| FEATURE ARTICLE, JUNE 2005
MULTI-MODAL MASTERPIECE
AllianceTexas is more than a master-planned community. It is one of the largest transportation and logistics hubs in the country, in addition to encompassing retail, residential, office and industrial uses.
Lara Fuller
“Large-scale” is an understatement when referring to AllianceTexas. The 17,000-acre project encompasses two counties, four cities and two school districts. It serves as a ‘port,’ offering air, highway and rail access to transportation companies. It comprises three distinctive developments: Alliance, Circle T Ranch and Heritage. And that’s just the beginning — only 30 percent, or 4,500 acres, of the project has been developed. Texas, as well as the rest of the country, will be hearing about AllianceTexas for a while.
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Many companies have chosen to locate at AllianceTexas in north Fort Worth because of its recognition as a transportation hub. At Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s Intermodal Yard (shown above), cargo can easily be loaded from railcars to transport trucks, and the facility is also connected to the major seaports of both coasts.
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The AllianceTexas project began in the mid-1980s. Ross Perot Jr., son of the former presidential candidate, owned a large portion of land in northwest Texas, several miles north of Dallas/Fort Worth. At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration was looking for a place to build a relief airport for the Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport. “The government approached Perot to build a small airport on his land, but he wanted to build something to maximize the value of the land,” says David Pelletier, director of communications with Hillwood Properties, developer of AllianceTexas. Perot wanted to attract big aerospace companies, including Boeing and Bell Helicopter, which also meant that they would need a full-size airport. He also wanted the area to be home to office and industrial campuses, retail centers and housing projects. The FAA supported the plan and the world’s first industrial airport, the Fort Worth Alliance Airport, was completed at the end of 1989. From there, the AllianceTexas project began to grow. Today, more than 130 companies — many of them Fortune 500 companies — employing more than 20,000 people are located at the project.
Companies can find almost anything they are looking for at AllianceTexas. “We have office campuses, corporate campuses, office buildings, build-to-suits, all industrial product types and residential homes, ranging from $130,000 all the way into the million-dollar range,” says Pelletier. The Alliance portion of the project is an 11,600-acre, master-planned international trade and logistics complex. The Fort Worth Alliance Airport anchors the development, which includes the 367,815-square-foot Westport 3 Center; the 72,547-square-foot Alliance Commerce Center 14; the 48,000-square-foot Alliance Gateway 20; the 75,000-square-foot Alliance Gateway 22; the 277,333-square-foot Alliance Gateway 58; the 57,475-square-foot Heritage Commons; the 74,203-square-foot Alliance Gateway; and the 75,000-square-foot Alliance Crossing, among other centers.
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Philips Electronics’ 756,000-square-foot distribution center, managed by Ryder Systems
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The Circle T Ranch element of AllianceTexas is a 2,500-acre mixed-use project featuring 800 acres of corporate campuses, office and medical space. A hotel is located in the development, as well as a 430-acre residential project and 288 luxury home lots. Prices for homes at Circle T Ranch begin at $450,000 and go up into the million-dollar range. Discovery Land Company is developing homes, a country club and an 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Tom Fazio, at Circle T Ranch. The development will also be home to a range of upscale retail, dining and entertainment uses.
The third major part of AllianceTexas, the 2,300-acre Heritage, features 2,700 homes, a 10-acre community center, an aquatics complex, tennis courts, fitness center, meeting space and a 54-acre park. Homes in the community range from $140,000 to $300,000. The development also has its own elementary, middle and high schools. Heritage is being developed as a family-oriented community, complete with trails, playgrounds and athletic fields. Homes will be linked by a community Intranet system, where residents can post information about meetings, schools and local events. Shops, restaurants and medical offices are also located within the community.
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Fidelity Investments’ corporate campus at Circle T Ranch
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AllianceTexas already features a wide-range of office, industrial, retail and residential uses, though more is being developed every day. One of the projects that will soon be underway is the $200 million Alliance Town Centre, being developed in partnership with General Growth Properties. The 1.6 million-square-foot development will feature retail and office space, as well as residential units. Construction is set to begin this fall, with completion scheduled for 2006. A 235,000-square-foot Cabela’s store was completed in May. The sporting goods store features a boat showroom, trophy deer display room and a 40-foot mountain, showcasing different habitats. “This store is almost like a museum,” says Pelletier. “It will attract many tourists — four million to six million visitors are expected each year.”
Behr Paint recently purchased 20 acres at AllianceTexas to build a 400,000-square-foot distribution center and manufacturing facility. Westinghouse Solar Lights is also constructing a 200,000-square-foot distribution center at the project. Companies such as Behr and Westinghouse choose to locate at AllianceTexas because of its recognition as a transportation hub. The proximity of the airport, major highways and rail lines make AllianceTexas a perfect place for companies involved in distribution. The Fort Worth Alliance Airport offers businesses warehouse facilities and a 52-acre cargo center. The rail lines for Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Union Pacific border the AllianceTexas development. At BNSF’s Alliance Intermodal Facility, cargo can easily be loaded from railcars to transport trucks, and the facility is also connected to the major seaports of both coasts, making the site perfect for transportation and distribution.
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Flags over AllianceTexas with FedEx and American Airlines facilities in the background.
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Other companies that have recognized the value in the AllianceTexas project include DaimlerChrysler, which has a 130,000-square-foot building at the development; FedEx, with a 986,000-square-foot center; Fidelity Investments, which operates a 615,000-square-foot campus; General Mills, with a 670,000-square-foot distribution center; General Motors, which has a 394,000-square-foot distribution center at the project; Motorola, with a 400,000-square-foot distribution center; and Triangle Networks with a 375,000-square-foot distribution center.
Though the AllianceTexas project is already huge, with many of the world’s major companies located at the site, there is plenty of room available for new growth. “There is still a significant amount of development to go,” says Pelletier. “We are looking at 20 to 30 years of development still to come.” Much of the new development will be retail and residential-oriented. “Over the next 5 to 10 years, there will be less industrial development and more shopping center and single-family home projects,” says Pelletier. As AllianceTexas becomes more and more well rounded, people will be able to live, work, shop, attend school, visit the doctor, exercise and be entertained, all in one place.
The AllianceTexas project has been successful, and will continue to be, in large part due to its status as a true master-planned community. Perot and Hillwood started the project with a clear vision in mind, making development and expansion run more smoothly. By developing the industrial airport and other transportation options, they set the stage for growth in the industrial and office sectors. As more businesses have located at AllianceTexas, retailers and residential developers have followed close behind. AllianceTexas has become a true multi-modal masterpiece.
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