The developer of one of Uptown Dallas’ newest office towers is teaming up with broadcaster KERA on a major project.
Kaizen Development Partners says it has formed a partnership with KERA to build a mixed-use high-rise project north of downtown.
KERA is selling 2.4 acres of its campus between North Harwood Street and Harry Hines Boulevard where Kaizen plans new residential and office towers.
KERA will also build a new headquarters on part of the site. Construction is planned to start late next year.
“We’re thrilled to work with Kaizen to develop a new building that allows us to better serve and connect with the North Texas community — now and for generations to come,” KERA CEO Nico Leone said in a statement. “North Texans have relied on KERA for essential news and programming for over 60 years.
“But our current facilities simply aren’t equipped to meet the needs of our growing community for the next 60 years and beyond.”
The KERA site is located near the entrance to the Dallas North Tollway and adjacent to the growing Harwood District. The property has access to the Katy Trail.
Kaizen plans to build a 400,000-square-foot office tower, a residential high-rise and about 20,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space on the size. The buildings would open in 2027.
KERA has selected Dallas architect Corgan to design its new building. Global firm Gardiner & Theobald will serve as project manager.
The broadcaster will temporarily move its operations from existing buildings on the site while the new headquarters is being built. KERA has occupied some of the buildings since it was founded in 1960.
“This new facility will be a game changer for KERA,” Christopher Wagley, Chief Operating Officer at KERA, said in a statement. “KERA’s physical space will reflect our organizational mission while continuing to serve as our broadcast operations hub.
“With its unique position on Dallas’ Katy Trail, this new building will be a central destination for the staff, audiences, members, donors and volunteers that help make KERA’s essential services possible for millions of people.”
KERA is the not-for-profit public media organization that serves more than 4.5 million North Texas residents with its KERA TV, KERA News, KXT 91.7, WRR 101.1 FM and The Denton Record-Chronicle.
Dallas law firm Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. represented KERA in the real estate transaction.
Jones Lang LaSalle’s Blake Shipley, T.D. Briggs, and Ayanna Jarvis are marketing Kaizen’s planned office building to tenants.
The KERA development will be Kaizen’s third major project in central Dallas.
The commercial property firm last year completed the 25-story Link at Uptown office tower on Olive Street north of downtown.
And Kaizen is a partner in the $1 billion Field Street District planned on Woodall Rodgers Freeway downtown.
The KERA project would be the latest big real estate project on the way in Uptown.
Just last week Bank of America said that it would leave its longtime downtown location on Main Street for a 30-story tower to be built in Uptown. The high-rise on Klyde Warren Park is a project of developers KDC and Pacific Elm Properties.
The Bank of America building is scheduled to break ground before the end of the year and is just the largest of several new offices on the way in Uptown.
Office projects in the Uptown area are being built by Granite Properties, Stream Realty Partners and Hines.