Plans for a proposed elevated high-speed rail line conflict with plans for a massive mixed-use project in Dallas, according to the developer.
Officials with Hunt Realty Investments claim the elevated line, which is expected to run through the southwest corner of Downtown Dallas, would interfere with their plans for a $5 billion mixed-use development in the area. The firm owns the 20-acre Reunion property, home to the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Reunion Tower.
“It’s going to kill all the new development we can do on our site. This will hurt the city and threaten the success of the new convention center,” said Hunt Realty president Colin Fitzgibbons, according to the DMN.
Hunt Realty’s $5 billion project would be a massive undertaking. It would include a dozen new high-rise structures accommodating as many as 3,000 apartment units and 1,000 hotel rooms. The project plans also include 2 million square feet of office space and 150,000 square feet of retail space.
The portion of the proposed new rail that runs through Downtown and West Dallas would stand seven stories tall. However, Tarrant County’s section would operate below ground, not posing the same concerns.
Some Dallas representatives, including Council Members Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) and Jesse Moreno (District 2), have demanded more information from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) about how the line would impact existing infrastructure and business. NCTCOG is a voluntary association of local governments focused on regional planning. The group is responsible for allocating billions of dollars in public funds for transportation projects across North Texas. Until the Dallas City Council approves the elevated line, NCTCOG is reportedly holding back $100 million in funding for half a dozen unrelated transportation projects.
“This is to force us to do something, and I think we deserve to know the full scope of what the project is,” said Mendelsohn, according to D Magazine.
