexas also falls within the town of Westlake, but that community does not have a municipal property tax.

From 1990-2008, AllianceTexas companies and Hillwood-related entities along Interstate 35W have paid $730.5 million in property taxes, including $105 million in 2008. Below is a breakdown of the various public entities to which these funds flowed.

2008 1990-2008

Fort Worth ................................................................ $21.3 million........................... $140.9 million

Haslet.......................................................................... $0.6 million............................... $6.2 million

Roanoke...................................................................... $3.7 million............................. $18.3 million

Denton County............................................................. $2.9 million............................. $19.2 million

Tarrant County............................................................$20.2 million........................... $121.5 million

Keller Independent School District.............................. $23.6 million........................... $139.7 million

Northwest Independent School District...................... $32.7 million........................... $284.7 million

TOTAL................................................................ $105.0 million........................... $730.5 million

Insight Research performed the original economic impact report in 2000 and reviews it annually based on new data. Since its founding in 1981, Insight Research has become nationally known for its pacesetting analytical approaches in providing economic, employment, tax revenue impact and cost/benefits analysis. The company’s client list includes the FDIC, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Texas Department of Transportation, Fort Worth, New York and Chicago, as well as Fortune 500 companies, such as 3-M, American Express, AT&T and Dell.

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities for more than 85 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

# # #

FREEBiRDS WORLD BURRITO ROCKS ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, TX – On Friday, November 20, 2009, Austin, TX-based FREEB!RDS WORLD BURRITO - the fresh fast-casual restaurant known for its Monster burritos - will celebrate the opening of its 26th restaurant, located in north Fort Worth, Texas at Alliance Town Center. To kick off the opening party in “not so normal” FREEBIRDS fashion, the first 25 fans (or Fanatics as they’re called) in line will win free burritos for a year.

The design of FREEB!RDS at Alliance Town Center represents the free-spirited, funky vibe of the FREEB!RDS brand. The space was inspired by rock music of the 60’s and 70’s, features large windows on two sides; a large, trellised outdoor patio; inspirational messages on the walls; and of course, music. Always striving to provide the very best in customer experience, the fountain drink station has moved to the front of the line so guests can grab a drink while they wait – just another little touch that makes FREEB!RDS unlike anything else in the marketplace.

As you enter the restaurant, to the right is a life-size “Libby” statue – FREEB!RDS’ signature Statue of Liberty sculpture – blasting through the wall on her red racing Harley Davidson. To the left is an enormous mural of the words “We Can Change the World” and “FREEDOM.” Over the register are the words “Peace. Love. Burritos.” The covered patio – located to the left of the main entrance – provides shade and comfort for those looking to dine outside without suffering from the Texas heat. Seating and tabletops feature hip graphics, slogans and images of luminaries such as Janis Joplin and John Lennon. The murals, sculptures and furniture are all created by FREEB!RDS’ artist of choice, Lynn Wilkerson.

The back wall of the restaurant is dedicated to the FREEB!RDS WORLD WORKS program which encourages staff members and guests to get involved in their communities. As part of the grand opening, FREEBIRDS is partnering with Tarrant Area Food Bank to collect non-perishable goods that assists in both organizations’ missions to feed the hungry.

ABOUT FREEB!RDS AT ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER

FREEB!RDS at Alliance Town Center is open Sunday through Thursday, 11:00AM – 10:30PM; and Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM. Order OTF – On the Fly - by calling 817-750-1331, or online at www.freebirds.com.

ABOUT FREEB!RDS WORLD BURRITO

FREEB!RDS exists to feed the belly and the soul, serving a customized experience for its burritos, quesadillas, tacos and salads in a free spirited rock n’ roll atmosphere. Be it the backwards “F” logo, the music lyrics scrawled across the walls, the iconic music soundtrack, or the Statue of Liberty – “Libby” – holding up a foil burrito, FREEB!RDS has a unique 60’s rock n’ roll hipster vibe like nothing else. FREEB!RDS prides itself on its unique approach to the business, characterized by the tag line “It’s not normal!”

FREEB!RDS WORLD BURRITO operates 25 locations throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Expansion plans includes the opening of 20 new restaurants over the next few years. For further information, visit freebirds.com.

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Kroger Coming to Alliance Town Center

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Shoppers near the Alliance development will enjoy another supermarket option when Kroger Marketplace opens in late 2010.

The 123,000-square-foot store will mark Tarrant County’s first Kroger Marketplace and welcome customers at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive at Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth.

"The residential growth at Heritage and the other nearby communities, as well as the employment growth at Alliance, make Alliance Town Center the ideal location for the first of our new Kroger Marketplace concept stores in Tarrant County," said Gary Huddleston, director of consumer affairs for Kroger, making his comments in a press release.

Kroger and Hillwood Properties, the developer of AllianceTexas, completed the deal that promises shoppers a fuel center, wine shop and a Nature’s Market section offering all-natural and organic products.

The store will also include a Fred Meyer Jeweler store, as well as a home-furnishing section featuring Ashley Brand furniture.

"Since Hillwood began developing Alliance Town Center, we have been looking for the right grocery store to meet the needs of our adjacent Heritage residential community," said Mark Miller, vice president of retail development for Hillwood Properties, making his comments in the same press release.

"Kroger Marketplace is the perfect fit, because it offers a one-stop shop for a wide variety of high-quality groceries, deli, meat and produce."

Hillwood, Kroger Sign Anchor Deal for Heritage Marketplace

Connie Gore — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH – With the deal now signed, Hillwood and Kroger Co. have unveiled plans to develop a 123,000-sf Kroger Marketplace as the anchor to a 20-acre development beside Alliance Town Center. Site work will get under way by the first of the year.

Mark Miller, vice president of retail development for locally based Hillwood Properties, said the Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger will own its 12-acre site and store in Heritage Marketplace. The balance of the land will be divvied into three pad sites and 30,000 sf of inline shops. The development site is located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive, a gateway to the 3,500 single-family homes in the Hillwood-developed Heritage community.

Miller said negotiations with Kroger have taken about two years to complete. The closest traditional grocery store to the development site is at least one mile away. "The residents have been clamoring for this for a long time," he stressed.

It will be the first Kroger Marketplace in Tarrant County. Kroger recently has opened two Marketplaces in Greater Houston and has one under construction in Frisco, a far north Dallas suburb.

Kroger Marketplace is being touted as a "one-stop shopping solution," a marriage of its Signature format and a "store-within-store" lineup featuring a Fred Meyer jewelry store and home-furnishing section with an Ashley Furniture Co.-branded line. Other Marketplace amenities are a fuel center, wine shop and gourmet and chef-prepared food line, Nature's Market with all-natural and organic products and drive-through pharmacy.

Miller said Hillwood is soloing on Heritage Marketplace, unlike the 300-acre Alliance Town Center, a joint venture project with Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. The three-year-old Alliance Town Center is a 20-store mix of national anchors and junior anchors representing more than 600,000 sf of retail. Miller said Heritage Marketplace will be filled with basic services and additional restaurants for the regional retail corridor.

Coming soon to Alliance Town Center is Rooms To Go, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, Freebirds World Burrito and Kirkland's. The development's recent openings include a 168,446-sf center owned by Dallas-based Sam Moon Trading Co. At build-out, Alliance Town Center will boast more than two million sf of retail, office, residential and entertainment space.

Kroger to open new Marketplace stores in Fort Worth, Frisco

Maria Halkias — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Kroger store combining groceries and general merchandise is nearing completion in Frisco and the chain is turning its attention next to Tarrant County's Alliance Town Center.

Kroger Marketplace, a 123,000-square-foot concept store, is scheduled to open in January at the northwest corner of Eldorado Parkway and Custer Road in Frisco.

The company said Tuesday it's planning a second area location for late next year in the north Fort Worth shopping center being jointly developed by Dallas-based Hillwood and Fort Worth-based Trademark.

Kroger recently opened a Marketplace store in Houston and has a second one in the works there.

The bigger stores are Kroger's answer to the competition traditional supermarkets face from Wal-Mart Supercenters and SuperTarget stores. They also introduce Kroger's jewelry brand, Fred Meyer Jeweler, to Texas.

Kroger's Dallas-Fort Worth market share of 15.7 percent ranks second behind Wal-Mart's 39.8 percent share, according to Trade Dimensions quarterly data. Target is in the process of upgrading its discount stores in the area to include fresh foods.

Photography Photo store Kroger is also No. 2 in Houston, behind Wal-Mart, but the gap there is narrower.

In addition to expanded grocery, deli, floral, organic, gourmet and chef-prepared foods, the store will have a wine shop.

Its general merchandise categories are bed, bath, kitchen, tabletop and an Ashley-branded furniture department. The stores are twice the size of a Kroger Signature store and have fuel centers in the parking lot and drive-through pharmacies.

The 300-acre Alliance Town Center is located along the east side of Interstate 35W between North Tarrant and Heritage Trace parkways.

J.C. Penney was the first retailer to open in the shopping center in 2005 and since then several stores have been added, including Sam Moon Trading Co., Belk, Best Buy and Hobby Lobby. Other stores under construction are Rooms To Go, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, Freebirds World Burrito and Kirkland's.

The center is surrounded by new housing developments and is near Alliance Global Logistics Hub.

In Frisco, the Kroger store is on the city's eastern border with McKinney. Kroger owns the property and no other tenants are part of the project.

Kroger signs on with Alliance Town Center

Aleshia Howe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Developers of Fort Worth’s Alliance Town Center have announced the addition of a Kroger Marketplace set to open in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Kroger will open a 123,000-square-foot store under its Kroger Marketplace banner, serving as the company’s fourth such store in Texas. The store will be located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive at Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth.

A joint development of Trademark and Hillwood Properties, Alliance Town Center is a 2 million-square-foot retail, office, residential and entertainment portion of the 17,000-square-foot AllianceTexas development in Fort Worth that is located along the east side of Interstate 35W between North Tarrant Parkway and Heritage Trace Parkway. The 300-acre development has more than 20 retailers that occupy more than 600,000 square feet at Alliance Town Center currently including JCPenney, Sam Moon, Bank of Texas, Belk, Best Buy, Cheddar’s, Dress Barn, Eye Masters, Hobby Lobby, Jason’s Deli, Justice, Kincaid’s, Mattress Firm, McDonald’s, PetSmart, Rack Room, Rue 21, Smoothie King, Sports Clips, Ulta, Wells Fargo and Which Wich. Currently under construction at Alliance Town Center are new locations for Rooms To Go and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, Freebirds World Burrito and Kirkland’s.

At full build-out, Alliance Town Center also will house the HCA medical campus.

The development’s Kroger store will be the first grocery store within the project, serving more than 7,200 single-family homes in the nearby residential portions of AllianceTexas.

According to Hillwood’s announcement, Kroger Marketplace will offer features unique to a Kroger Signature store along with an expanded variety of grocery and deli products, a large floral section, fuel center, gourmet and chef-prepared foods, and a wine shop. The store will have linens for the bathroom and other areas of the home, a kitchen place area with upscale kitchenware and place settings, and the latest toys. The Nature’s Market section will offer all-natural and organic products and the drive-through pharmacy will provide consumers with $4 generic drugs. The Kroger Marketplace also will feature a Fred Meyer Jeweler store, as well as a large home-furnishing section with Ashley Brand furniture.

“Since Hillwood began developing Alliance Town Center, we have been looking for the right grocery store to meet the needs of our adjacent Heritage residential community and the nearby neighborhoods,” said Mark Miller, vice president of retail development for Hillwood Properties, in the release. “Kroger Marketplace is the perfect fit, because it offers a one-stop shop for a wide variety of high-quality groceries, deli, meat and produce, as well as a more convenient and cost effective place to purchase many of the other products needed by homeowners.”

Kroger Readies 1st Marketplace Concept Store for Texas’ Tarrant County

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Kroger Co.’s Southwest Division and real estate developer Hillwood Properties have inked a deal that will bring the first Kroger Marketplace to Tarrant County, Texas. Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2010, the concept store will be located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive at Alliance Town Center in Fort Worth and will be the Cincinnati-based retailer’s fourth Marketplace in the state.

