Terry Montesi

Trademark Property Co. is acquiring a 63-acre tract in Fort Worth from Lockheed Martin to develop an expansive mixed-use project. The site is on Bryant Irvin Road at Arborlawn Drive, near the new Chisholm Trail Parkway.

Initial plans call for 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, up to 200,000 square feet of office space, 20-30 acres for multifamily use, and a hotel site. It will feature an expansion of the Trinity Trail with riverside restaurants, a dog park, and a riverfront amphitheater.

Terry Montesi, chairman and CEO of Fort Worth-based Trademark, called the property a landmark site: “This is one of the best pieces of real estate in Fort Worth, with unmatched access to the entire city and natural amenities that one would normally only dream of.”

The waterside project is expected to open in the fall of 2014.

Event chair Diane Butler, CEO of Dallas-based Butler Burgher Group said FightNight is symbolic of the “never-give-up attitude that remains steadfast in the North Texas real estate community, making our region one of the hottest and fastest-growing in the country.”

Over the years, FightNight has raised more than $21 million for community revitalization projects, including the original seed funding for Klyde Warren Park.

This year’s affair included silver boxer “statues,” Cirque de Soleil-style acrobats swinging from high-flying red drapes, and a bevy of models sporting red gowns and brunette wigs—a few of which ended up on party-goer heads by the end of the night (you know who you are!).

Here’s more on the history of FightNight, and below are photos from the event, all taken by photographer James Edward.

The center of attraction.

Just a few of the former FightNight chairmen who attended.

TREC president Linda McMahon, Jeff Swope, 2013 FightNight chair Diane Butler

Action in the ring.

Sugar Ray Leonard, FightNight boxing chair Steve Crosson

One of the acrobatic dancers.

Mary Beth Shapiro, Bo Feagin, Vicky Summerall

Glenn Callison, Holt Lunsford

Silver boxer “sculpture.”

Bob Kaminski, Elizabeth Malone, Will Mundinger

Bill Jackson, Roberto Duran, Michael Krywucki

One of the many brunette-wigged models greeting guests.

Tom Garner, Jon Napper

Diane Butler, Carol Reed

John Crawford

As one of downtown Dallas’ 15 districts, Deep Ellum is a unique destination with a rich history. Its 1880s beginning as an industrial hub, peppered with residential and commercial uses, was one of Dallas’ first commercial districts for African Americans and European immigrants. In the 1930s it was a jazz and blues mecca. In the late 1990s, it was considered a national nightlife and live music hub. Today, you can find everything from white tablecloth restaurants and art galleries, to great grills, live music venues, dive bars, thrift shops, and tattoo parlors. Deep Ellum defines the eclectic urban experience.

And as these stories go, a time of transition has been occurring over the last decade, with Deep Ellum re-emerging as a creatively driven economy for residents, companies and entertainment. For a recent broadcast of KRLD’s “Pulse of the City,” we hosted a several guests who provided additional insight.

A number of developments have transformed the 170-acre district from a nightlife-focused region that included fewer than 300 residents in 2005 to a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood with strong economic growth and more than 2,000 residents living there today, making most of the area lofts and apartments fully occupied. Deep Ellum is experiencing a dramatic turnaround with residential housing, new dining options and retail establishments opening regularly and a significant $10 million Elm Street renovation under way.

In fact, there are four new establishments Barry Annino, president of the Deep Ellum Foundation, told us about that have either recently opened, or will open, within the next month, including Pepe’s Ranch, a Pepe’s & Mito’s spinoff combining Tex-Mex and home cooking; a noodle shop on Commerce called Tanoshi Ramen; an upscale sports bar called Work in the old Sambuca space; and a live music venue called Twilight.

Transportation and connectivity play a major role in the revitalization of Deep Ellum and other areas. The DART Green Line opened in 2009, spurring development around the two Deep Ellum stations. Gary Thomas, President and CEO of DART, spoke with Matt Thomas, our host of Pulse of the City, about playing a role in the revival in many areas, including Deep Ellum.

