In 2014, Dunhill Partners purchased the 33-acre 700,000 sq. ft. Dallas Design District for $140 million. Dunhill saw significant unrecognized value embedded in the property. With the close-in proximity to downtown and uptown Dallas, the team created a vision to shake things up in a neighborhood originally developed for trade commerce and planned to evolve the area into a vital work-play district.
Dunhill’s Leasing and Management teams secured over 350,000 sq. ft. of lease transaction volume bringing in 50 new tenants. The firm underwrote and managed the design / build of the flagship Virgin Hotels Dallas earning two architectural awards. Lastly, recognizing the shortage of adjacent multi-family dwellings, the firm purchased a 214 unit apartment complex renaming it “The Dunhill”.
To enhance area grounds, Dunhill created a vibrant outdoor environment embarking on an art enhancement campaign and commissioned several large, dynamic outdoor sculptures including: “The Heart of the Design District”, “Bigfoot” and “Onah Seated”.
The combined efforts transformed this neighborhood and revitalized a significant part of Dallas. The Design District soon welcomed a new high-rise office project into Dallas’ coolest, high-visibility fast-growing scene that has included the construction of new apartments, world class design showrooms, trendy restaurants, and nationally recognized art galleries.
In 2020, Dunhill Partners accepted an unsolicited offer for the sale of The Dallas Design District realizing a 32% annual return on investor’s capital investment.
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