“The residential growth at Heritage and the other nearby communities, as well as the employment growth at Alliance, make Alliance Town Center the ideal location for the first of our new Kroger Marketplace concept stores in Tarrant County,” said Gary Huddleston, director of consumer affairs for Kroger. “This new concept has worked well in other markets, particularly in suburban locations as a one-stop-shopping solution.”

The 123,000-square-foot store will offer features unique to a Kroger Signature store, along with an expanded variety of grocery and deli products, a large floral section, a fuel center, gourmet and chef-prepared foods, and a wine shop. The location will also have linens for the bathroom and other areas of the home, a kitchen place area with upscale kitchenware and place settings, and the latest toys. The Nature’s Market section will offer all-natural and organic products, while the drive-through pharmacy will provide consumers with $4 generic drugs. The Kroger Marketplace will additionally feature a Fred Meyer Jeweler store, as well as a large home-furnishing section with Ashley Brand furniture.

A joint development of Trademark and Hillwood, Alliance Town Center is in north Fort Worth along the east side of Interstate 35W, between North Tarrant Parkway and Heritage Trace Parkway. The 300-acre development is in the middle of one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation over the past decade.

At full buildout, Alliance Town Center will house more than 2 million square feet of retail, office, residential and entertainment space, along with the HCA medical campus. The lifestyle center is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development, which also includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, the Monterra Village apartment home community and the single-family communities of Heritage, Saratoga and Vaquero. AllianceTexas houses more than 7,200 single-family homes and 220 companies that have developed more than 31 million square feet and created 28,000 jobs.

Kroger’s Southwest Division operates 209 stores and 86 fuel centers in Texas and Louisiana.

Kroger bringing Marketplace concept to Tarrant County

Sandra Baker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kroger, the Cincinnati-based grocery chain, has selected Alliance Town Center to locate its first Marketplace store in Tarrant County and only the fourth in Texas, Alliance developer Hillwood announced today.

Click here to read the full article.

FIRST KROGER MARKETPLACE IN TARRANT COUNTY TO OPEN AT ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 10, 2009) – Hillwood and Kroger have completed a deal that will bring the first Kroger Marketplace to Tarrant County. It also will be the company’s fourth Kroger Marketplace in Texas behind the opening of two stores in the Greater Houston area and the impending opening of the Frisco, Texas location in January. The Tarrant County store, which is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2010, will be located at the southwest corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Riverside Drive at Alliance Town Center in Fort Worth.

The 123,000-square-foot store will offer features unique to a Kroger Signature store along with an expanded variety of grocery and deli products, a large floral section, fuel center, gourmet and chef-prepared foods, and a wine shop. The store will have linens for the bathroom and other areas of the home, a kitchen place area with upscale kitchenware and place settings, and the latest toys. The Nature’s Market section will offer all-natural and organic products and the drive-through pharmacy will provide consumers with $4 generic drugs. The Kroger Marketplace will also feature a Fred Meyer Jeweler store, as well as a large home-furnishing section with Ashley Brand furniture.

“Since Hillwood began developing Alliance Town Center, we have been looking for the right grocery store to meet the needs of our adjacent Heritage residential community and the nearby neighborhoods,” said Mark Miller, vice president of retail development for Hillwood Properties, the developer of AllianceTexas. “Kroger Marketplace is the perfect fit, because it offers a one-stop shop for a wide variety of high-quality groceries, deli, meat and produce, as well as a more convenient and cost effective place to purchase many of the other products needed by homeowners.”

A joint development of Trademark and Hillwood, Alliance Town Center is located in north Fort Worth along the east side of Interstate 35W between North Tarrant Parkway and Heritage Trace Parkway. The 300-acre development is in the middle of one of the fastest growing areas in the nation over the past decade.

Many of the retailers at Alliance Town Center have already reached sales levels that are among the best of their respective companies. Sam Moon Trading Company, the renowned seller of women’s fashion accessories and handbags, had the best first month’s sales in its chain’s history at its new 168,446 square-foot store, which opened at Alliance Town Center on May 8. JCPenney, which was the first retailer to open at Alliance Town Center in October 2006, earned the company’s top honor for sales and customer service in 2007 and 2008.

Currently under construction at Alliance Town Center are new locations for Rooms To Go and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. Freebirds World Burrito and Kirkland’s also will open soon.

More than 20 retailers occupy more than 600,000 square feet at Alliance Town Center. In addition to Kroger, JCPenney and Sam Moon, retailers include Bank of Texas, Belk, Best Buy, Cheddar’s, Dress Barn, Eye Masters, Hobby Lobby, Jason’s Deli, Justice, Kincaid’s, Mattress Firm, McDonald’s, PetSmart, Rack Room, Rue 21, Smoothie King, Sports Clips, Ulta, Wells Fargo, and Which Wich.

At full buildout Alliance Town Center will house more than 2 million square feet of retail, office, residential, and entertainment space, along with the HCA medical campus.

Alliance Town Center is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that also includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, the Monterra Village apartment home community and the single-family communities of Heritage, Saratoga and Vaquero. AllianceTexas houses more than 7,200 single-family homes and 220 companies that have built more than 31 million square feet and created 28,000 jobs.

About Kroger

The Kroger Southwest Division operates 209 stores and 86 fuel centers in Texas and Louisiana and is part of one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains serving customers in 31 states. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the supermarket retailer is dedicated to making a difference in the communities it serves by supporting hunger relief, education, women’s health and wellness, and diversity programs. For more information about Kroger, please visit http://www.kroger.com/.

About Hillwood

Hillwood, A Perot Company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company is recognized for its high-profile and public-private ventures that bring tremendous value to its customers and partners. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas and the 2,000-acre AllianceCalifornia development near Los Angeles.

About Trademark

Founded in 1991, Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. (http://www.trademarkproperty.com/) has developed or acquired nearly $1 Billion worth of retail and mixed-use space. Trademark has become one of the premier outdoor retail and mixed-use developers in the country. Other notable Texas projects include Market Street – The Woodlands, and Watters Creek, a 1 million s.f. mixed-use development under construction in Allen, TX.

With BNSF purchase, Buffett bets on growth in container traffic

Jim Landers — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Warren Buffett says his railroad buy is an investment in America, but it's also a bet on a recovery in global trade.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. is the nation's top railroad in intermodal transportation, in which container cargoes move from ships to rail cars to trucks and back again. The nation's biggest container ports are in Southern California, where BNSF trains load up millions of containers of Asian goods each year for inland markets like Dallas-Fort Worth.

Terrance Pohlen, director of the Center for Logistics Education and Research at the University of North Texas, said intermodal is the future.

"Looking down the road a few years, with everybody's views on what's likely to happen with fuel prices and congestion, intermodal is the long-term solution," Pohlen said.

Container traffic has plunged during this recession. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently reported their worst September in nine years. That's slowed business for BNSF. It's also slowed traffic for inland ports like Hillwood Properties' Alliance Texas north of Fort Worth, where the rail line delivers many of its containers.

Alliance, BNSF and, evidently, Warren Buffett expect the container business to revive and keep on growing.

"It seems like it's bottomed out, and in the long run, Alliance is in a 40-year master plan, and we are only in year 20, so there's a lot of positive to grow," said Steve Boecking, a vice president with Hillwood Properties.

Boecking said Alliance Texas and BNSF have an "almost symbiotic" relationship.

"They've invested a lot in their intermodal hub here," Boecking said. "BNSF provides an excellent service into Alliance, which translates into excellent service for our customers."

In the last year, BNSF upgraded its screening and processing at Alliance so that trucks are moved in and out within 30 minutes.

Much of the work at Alliance Texas involves handling containers of Asian imports. That's created 28,000 jobs since Alliance opened in 1990.

Developers are creating an inland port in southern Dallas, and BNSF bought 198 acres there last year with an eye toward building an intermodal hub. Union Pacific Railroad already operates an intermodal hub at what's called the International Inland Port of Dallas.

"If you look at the BNSF network, they are really looking at growth of inland ports in the future, such as what we have in North Texas," Pohlen said. "It just makes sense to move by rail."

Boecking and Pohlen said Buffett's railroad investment should not be viewed as a forecast that the U.S. economy will return to a buy-and-borrow relationship with China.

Americans imported $337.8 billion of goods from China last year, and the U.S. trade deficit with China was $266.3 billion.

Over the last decade, China has used its trade surpluses to lend the U.S. government more than $2 trillion. Some analysts say this flood of capital encouraged banks to make reckless mortgages.

U.S. imports from China this year are on a much slower pace, but are expected to recover.

This time, though, U.S. companies will import more components and fewer finished goods. Already, several companies are assembling and packaging products at Alliance Texas with parts imported from China, including laptop computers.

"Globalism is here to stay," Pohlen said. "Whether we import from China, India or Southeast Asia, we're going to have to move goods using intermodal."

Boecking said "it would be fantastic" if the containers arriving via BNSF from Asia were returned full of U.S.-made goods, but "it's just not that economical to manufacture most of the products we want to buy here in the United States."

Deloitte Breaks Ground

A. Lee Graham — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Deloitte LLP summoned some Lone Star ambition in planning its Westlake campus.

"When you get down to it, that same pioneering spirit is the pulse behind Deloitte University," said Barry Salzberg, chief executive officer of the New York-based accounting and consulting firm.

Amid applause and chilly temperatures, the Brooklyn native celebrated the groundbreaking of the company’s $300-million training facility on 107 acres bounded by Dove, Ottinger and Precinct Line roads and State Highway 114.

Known as Deloitte University, the campus will serve as the company’s primary training facility. Thousands of visitors are expected to learn on the sprawling campus while feeding the local economy.

"The economic impact associated with bringing people from the outside is big," said Blaine L. Nelson, managing partner with the company’s North Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma region.

When classes adjourn, trainees are expected to patronize area restaurants, enjoy sporting events and discover other local diversions.

In short, officials predict that visitors and their families should help enliven the local economy.

About 1,000 jobs are expected to be created for the construction phase, with 100 Deloitte jobs and 400 operations positions, as well.

And with thousands of visitors expected each year, the economic impact becomes clear.

Building such a mammoth facility amid the nation’s wobbly economy underscores the company’s fearlessness when it comes to development. While other companies delay or scrap projects, Deloitte forges ahead.

It foresees a bullish employment market just around the corner and the need to train tomorrow’s workforce.

"The whole Dallas area is incredibly important to our market," said Salzberg, chatting with the Times-Register minutes before taking the podium. Reasons for the company’s North Texas commitment are many; namely, the region’s central proximity, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and quality of life.

"That makes it extraordinarily conducive to learning and developing," Salzberg said.

Westlake Mayor Laura Wheat drew similarities between the company and her town. While Deloitte pursues distance learning and technology in keeping its growing workforce educated, Wheat said that Westlake Academy also embraces innovative learning concepts.

And both are moving from the Information Age to what Wheat called the Conceptual Age.

"Thousands and thousands of Deloitte employees will come together to learn, to share lifelong learning experiences ... to incubate new ideas," said Wheat, next referring to academy students. "Their students will be doing the exact same thing."

When complete in 2011, the 750,000-square-foot campus will boast 800 guest rooms, classrooms and conference areas, business and fitness centers and a ballroom.

Deloitte will brings Westlake another major employer in a community already known for Fidelity Investments, DaimlerChrysler and First American Real Estate Information Services.

The town’s next major employer cheered as Salzberg enjoyed the moment but looked ahead.

"Let this great and never-ending journey begin today."

Deloitte breaks ground for 300 million training facility in Westlake

Sandra Baker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WESTLAKE — The chief executive of New York-based Deloitte L.L.P., one of the nation’s largest accounting and consulting firms, said Wednesday that following through with plans to build a $300 million training facility during the worst recession in 50 years is actually "a bullish and smart move."

Click here to read the full article.

Accounting giant Deloitte breaks ground on Westlake complex

Steve Brown — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Accounting giant Deloitte LLP is breaking ground today on its 107-acre national educational and office complex in Westlake.

The project could eventually cost up to $300 million and will include classrooms, informal learning spaces, meeting rooms and conference facilities, a dining facilities, a fitness center and 800 guest rooms.

“The construction of Deloitte University affirms and advances our commitment to our people and underscores our belief that our people are our greatest asset,” Barry Salzberg, chief executive officer of Deloitte LLP, said in a statement. “Deloitte University will deliver leading-edge learning at critical moments in each person’s career, from new hires to partners, principals and directors.”