DART, which has the longest light rail system in the United States, worked closely with the City of Dallas and the Deep Ellum community to transform the ‘gateway’ underpass from downtown to Deep Ellum, which now includes part of a three-part stainless steel sculpture series called The Traveling Man, by Brandon Oldenburg of Deep Ellum’s own Reel FX Creative Studios and Brad Oldham of Dallas-based Brad Oldham Inc. The Traveling Man sculptures are now considered icons at and around the DART stations in Deep Ellum; Gary mentioned that The Traveling Man even tweets and has his own Facebook page.

Another important piece of connectivity for Deep Ellum is the Sante Fe Trail, which currently connects White Rock Lake to Deep Ellum and will soon connect Deep Ellum to Fair Park. The masterplan includes benches, water fountains, and dog parks. Friends of Sante Fe Trail are working closely with community groups and schools to ensure it is safe, clean, and a great addition to the trail system near downtown Dallas. Complementing the trail system is the new City of Dallas bike plan and some of the initial lane markings that connect the Central Business District with East Dallas through Deep Ellum.

An additional driving force in Deep Ellum is Scott Rohrman, a quiet developer with 42 Real Estate LLC, who has assembled more than 30 properties (including parking lots and buildings) in the area, with a vision of bringing businesses, life, and culture back to the neighborhood, while maintaining the character and history all of Dallas desires to preserve. Scott said his real estate and investment firm was looking at infill location opportunities; he said Deep Ellum was attractive because of its rich history, music aspect, and proximity to downtown.

There are currently 16 live music venues in Deep Ellum, and in the past four to five months, more than 12 leases have been signed with restaurants, clubs, and retail operations. Many of Scott’s buildings are currently being used for pop-up art galleries and will be renovated and restored during the next three years into even more creative life for Deep Ellum. Scott also improving the parking lots by cleaning them up, adding lighting, and making them more visible to visitors. There are more than 800 parking spots in the area—it is really just a perception that there is no parking available. Scott and his team are working to improve that perception.

Speaking of parking, Barry Annino reminded us that all of the on-street parking and meters in Deep Ellum are free on weekdays until 6 p.m., which makes it easy for anyone to visit one of the 30-plus restaurants in the area over lunch or for happy hour.

Today, Deep Ellum is much more than a nighttime destination. A dozen new restaurants and bars are set to open this year in the eclectic district, which is becoming known as a creative hub where residents can also live and work. Companies like Reel FX, with 300-plus workers at its Deep Ellum headquarters, say they appreciate the ability to work in the same neighborhood where they live.

We also spoke with Whitney Barlow, owner of Trees, who reminded us that they have more than 25 live music shows each month, ranging from rock to country to electronic dance music, and Josh Florence of Club Dada, who also boasts a wide range of music flavor with a unique “backyard” setting for concerts.

You will be able to find all of these venues and other listings from each of the 15 Downtown districts on the newly redesigned Downtown Dallas, Inc. website, downtowndallas.com—coming soon!

“Pulse of the City” is devoted to current events, with a special focus on issues and opportunities associated with North Texas and Downtown Dallas. The weekly roundtable program airs each Sunday at 9 a.m. and can be heard online at any time.

John F. Crawford is president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc. Contact him at crawford@downtowndallas.org.

At the concert, a short video showcased the mission of the foundation, after which a live auction raised more than $96,000. The proceeds will help support 15 children’s charities this year. Highland Park High School graduates Charlie Berry and Brett Taylor opened for the headliners, Pat Green and Jack Ingram, with their band, Mockingbird Sun.

The shootout component of the annual fundraiser attracted more than 400, including teams from Jones Lang LaSalle and Trammel Crow, with first place going to Brant Landry’s team and second place to a team from BBVA Compass.

