December 2004
Baylor Regional
Medical of Plano held their ribbon cutting in December 2004,
celebrating the opening of their 340,000 square foot healthcare
facility. The hospital, located at 4700 Alliance Boulevard near
the intersection of George Bush Turnpike and Preston Road, includes 96
inpatient beds, 32 outpatient beds, eight operating rooms, an urgent
care center and a chest pain clinic. Baylor Health Care System,
founded 100 years ago, also owns and manages a new 163,000 square foot,
seven-story medical office building built on the 21 acre campus.
They employ 600 in Plano.
Texas among the fastest-growing states in nation: Dallas Business Journal, December 22, 2004
The
U.S. Census Bureau has stated that Texas is the sixth fastest-growing
and second most-populous state in the country with 22.5 million people.
Capital One Services renews and expands in Plano: Central Region Highlights, November 2004
Capital
One Auto Finance, one of the country's largest vehicle lenders,
announced their lease renewal and expansion totaling 279,000 square
feet on Dallas Parkway in Plano. Capital One provides customers
with a variety of vehicle financing solutions across the full consumer
credit spectrum. Currently, they have 1,300 employees and plan to
hire an additional 400 for a total of 1,700 employees in 2005.
Texas named top state for business: Dallas Business Journal, November 1, 2004
Site
Selection Magazine, a publication about business expansion and
relocation, has named Texas the top state in the nation to do
business. The rankings are based on pro-business measures taken
by the state, actual capital investment, recent business expansion
activity and a survey of corporate executives who were asked to rank
the top 10 states based on ease of doing business, overall business
cost and related factors.
FedEx Kinko's duplicating growth: Dallas Business Journal, October 1-7, 2004
FedEx
Kinko's announced plans to create up to 450 jobs in their new 80,000
square foot facility in Plano Corporate Center I. The new
positions are being relocated from California and are in
finance,accounting, human resources and charge-card processing.
Tech firm planning expansion: Dallas Morning News, September 16, 2004
Creation
Technologies, a Vancouver contract electronics manufacturer, is
relocating to a 40,000 square foot building in the Plano Tech
Center. Creation Technologies has about 850 employees in six
locations in the United States and will employ 200 to 350 in
Plano. The 13-year-old company designs, manufacturers and handles
final assembly of complex electronic marketed by original equipment
manufacturers selling into the business market. Creation
Technologies has customers in the communications, industrial controls,
medical equipment, transportation and instrumentation sectors.
The Plano plant could grow to as much as 70,000 square feet.
Q & A on Collin County business: Dallas Morning News, July 27, 2004
Southern
Methodist University plans to purchase nine acres next to its Legacy
park campus and use the land for expansion to keep up with the growth
in Collin and Denton counties. SMU-in-Legacy opened in
1997. In the 2003-2004 academic year, 4,348 people attended
classes at the campus, which has four buildings spread over 16 acres.
UGS decides to stay in Plano: Dallas Business Journal, June 9, 2004
Plano-based
software maker UGS has decided to keep its U.S. corporate headquarters
in Plano. For the new headquarters, UGS leased 26,770 square feet
in the Granite Office Park at Highway 121 and the Dallas North
Tollway. UGS, whose software speeds and simplifies various chores
in designing products in industries like aerospace and electronics, has
about 4,700 employees worldwide, with 75 at its Plano headquarters.
Perceptive Sciences expands into Plano: Dallas Business Journal, May 21-27, 2004
Perceptive
Sciences Corp., a provider of usability engineering and testing, has
opened an office in Plano. The office, located in Granite Park
Two, will focus on the telecommunications industry. The company,
founded in 1999, currently employs 21. Usability studies involve
researching a customer's reaction to a test product or service.
Ipsum's HQ moves to Plano: Inside Collin County Business, May 12, 2004
Ipsum
Networks transferred their corporate headquarters to Plano from
Philadelphia. Currently, the company has a lease on 4,000 square
feet in Park Center located on the Dallas Parkway in Plano. Ipsum
Networks was founded in 2001 and produces products like RouteDynamics
to help "increase the availability and performance of critical
applications and services by improving the responsiveness and
predictability of the underlying IP network."
Legacy Heart to build Plano cardiac center: Dallas Business Journal, April 30 - May 6, 2004
Legacy
Heart Center has plans to build a $5.6 million medical center in
Plano's Legacy business park. The 43,000-square-foot center will
offer cardiac diagnostic, testing, and treatment services. The
center has been in operation for more than 20 years and provides care
to approximately 30,000 patients annually.
Collin County remains among fastest-growing in nation: Plano Star Courier, April 10, 2004
Collin
County ranks 13th among the fastest-growing counties in the United
States from April 2000 to July 2003, according to U.S. Census
estimates. The population of the county grew from 491,774 to
597,147 during the period, a growth rate of 21.4 percent.
Plano among top places to live: Dallas Business Journal, March 30, 2004
Plano
has been named one of America's Top 100 Places to Live in 2004 by
Relocate-America.com, a Web site designed to help consumers find
communities that best fit their family's needs. Cities were
compared on education, crime, employment and housing data for the past
year by Relocate America's editorial team.
Printing company moves to Plano: Plano Star Courier, March 28, 2004
McDowell
Label and Screen Printing, a nationally-recognized producer of
award-winning labels and innovative packaging solutions for top selling
products in the cosmetic, personal care, nutraceutrical, premium
beverage, food, pet, candle and petroleum/automotive industries, will
construct a new facility on Plano Parkway in the Research and
Technology Crossroads. McDowell employees 48 people.
Renewal signed in Plano: CoStar News, March 8, 2004
J.
Wright & Associates, a floor covering wholesaler and distributor,
renewed its lease totaling 9,787 square feet in the Plano Business
Center on East Plano Parkway in Plano.
Deals Done: Real Estate Directory News, March 2004
BSM Financial LP leased 3,397 square feet on North Central Expressway.