The facility is set to open in 2011.

Earlier projections said that the facility could serve as many as 40,000 visitors a year.

Deloitte Digs Into 750,000-SF Project

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WESTLAKE, Texas – Deloitte LLP yesterday broke ground on a 750,000-sf project on 107 acres in North Texas. The learning and leadership development facility will open in 2011.

Deloitte University will be a centralized training destination for professionals company-wide. "Deloitte University will deliver leading-edge learning at critical moments in each person's career, from new hires to partners, principals and directors," said Barry Salzberg, CEO of New York-based Deloitte LLP. "It will be a powerful catalyst for career-long learning at a setting designed to promote both the personal and professional growth of our people."

The campus will feature 35 classrooms, conference space, 800 on-site guest rooms, dining and social venues and recreational areas, including running trails and a fitness center.

Motorsports vets Pietsch, Unser get together to perform stunt – for first time

Melody McDonald — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH — Kent Pietsch, a professional stunt pilot, knows airplanes.

Retired Indy race-car driver Bobby Unser knows cars.

So it only seemed fitting for these friends to combine their talents and perform a stunt during this weekend’s Fort Worth Alliance Air Show.

Click here to read the full article.

What it’s like to fly -- and roll and flip -- in an aerobatic plane

Melody McDonald — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH — My heart was racing Thursday morning as the pilot and a crew member strapped on my parachute. Just in case, they said.

Hmmm.

Earlier in the week, when I told my husband I had been assigned to fly with stunt pilots for this weekend’s Fort Worth Alliance Air Show, he wasn’t exactly thrilled.

Click here to read the full article.

Show of daring

Cary Darling — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Army Golden Knights will be winging into North Texas for this weekend’s Fort Worth Alliance Air Show on Saturday and Sunday. But all the action won’t be up in the sky. There also will be pilot autograph sessions, simulators, exhibits, kids’ activities, food and displays of planes, ’copters and jets.

Click here to read the full article.

UNITED SUPERMARKETS TO BUILD DISTRIBUTION CENTER AT ALLIANCE

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

LUBBOCK, TX – Officials at United Supermarkets announced today the purchase of 15 acres in Dallas-Fort Worth for the construction of the company’s second distribution center.

The facility will be located on Freedom Drive in the Roanoke section of the Alliance Global Logistics Hub according to Robert Taylor, vice president of logistics for United Supermarkets, LLC. The city of Roanoke is located north of Fort Worth.

Site preparation work is expected to begin by mid-November, with anticipated completion by Sept. 1, 2010, Taylor said.

The 200,000 square-foot facility will be developed and operated by Exel, the logistics company which operates United’s distribution center at Llano Logistics in Lubbock. It will employ approximately 75 workers , all of whom will be Exel employees.

“We have provisions in place for future expansion of the new facility if necessitated by company growth,” Taylor said.

“Having a second facility in the Metroplex also will provide additional room for us at our Lubbock D.C., which has been operating at maximum capacity for awhile now,” Taylor explained.

United currently operates six stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, four of which opened within a 14-month span last April.

Taylor said that 100 percent of United’s frozen food, 90 percent of its produce, and 75 percent of its dry grocery will originate from the DFW distribution center.

“It’s a testament to the infrastructure and the advantages of Alliance, that United chose the development for its second distribution center, the first outside its home base of Lubbock and the first in North Texas,” said Tony Crème, vice president of Hillwood Properties, the developer of the Alliance. “We appreciate the cooperation of the city of Roanoke and Denton County on this deal and in their efforts to maintain a competitive tax structure that is attractive for companies like United.”

United was represented by Dan Cook of Cushman & Wakefield. Crème represented Hillwood.

Located 15 miles northwest of DFW Airport, the Alliance Global Logistics Hub is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development developed by Hillwood. Of the 220 companies located in the development more than 60 are major industry leaders, including General Motors, Bridgestone/Firestone, General Mills, Ryder, LEGO, Kraft, Nestle, and Daimler.

About United Supermarkets

Now in its 93rd year of operation, United Supermarkets, LLC, is a Texas-based, family-owned grocery chain with stores in 30 markets across north and west Texas. A self-distributing company with its headquarters and distribution center in Lubbock, United currently operates 50 stores under three distinct formats: United Supermarkets, Market Street and Amigos United.

About Hillwood

Hillwood, a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities for close to 90 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

U.S. NAVY BLUE ANGELS JET PERFORMANCE TEAM HIGHLIGHTS 2009 FORT WORTH ALLIANCE AIR SHOW ON OCTOBER 24 AND 25

Contact: Dave Pelletier (817-224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 14, 2009) – The 2009 Fort Worth Alliance Air Show, featuring this year's only North Texas performance by a major U.S. military jet team, will be held on October 24 and 25. Highlighted by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, this year's show also includes the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, the Shockwave Jet Truck, Julie Clark, one of the first female aerobatic and commercial pilots, and Kent Pietsch, who as part of his act lands on an RV that, as a special treat for this show only, will be driven by 3-time Indianapolis 500 Champion Bobby Unser.

Also taking to the skies as part of the show are Jan Collmer, David Martin, Jim Peitz, Team Oracle with Sean Tucker, the Cavanaugh War Birds, the U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III Demonstration Team, the U.S. Air Force A-10 West Coast Demonstration Team, the U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper East Coast Demonstration Team and the U.S. Navy F-18 Demonstration Team.

World renowned air show announcer Danny "Skytalker" Clisham will narrate the show. Air show veteran Ralph Royce will once again command the skies as the Air Boss.

The air show also will feature static display of numerous military and civilian aircraft, as well as the 19,500 square-foot Virtual Army Experience (VAE), which provides participants with a virtual test drive of the United States Army. The core of the VAE is the Army computer game, rendered with state-of-the-art Army training simulation technology to create a life-size, networked virtual world.

For children young and old, there is the Kids Zone, featuring the world's tallest inflatable slide, and several flight simulators.

The event will be held at Fort Worth Alliance Airport. Gates open at 9 a.m. with performances beginning at 10 a.m. and running until late afternoon. Admission is free. Parking is $20 per vehicle.

The Fort Worth Alliance Air Show typically attracts a crowd between 150,000 and 180,000 spectators for the two-day event, however at most air shows across the country this year attendance has increased by approximately 20% compared to 2008. This boost in attendance is attributed to the events being a low-cost alternative with tremendous entertainment value.

“With free admission and only $20 to park, an entire family -- children, parents, grandparents -- can enjoy a great day of entertainment, watching some of the world’s best pilots, seeing and touring aircraft, and overall enjoying a variety of aviation-related activities,” said Christina Carey, manager of special projects for Fort Worth Alliance Airport. “Across the country, people are realizing that air shows are a great entertainment option that is close to home.”

The Fort Worth Alliance Air Show is a non-profit event that benefits local charities. Since 2006, Alliance Air Productions has raised $207,000 for local nonprofits, including those that provide some of the event’s 400 volunteers.

For a list of performers, parking and other event information, visit www.AllianceAirShow.com

Fort Worth Alliance Airport is the centerpiece of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that houses 220 companies, 28,000 employees and more than 7,000 single-family homes. Airport users include the American Airlines Maintenance Facility, the FedEx Sorting Hub, the Bell Helicopter Customer Center, as well as corporate and military aircraft. The Fixed Base Operation at Fort Worth Alliance Airport has earned ExxonMobil's top customer service award for an unprecedented 13 straight years. The airport is managed by Alliance Aviation Services, a subsidiary of Hillwood, the developer of AllianceTexas.

# # #

Hillwood Development Assists Crandall ISD in Opening 1st Heartland School

Denise Bell, Post Managing Editor — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Last Saturday September 19th Heartland residents bore witness to the dedication and ground breaking ceremony for the soon to be built, Barbara Walker Elementary School.

The first of seven Crandall ISD schools to be erected in the still developing 2,500 acre Heartland community, the Barbara Walker Elementary School, like all the schools sites in Heartland, has been strategically located at the center of residential and trail spaces to allow children easy access.

The innovative plan allows children to walk to schools rather than being driven, a positive impact for safety, convenience and the environment.

The dedication of Barbara Walker Elementary was part of a long time commitment by Ross Perot, Jr. and Hillwood Development Company, the developer of the Heartland Community.

Seven additional schools are planned and students from the district assisted in designing the community’s trail system which received the Award of Excellence from the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Hillwood Development Company has also established the Heartland Education Foundation which will support programs in the Crandall ISD through a fund generated by a ½ of one percent of every real estate transaction in the Heartland community.

The dedication ceremony was attended by Dr. Larry Watson, Crandall ISD Superintendent, Ross Perot Jr., Chairman of Hillwood Development, Jessica Dykman, Principal Barbara Walker Elementary School, Tex York, President of the Crandall ISD Board of Directors and Carol Powell, the daughter of Barbara Walker.

Barbara Walker was a longtime teacher in the Crandall ISD and a longtime Crandall resident. She first taught in the Crandall ISD in 1944 and retired in 1984. She was exceptionally passionate about teaching and was committed to the success of every student.

Barbara Walker was affectionately known as a “teacher’s teacher” and sadly she passed away in 2005.

The Heartland Community is located in Kaufman County along Interstate 20 approximately 20 miles east of downtown Dallas and Barbara Walker Elementary School is located at 4060 Abbey Road in Heartland, Texas.

For Second Straight Year, Alliance Global Logistics Hub Ranks as Top Foreign Trade Zone in The U.S. in Terms of Foreign Products Admitted

Contact: David Pelletier (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fort Worth, Texas (Sept. 21, 2009) – Based on the latest Annual Report of the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to the U.S. Congress (www.ia.ita.doc.gov/ftzpage/annualreport/ar-2007.pdf), the value of foreign merchandise admitted to the Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 has almost doubled from the previous year and continues to rank as the most of any Foreign-Trade Zone in the country. In FY 2007, the latest year that data was available, Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 admitted $7.46 billion in foreign products, an increase of more than 85% from the FY 2006 total of $4.031 billion. In FY 2005 the Alliance Foreign-Trade Zone #196 admitted $0.3 billion in foreign products.

The increase at Alliance reflects similar growth across the United States. From FY 2005 to FY 2007, the value of foreign goods admitted to the 126 multi-purpose foreign-trade zones across the country increased 31.9% from $22.9 billion to $30.2 billion.

Major users of Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub include ATC Logistics & Electronics, Hyundai, Trans-Trade, KFS, LEGO, and Motorola.

"Not only is Foreign-Trade Zone #196 at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub handling more foreign goods from Asia through the West Coast ports, but shipments by truck and rail from Mexico are also increasing,” said Steve Boecking, vice president of Hillwood Properties, the developer of AllianceTexas and the operator of FTZ #196. "As more of our existing customers activate FTZ at their facilities and as we attract new companies seeking the FTZ benefits and the other advantages of the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, we expect the value of goods flowing through Foreign-Trade Zone #196 to continue the phenomenal growth of the past few years.”

TOP U.S. GENERAL PURPOSE FOREIGN TRADE ZONES

By Value Of Foreign Goods Admitted

1. Fort Worth/Alliance (Texas).............................................. $7.460 billion

2. Newark/Elizabeth (New Jersey)........................................... $3.941 billion

3. Port Hueneme (California).................................................... $3.176 billion

4. Harris County (Texas).......................................................... $1.957 billion

5. Tacoma (Washington).......................................................... $1.048 billion

The biggest factor in the growth of imported goods at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub is the BNSF Intermodal Facility that is one of the busiest links in the country for goods arriving from Asia through the West Coast ports to the central part of the United States. A recently completed $32 million capital improvement program, which included new entry and exit gates, new bridges and nearly nine miles of new track, will allow for even more growth in imported goods.

Another key component of the Alliance Global Logistics Hub is Fort Worth Alliance Airport, which houses one of FedEx’s three major U.S. sorting hubs. A runway extension project is currently underway to increase the length of the runways to 11,000 feet. The facility can currently handle any size jet, but the extended runways will allow fully loaded cargo flights to directly serve Asia and Europe on the hottest days of the year. The project is expected to be completed in 2015.

