Department Store To Call Victory Home

A boutique department store is joining the lineup at Dallas’ Victory project. Dallas retail entrepreneur Ort Varona said Tuesday that he will open a 20,000-square-foot, two-level store to be built during Victory’s next phase of construction. Mr. Varona, who owns the Octane and Premium 93 fashion shops in the West Village on McKinney Avenue, said Lift will also have a salon and restaurant.”The strength of the regional draw at Victory should be different than at West Village,” Mr. Varona said. “And we like being on the cutting edge with the Victory project.” The store is scheduled to open in early 2006 and will be on the ground floor of a midrise residential building planned on Houston Street near American Airlines Center. Construction is under way on the 33-story W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences across from the arena.Lift will be one of the largest retailers in the 72-acre Victory redevelopment, said Jonas Woods, president of Hillwood Capital. “This is what our strategy is – to attract retailers unique to the market and one-of-a-kind stores.” About 280,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues are planned for the project. Other retailers Victory developer Hillwood has named so far include Nine Steakhouse, Rain, Victory Tavern, Belly Italian and Ghost Bar.”Between now and December, we will have several more announcements,” Mr. Woods said. Retail space, 80 condominiums and 258 hotel rooms are under construction in the W tower.