Real Estate Report : Dallas Morning News, February 8, 2004
Heritage
Stonecraft LLC leased 9,694 square feet of office and distribution
space in the Jupiter Distribution Center on Technology Drive in Plano.
Staying put in Plano: CoStar News, January 30, 2004
Adventa
Control Technologies, a manufacturer of software products for the
semiconductor industry, renewed its lease for 15,000 square feet on
East Plano Parkway in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, January 11, 2004
Southwest Credit Systems LP leased 22,369 square feet in the Gleneagles Office Center II on West Plano Parkway in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, January 11, 2004
BancLeasing Inc. expanded its space on North Central Expressway in Plano to 8,000 square feet.
Dallas ranked No. 1 for relocations: Dallas Business Journal, January 9, 2004
A
study by Plant, Sites & Parks magazine ranks Dallas the No. 1
relocation destination in 2004. For the survey, readers are asked
to name in order of preference the three metro areas where they would
most likely put their next office or industrial facility.
Retalix acquires OMI: Dallas Business Journal, January 4, 2004
Retalix,
headquartered in Israel, has established their North American base in
Plano. They recently acquired OMI, a privately held software
company. OMI software is used by the grocery industry to manage
inventory. Retalix sells business management software to the
retail food industry, including supermarkets, convenience stores and
restaurants.
Plano's tech services win high marks: Dallas Morning News, January 4, 2004
The
Center for Digital Government gave Plano high marks for its use of
technology to deliver services. In the third annual Digital
Cities Survey, Plano snared a fourth-place ranking among cities with
populations of 125,000 to 249,999 people. Microsoft underwrote
the survey of mayors, chief information officers and city managers in
more than 300 cities across the nation.
Plano ranks on "hottest towns" list: Dallas Business Journal, December 16, 2003
Plano is one of the country's top six hottest towns to live in, according to Money magazine's annual survey. The ranking identifies where Americans are moving and real estate has been booming.
Harley-Davidson stays in Plano: Inside Collin County Business, November 12, 2003
The
Harley-Davidson Financial Services group is expanding their operation
to 1801 Alma. The new 10-year lease includes 61,000 square feet
with an option to expand to 90,000 square feet of the building.
Presently, the office employs 43 people and is expected to rise to
approximately 100 in the next 12 to 14 months.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, October 28, 2003
McDowell
Label & Screen printing announced the ground breaking for the
construction of their new state-of-the-art 50,000 square foot facility
in Plano's Research and Technology Crossroads. McDowell is a
nationally recognized producer of cosmetic, food and beverage labels.
Plano firm makes Forbes list: Dallas Morning News, October 21, 2003
Plano-based Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc. made the new Forbes magazine
Hot Shots 200 Up & Comers companies list. ANS, which
manufactures implants that control chronic pain, is No. 95 on the
list.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, October 19, 2003
Adams
Golf leased 65,000 square feet of office and industrial space in the
Jupiter/190 Business park at 2801 Plano Parkway in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, October 5, 2003
Kellner Mortgage Investments leased 9,900 square feet of office space at Park Ventura Office Center in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, August 17, 2003
SVTronics
Inc. purchased 2.2 acres at Technology Drive and Klein Road in Plano's
Research and Technology Crossroads District. SVTronics, a contract
manufacturer in electronics assembly, plans to construct a 25,000 to
30,000-square-foot facility on the land.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, August 10, 2003
Digital
Southwest L.L.C., a company offering comprehensive fast-track
technology construction and application design services that are all
inclusive, leased an 8,800-square-foot office-warehouse facility at
1000 Jupiter Road in Plano.
Target Renews at Republic Place: CoStar News, August 1, 2003
Minneapolis-based
Target Corp. signed a 10-year extension for 10,443 square feet at
Republic Place in Plano. The general merchandise retailer will continue
occupying its fifth floor office space in the five-story office
building.
Plan for high school buoys area Catholics: Dallas Morning News, August 1, 2003
The
catholic Dioces of Dallas has signed a contract to purchase a 35-acre
commercial office facility in Plano for a high school, with hopes of
opening in the fall of 2005. The existing facility has 280,000
square feet, which can accomodate classrooms, a chapel, cafeteria,
library and labs. A gymnasium would have to be added. The
property has space for parking and athletic fields.
Plano to receive region's top development awards
The
North Central Texas Council of Governments has announced the City of
Plano will be awarded two of the region's top development awards which
recognize the Downtown Plano Transit Village and Legacy Town Center
developments. The Downtown Plano Transit Village will receive the
Landmark Award, the region's highest award for development excellence.
The Celebrating Leadership in Development Excellence Award Jury
recognized the Village for "redeveloping the heart of the city into a
clean, attractive and historic urban center." Legacy Town Center
received the Leadership Award. This project aims to introduce urbanism
as a new commodity in a landscape of quintessential suburban character.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, July 27, 2003
Packaging
Corp. of America, a company that provides a wide spectrum of packaging
solutions, leased a 76,800-square-foot office-warehouse facility at 808
Stewart Drive in Plano.
ANS'expansion wins recognition: Plano Star Courier, July 27, 2003
Plano-based
Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. (ANS) landed on Fortune
magazine's list of the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the United
States. ANS, designs, manufactures and markets implantable systems that
battle chronic pain.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Business Journal, July 18-24, 2003
Allmet
Building Products, a manufacturer of aluminum siding, patio and sliding
doors, signed a 7,104 square foot lease at Park Ventura in Plano.
Additional leases at that property include a 5,209 square foot lease
with the Texas Back Institute.
Eyeing expansion: Dallas Business Journal, July 11-17, 2003
Construction
projects at various Collin County Community College facilities are
underway to accomodate the growing number of students. A $7.7 million
project, including the addition of 19 classrooms, 17 faculty offices,
two science labs, two wireless high-tech classrooms, and a 554-space
parking lot has been completed at the Spring Creek Campus in Plano.