Foreign-trade zones are secure areas under the supervision of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They are considered outside the customs territory of the United States for the purposes of duty payment. Under zone procedures, the usual formal customs entry procedure and payment of duties are not required on the foreign merchandise unless and until it enters customs territory for domestic consumption, in which case the importer normally has a choice of paying duties either on the original foreign materials or the finished product. Foreign-trade zone sites and activities remain within the jurisdiction of federal, state and local governments and agencies.

In large part due to its role in handling foreign goods, AllianceTexas has had an economic impact of $33.8 billion on the North Texas economy. In addition the development has attracted $6.5 billion in private investment, generated more than $625 million in property taxes and created 28,000 fulltime jobs.

In addition to the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development includes Alliance Town Center, the Monterra Village apartment home community, the corporate campuses of Circle T Ranch, the Vaquero estate golf community, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. AllianceTexas now houses 7,200 single-family homes and 220 companies that occupy 29 million square feet. Sixty-five of the companies at AllianceTexas are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms.

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. Close to 90 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms have chosen to locate Hillwood developments. In addition to the AllianceTexas project, Hillwood is best known for its development of American Airlines Center and the Victory mixed-use district near downtown Dallas and AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles.

# # #

Fort Worths Alliance foreign trade zone is nations largest for second year

Barry Shlachter — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday, Alliance Airport will try to coax Commerce Secretary Gary Locke aboard a helicopter — possibly piloted by developer Ross Perot Jr. — for an aerial tour of its landlocked foreign trade zone, the largest in the country for two years running.

Retail sales rise more than expected in August

Christopher S. Rugaber — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — Retail sales jumped in August by the largest amount in more than three years, spurred by widespread gains beyond the expected increases of auto sales from the government's Cash for Clunkers program.

And while inflation at the wholesale level also rose last month as gasoline prices surged the most in a decade, the retail sales report is a sign that consumers may be less cautious about spending as the economy recovers. Consumer spending is closely watched because it accounts for about 70 percent of the nation's economic activity.

Economists were encouraged by the reports, but warned that jobs remain scarce and credit tight, making it difficult for consumers to mount sustained increases in spending.

"Big gains may be short-lived as the weak labor market will weigh on consumers into next year," Adam York, an economist at Wells Fargo Securities, wrote in a note to clients.

The Commerce Department said Tuesday that retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 2.7 percent last month, after falling 0.2 percent in July. That's the largest gain in three-and-a-half years and beat analysts' expectations of a 2 percent increase, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters.

Excluding autos, sales rose 1.1 percent, ahead of an expected 0.4 percent jump. Excluding autos and gas, sales rose 0.6 percent, the most in six months.

Wall Street moved mostly lower in midday trading. The Dow Jones industrial average lost about 10 points, and broader indexes were mixed.

In a separate report, the Labor Department said wholesale prices rose 1.7 percent in August, more than double the 0.8 percent rise economists expected. Wholesale prices had fallen by 0.9 percent in July. Both months were heavily affected by energy prices.

Excluding volatile energy and food costs, core inflation as measured by Producer Price Index posted a more modest 0.2 percent increase, close to the 0.1 percent advance economists expected. The index tracks the prices of goods before they reach store shelves.

While many analysts believe the economy is staging a recovery in the current July-September quarter, the rebound is not expected to trigger inflation pressures because the labor market remains weak.

The Commerce Department report showed that auto sales soared 10.6 percent last month, the most in almost eight years, due mainly to the clunkers program. Gas station sales rose 5.1 percent, as prices at the pump rose. Economists expected increases in both categories, but sales also rose at electronics and appliance stores, department and sporting goods stores.

The clunkers program, which ended last month, provided consumers with rebates of up to $4,500 if they traded in older gas-guzzlers for new, more fuel-efficient models. The incentive boosted car sale 30 percent in August, after a 2.4 percent rise in July.

Many economists expect consumer spending to increase in the current July-September period, after it fell in the second quarter, mostly because of the clunkers program. That could cause the economy to grow by as much as 3 to 4 percent in the third quarter, many economists expect, helping to end the worst recession since the 1930s.

But analysts worry that without consistent consumer spending growth, the recovery could weaken next year, as government stimulus efforts end.

Unemployment continues to rise, holding down wages and limiting the ability of consumers to spend. The unemployment rate, currently at a 26-year high of 9.7 percent, is expected to hit 10 percent by the end of this year and keep rising to around 10.3 percent next spring.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday said the recession is "very likely over at this point." The economy likely is growing now, but it won't be sufficient to prevent the unemployment rate from rising, he added.

Drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. said Monday that it will cut 5,500 jobs over the next two years, 14 percent of its work force, as it restructures the company into five units.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday that the economy has improved in the past year but acknowledged in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America" that the job market remains weak.

"I would say there's no recovery yet," he said. "We define recovery ... as people back to work, people able to get a job again, businesses investing again ... and we're not at that point."

The Commerce Department also reported Tuesday that business cut their inventories 1 percent in July, the 12th straight decline and slightly more than economists expected. Still, sales posted the first back-to-back gains in a year, providing hope that companies soon will switch from trimming stockpiles to increasing their orders.

Other recent economic reports also have been positive. Last week, the Federal Reserve said in a regional survey that the economy is stabilizing or improving in the vast majority of the country.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama on Monday credited his administration and the $787 billion stimulus package rammed through Congress in the first days of his taking office for helping to prevent an even worse economic downturn.

"And though I will never be satisfied while people are out of work and our financial system is weakened, we can be confident that the storms of the past two years are beginning to break," Obama said in a speech on financial reform in New York.

The nation's gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the economy's output, fell 5.5 percent in last year's fourth quarter and the first three months of this year, the worst six-month showing in nearly 50 years.

But in the April-June quarter the decline slowed to 1 percent and many analysts expect the economy will grow in the second half of this year.

Top Office Developers

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the Top Office Developers survey, respondents were asked to record their volume of global activity for the 2008 calendar year. Results show completed development and new construction as of Dec. 31, 2008.

Hines

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 13.5 million sq. ft.

Phone: (713) 621-8000

Web site: http://www.hines.com/

Opus Group

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 7.5 million sq. ft.

Phone: (952) 656-4444

Web site: http://www.opuscorp.com/

Trammell Crow Co.

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 6.6 million sq. ft.

Phone: (214) 863-4101

Web site: http://www.trammellcrow.com/

Lincoln Property Co.

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 4.9 million sq. ft.

Phone: (214) 740-3300

Web site: http://www.lincolnproperty.com/

The Alter Group

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 4.3 million sq. ft.

Phone: 847-676-4300

Web site: http://www.altergroup.com/

Carter

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 3.5 million sq. ft.

Phone: (404) 888-3000

Web site: http://www.carterusa.com/

Duke Realty Corp.

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 3 million sq. ft.

Phone: (317) 808-6000

Web site: http://www.dukerealty.com/

ING Clarion Partners

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2.83 million sq. ft.

Phone: (212) 883-2500

Web site: http://www.ingclarion.com/

Boston Properties

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2.8 million sq. ft.

Phone: 617-236-3000

Web site: http://www.bostonproperties.com/

LaSalle Investment Management

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2.6 million sq. ft.

Phone: (312) 782-5800

Web site: http://www.lasalle.com/

Brandywine Realty Trust

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2.4 million sq. ft.

Phone: (610) 325-5600

Web site: http://www.brandywinerealty.com/

Brookfield Properties Corp.

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2.2 million sq. ft.

Phone: (212) 417-7000

Web site: http://www.brookfieldproperties.com/

TIAA-CREF

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2.1 million sq. ft.

Phone: (800) 842-2252

Web site: tiaa-cref.org

Liberty Property Trust

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 2 million sq. ft.

Phone: 610-648-1700

Web site: http://www.libertyproperty.com/

Hillwood

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 1.9 million sq. ft.

Phone: (972) 201-2800

Web site: http://www.hillwood.com/

Patrinely Group

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 1.6 million sq. ft.

Phone: (713) 840-2700

Web site: http://www.patrinelygroup.com/

RREEF Americas

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 1.5 million sq. ft.

Phone: (212) 454-3900

Web site: http://www.rreef.com/

Koll Development Co.

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 1.4 million sq. ft.

Phone: (214) 696-1700

Web site: http://www.kdc.com/

The Rockefeller Group

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 1.27 million sq. ft.

Phone: (212) 282-2000

Web site: http://www.rockefellergroup.com/

Corporate Office Properties Trust

Total Office Space Developed or Under Construction: 1.2 million sq. ft.

Phone: 443-285-5400

Web site: http://www.copt.com/

Hillwood eyes more homes for Alliance

Staff report — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Alliance area continues to defy the economic odds, with developers announcing the next phase of Hillwood Residential’s Heritage community.

"It makes sense to start a new phase of Heritage at this time because of what the market is telling us," said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential.

Pointing to ongoing job growth and housing demand in the Alliance area, Balda said he hopes the next phase will meet mounting housing demand.

"This next phase will allow us to work with our builders to meet the demand of buyers looking to locate in the highly amenitized Heritage community," said Balda, making his comments in a press release.

New homes in the Heritage community have sold for between $164,000 and $500,000, with an average price of $230,000. About 232 homes in the development began construction in the past year, according to Residential Strategies, which monitors new home development in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Located in the Keller school district and near the retail-rich Alliance Town Center, Heritage is among four master-planned communities in Hillwood’s AllianceTexas development.

AllianceTexas breaks ground on next phase of project

Aleshia Howe — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Residential broke ground on the next phase of its 2,300-acre Heritage community in north Fort Worth on Aug. 13. The next phase includes 78 lots on 30 acres in the Bluffs section of Heritage with homes starting at $280,000. The phase’s builders are Toll Brothers and Standard Pacific.

According to a release, Hillwood cites continued job growth in the Alliance area and a “pent-up demand for housing” as the driving factors in pushing forward with the new phase.

According to Residential Strategies, a local research firm, in the past year Heritage had 232 starts, which ranks second in North Texas areas.

Heritage is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, Circle T Ranch, Alliance Town Center, Saratoga and Monterra Village. AllianceTexas has approximately 10,000 residents in its single-family and apartment home communities and 220 companies that employ 28,000 workers.

Hillwood to develop new lots in Alliance

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Residential is beginning the development of 78 lots on 30 acres in the Bluffs section of the 2,300-acre Heritage development in Alliance.

The developer will break ground Thursday on the next phase of the masterplanned community in north Fort Worth.

“It makes sense to start a new phase of Heritage at this time because of what the market is telling us,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential, in a statement. “Due to continued job growth in the Alliance area and a pent-up demand for housing, Fort Worth’s economy is expected to improve faster than many areas of the country. This next phase will allow us to work with our builders to meet the demand of buyers looking to locate in the highly amenitized Heritage community.”

Heritage, which opened in 2001, had 232 housing starts in the last year with an average sale price of $230,000. There are about 7,000 residents in the development, in 2,600 houses.

The Bluffs phase will be built by Toll Brothers and Standard Pacific. The houses will start at $280,000.

Heritage includes 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, 100 acres of parks and open spaces and other amenities.

Hillwood Residential, founded by Ross Perot Jr., has developed four masterplanned communities in Alliance.

This decision to finish the new Heritage lots comes at a time when bulk lot development has slowed. Much of the focus of the industry over the last year has been to work down the inventory of finished vacant lots. There are 92,335 vacant developed lots in Dallas and Fort Worth, according to data from Dallas-based real estate analysts Residential Strategies Inc., which is an 80-month supply. In the past year, there have been 8,860 lot deliveries, down 64% from this time last year, and there are 5,812 lots currently under development.

Hillwood to break ground on Heritage expansion in Fort Worth

Steve Brown — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Developer Hillwood Residential says it will break ground tomorrow on an expansion of its Heritage housing community in north Fort Worth.

Work is set to begin on another 78 lots in the 2,300-acre development at the northeast corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Exposition Way.

While residential lot development in North Texas has slowed to a trickle in the last couple of years, Hillwood said that continued job growth in its AllianceTexas business district is creating a demand for more housing in North Fort Worth.

Builders Toll Brothers and Standard Pacific plan to construct houses in the new phase starting at $280,000.

During the last year, builders have started 232 homes in the Heritage project, making it one of the busiest subdivisions in Texas, according to Hillwood.

