FORT WORTH
For most of the past two decades, Texas Motor Speedway existed pretty much by itself, near at the corner of Texas 114 and Interstate 35W in far north Fort Worth.
Sure, a few thousand residents lived in single-family homes a few miles in each direction, and there were gas stations — but not much in the way of retail or corporate development.
That’s changing quickly, and the latest example is the recent announcement that 60 acres of high-class office space is about to be built in the Champions Circle development. Developer KDC is heading the project, along with Fine Line Diversified Development.
The office space joins other recent developments in the area, including the opening of the massive Buc-ee’s travel center, the Tanger Outlets shopping mall and the Marriott Conference Center Resort Hotel and Golf Club. In all, the neighboring developments fit together like a mixed-use jigsaw puzzle spread across 500 acres.
The land can fit up to 12 million square feet of office space, said Bill Boecker, Fine Line Diversified Development president and CEO.
“With the benefit of recently expanded major highways connecting Champions Circle to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, downtown Fort Worth and other major regional destinations, the Alliance Corridor has experienced tremendous growth in the last 10 years,” Boecker said in an email.
“We have been actively developing Champions Circle’s master plan for 10 years, and the adjacent residential housing market just keeps booming. Now is the time to add office, and with KDC’s rich history of office development, we found the right partner to deliver the right product.”
Just southwest of the speedway and planned office space is the 284-unit Marriott Resort Conference Center Hotel and Golf Club, which is in the midst of a $30 million makeover. The club features a Greg Norman-designed golf course.
And, the golf course will be adding a BigShots Golf Range, an entertainment concept similar to TopGolf.
“Champions Circle offers what companies are seeking more than ever in the market, a walkable, master planned community, that makes daily life more convenient and exciting for employers and their team members,” said Bill Guthrey, KDC senior vice president of land ventures.
Champions Circle also features high-end apartment housing, including 132-unit Churchill complex next to the Marriott and a planned 300-unit Gray Dove complex.
The Tangers Outlet mall opened a little more than a year ago, and features stores such as Kate Spade, H&M, Polo Ralph Lauren and Restoration Hardware.
Residents in the nearby single-family neighborhoods once lamented that they had no restaurant options in the area. But now the offerings along Texas 114 include Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Whataburger, Buffalo Wild Wings and In-And-Out Burger. Olive Garden Restaurant is under construction.