Real Estate: Dallas Business Journal, June 20-26, 2003
FutureWei
Technologies has expanded in Harrington Place at 1700 Alma Drive in
Plano. The company went from 15,500 to 23,700 square feet and
added another three years to its lease.
ESI subleases "vibrant" Verizon space in Plano: Dallas Business Journal, May 30 - June 5, 2003
Estech
Systems Inc., which makes and sells communications systems for small
and mid-sized companies, has moved its corporate headquarters to 3701
East Plano Parkway. The company subleased the 38,400-square-foot
building from Verizon Wireless. Doug Boyd, President of ESI, said his
company's revenue is up 30% so far this year, making it one of the few
telecommunications companies currently in a growth mode. The company
has an option to lease additional adjacent space. "This vibrant
building is exactly what we were looking for," Boyd said.
Facility management firm opens regional HQ in Plano: Dallas Business Journal, May 15, 2003
Electronic
Environments Corp., a supplier of services for maintaining utilities
that support information technology systems and telecommunications
networks, has opened its Southwest regional headquarters in Plano. The
Canton, Mass.-based company said it expanded because it recently added
500 cellular-phone sites of business in San Antonio, Austin and Corpus
Christi. The company, which has locations in nine states, focuses on
utilities such as power, cooling and fire protection that are needed to
keep communications systems running. Among the services it provides are
integrated design, engineering, construction and maintenance.
Spinal firm taps funds: Dallas Morning News, May 10, 2003
Plano-based
Innovative Spinal Technologies has been tapped to get $1 million in
funding from Synthes North American Inc., a Swiss company with its U.S.
headquarters in Paolia, Pa. Innovative Spinal, founded in June 2002 by
Plano-based Texas Back Institute, develops products that help
physicians who treat chronic back pain.
10-year tenant renews Plano office lease: April 30, 2003
LSI
Logic, a leading designer and manufacturer of communications, consumer
and storage semiconductors for applications of data, voice and video,
has renewed 16,745 square feet for another 64 months at the Atrium at
Collin Ridge in Plano. LSI occupies half of a floor in the two-building
property connected by an atrium. The central location for employees at
500 North Central Expressway and building amenities were deciding
factors in the decision to stay.
Hospital in Plano will expand: Dallas Business Journal, April 25-May 1, 2003
Presbyterian
Hospital of Plano is preparing to launch two building projects worth
more than $150 million. Construction is expected to begin soon on a
$120 million expansion of the West Parker road facility to include an
eight-story bed tower, more emergency department and pediatric beds and
addtional parking. The hospital is operating at 80% of its capacity
daily. In a separate project, Presbyterian is partnering with
aproximately 60 area physicians to build a $30 million diagnostic and
surgery center across from Communications Parkway. The project will
begin in June, and will include 63,500 square feet for the 20-bed
speciality hospital and 122,500 square feet for a medical office
building.
Legacy Newcomer: Dallas Morning News, April 25, 2003
A
Plano medical equipment company is expanding its operation with the
development of a Legacy business park headquarters. Advanced
Neuromodulation Systems Inc. is building a two-story,
145,000-square-foot office and technical building near Preston Road.
About 400 of the company's employees will relocate to the new building
next year. Koll Development Co. will develop the new headquarters
building, which was designed by Good, Fulton & Farrell Architects.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, April 20, 2003
BKR
Cornwell Jackson Group Inc. leased 9,509 square feet in the Preston
Park Financial Center at 4975 Preston Park Blvd. in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, April 13, 2003
Woodmark
International LP leased 55,190 square feet of office and distribution
space in Jupiter Resource Center at 2603 Technology Drive in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, April 13, 2003
International
Marketing Concepts Inc. leased 29, 688 square feet of office and
distribution space in Jupiter Distribution Center at 2901 Technology
Drive in Plano.
New businesses project more than 1,000 jobs: Plano Star Courier, March 21, 2003
The
Plano economy received a flurry of positive news this week, including
the announcement of three new corporate divisions coming to town and
Fry's electronics set to open its newest store on East Plano Parkway
near Central Expressway. PepsiCo's Information Technology division has
announced it is buying the former Citizens Communications building in
Legacy business park. Total employment at the facility will reach 800.
Southwest Corporate Federal Credit Union will construct a 100,000
square foot facility and employ approximately 200. UICI Insurance Co.
has signed a lease for 68,000 square feet in the Plano Corporate Center
at 2301 W. Plano Parkway. UICI will office 350 workers in their new
Plano location, which will be dedicated to UICI's student insurance
division. A fourth company, ESI Inc., has announced plans to stay in
Plano and has signed a subleased for 40,000 square feet in the Research
and Technology Crossroads. The Plano company employs approximately 100
at their new facility on East Plano Parkway.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, March 9, 2003
Siemens Business Services leased 8,645 square feet in the Park Center building at 2400 Dallas Parkway in Plano.
Area colleges join IT training program: Dallas Business Journal, March 6, 2003
Two
local schools will be part of a program to provide
information-technology training for community college faculties and
staffs statewide. Richland College and the Collin County Community
College District will work jointly as part of the Texas Working
Connections IT Faculty Development Institute, one of 10 such training
sites nationwide. The effort is put on by Microsoft Corp., the American
Association of Colleges and the National Workforce Center for Emerging
Technologies at Bellevue Community College. The Texas Institute aims to
keep IT faculty on the cutting edge of the technologies they teach and
ensure that their students get training in skills demanded in the field.
Frito-Lay buying Legacy building: Dallas Business Journal, March 14-20, 2003
Frito-Lay
Inc., the world's largest snack-maker, plans to expand its presence in
Plano. The company, in conjunction with its parent PepsiCo Inc.,
is purchasing a 250,000 square foot facility located near the Dallas
North Tollway on Headquarters Drive in the Legacy business park.
Engineering the future: Dallas Business Journal, February 28-March 6, 2003
The
Infinity Project, a program sponsored by the Southern Methodist
University School of Engineering and Texas Instruments Inc. that
introduces students to engineering, has expanded to the community
college ranks. Collin County Community College District has adopted the
curriculum by having 17 teachers attend training and begin teaching.