Hillwood breaks ground Thursday on The Bluffs home lots in far north Fort Worth

Sandra Baker — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Residential is breaking ground today on 78 single-family home lots in The Bluffs section of its Heritage community in far north Fort Worth, despite market conditions and reports that show housing starts at their lowest levels in years.

Click here to read the full article.

HILLWOOD LAUNCHES NEW PHASE IN ITS ACCLAIMED HERITAGE COMMUNITY

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817/224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (August 13, 2009) – With recent data indicating a more positive outlook for the housing industry, Hillwood will become one of the first companies in North Texas to develop new single-family lots when it breaks ground on August 13 on the next phase of its highly successful master-planned Heritage community in north Fort Worth. The company will develop 78 lots on 30 acres in the Bluffs section of Heritage.

“It makes sense to start a new phase of Heritage at this time because of what the market is telling us,” said Fred Balda, president of Hillwood Residential. “In addition due to continued job growth in the Alliance area and a pent up demand for housing, Fort Worth’s economy is expected to improve faster than many areas of the country. This next phase will allow us to work with our builders to meet the demand of buyers looking to locate in the highly amenitized Heritage community.”

Since opening in April 2001, Heritage has consistently been among the top five communities in North Texas, based on new home starts. According to Residential Strategies, a local firm that researches DFW new home activity, over the past year Heritage had 232 starts, which ranks second in North Texas. Home prices in Heritage also continue to hold at a strong average price of $230,000, with a range of sales from $164,000 to $500,000. While new homes are maintaining their values, pre-owned homes are experiencing an approximate 4.6% increase. Approximately 7,000 residents currently live in the 2,600 occupied houses in Heritage.

Scott Minke, Heritage HOA Board Member and a home owner in the community for seven years, said, “It’s especially nice to know that as a Heritage resident my property value is not solely based on my home, but rather by what surrounds it. Top-notch amenities like the water park, spray park, walking trails and a multi-functional clubhouse make Heritage a wonderful place to buy a house, sell a house, or live in one.”

Industry leading home builders Toll Brothers and Standard Pacific will offer a variety of floor plans with prices starting at $280,000.

Known for innovative features and high-quality amenities that are incorporated into its communities, Hillwood created Heritage as its first “connected” community by leveraging state-of-the-art technology into each home. This 2,300-acre neighborhood was also among the first to feature extensive landscaping and world-class recreational amenities, such as 10 miles of hike and bike trails, more than 100 acres of parks and open spaces, swimming pools, tennis courts, and a recreation/community center. It showcases a multi-million dollar, 10-acre aquatic complex with waterslides and seven pools, as well as pocket parks and a spray park strategically positioned throughout the neighborhood.

Heritage is fortunate to be located in the highly-acclaimed Keller Independent School District. Families with children also benefit from the three on-site, state-of-the-art elementary schools within walking or biking distance, along with the new Central High School. Parents are encouraged to communicate electronically with their children’s teachers. Technology makes it easy to get missed homework assignments for students who are at home during an illness. The progressive educational programs being used by Keller ISD, along with the talented teachers make Keller one of the most sought-after districts for families moving to North Texas.

Residents are also connected through the community “Intranet,” where they can communicate with their neighbors via the web site or serve on one of the neighborhood committees that make Heritage such an energized place to live. The Club House at Heritage has become a popular gathering place for parties and covered dish dinners. While some people eat, others are in the next room exercising on state-of-the-art equipment. Or—there are those who are using the WiFi capabilities at the Club House, while another group is watching a playoff game in the TV room on comfy sofas.

The Realtor® community solidly supports Heritage because of Hillwood’s reputation of quality development in Tarrant County, coupled with two decades of incentive programs targeted to Realtors® and Hillwood’s commitment to fostering strong and long-term relationships with them. Many Heritage residents have relocated from different parts of the country, and often Realtors® are their first point of contact. Realtors® continue to be a critical partner of the Hillwood team, and as a testament to their commitment, Realtor®-assisted sales in Heritage account for 68% of the annual sales.

Heritage’s front door is anchored by a new retail complex, Alliance Town Center, which boasts the opening of stores at a time when many stores nationwide are closing. JC Penney, Belk, Sam Moon, Rue 21, Jason’s Deli, Which Wich and Kincaid’s are just a few of the thriving retailers, with most performing in the top 1% of all of their local or national locations.

Heritage has been and will continue to be a shining star in Dallas/Fort Worth, which is one of the largest and most robust real estate markets in the country.

Hillwood Residential (http://www.hillwoodresidential.com/) was founded in 1988 by Ross Perot Jr. so that this new division could begin to develop single-family residential communities to complement the new airport and logistics hub in what would become AllianceTexas. Hillwood Residential has not only developed four master-planned communities in AllianceTexas, but it has also delivered more than 19,000 single-family lots in more than 30 communities over the past 20 years.

Staying competitive and on the cutting edge of technology and efficiency—that’s Hillwood Residential. Where great things develop.

# # #

Rail Traffic Strengthens Again

John D. Boyd — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

U.S. rail hauls of metal cargoes reach highest level yet in 2009.

A traffic recovery for large U.S. railroads picked up steam in the week ending Aug. 1, adding to signs that freight demand may be on a sustained climb from recession lows.

The Class I carriers and a few regionals that report to the Association of American Railroads said their U.S. operations carried 274,728 bulk carloads, up nearly 800 from a week earlier. Train hauls of intermodal boxes, containers and trailers combined, hit 193,332 units for a gain of about 350.

From the same week in 2008, carloads were down 18.3 percent and intermodal down 16.1 percent. But for the second straight week carloads were their strongest since March 21 while intermodal volume was the most since Jan. 24.

The year-to-date peak in metal shipments – to 7,727 carloads -- came amid a sustained recent pickup in scrap metal loadings, consistent with demand from metal furnaces to use cheap scrap inputs along with costlier ore when they are getting more metal product orders from other factories.

Other cargoes swelling rail traffic in the latest week included the strongest grain volume since Feb. 14 at 20,983 hopper carloads, chemicals with 27,846 tank cars at their highest since Feb. 28, and pulp or paper shipments the most since Jan. 17 at 5,989 units.

U.S. Manufacturing Almost at Growth Stage

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The U.S. factory sector moved within striking distance of growth in July, a survey showed on August 3 in another encouraging sign for the recession-gripped economy.

The Institute of Supply Management said its index of the manufacturing sector, also known as the purchasing managers (PMI) index, rose to 48.9% from 44.8% in June.

That figure was better than the level of 46.5% expected on Wall Street and closer to the 50% level that separates expansion and contraction.

The ISM said that although the factory sector contracted for an 18th consecutive month, the decline was modest and suggested the slump is ending. "It would be difficult to convince many manufacturers that we are on the brink of recovery, but the data suggests that we will see growth in the third quarter if the trends continue," said ISM survey chief Norbert Ore.

"The solid increase in July’s production reflects reopening of auto plants that were closed during GM's bankruptcy, which results in associated increases in auto parts production. The 'cash-for-clunkers' program appears to be more popular than most analysts projected, which indicates that the long, deep recession has created pent up demand for motor vehicles, " said Daniel J. Meckstroth, Chief Economist for the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI.

"In addition, although the inventory liquidation is probably not over in the manufacturing sector, a reduced pace of inventory cutting does increase production," he added. "The July ISM reports adds to a growing number of indicators that signal that manufacturing and the general economy is bottoming out and a recovery is coming this summer. Although a welcome relief, we believe that the recovery will be below average and it will take many years to reach the pre-recession production level."

Additionally, the survey showed the new orders and production sub-indexes growing, and that the headline index was pulled down by weakness in inventories and lingering declines in employment.

The new orders index increased to 55.3% from 49.2%, showing growth in factory orders.

The production sub-index climbed to 57.9% from 52.5%, suggesting accelerating activity.

The employment index was at 45.7%, still contracting, but better than the level of 40.7% in June.

The ISM said six of the 18 manufacturing industries reported growth in July -- nonmetallic mineral products; paper products; printing and related activities; electrical equipment, appliances and components; transportation equipment; and chemical products.

A certified green building

By Sandra Baker — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Five buildings totaling 1.2 million square feet of space in the Hillwood-developed Interchange Business Center in San Bernardino, Calif., have earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

It is the largest speculative industrial project in the U.S., one of the largest industrial projects in the U.S., and one of the largest overall projects in California to receive LEED certification, said Hillwood, the Fort Worth-based developer of Alliance Airport and the surrounding residential and industrial developments.

The buildings were completed in 2008 but have since been sold to CB Richard Ellis Investors. The buildings received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification in June.

The Interchange Business Center was done in partnership with the city of San Bernardino’s Economic Development Agency. The 144-acre site once housed a pre-World War II silica gel manufacturer.

Watson, Hillwood Buildings Earn LEED

By Bob Howard — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

CHINO, CA-Developers Watson Land Co. of Carson, CA and Hillwood of Dallas have earned LEED certifications on industrial buildings totaling more than 1.5 milllion square feet that the two companies developed here and in San Bernardino, underscoring the momentum that the sustainability movement is gaining in new commercial real estate construction. Watson Land Co.'s new 297,107-square-foot industrial building in Chino has won a LEED Gold rating, while buildings totaling more than 1.2 million square feet that Hillwood developed in San Bernardino and later sold to CB Richard Ellis Investors have earned LEED Silver.

The Watson building is at 6810 Bickmore Ave. It is one of four new buildings in Watson Commerce Center Chino, a 1.2-million-square-foot project featuring industrial buildings that Watson markets under its Legacy Building brand, a series of energy-efficient class A buildings designed and constructed in accordance with LEED guidelines.

According to Lance Ryan, vice president of marketing and leasing for Watson Land, customer demand for energy-efficient green buildings "is stronger than ever.” The Chino building is occupied by Motivational Fulfillment & Logistics Services Inc., one of the largest full-service fulfillment and logistics services providers in the nation. Since moving to the new facility in May 2007, the company reported that its electricity bill has dropped 50% and its landscaping fees are nearly 40% less, Watson says. By the end of 2009, Watson will have completed construction on more than two million square feet of speculative industrial buildings designed for LEED certification.

The Hillwood LEED buildings are at Interchange Business Center in San Bernardino, which Hillwood describes as the largest LEED-certified speculative industrial project in the US. The five speculative buildings, which were completed in 2008, range from 94,108 square feet to 448,108 square feet. Hillwood developed the project, then later sold the five buildings to CBRE Investors.

The Interchange center was developed on a 144-acre former Brownfield site in the State College Redevelopment Project Area that dates back to before World War II, when it housed a facility to manufacture silica gel, later being converted for uses involving the testing of incendiary bombs for the military and the production of mineral-based composites used in water softening.

The redeveloped site is the result of a public-private partnership between the city of San Bernardino's Economic Development Agency (EDA) and Hillwood to redevelop a blighted property. The EDA, Hillwood and the San Bernardino Municipal Water District also worked together on a four-million-gallon water reservoir for fire suppression.

1.2M SF Project on Former Brownfield Site in California Earns LEED Certification

Tonie Auer — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A 1.2-million-square-foot industrial park touted as the largest speculative industrial project in the U.S. became one of the largest overall projects in California to receive LEED certification. Developed by Dallas-based Hillwood, the project was sold to CB Richard Ellis Investors a year ago, but Hillwood staff recently completed the Silver LEED certification process on behalf of the new buyer.The five speculative buildings at Interchange Business Center in San Bernardino, Calif., were completed in 2008. They range in size from 94,100 to 448,100 square feet. The buildings were constructed over an 18-month period. The project is the second in San Bernardino to receive LEED certification.“We finished the project about a year ago, but the LEED certification process takes a long time,” John Magness, senior vice president for Hillwood, told CPN. “We've been working through the final throes of getting certification and earning all the points we're eligible for to earn the Silver certification.Magness said seeking the LEED certification on a speculative project is becoming a key component in searching for tenants and buyers, especially in the current era of sluggish tenant demand.“We are forecasting that [LEED certification] is becoming more and more important for people looking for properties,” he said. “The economy has slowed down, but the green initiative is the buzz word in industry. More companies are indicating that if they are going to sign a 10- to 15-year lease or buy a building, they would like to have a site with a reduced carbon footprint and be green. That is why we built the projects like this on Interchange Business Center.”Located in the State College Redevelopment Project Area, InterChange Business Center is the result of a public-private partnership between the city of San Bernardino's Economic Development Agency and Hillwood to redevelop the blighted property to a productive use.Prior to its extensive remediation, the 144-acre site was defined as a brownfield. The location dates back to before World War II, when it housed a facility to manufacture silica gel. During the war, the site was used for the storage, packing and testing of six-pound incendiary bombs for the military. Later it was used for zeolite production of mineral based composites used in water softening.“Interchange Business Park's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council, in a prepared statement. “The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Interchange Business Park serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”

Buildings certified under energy program

Lou Hirsh — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Five buildings totaling more than 1.2 million square feet, at Interchange Business Center in San Bernardino, have earned certification under the national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the U.S. Green Building Council.