Combined, the two events raised more than $460,000, adding to the total of more than $2.2 million the foundation has raised since its inception in 2007.

Click here for more information on the nonprofit. Scroll down to view photos from both events, taken by photographer Jerry McClure.

Patty Toon, Charlie Berry, Laura Toon, Truck Roley, Brett Taylor, and Larry Toon

Pat Green and Jack Ingram perform at Gilley’s.

John Floyd, Ashley Floyd, Blake Evan

C.L. Baskin, Ashley Baskin

Jack Ingram, Jessica Whitsitt

Brady Richardson, Kathrine Richardson

Daniel Chappell, Laura Richardson

Heidi Hafertepe, Emily Bell, Anne Marie Priddy, Jordan Gates

Mockingbird Sun performs at Gilley’s.

Taking aim at the shootout event.

Brant Bernet

Last Thanksgiving, I was asked by my beautiful and sweet niece if I would come to Florida and officiate her wedding. I had done the same thing for her equally beautiful and sweet sister a few years before, so to be asked to do it again was humbling beyond words. (It also made me question the sanity of niece No. 2. I don’t want to diminish my preaching credentials, but you, too, can become a licensed minister in Florida by filling out an online questionnaire and mailing in a $35 check.)

A couple days before the wedding, I found myself alone on a stunning Florida beach, looking out over the crystal-clear water, trying to come up with a believable medical condition that would keep me from having to preside over my niece’s wedding. Just try being responsible for something that will remain etched in memories … forever. Thankfully, before I could come up with a good plan, my thoughts were distracted by an unnatural amount of Gulf activity.

First, I saw the out-of-place ripples in the water; then, I saw the birds—a lot of them. Next, I noticed that with every breaking wave, millions of tiny glass minnows were being deposited on the shoreline. I had been on this beach at sunrise 100 times and had never seen anything like it. Then, I saw them. Thousands of them. The greatest bait fish in the history of bait fish … the Sardinella Aurita—Spanish Sardine!

I could see them, my surf rod was already in the water (but my hooks were baited with synthetic sand fleas—not even close by comparison) and I had my trusty two-man seine net by my side. Yep, two-man. I needed a buddy, or I would be fishing with my little gummy-bear-looking things or smelly shrimp all day.

Then it hit me—my oldest son was sawing logs in his bed just 100 yards away. I figured in the old days, guys would have sons just so they would have someone to help them plow the back 40. I had never asked that of him, so he owed me. My adrenaline was running high as I burst into his room and shook him out of his bed. “Come on! I need help! NOW!” This is a great kid (he is a 22–year-old senior at Texas Tech, but he’s still my kid), and with an extremely confused look on his face, he pulled himself out of bed and made his way down to the beach, where I was impatiently standing and scoping out the fish scene.

The water was cold and my semi-awake, semi-willing partner, who had been sleeping soundly only 2 minutes earlier, was starting to realize that the old man was actually crazy. In we went. My dad and I used to catch fish in a net off the shores of Galveston and South Padre when I was a little boy, so it is always a happy activity for me; for my oldest, not so much. We stopped about 45 feet out and jammed the poles into the sand. As fast as we could, we ran the net through the clear water, back to shore and dropped the net on the beach to reveal our bounty! We had managed to land a single glass minnow and a broken sand dollar.

What?! Are you kidding me? We passed hundreds of fish on our trek back to the shore. Bad luck…let’s try that again. We did the same, the exact thing, only this time, we caught nothing—nada, zilch. I was about to lose my first mate, and it was time for a new plan.
On the third try, we walked out only 10 feet, held the net above the water and just waited. In about 5 minutes, the fish had moved between us and the shore and we slowly put our net into position. With one strong burst, we rushed to shore and BOOM, so many sardines, we could barely pull the net out of the water. Our patience had paid off.