The program is designed to help students understand the relevance of
engineering, science and mathematics and expose them to high-tech
career opportunities. First-year students in 14 Texas engineering
schools use the Infinity curriculum. The project is also offered in
nearly 60 high schools in 14 states.
International intrigue: Dallas Business Journal, January 31-February 6, 2003
Tyler
Technologies has signed on for 60,000 square feet at 6500 International
Parkway. The company, which develops software for courts and law
enforcement organizations, moved in last week and will use the space
for its courts and justice division. The deal keeps the two-story,
116,600-square-foot building fully occupied.
CCCCD training program receives national award: Plano Star Courier, January 17, 2003
Collin
County Community College District has earned a 2002 Economic
Development Award for developing and implementing custom training
programs for business. The district was honored by Business Facilities
Magazine, a leading resource on business expansion and relocation. Last
year, CCCCD partnered with members of the Allen, Frisco and Plano
economic development corporations, their chambers of commerce and 17
small and mid-sized companies and launched the Workforce Training
Consortium. The consortium, funded by the Texas Workforce Commission,
identified training needs. District officials then offered customized
training to each of the 17 companies.
Baylor Plano names medical office owner: Dallas Business Journal, January 17-23, 2003
Baylor
Health Care System has selected Nashville, Tenn.-based Healthcare
Realty Trust to own and manage a $27.5 million medical office building
to be built on the campus of the recently announced Plano hospital.
Preleasing activities have begun, but final negotiations with Baylor
are still under way. Baylor is retaining ownership of the land. The
163,000-square-foot, seven-story facility will be built at the same
time as the $135 million Baylor Medical Center near the George Bush
Turnpike and Preston Road. Dallas-based Baylor is expected to break
ground January 20 on the 340,000-square-foot hospital. The hospital
will have 96 inpatient beds, 32 outpatient beds, eight operating rooms,
an urgent care center and a chest pain clinic when finished in
mid-to-late 2004.
Angelika Film Center to expand into Plano: Plano Star Courier, January 15, 2003
The
Angelika Film Center has announced plans to expand into Plano by the
end of the year with a new five-screen theater at the Shops at Legacy.
The Plano Angelika Film Center, with a total of 1,200 seats, will
specialize in independent, foreign and specialty movies.
CDS Datacomm to relocate: CoStar News, January 25, 2003
CDS
Datacomm, a manufacturer of custom engineered fiber optic, coaxial, and
copper cable assemblies, has signed a new 5-year 40,800-square-foot
lease at 1100 Professional Drive in Plano. The space will be occupied
in March 2003.
Archives
2002 In Review: Real Estate The Dallas Morning News, December 27, 2002
The
open-air shopping district, the Shops at Legacy, was named real
estate's "Biggest Overnight Success" of 2002.
Plano's DART ridership reached planned capacity from first day: Plano Star Courier, December 11, 2002
Plano's
two new light rail stations reached their expected number of commuters
on the inaugural day of operation. Projected average daily ridership by
the end of 2003 is 188 for the downtown Plano station and 2,046 for the
Parker Road station.
Local real estate rated high for relocating companies: The Chamber Report, November 2002
DFW ranks eighth in Expansion Management
magazine's ranking of the top 40 real estate markets for 2002 - the
only one of the 10 largest metro areas to crack the magazine's top 10.
The magazine said its ratings are "for business executives who are
looking for real estate to occupy." Expanding and relocating companies
rate real estate availability and cost high on their list of site
selection criteria.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, November 3, 2002
RamQuest
Software Inc. expanded its lease in the Parkway Centre III building in
Plano to 7,895 square feet. The building is currently 54 percent
occupied.
Baylor to spend $130M on Plano hospital: Dallas Business Journal, October 23, 2002
About
$130 million will be spent on Baylor Medical Center at Plano when
construction begins in January near the intersection of President
George Bush Turnpike and Preston Road. Dallas-based Baylor Health Care
System announced plans for the 310,000-square-foot hospital in October.
The medical center will include an acute care adult hospital and
medical office building. In phase one, the hospital will have 96
inpatient beds, 32 outpatient beds, eight operating rooms, an urgent
care center and a chest pain clinic.
Firm's relocation could mean 300 jobs: Dallas Morning News, October 9, 2002
Safety-Kleen
Corp. will move its headquarters to Plano's Legacy business park in
November, with plans to hire up to 250 workers locally. The nation's
largest handler of hazardous waste announced that is would relocate
from Columbia, South Carolina. The company said it chose Plano for a
variety of reasons that included the talent supply in the area, access
to highways and proximity to its tech services supplier Electronic Data
Systems.
Survey: Texas has best business climate: Dallas Business Journal, September 24, 2002
Texas
has the most favorable business climate in the United States, according
to a new survey of 287 senior-level corporate executives. Texas
garnered a 25 percent favorable rating from business leaders surveyed
by Development Counsellors Ltd., a New York-based marketing firm.
Survey participants included presidents, CEOs, vice presidents and
senior corporate real estate executives at companies with annual sales
exceeding $100 million.
Real Estate Report: The Dallas Morning News, September 8, 2002
Circuit
Design Specialties, which manufactures printed circuit boards, leased
7,850 square feet of commercial space in Research Center @ Jupiter/190.
Real Estate Report: The Dallas Morning News, September 8, 2002
OrthoRX,
a health aids manufacturer, leased 9,204 square feet of commercial
space in Research Center @ Jupiter/190.
Amica selects Legacy, cites retail amenities: Dallas Business Journal, August 16-20, 2002
Amica
Mutual Insurance Co., the country's oldest automobile insurer, leased
an 18,511-square-foot office in the One Legacy Town Center building on
the Dallas North Tollway. Locally, Amica employs about 65.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, August 4, 2002
The
North Texas Tollway Authority expanded its lease in the Gleneagles
Office Center at 5900 West Plano Parkway in Plano. The new lease
includes an extension of the previously occupied 22,194 square feet of
office space and an expansion of an additional 21,499 square feet on
the first floor of the Plano office building.
