The developer behind the highly anticipated Dallas Midtown project shared new details about the sprawling urban living and retail center as well as his thoughts on a new state law concerning municipal permitting operations.
On the most recent episode of The Dallas Express Podcast, local developer Scott Beck spoke about his firm’s forthcoming project. He explained how increasing efficiencies in permitting could help advance its development over the coming years.
When asked how the new building permit law might facilitate the development of Dallas Midtown, Beck explained that it would be “useful” in terms of “encouraging cities to clean up their own internal messes.”
Under HB 14, a permit applicant can hire an approved third-party reviewer or inspector when a city fails to approve, conditionally approve, or deny a building permit within new state-set deadlines.
Once such deadlines are missed, permit applicants can hire an outside consultant to review and potentially approve their plans for permit issuance, Beck said.
The problem, according to Beck, is that “if you’re an outside consultant, you’re going to be very reticent to sign something that ultimately the City of Dallas and the planning department are going to look unfavorably on, especially if you’re doing a private development and bringing it through the City.”
Permit approval times in Dallas vary wildly depending on the size and scope of the project, but in general, the City’s Development Services Department (DSD) has a goal of approving or denying most construction permits within 15-30 days.
While DSD often exceeds its deadline for large commercial projects, as previously reported by The Dallas Express, its director Andrew Espinoza claimed he does see many scenarios where HB 14 would actually come into play.
However, considering that permit times under Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax are still an issue, the new law could have some positive impact on approval times.
Beck’s vision for Dallas Midtown is one of a bustling hub in the heart of North Dallas, replete with luxury residences, upscale retail, offices, hotels, and entertainment spaces.
“I envision a mixed-use village on a parcel of land — larger than Uptown — that will redefine the North Dallas landscape and bring a robust new tax base to our beloved city,” Beck previously told The Dallas Express.
The Dallas Midtown district will span approximately 450 acres. It will be bordered by I-635 to the south, Spring Valley Road to the north, the Dallas Tollway to the west, and Preston Road to the east.
In a previous interview with The Dallas Express, Beck said his firm would use DSD’s Q-Team or alternate plan review process to ensure an expedited permitting timeline during the pre-development phase.
“That process should have us in the ground no later than the first quarter” of 2024, Beck said.