Patience isn’t always a virtue—to which anyone who has been told to “be patient, our servers are down, but give it a few minutes and we’ll be up and running” can attest. We live in a time where we expect everything to happen now. I don’t mean today, or in the next hour, I mean in this very instant. If you are like me, you can close your eyes and visualize an email page on your computer. You know the exact dimensions of the “Send” button and you know precisely where it is located on the page, without looking. (Try it.)

Our clients, our friends, and our families demand that we are “online” and up and running at all times. So when our servers crash, we all feel it. I am reminded of a great post I read about the cause and effects of outages at some of the world’s largest brands. The article proves that no company is able to hide from the problem, and that every company should take the necessary steps to secure data center space that minimizes this risk.

When Amazon went down last year, they took with them Netflix, Instagram (I know, right?), Pinterest, and others. What is the world to do without those sites? And when American Airlines lost its reservation system recently, an estimated 100,000 customers were affected, and countless dollars were lost.

So, where are your servers? Are they in a safe environment? Have you assessed your risk lately? A word of advice: Don’t put it off, because server demons wait for no one.

Well, freshly caught sardines either need to go right back in the water or right on the hook, so we put two of them on our hooks and threw the rest back. An hour or so later I was reeling in a 30-pound redfish, thanks to the sacrifice of my little Spanish amigos.

The entire morning was an experience that I will never forget. The wedding was held in one of the most scenic places I have ever seen and, despite its amateurish emcee, it went off without a hitch. If only our computers could run so smoothly.

Brant Bernet is senior vice president of CBRE, where he leads the firm’s critical environments group in Dallas. Contact him at brant.bernet@cbre.com.

Ron Taylor

Early in my real estate career, I had the privilege of working for a very well-known and deeply respected national development company. The partner in my office always said that “it’s easier to do old business than new business.” Another business mentor taught me that “It is an awfully thin pancake that does not have two sides.” And the late Vance Miller often asked, “Is it fair and just?”

Throughout my career I have tried to incorporate these three principles into my management strategies. I have always tried to understand both sides of any issue and then I have worked to find a solution that is fair and just to all parties, thereby enhancing our chances of repeating existing business. I have found that emotion, policy manuals, and operational guides many times hinder a property manager’s ability to objectively see both sides and find a fair and just accommodation. I have also found that at times it is nearly impossible to make a resident satisfied—in spite of best efforts of everyone involved in the management of the property.

Unfortunately in today’s information overload environment, situations that are not able to be resolved fairly and equitably many times find themselves on public review forums that, in my opinion, incorrectly portray the service that onsite managers and staff are providing residents.

At our firm, we have instituted two core initiatives with measurable results. One is the P.R.I.D.E program, wherein we ask every team member to take “personal responsibility in delivering excellence” to our residents, vendors, and coworkers. The other is a resident survey given to residents at management touch points—lease signing, move-in, renewal, work-order fulfillment, and at other random instances.

We have been gratified by the positive and constructive responses received from our residents. Supervisors are informed of any negative responses and resident concerns are dealt with timely and efficiently. I am sure many in the property management industry experience similar responses.

I looked at various forums that provide residents “air time” to review their apartment communities in an effort to see how we as an industry are doing at serving our residents. Unfortunately I found that the public forums offer a mediocre view of the managers in the trenches and the communities they manage. I sampled 50 Dallas communities in various monthly rent ranges and found the following:

I think property managers are doing a much better job at serving residents than is reflected by the public review forums. It is my belief that these forums attract a disproportionate number of residents who are demanding solutions to problems that are not fair nor just. Perhaps these forums prove up Arnold Bennett’s quote when he said, “There can be no doubt that the average man blames much more than he praises. His instinct is to blame. If he is satisfied he says nothing; if he is not, he most illogically kicks up a row.”

My hat is off to the dedicated men and women who provide wonderful service, even for those who say nothing.

Ron Taylor is president of Henry S. Miller Realty Management. Contact him at rtaylor@henrysmiller.com.