DeVry to begin Plano Classes: Plano Star Courier, August 1, 2002
DeVry
University announced it will open a Plano campus in September, pending
approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The college
will offer an undergraduate program in business administration as well
as three master's programs in the evenings and on weekends. Classes
will be held at Plano Corporate Center II. The Plano campus is the
fifth of its kind in DeVry University, which has more than 56,000
students in 18 states and two Canadian provinces.
Texas has favorable small biz climate: Dallas Business Journal, July 31, 2002
Texas
is the fourth-friendliest state in the country for entrepreneurs,
according to the Small Business Survival Committee. The Washington,
D.C.-based lobbying group released its annual ranking of states this
month based on their policy climates for small business and
entrepreneurship. The rankings are based on 20 government-imposed or
government-related costs that affect small businesses, such as taxes
and labor expenses. "Texas always does well because there's no state
income tax," says Darrell McKigney, president of the lobbying group.
"That's a big advantage."
VHA Southwest plans relocation to Plano: Dallas Business Journal, July 19-25, 2002
VHA
Southwest has tentative plans to move its corporate headquarters into
about 21,000 square feet at One Legacy Center in Plano. The company
will employ approximately 30, and is expected to move in November. VHA
Southwest is a regional health care system of Irving-based VHA Inc., an
alliance of community-owned health care organizations, physicians and
other providers in Texas and parts of New Mexico.
Success by design: Dallas Morning News, July 5, 2002
The
Shops at Legacy, a 23-acre mixed-use development patterned after "new
urban" projects, appears to be a hit with Plano shoppers. The first two
buildings comprise 90,000 square feet and are almost completely leased.
Tenants include a mix of restaurants and shops including Mi Cocina,
Half Shells Grill, Rice Boxx and Kathleen's Art Cafe. The second-floor
office space is fully leased, and the center will include 200,000
square feet of retail before the end of the year.
Crews get no summer break: Dallas Morning News, July 1, 2002
The
Plano Independent School District is working on the largest number of
construction and renovation projects in its 103-year history, with
crews deployed on 42 construction and refurbishment projects this
summer. The $180 million list includes construction of five schools and
dozens of campus renovations. The district has grown from 31,231
students in 1991 to a projected 50,736 by the end of the coming school
year. The price tag for Plano's construction and technology
improvements is nearly half of the $398.9 million in bond spending
approved by district voters in September 2000. That bond package was
the largest in the district's history.
Homebuilder, eatery sign at The Shops: Dallas Business Journal, June 28-July 4, 2002
Granite
Properties has signed its first two tenants for The Shops at Granite
Park, the latest component of its 90-acre mixed-use development at the
southwest corner of Dallas North Tollway and State Highway 121 in
Plano. Custom home builder Renaissance Homes has signed on for 4,400
square feet and restaurateur Rino Brigliadori is leasing 4,000 square
feet for a new eatery, Bravo Ristorante. Construction on The Shops at
Granite Park began in May. The project, which entails 35,000 square
feet of retail space plus two 5,000 square-foot restaurants, should be
ready for occupancy in December. Granite Park also includes 500,000
square feet of office space, a child care facility, health club, bank
and other amenities.
China firm puts main U.S. office in Plano: Dallas Business Journal, June 28-July 4, 2002
Huawei
Technologies Co. Ltd., China's largest vendor of telecom gear, has
established a U.S. subsidiary in Plano called Futurewei Technologies
Inc. The Alma Drive headquarters will employ approximately 30.
Fusion Learning opens Plano office: Dallas Business Journal, June 24, 2002
Austin-based
Fusion Learning Systems Inc. is opening an office in Plano. Fusion
Learning provides e-learning consulting services and develops custom
e-learning software for companies, government agencies and educational
organizations. The new office at 5068 West Plano Parkway will support
new and existing clients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
MetaSolv adds 300 to payroll, gains clients in Europe: Plano Star Courier, June 19, 2002
MetaSolv
Software, Inc., the Plano-based company specializing in communications
management solutions for traditional and next-generation services and
networks, has added 300 employees since January. The company has
greatly expanded its business into Europe since establishing an office
at France's version of the Telecom Corridor near Cannes.
Texas among top New Economy states: Dallas Business Journal, June 10, 2002
Texas
ranks 14th among the states in revamping its work force and
infrastructure to be successful in the New Economy, according to a
study from a Washington, D.C. think tank. The Progressive Policy
Institute based its ranking on 21 criteria, including the number of
state residents employed in "knowledge jobs," the amount of business
that a state's companies do with other countries, the number of
residents with Internet access and the number of patents and venture
capital in the state. In most categories, Texas ranked somewhere
between 10th and 20th. It did well in a measure of manufacturing export
sales per manufacturing worker (ranking 7th), the percentage of jobs in
companies whose sales have grown at least 20 percent annually for four
years (5th), and the use of digital technology in state government
(3rd).
Plano better educated, richer, more diverse: Plano Star Courier, May 30, 2002
Plano
is a city that has changed in more ways than just size, according to
newly released U.S. census data. It has become increasingly diverse,
better educated and wealthier. Its residents are somewhat older, and
fewer households are traditional. The population of Plano has increased
72 percent from 128,713 to 222,030, between 1989 and 1999.
Baylor gets preliminary approval for hospital here: Plano Star Courier, May 22, 2002
Baylor
Health Care System took a step toward construction of a new hospital on
21-acres on Alliance Boulevard near Preston Road. The initial plan is a
hospital with 100-120 beds in a full-service hospital with a
cardiovascular specialty. Preliminary plans reflect a two-phase
development of the site.