A statement from Dallas-based developer Hillwood said this is among the nation's largest industrial projects, the largest speculative one, and among the largest overall in California, to receive LEED certification.

The industrial project, off Cajon Boulevard near Interstate 215, also is the second in San Bernardino to receive LEED certification. The business park stems from a public-private partnership between the city of San Bernardino's Economic Development Agency and Hillwood, to redevelop a formerly blighted property for productive uses.

MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET AT INTERCHANGE BUSINESS CENTER IN SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. RECEIVES LEED CERTIFICATION

contact: Dave Pelletier (817-224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (July 21, 2009) – Five Hillwood-developed buildings totaling more than 1.2 million square feet at Interchange Business Center in San Bernardino, Calif. have earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This is the largest speculative industrial project in the U.S., one of the largest industrial projects in the country, and one of the largest overall projects in California to receive LEED certification.

The project also is the second in San Bernardino to receive LEED certification. In 2008 a 1,400 square-foot CFNA retail outlet was certified by the USGBC.

“Interchange Business Park’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Interchange Business Park serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”

The five speculative buildings, which were completed in 2008, range in size from 94,108 square feet to 448,108 square feet. Hillwood developed the project then later sold the five buildings to CB Richard Ellis Investors.

Located in the State College Redevelopment Project Area, InterChange Business Center is the result of a public-private partnership between the city of San Bernardino’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) and Hillwood to redevelop the blighted property to a productive use.

LARGEST LEED CERTIFIED INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS IN U.S.

Sq. Foot. Project Date Certified

2,000,000 BridgestoneFirestone Warren Green Bldg., Morrison, TN Oct. 1, 2008

1,500,000 GM Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant, Lansing, MI June 30, 2006

1,441,705 Pryor Gatorade Facility, Pryor, OK April 28, 2008

*1,205,551 Interchange Business Park, San Bernardino, CA June 3, 2009

LARGEST LEED CERTIFIED PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA

Sq. Foot. Project Proj. Type Date Certified

1,728,702 Capitol Area East Complex, Blk. 17, Sacramento Office Feb. 11, 2004

1,722,464 Getty Center, Los Angeles Assembly/High Ed Feb. 3, 2009

1,464,953 101 California, San Francisco Office April 14, 2009

1,205,551 Interchange Business Park, San Bernardino Industrial June, 3, 2009

* speculative project

Prior to its extensive remediation, the 144-acre site was defined as a Brownfield by local, state and federal agencies. One of the facets of the LEED rating system is to encourage re-developing challenging sites in order to reduce the need to develop pristine undeveloped land.

The location dates back to pre-World War II when it housed a facility to manufacture silica gel. During the war the site was used for the storage, packing and testing of six-pound incendiary bombs for the military. Later it was used for zeolite production of mineral based composites used in water softening.

Other measures that led to the LEED Silver certification for the five speculative buildings at Interchange Business Center include:

Preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, carpools and vanpools Keeping a significant portion of the site undeveloped with native vegetation to maximize open space Stormwater management plan that limits discharge by increasing on-site infiltration with a bio-swale and detention basin Reduced light pollution by minimizing glare from lighting on buildings and site Developed a Design and Construction Guideline for future tenants to educate and assist with implementing sustainable design and construction elements for interior build-out Installation of water efficient irrigation system and drought tolerant landscaping to minimize water usage Commissioning of the building energy systems to ensure they are installed, calibrated and perform as required for optimal performance. Contracted for Green Power (renewable energy) Onsite recycling program during construction that diverted 75% - 90% of construction debris from landfills Utilized building materials with recycled content, as well as regional materials to reduce environmental impacts resulting from transportation Provided additional outdoor air ventilation by increasing air changes per hour, above code requirements Implemented an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) plan during construction to properly protect equipment prior to and during installation to minimize contamination, as well as protect absorptive materials from moisture damage Utilized low-emitting materials, including adhesives/sealants and finish materials for the interior of the building Skylights and large windows for natural light

The EDA, Hillwood and the San Bernardino Municipal Water District also worked together on a 4 million gallon water reservoir that is vital for future fire suppression capacity in the area.

Interchange Business Center is expected to create approximately 1,400 jobs and provide funding for extensive improvements to the much-traveled and highly congested University Parkway/I-215 Freeway Interchange.

The City of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency is a focused, diverse organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of San Bernardino by creating and retaining jobs, eliminating physical and social blight, supporting culture and the arts, developing a balanced mix of quality housing, along with attracting and assisting businesses both independently and through public-private partnerships.

Hillwood began developing in the Inland Empire in 2000, when it was named master developer of the former Norton Air Force Base. Since that time, 7.6 million square feet have been built and close to 3,000 new jobs have been created at what is now called AllianceCalifornia. In addition to Interchange Business Center and AllianceCalifornia, Hillwood’s projects in the Inland Empire include North San Bernardino Business Park, Hofer Ranch in Ontario, Renaissance in Rialto, Vintner’s Grove in Rancho Cucamonga, and West Valley Logistics Center in Fontana.

Dallas-based Hillwood, a Perot company, is one of the top commercial and residential real estate developers in the country. The company's developments currently house facilities for close to 90 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to its Inland Empire projects, Hillwood is best known for its development of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas project, located 15 miles northwest of DFW Airport, and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

# # #

Kincaid’s Has 'Scoop’ at Alliance

A. Lee Graham — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kincaid’s Hamburgers feeds customers the only way it knows how — one burger at a time. But at its newly opened Alliance store, the same strategy goes for ice cream scoops.

"We are the first [Kincaid’s] store to serve ice cream by the scoop," said Evan Parker, manager for the burger palace at Alliance Town Center.

Kincaid’s devotees mobbed the company’s fifth store when it joined the retail center in May at 9120 North Freeway. From office workers to families, a diverse clientele kept burgers flipping. And still do.

"I just say our focus is making one burger at a time. Just like at the Southlake store," said Parker, who trained at the Southlake Boulevard location before taking the reins at Alliance.

But Kincaid’s isn’t the only business feeding Alliance’s bottom line. So are Sam Moon Trading Co., J.C. Penney and others reporting sales spikes in May. Overall, business has surpassed expectations.

"Sales projections were exceeded by about a third," said Patrick Murphy, director of real estate for Sam Moon. "Usually, after a grand opening, it [business] dies down. This one hasn’t."

Added to that business later this month will be Sam Moon Home Decor, making it the company’s largest location even bigger. Also enjoying big business is J.C. Penney, the first retailer to open its doors at the center in late 2006. Since then, it has become among the Plano-based company’s top performers.

"They’ve got a great team out there — good management and a great team of associates," said company spokesman Tim Lyons. "They’ve really connected with the customers in the area."

The store is among only 74 of the company’s 1,101 locations to receive the 2008 Chairman’s Award, presented recently by Myron E. Ullman III, company chairman and chief executive.

About 140 employees work at the 104,000-square-foot retail emporium.

'Team effort’

Shlachter, Nishimura & Baker — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The J.C. Penney store at Alliance Town Center in far north Fort Worth, the first retailer to open in the shopping center in 2006, has earned its company’s Chairman’s Award for top performance for a second straight year.

Click here to read the full article.

Leases totaling 556,000 square feet renewed at Alliance

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood has secured two leases totaling 556,039 square feet with ATC Logistics & Electronics (ATCLE), which first opened in the Alliance Global Logistics Hub development in 1994. ATCLE renewed its lease in the 375,000-square-foot Gateway 5 building, which it has occupied since 2005, as well as its lease at the 181,039-square-foot Gateway 31 building the company has occupied since 2007.

ATCLE also leases the entire 413,508-square-foot Gateway 19 building. The company signed a long-term lease on that facility in 2007.

With a total of 969,547 square feet, ATCLE represents one of the largest overall expansions at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub. The company first opened at Alliance in 1994 with 40,536 square feet in the Commerce Center 4 building.

Ryan Keiser of CB Richard Ellis represented ATCLE in the lease renewals. Steve Aldrich, vice president of Hillwood Properties, represented Hillwood. Including these deals, Hillwood has leased a total of 1.9 million square feet of space at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub in 2009. In 2008, the company leased 1.1 million square feet at Alliance.

Alliance Town Center's Shops Raising Sales Bars for Chains

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH – With Alliance Town Center's shops ringing up strong sales, Hillwood and Trademark Property Co. are toasting the traction that their 20 retailers in the 600,000-sf development have made in light of the recession and retail sector's overall sluggishness.

In the past month, Kincaid's Hamburgers and Sam Moon Trading Co. have opened doors and the project's JCPenney store, which opened in October 2006, won its second Chairman's Award to signal its success in the budding Interstate 35 W retail corridor in north Fort Worth. Alliance Town Center is situated between North Tarrant and Heritage Trace parkways.

The 168,446-sf Sam Moon Center is the Dallas-based chain's fourth in the state and first in Tarrant County. The sales were the highest of all previous store openings, said Daniel Moon, vice president and general counsel of Sam Moon.

Kincaid’s Hamburgers marked its fifth launch with one of the most successful grand openings in its 40-year history.

The joint venture's future plans include a grocery-anchored center and a "town center" component with specialty retail interspersed with office, hotel and residential space. At build-out, the 300-acre Alliance Town Center will top two million sf in a mix of uses, including entertainment and the HCA medical campus.

Alliance Town Center, with miles of interstate frontage, is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas encompassing the cities of Fort Worth, Roanoke, Haslet and Westlake in Tarrant and Denton counties. AllianceTexas houses more than 200 companies in 29 million sf, 7,200 single-family homes, Monterra Village apartments and corporate campuses and golf courses.

BUSINESS BOOMING AT ALLIANCE TOWN CENTER

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 25, 2009) – For several retailers at Alliance Town Center in Fort Worth, the past month has been exciting and busy. Iconic retailers Kincaid’s Hamburgers and Sam Moon Trading Co. experienced highly successful openings, while the JCPenney store earned its company’s Chairman’s Award for top performance for the second straight year.

Sam Moon Trading Company opened the doors of its fourth store in May. The renowned seller of women’s fashion accessories and handbags attracted large crowds of shoppers to its new 168,446 square-foot center, which is the company’s first location in Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

“Based on first month’s sales, Sam Moon Trading Fort Worth’s sales were the highest of all our prior store openings,” said Daniel Moon, vice president and general counsel of Sam Moon.

JCPenney, which was the first retailer to open at Alliance Town Center in October 2006, has earned the company’s top honor each of the past two years. The 2008 Chairman’s Award was presented on May 1 by Myron E. (Mike) Ullman, III, JCPenney chairman and chief executive officer, to only 74 of the Company‘s 1,101 stores.

“Our store’s performance was a result of a team effort. Our Associates are committed to putting our customers first and making JCPenney an easy and exciting place to shop,” said JCPenney Store Manager Enriqueta Calvillo. “We are part of a dynamic community, and we look forward to continuing to provide an outstanding shopping experience.”

Kincaid’s Hamburgers, which last month opened its fifth outlet at Alliance Town Center, had one of the most successful grand openings in the company’s 40-year history.

More than 20 retailers occupy more than 600,000 square feet at Alliance Town Center. In addition to JCPenney, Kincaid’s and Sam Moon, retailers include Bank of Texas, Belk, Best Buy, Cheddar’s, Dress Barn, Eye Masters, Hobby Lobby, Jason’s Deli, Justice, Mattress Firm, PetSmart, Rack Room, Rue 21, Smoothie King, Sports Clips, Ulta, Wells Fargo, and Which Wich.