State Taxes among lowest: San Antonio Express News, May 3, 2002
The
new U.S. Census Bureau report shows that the Lone Star State taxes are
among the lowest in the nation. The annual survey of state tax
collections shows Texas ranks 48 in the amount of per capital taxes
paid by state residents. Texans pay an average of $1,379 annually in
state related taxes, mostly in sales tax.
Collin County grew 6.1 percent last year: Plano Star Courier, April 26, 2002
Plano
continues to grow but at a less frantic pace than it did in the 1990s,
according to a new population estimates for the north-central Texas
region. The number of people living in Collin County's largest city
grew by about 3 percent to 233,700. Collin County grew by 6.1 percent
to about 549,800 residents.
Economy turn-around spurs ground breaking in East Plano: April 23, 2002
Homewood
Suites by Hilton broke ground on an upscale four-story hotel near
Plano's Research/Technology Crossroads. The hotel will feature 108
suites and approximately 1,100 square feet of meeting room space. The
hotel should take about 12 months to complete.
Plano Rep delights with evening of "Importance": Dallas Morning News, April 21, 2002
Plano
Repertory Theatre inaugurated their season in Plano's new Courtyard
Theater. Architect Malcolm Holzman transformed the WPA gymnasium into a
playful and inviting environment. The performing area is a 326 seat
flexible theatre that can be used in several configurations.
UTD project under way: Dallas Morning News, March 31, 2002
The
University of Texas at Dallas has broken ground for a
180,000-square-foot building to house its School of Management. The
four-story building is to be completed by the summer of 2003 and will
house classrooms, video-conferencing facilities, a computer lab,
faculty offices, meeting rooms and an executive education center.
High-tech superintendent nets recognition: Dallas Morning News, March 20, 2002
Dr.
Doug Otto, superintendent for the Plano school district, has been named
one of the top 12 tech-savvy superintendents by officials at eSchool
News, a monthly newspaper read by more than 35,000 school leaders and
technology professionals. The publication applauded Dr. Otto's
commitment to improving technology in his schools since joining the
district in 1995. Plano's commitment to technology equity, access and
innovation set the district apart from others. It was noted that every
Plano elementary school classroom is equipped with computers and video
equipment, 1,000 school rooms have large-screen digital light
projectors to facilitate group discussions, and all district sites are
connected through a recently completed private fiber-optic
network.
DART expansion chugging along: Dallas Morning News, March 21, 2002
The
end of the line for DART's light-rail expansion will arrive much sooner
and much cheaper than planned. Trains will ferry customers to and from
Plano stations starting December 9, six months earlier than originally
planned.
Crossmark project makes day sunny for gathering: Plano Star Courier, March 20, 2002
No
sooner did Crossmark Chairman and Chief Executive Butch Smith break
ground on the management and marketing consultant company's Legacy park
headquarters than he announced the need for Phase 2 to begin
immediately. The $30 million Crossmark headquarters will be at 5100
Legacy Drive.
Legacy bound: Dallas Business Journal, March 15-21, 2002
Triad
Hospitals Inc. is heading north. The hospital system, formed in 1999 as
a spin-off of health care giant HCA Inc., will occupy the six-story
Lincoln Place I in Plano's Legacy business park later this year. The
company has subleased the 148,879 square foot building at 5800 Tennyson
Parkway from Computer Associates, which last year moved its regional
offices to their new campus in Legacy.
Cirro targeting electric markets across Texas: Dallas Business Journal, March 8-14, 2002
A
local start-up retail electricity provider has established its
headquarters at 4949 Hedgcoxe Road. Cirro Corp., a Plano-based utility
services company incorporated in May, employs 20. The company is
self-funded by its four founders, and currently serves only TXU's
territory in and around the Metroplex. Cirro plans to establish an
office and offer service in Reliant Energy's Houston territory within
the next 60 days.
Marriott moves into Legacy Town Center: Dallas Business Journal, March 5, 2002
Marriott
International Inc. has signed a lease for 14,000 square feet of office
space at Legacy Town Center in Plano. The office space at Shops at
Legacy consists of six, one and two-story buildings, with restaurant
and retail space on the first floors and loft and office space on the
second floors. Office spaces range from 1,500 square feet to 15,000
square feet, with 18,000 square feet of loft or office space still
available in the current phase.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, March 3, 2002
Vitro
Packaging Inc., which supplies specialty glass packaging, leased 15,800
square feet of office space in the Legacy Phase Two building east of
the Dallas North Tollway in the Legacy business park in Plano.
CarrAmerica to develop building in Legacy: CoStar News, March 1, 2002
CarrAmerica Realty Corp.'s development affiliate, Carr Development
& Construction LP, has been selected as the developer of the
170,000-square-foot, 3-story office building for Network Associates
Inc. in Plano, Texas. Network Associates' new building will be located
on 15 acres at the southwest corner of Headquarters Drive and Preston
Road in the Legacy business park. Architects on the project will be the
firm of Good Fulton, Farrell, with interior design by Gensler &
Associates. Ground breaking is set for March, with project completion
scheduled for year-end 2002. Network Associates plans to occupy the
space in 2003. Network Associates is the leading supplier of security
and availability solutions with headquarters in Santa Clara, CA. Light rail ahead of schedule: Plano Star Courier, February 21, 2002
Dallas Area Rapid Transit officials announced that light rail service
to Plano's stations will open six months ahead of schedule, providing
Plano residents with a transportation option that reaches downtown
Dallas in less than 45 minutes. The station at President George Bush
Turnpike will provide parking for approximately 780 cars and the Parker
Road Station will have more than 1,350 parking spots. Plano's downtown
station will open in December, but parking for transit users will not
be provided. Publishers rank Plano high among best places to live: Plano Star Courier, February 20, 2002
Based upon the number of times the city of Plano was highly ranked in
other periodicals, Universal Reference Publications included Plano as
one of "America's Top Rated Cities". The reference book details the
social, business, economic, demographic, and environmental information
about each city listed. The reference book details the survey results,
how it relates to national averages, and the source of information. The
book also describes the business environment, political atmosphere, and
background information about Plano. Network to build Legacy campus: Dallas Business Journal, February 15-21, 2002
Network Associates will break ground next month on a 170,000
square-foot project at the southwest corner of Headquarters Drive and
Preston Road in Plano. It hopes to move into the new space by February
2003. Real estate news: Dallas Business Journal, February 15-21, 2002
Miramar Development has leased 33,000 square feet to IDB Systems, a
division of WorldCom that specializes in the design and installation of
satellite Earth station facilities. The company selected the 10th
Street Business Park, just west of Jupiter Road and 10th Street in
Plano. From Galleria to Willow Bend: CoStar News, February 6, 2002
Quadrem Inc. has signed a sublease to occupy 25,487 square feet of
office space at Willowbend Office Center, located at 2740 Dallas
Parkway in Plano. Built in 1999, Willowbend Office Center is a 2-story,
117,663-square-foot office building. Quadrem Inc. provides an
Internet-based marketplace for the worlds leading global mining,
minerals and metals industries. Around the Metroplex; Network Associates plans Plano move: Dallas Business Journal, January 11-17, 2002
Network Associates Inc. has purchased 15.6 acres in Legacy business
park in Plano for the site of its new regional office. The Santa Clara,
California-based security-software maker has said that the new office
will improve operations and plans to move nearly 800 employees to the
new office by the first quarter of 2003. Lease renewed: Dallas Business Journal, January 11-17, 2002
PSFweb has renewed its 65,500-square-foot lease in the Atrium at Collin Ridge in Plano.
Preparing for more: Dallas Business Journal, January 11-17, 2002
Presbyterian
Hospital of Plano expects to begin a $2 million expansion of its
neonatal intensive care unit by the end of the quarter. The
project will add 18 beds to the 16-bed unit. The hospital also
expects to begin construction by the third quarter on a $3.3 million
expansion of its intensive care unit, adding eight beds to the 10-bed
unit.
A.T. Kearney relocates to EDS facility CoStar, January 10, 2002
A.T.
Kearney begins the new year with its new location of 70,000 square feet
at 5400 Legacy Drive in Plano. A.T. Kearney, founded in 1926, provides
management consulting to corporations of all sizes across the globe. In
1995, A.T. Kearney became a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDS. The firm
cites the move as a strategic decision for better organization and
operations with EDS.
Medical Center to grow: Dallas Morning News, January 8, 2002
Children's
Medical Center of Dallas announced major expansion plans to create a
57-acre pediatric medical facility in Plano. They have closed on
a $10 million deal with EDS to purchase land at Preston and Hedgcoxe
road in Plano's Legacy business park for day surgery, diagnostic
service and physician offices. A 40-bed facility is envisioned
for the first phase of development, with completion anticipated in the
middle of 2004.
Net security firm to expand locally: Dallas Morning News, January 4, 2002
Network
Associates, Inc., which has doubled its local employment over the last
three years to nearly 800, will build a new regional office in Plano
for a continued expansion. This will represent the company's
largest concentration of employees in the nation. Network
Associates has purchased 15.6 acres at the southwest corner of
Headquarters Drive and Preston Road. The company also has the
option to purchase five adjacent acres. The building, expected to
be completed in the first quarter of 2003, will have 170,000 square
feet of space. Many of the employees in the area work in
technical support and in sales in the call center operations. The
office serves the southwestern United States, as well as Latin
America. With the relocation, Network Associates will be able to
put is people under one roof, and have room to accommodate 300
additional people, for a total of about 1,100 staffers.
Tomorrow's work force depends on today's schools: Expansion Management, December 2001
Expansion
Management Magazine, a monthly business magazine for executives of
companies that are actively looking for a place to expand or relocate
their facilities, recently published its 11th Annual Education Quotient
rating of nearly 2,500 secondary school districts throughout the United
States. The Plano Independent School District (PISD) received a
Gold Medal, the highest ranking, representing the top 18 percent of
those districts evaluated. The most important factors considered
were test scores and graduation rates.
$57 million bond wins voter approval: CCCConnection, December 2001
The
bond's approval means the construction of new Collin County Community
College classroom buildings and high-tech training facilities.
With burgeoning enrollments, two CCCCD campuses, Spring Creek and
Central Park are operating at capacity. Fall credit class
registrations hit an all time record with an 11.5 percent increase over
the previous fall. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
projects that enrollments will increase by nearly 50 percent by 2010.
Lone Star State is four-star state in 2001: Dallas Business Journal, December 21-27, 2001
Texas earned an above-average score of four stars in Demographics Daily's
economic ratings for December. Key indicators make it clear the
Texas economy is one of the strongest in America. Texas ranks
fifth among all states in employment growth. The number of jobs
across the state is increasing 1.4% per year. It is seventh in
population growth, based on an annual rise of 2.1% and is 14th in
income growth. Texas' per capita income is climbing 5.3% per
year. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is one of the three
hottest Texas metros. The pace of job growth in the Metroplex
remains impressive, averaging 5,300 jobs per month. Local
population is increasing even more rapidly at 2.6% per year.
Triad moving to Plano: Dallas Morning News, December 14, 2001
A
health care company has just completed one of the largest leases of the
year on the Dallas North Tollway. Triad Hospitals Inc. is moving
its headquarters to Plano's Legacy business park. Triad has
leased the 150,000-square-foot, six-story Lincoln Place building at
5800 Tennyson Parkway just east of the Dallas North Tollway and will
employ approximately 175.
CCCC among elite in Microsoft academy launch: Plano Star Courier, December 13, 2001
Collin
County Community College will be one of the first 18 campuses in the
nation to provide advanced technology training through Microsoft
Corporation's Information Technology Academy program. According
to Microsoft, the IT Academy program is geared toward both
higher-education institutions and high schools and was developed to
address the need for such institutions to enhance their information
technology curriculum with the advanced technologies of today's
workplace.