Future phases of Alliance Town center will include a grocery-anchored center and a town center component with specialty retail integrated with office, hotel and residential space. At full buildout Alliance Town Center will house more than 2 million square feet of retail, office, residential, and entertainment space, along with the HCA medical campus.

Alliance Town Center is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that also includes the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, the Monterra Village apartment home community and the single-family communities of Heritage, Saratoga and Vaquero. AllianceTexas houses more than 7,200 single-family homes and 200 companies that have built 29 million square feet and created 28,000 jobs. The development lies within four cities: Fort Worth, Roanoke, Haslet and Westlake, and two counties: Tarrant and Denton.

About Hillwood

Hillwood, A Perot Company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company is recognized for its high-profile and public-private ventures that bring tremendous value to its customers and partners. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood (www.hillwood.com) is best known for its development of the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas and the 2,000-acre AllianceCalifornia development near Los Angeles.

About Trademark

Founded in 1991, Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. has developed or acquired nearly $1 Billion worth of retail and mixed-use space. Trademark has become one of the premier outdoor retail and mixed-use developers in the country. Other notable Texas projects include Market Street – The Woodlands, and Watters Creek, a 1 million s.f. mixed-use development under construction in Allen, TX. For information, visit http://www.trademarkproperty.com/.

# # #

Alliance Town Center Lassoes the 'Moon,’ Shoppers Swoon

A. Lee Graham — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Alliance corridor’s retail appetite appears insatiable, with Sam Moon Center just the latest outpost beckoning shoppers.

"The biggest thing has been the tremendous residential growth in this area since 2000," said David Pelletier, a spokesman with Hillwood Development, which oversees Alliance Town Center at 9120 North Freeway.

Since opening in late 2006, the 500-acre retail hub has drawn not only nearby homeowners, but also shoppers from afar.

"It’s pulling in lots of people west of here — Wise County and those areas," Pelletier said. "Instead of going to some of the malls that are closer to the city, it seems to be a popular alternative."

Decidedly popular is Tarrant County’s first taste of the retail phenomenon that’s made Sam Moon a fixture in Dallas. Women flock to showrooms in Dallas, Frisco and Houston, where imported handbags, scarves, belts and other items outfit shoppers while taking less from their wallets.

In fact, snapping up trendy designs at wholesale prices has built a following some believe borders on cult status.

"It’s amazing," said Pelletier, recalling the recent grand opening of Sam Moon Center, anchored by the Sam Moon Trading Co. and featuring a Sam Moon Luggage & Gifts store.

"Someone referred to it as it was like Christmas at a shopping center on Saturday, it was so busy."

Earnings and employment impact are hard to measure, said Terry Montesi, founding partner of Trademark Property Co., which has helped develop Alliance Town Center.

"It’s hard for us to track since Sam Moon has opened whether our traffic has changed materially," Montesi said.

Sam Moon officials were not available for comment.

"There’s clearly a pent-up demand for retail services in the area, and that’s a big part," Montesi said.

How many of the estimated 28,000 jobs in the Alliance corridor are tied to growing interest in the retail center is unknown, but it now boasts about 700 restaurant and retail jobs, Pelletier estimated.

Its success appears, at least in part, attributed to the real-estate axiom "location, location, location."

"The fact that it’s a material entertainment corridor, with Texas Motor Speedway, Cabela’s, etc., and the fact that it draws people from many places has helped," said Montesi.

Montesi said his company’s leasing agent receives at least 20 calls a week from prospective lessees.

"We’ve signed leases and LOIs [letters of intent] lately and have lots of prospects working right now."

Word of mouth has helped feed the momentum.

"When there are other retailers doing well, they hear about it. The word’s out."

With about 3,000 homes built nearby since 2001, Pelletier said, not to mention new facilities springing up at the shopping center, a development slowdown appears unlikely.

A McDonald’s restaurant and Rooms To Go showroom are just two projects in the pipeline.

Negotiations are under way for more restaurants.

"There’s been an interest from restaurants because restaurants that are there are doing very well," said Pelletier.

Those include Jason’s Deli, Kincaid’s Hamburgers, Which Wich and others.

Asked to pick the site’s top franchisers, and Pelletier didn’t miss a beat. "All of them," he said.

ATCLE Renews 556,000 SF

Amy Wolff Sorter — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH-ATC Logistics & Electronics will remain in its space at the 375,000-square-foot Gateway 5 building and the 181,039-square-foot Gateway 31 building, thanks to a three-year agreement that will keep the third-party logistics provider in its current digs at Alliance Global Logistics Hub. The renewal means ATCLE will remain one of the larger tenants at Alliance Global, occupying a grand total of 969,547 square feet at the Hillwood development.

"The lease on the two buildings were up, and we just decided to negotiate them for another three-year term," explains Antony Francis, ATGLE president. He explains that CB Richard Ellis first vice president Ryan Keiser, who represented ATGLE, benchmarked other alternatives in the area in terms of cost. The preference, overall, was to remain, as the company had a significant equipment investment in the two buildings.

"It would have been difficult to move that application elsewhere, so the best-case scenario was to negotiate good rates, remain where we are, and maintain existing operations," Francis tells GlobeSt.com.

Steve Aldrich, Hillwood Properties vice president says the catalyst in getting negotiations going was Gateway 31, which ATGLE took in 2007. "The company was looking at it as a temporary solution to allow them to chase some projects, and those projects became permanent in nature," Aldrich says.

ATGLE first became a Hillwood tenant in the mid-1990s, taking down 40,000 square feet. Over the years, as the company grew, it took more space and eventually made the move to the 17,000-acre Alliance Global Logistics Hub.

"One of the great things is that we've been able to work with them and flex up with them as needed," Aldrich remarks. "They grew from 40,000 square feet to almost one million square feet in a little more than 10 years. If they continue that trend in the next 10 years, that'll be close to half our entire square footage."

Francis says he'd love to see that happen, and if it does, Hillwood will remain ATGLE's landlord of choice. "Hillwood has some great properties there," he adds. "As soon as we're forced into the wonderful choice of having to go into another building, we'll take more space over there."

HILLWOOD COMPLETES LEASES TOTALING 556,039 SQUARE FEET WITH ATC LOGISTICS & ELECTRONICS AT ALLIANCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS HUB

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 23, 2009) – Hillwood has completed two leases totaling 556,039 square feet with ATC Logistics & Electronics (ATCLE), which first opened in the development in 1994. ATCLE renewed its lease in the 375,000 square-foot Gateway 5 building that it has occupied since 2005, as well as the lease at the 181,039 square-foot Gateway 31 building the company has occupied since 2007.

ATCLE, which employs approximately 2,600 employees at Alliance, also leases the 413,508 square-foot Gateway 19 building. The company signed a long-term lease on that facility in 2007, when it expanded to occupy the entire building. All three ATCLE facilities are in the Fort Worth section of the Alliance Global Logistics Hub.

“ATCLE’s strategic location in the US high tech corridor, and expansive facilities at Alliance are essential to the ability to offer customers highly efficient and reliable service,” said Antony Francis, president of ATCLE. “It is a prime environment for operating in the electronics industry, and has been an advantage as we have evolved into an industry leader. We are very encouraged by our performance over the past 15 years, and consider Alliance an ideal area for additional growth.”

Now with a total of 969,547 square feet, ATCLE represents one of the largest overall expansions at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub. The company first opened at Alliance in 1994 with 40,536 square feet in the Commerce Center 4 building.

“With more than 29 million square feet and 200 customers already in place at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, renewals with long-time industry-leading customers like ATCLE are a critical part of what Hillwood focuses on each day,” said Steve Aldrich, vice president of Hillwood Properties.

Ryan Keiser of CB Richard Ellis represented ATCLE. Aldrich represented Hillwood.

With these deals Hillwood already has leased 1.9 million square feet at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub this year. In 2008 the company leased 1.1 million square feet at Alliance.

The Alliance Global Logistics Hub is part of the 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development. In addition to the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, the development includes the Monterra Village apartment home community, Alliance Town Center, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities. More than 60 companies at AllianceTexas are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms.

A division of Illinois-based ATC Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: ATAC), ATCLE is a premier provider of third party logistics (3PL) and supply chain services. The company specializes in forward logistics, reverse logistics, asset recovery, test & repair, kitting & packaging and value-added services for high-velocity, high-tech devices, in addition to other equipment and components. Industry focus includes wireless, broadband, electronics, medical, industrial and automotive. ATCLE’s knowledge, expertise, IT capabilities and 99.5 percent service and quality levels enable its customers to streamline supply chain efficiency and enhance growth and profit. With a customer roster including AT&T, GM, LG, Pantech and TomTom, ATCLE raises the standard for quality, service and performance. For more visit: http://www.atcle.com/.

Hillwood, (www.hillwood.com) a Perot company, is ranked as one of the top commercial real estate developers in the country and the top residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company's developments currently house facilities for close to 90 companies listed on either the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private firms. In addition to AllianceTexas, Hillwood is best known for its development of AllianceCalifornia near Los Angeles and the $420-million American Airlines Center and Victory district near downtown Dallas.

# # #

ATC renews lease at Alliance Global hub

Bill Hethcock — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood’s Alliance Global Logistics Hub will keep one of the project’s largest clients under terms of a 556,000-square-foot lease renewal signed last week.

ATC Logistics and Electronics, which opened in Alliance in 1994, renewed its lease in the 375,000-square-foot Gateway 5 building that it has occupied since 2005, as well as the lease at the 181,000-square-foot Gateway 31 building it has occupied since 2007.

ATC, which employs about 2,600 people at Alliance, also leases the 413,500-square-foot Gateway 19 building. The company signed a long-term lease on that facility in 2007 when it expanded to the entire building. All three ATC facilities are in the Fort Worth section of the Alliance Global Logistics Hub.

No immediate job growth will be tied to the lease renewals, but the third-party logistics firm has been in near-constant expansion mode for several years, said ATC Logistics President Antony Francis.

The firm, which provides warehousing, distribution, return and repair service for electronics customers, grew from about 500 employees to about 2,700 in the past five years as revenue went from $83 million to $353 million, Francis said. Its focus includes wireless, broadband, electronics, medical, industrial and automotive devices for customers ranging from AT&T Inc. and TiVo to LG Electronics Inc. and TomTom Inc.

ATC has been pleased with Hillwood and Alliance, and more broadly with the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which is ideal for nationwide logistics and distribution because of its central location and transportation infrastructure, Francis said.

“Once you have established operations with key customers like AT&T and TomTom, you don’t want to disrupt things by having to move a facility,” he said. Both Hillwood and ATC declined to disclose lease rates.

Expansion at Alliance is likely to continue if ATC continues to land more business, Francis said. “We are very aggressively looking for new opportunities,” he said.

With almost a million square feet, ATC represents one of the largest overall expansions at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, said Steve Aldrich, vice president of Hillwood Properties. The company opened at Alliance in 1994 with 40,500 square feet.

With more than 29 million square feet and 200 tenants now at Alliance, renewals such as the ATC deal make up a critical part of Hillwood’s focus, Aldrich said.

“We’ve had a longstanding relationship with ATC dating back to their initial operation out here,” Aldrich said. “It’s been a great story of growth, which is a huge credit to the company itself, but also speaks to our ability to facilitate that growth.”

Being based at Alliance makes sense for a logistics company such as ATC for many reasons, said Terrance Pohlen, associate professor of logistics and director of the Center for Logistics Education and Research at the University of North Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area’s population of more than 6 million puts the company close to many customers, Pohlen said. Alliance’s proximity to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Fort Worth Alliance Airport allows for easy air transportation of electronic devices, and the area’s geographic location allows products to be trucked to 80% to 85% of the U.S. population within two days, he said.

Alliance has positioned the inland port as a hub for the electronics industry, he added.

“You’ve got lots of electronics trade coming into D-FW; you’ve got many electronics manufacturers located throughout the Metroplex, and out at Alliance you’ve got lots of cell phone manufacturers and other companies that are in the electronics business,” Pohlen said.

Including the ATC deals, Hillwood has leased 1.9 million square feet at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub so far this year. In 2008 the company leased 1.1 million square feet at Alliance.

Ryan Keiser of CB Richard Ellis represented ATC Logistics. Aldrich represented Hillwood.

Federally funded logistics training coming to AllianceTexas

Staff report — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Training and certification opportunities await production and supply chain logistics workers thanks to a new program planned for the AllianceTexas development.

Under the national logistics training program, the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council will bring to the Alliance Global Logistics Hub a training program focusing on core skills and knowledge sought by the nation’s production and supply chain logistics workers.

"This certification will increase the value of those who complete the training, since they will have a certificate that is nationally recognized and promoted by the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council," said Kay Lee, senior manager of corporate services at Tarrant County College.

Initial training for the Washington, D.C.-based council program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Certified logistics associate and certified logistics technician credentials offer logistics workers a way to document their skills and provide a means to secure higher wages, according to Leo Reddy, chief executive with the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council.

"They apply to front-line workers across the entire supply chain: from factories, to warehouses, to distribution centers, to truck drivers responsible for handling materials," Reddy added.

"Alliance companies will benefit by having highly trained logistics professionals, which will improve efficiency and quality control at their facilities," Lee said.

Many of the 200 companies at the Alliance hub helped formulate the program and have guaranteed job interviews to students who complete the certification. Among those companies are JC Penney, Motorola, DSC Logistics and Bridgestone-Firestone.

"Alliance is the natural location to launch this new logistics training program," said Steve Boecking, vice president of Hillwood Properties, the developer of Alliance.

Certification program will benefit logistics workers

Shlachter, Nishimura & Baker — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fort Worth’s Alliance Global Logistics Hub is home to the new national logistics training program being instituted by the Washington, D.C.-based Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, according to Hillwood Properties, the developer of Alliance.

Click here to read the full article.

Alliance Hub to offer national logistics training program

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A new national training program funded by a U.S. Department of Labor grant will use the Alliance Global Logistics Hub in Fort Worth to train professionals in the logistics industry.

Hillwood, the developer of Alliance Global Logistics Hub, said Tuesday that the Washington, D.C.-based Manufacturing Skills Standards Council will be offering training, evaluations and certificate programs at the hub to enhance and promote training for supply chain logistics workers.

The training program, which will be managed through the Tarrant County College-Corporate Services campus at Alliance, will offer a Certified Logistics Associate certificate and a mid-technical level Certified Logistics Technician certificate to workers seeking gainful employment in the logistics sector.

“These training programs and certifications are the collective efforts of our industry partners, MSSC and Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, which was generously supported by the funding of the U.S. Department of Labor,” said David Setzer, director of Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas.

Several companies operating in the Alliance Global Logistics Hub supported the creation of the program. Participants included Americold Logistics, Andersen Logistics, Behr, Bridgestone/Firestone, DSC Logistics, Exel Logistics, J.C. Penney Co., Motorola, Patterson Dental, Premium Waters and W.W. Grainger.

ALLIANCE IS HUB OF NEW NATIONAL LOGISTICS TRAINING PROGRAM

Contact: David Pelletier, Hillwood (817-224-6044, dave.pelletier@hillwood.com) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 9, 2009) – The Alliance Global Logistics Hub is now the home of the new national logistics training program being instituted by the Washington, D.C.-based Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC), an industry-led standards-based, training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s production and supply chain logistics workers. The initial training is being funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The MSSC training and certification system provides a foundational-level Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) certificate and a mid-technical level Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) certification to participants.

“These industry-recognized, nationally-portable CLA/CLT credentials offer front line logistics workers their first opportunity to document their skills, provide a way to secure higher wages and promise career pathways in the rapidly modernizing logistics sector,” said Leo Reddy, CEO of the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council. “They apply to front-line workers across the entire supply chain: from factories, to warehouses, to distribution centers, to truck drivers responsible for handling materials.”

“These training programs and certifications are the collective efforts of our industry partners, MSSC and Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, which was generously supported by the funding of the U.S. Department of Labor,” explained David Setzer, director of Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas.

In addition to being a site for student classes, the Alliance Global Logistics Hub is the national training center for instructors from across the country to learn how to teach the certification program at their respective company, college, or high school. All classes at Alliance will be conducted through the Tarrant County College – Corporate Services campus at the Alliance Global Logistics Hub.

“This certification will increase the value of those who complete the training, since they will have a certificate that is nationally recognized and promoted by the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council,” says Kay Lee, senior manager of TCC Corporate Services. “Alliance companies will benefit by having highly trained logistics professionals, which will improve efficiency and quality control at their facilities.”

Many of the 200 companies in the Alliance Global Logistics Hub helped formulate the program and have guaranteed job interviews to those students who complete the certification. Alliance companies involved in the program include Americold Logistics, Andersen Logistics, Behr, Bridgestone/Firestone, DSC Logistics, Exel Logistics, JCPenney, Motorola, Patterson Dental, Premium Waters, and W.W. Grainger.

“As the nation’s prototypical inland port logistics hub, Alliance is the natural location to launch this new logistics training program,” said Steve Boecking, vice president of Hillwood Properties, the developer of Alliance. “The logistics expertise of the companies that are here; the Alliance Opportunity Center, which helps companies meet their labor needs; and the Tarrant County College campus at Alliance will help provide the knowledge and support that will make this program a great success in training the next generation of logistics professionals.”

Partners in the training program include the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County, Tarrant County College, the North Texas Commission, and the Alliance Global Logistics Hub/Hillwood.

The new program is proving particularly helpful to military veterans and displaced workers. The program also will be beneficial to increase the training of current logistics employees.

“This project has created a true career pipeline for dislocated workers that are changing professions, students looking for careers in an ever expanding industry, and veterans who are transitioning from military to civilian life,” said Sal Adamski, business services manager of Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County. “Eventually our four-year colleges will be brought into the project to develop and expand logistic management programs.”

The certification system for supply chain logistics is modeled after the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council’s training, testing and credentialing system for the foundational skills of manufacturing production workers, which now is required for employment by many of the country’s top companies, under the MSSC-sanctioned Certified Production Technician (CPT) program.

The Alliance Global Logistics Hub is the prototype for an inland port logistics hub. In the nearly two decades since it opened, the development has attracted primarily distribution centers for more than 200 companies, more than 60 of which are ranked on the Fortune 500, Global 500 or Forbes List of Top Private Firms. These companies occupy 29 million square feet and employ 28,000 workers. Anchored by the BNSF Intermodal Facility, Fort Worth Alliance Airport and the FedEx Sorting Hub, and bisected by Interstate 35W - the NAFTA Freeway, the Alliance Global Logistics Hub is the nation’s top Foreign Trade Zone and features additional cost-saving features, such as a heavy-load container sector, Triple Freeport, a Centralized Examination Station and on-site U.S. Customs.

The Alliance Global Logistics Hub is part of Hillwood’s 17,000-acre AllianceTexas development that also includes the Monterra Village apartment home community, Alliance Town Center, the corporate campuses and golf courses of Circle T Ranch, and the Heritage and Saratoga residential communities.

# # #

Ten Outstanding Logistics Parks in the South

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Alliance Texas

Fort Worth's Alliance is the mother of all logistics parks, not only in the South, but worldwide. Owned by the City of Fort Worth, developed by Hillwood (a Perot company) and managed by the privately-held Alliance Air Services, Alliance encompasses over 17,000 acres, 29 million square feet of buildings, 28,000 employees working for over 200 companies and almost 7,000 single-family homes. The development is anchored by the Alliance Global Logistics Hub, one of the largest inland ports in the world. The Hub features the Fort Worth Alliance Airport (the world's first 100% industrial airport), BNSF Railway's Alliance Intermodal Facility, FedEx's Southwest Regional Sort Hub, two Class I rail lines and various state and Interstate highway networks.

Apartment perk

Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Talk about apartment amenities.

Race car fans living at the Monterra Village community in far north Fort Worth are getting the chance to watch the Bombardier Learjet 550k IndyCar race from Hillwood Properties’ luxury suite at the start/finish line at Texas Motor Speedway.

Click here to read the full article.

VIDEO: New Sam Moon Store in Fort Worth

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

http://video.star-telegram.videos.vmixcore.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=4091971

Fort Worth’s first Sam Moon store opens Friday

John Austin — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

FORT WORTH — The new Moon is up in far north Fort Worth.

"The Home Depot of women’s handbags and accessories" is what Daniel Moon, vice president and general counsel, calls Dallas-based Sam Moon Trading Co., which opens today at Alliance Town Center.

Click here to read the full article.

Sam Moon opens Fort Worth shopping center

Steve Brown — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sam Moon Trading Co. is opening its new retail center in North Fort Worth on Friday.

The 168,446-square-foot shopping center is at 9120 North Freeway in the AllianceTexas complex.

The retail complex will be anchored by a Sam Moon Trading Co. store and a Sam Moon Luggage & Gifts store.

It's the first Tarrant County location for the Dallas-based retailer, which has been in business since 1984.

Sam Moon to open in Fort Worth

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sam Moon has landed in Fort Worth, the Sam Moon Group confirmed this week.

The wholesaler of imported Korean merchandise will open its newest location in the Alliance Town Center at 9120 North Freeway in Fort Worth on Friday.

The 168,446-square foot center is anchored by the Sam Moon Trading Co. store and the Sam Moon Luggage & Gifts store.

Sam Moon has developed a reputation as a one-stop shop for women’s accessories, jewelry and handbags.

Sam Moon has other locations in Frisco, Dallas and Houston.

Bingle, bangle, jangle your way to Sam Moon’s Tarrant outpost

Max Faulkner / DFW.com — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you build it, the Sam Moon-ies will come.

For years, bargain shoppers have been making pilgrimages from as far away as Oklahoma and Louisiana to dig through designer purses and find dirt-cheap deals on jewelry at the Dallas wholesaler.

Click here to read the full article.

Kincaid's opens in north Fort Worth

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kincaid’s Hamburgers, a Fort Worth staple for the past 45 years, opens its fifth location today, this one in Alliance Town Center in north Fort Worth.

Click here to read the full article.

Leasing at Alliance strong in the first quarter

Sandra Baker — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood has released leasing-activity numbers at its Alliance development in north Fort Worth, and it seems that the recession hasn’t affected the development during the first quarter.

Hillwood said it leased more than 1.2 million square feet, the second-most square footage ever leased in a first quarter at the development, which began in 1989.

Click here to read the full article.

Ex-Norton base land leased to Florida firm

Lou Hirsh — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dallas-based developer Hillwood has leased 141,650 square feet at its AllianceCalifornia development in San Bernardino to Interline Brands Inc. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Interline distributes maintenance, repair and operations products used in several industries, including construction contracting.

A statement from Hillwood said Interline will occupy Westgate Building One, at 310 S. Tippecanoe Ave., which also houses distribution centers for Pep Boys and ODW Logistics.

Companies operating in the Hillwood development, on former Norton Air Force Base land, also include Stater Bros., Kohl's and Mattel.

Hillwood Development is frontrunner to develop Cecil Commerce Center

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hillwood Development Company has the edge in becoming the master developer of the recently privatized Cecil Commerce Center.

The city’s Professional Services Evaluation Committee is expected to vote Thursday on recommending that the Dallas company develop the 4,500 acres on the Westside. Hillwood, which leased 602,000-square-feet of space at West Point Trade Center in Jacksonville to Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. last year, beat out San Diego-based The Allen Group and Malvern, Penn.-based Liberty Property Trust, according to the committee’s agenda.

It isn’t known whether the world’s largest developer, ProLogis (NYSE:PLD), bid to develop the former U.S. Navy base.

Interline Brands Joins Hillwood’s AllianceCalifornia

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

SAN BERNADINO,CALIF.-Commercial real estate developer, Hillwood, has leased 141,650 square feet of its Westgate Building One in its AllianceCalifornia development to Interline Brands Inc., a distributor and direct marketer of maintenance, repair and operations products.

Interline Brands will use the facility for distribution of a number of products throughout southern California and other regions. Included are its Wilmar offerings for multi family housing and Barnett products for contractors. Interline Brands will alsodistribute parts for its U.S. Lock brand from the Westgate Building One. The company will provide a walkup counter for local customers.

AllianceCalifornia is at 99% occupancy in its existing buildings and has 2.6 million square feet of entitled and permit-ready product for build-to-suit developments. The project also features outstanding access to air, highway and rail; Foreign Trade Zone status; and tax incentives. The development is close to Interstates 10, 210 and 215, is within two miles of a large intermodal rail facility and is anchored by San Bernardino International Airport.