Roy's brings Hawaiian flair to restaurant scene: Dallas Business Journal, December 7-13, 2001
Roy
Yamaguchi is bringing his "Hawaiian fusion" cuisine to North Texas with
the opening of a new restaurant in Plano. He'll be on hand for
the debut and visit the restaurant often, showcasing the cuisine that
has garnered top awards from travel and culinary magazines. The
Plano restaurant will seat 249 and employ 60 to 80 workers. The
freestanding restaurant, near the southeast corner of Parker Road and
the North Dallas Tollway, will open January 19, 2002.
Plano receives first place honor from the Center for Digital Government: November 2001
The
Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory
institute, announced the results of their 2001 Digital Cities Survey,
naming Plano first-place in its population range.
Retail on the scope for Legacy Town Center: Dallas Business Journal, November 30 - December 6, 2001
The
first retail phase of the The Shops at Legacy will open in
January. Additional retail space will be ready for occupancy in
April and September in the development at Legacy Drive and the Dallas
North Tollway in Plano. The retail space is part of Legacy Town
Center, an urban village springing up just west of EDS
headquarters.
15 area companies make Fast 500 list: TechBiz, November 19-25, 2001
Deloitte
& Touche LLP spotlighted companies on its Technology Fast 500 list,
which was released November 14. The roster consists of the 500
fastest-growing technology companies in the United States based on
revenue since 1996. Twenty-three Texas companies made the list,
15 of which are based in the Metroplex. Topping area fast
climbers is Plano's PFSWeb Inc., which provides outsourcing services,
including distribution and Web-enabled customer contact centers.
The company ranked fourth in the nation on the Fast 500 list by
increasing revenue from $111,000 in 1996 to more than $86 million last
year, an increase of 77,924 percent. Other Plano companies on
the list include MetaSolv Software Inc., No. 186 and Entrust Inc., No.
433.
Board approves construction funding for DNT/121 Interchange: Toll Tag Times, Fall 2001
The
North Texas Tollway Authority Board of Directors approved construction
funding of the Dallas North Tollway (DNT)/121 Interchange at the
boundary between the cities of Frisco and Plano. Construction on the
DNT/121 Interchange is scheduled to begin January 2002 with a tentative
completion date of July 2004.
Roaring to Plano: Dallas Business Journal, November 16-22, 2001
Lionheart
Newspapers Inc. has moved its headquarters from Fort Worth to Plano,
where it has established offices at the Plano Star Courier.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, November 11, 2001
SemperCare,
a healthcare services company that operates long term acute care
hospitals, leased 5,600 square feet of office space in Parkway Centre
III on the Dallas North Tollway north of Park Boulevard.
Aurum expands base with Florida purchase: Dallas Morning News, October 26-November 1, 2001
Aurum
Technology Inc. has made its fourth acquisition of the year. The
Plano-based company, which provides information-technology services for
financial institutions, acquired Data Dimension Inc., an Orlando,
Florida-based provider of software and services to thrifts. Aurum
employs 1,400 in 37 locations in the United States.
D-FW was No. 1 in job growth through August: Dallas Morning News, October 19, 2001
The
latest nationwide employment statistics show Dallas-Fort Worth leading
the country in employment growth. For the 12 months ending in
August, the D-FW area's employment market grew by an estimated 86,000
jobs, according the preliminary statistics from the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics. That made Dallas-Fort Worth the hottest job
market in the country, ahead of much bigger metro areas.
Plano association plans new educational science/tech center: TechBiz, October 15-21, 2001
The
Junior League of Plano plans to build a science and technology
discovery center with a focus on educating children and members of the
community. The Collin County Sci-Tech Discovery Center will be a
learning institute that will help people relate scientific applications
and technological concepts to everyday life. The center is
positioned to be an important driver in a world where industry and
education are propelled by technology and science.
PISD posts high number of National Merit semifinalists: Plano Star Courier, October 13, 2001
Plano
Independent School District recorded a large number of National Merit
semifinalists for 2002, according to results released recently by the
National Merit Scholarship Corp. The district three senior high
schools had a combined 73 semifinalists among them, with Plano West
Senior High School leading the way with 32. Plano Senior and
Plano East Senior High Schools had 22 and 19 semifinalists
respectively. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in
each state and represent less than 1 percent of a state's
seniors. Plano West Senior High School had the second-highest
total of semifinalists in the state.
Plano firm's device puts E-pen to paper: Dallas Business Journal, September 21-27, 2001
Plano
based E-pen InMotion Inc. has created a hardware-and-software system
that uses a wireless pen that results in "electronic ink" that appears
on a computer screen and can be edited as text using a work-processing
program. Most of E-Pen's 25 employees work in its
research-and-development arm in Israel, with four stationed at its
Plano headquarters. The company also has manufacturing support
in Singapore. E-pen plans to hire an additional six to eight
people in the next 12 months, mostly in business development, sales and
marketing. The company will move into Plano's Legacy Town Center
in October.
Software Company leases 17,000 SF in Plano: CoStar News, September 13, 2001
Retalix
has signed a five-year lease for 17,000 square feet at Building Two of
Tennyson Office Center. The software company will move into their
new space in November, bringing the 123,000-square-foot building up to
89% occupancy.
Low cost of housing gives Dallas an edge: Dallas Morning News, September 7, 2001
When
it comes to attracting new business, few factors are as important to a
local economy as housing costs. Companies have an easier time
attracting and keeping employees in markets where their workers can
afford to buy homes. In that regard, Texas cities continue to
have a leg up over many other areas of the country according to
Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corp.'s annual Home Price Comparison
Index. The firm compares the price a buyer would pay for an
average 2,200-square-foot, single-family home with four bedrooms, 2 1/2
baths, a family room and a two-car garage in a neighborhood considered
typical for middle management employees. In the Dallas area,
that typical corporate transferee house would cost $223,875, compared
with the nationwide average of $269,241.
Plano, Texas named the 5th most Kid-Friendly city in the nation: August 2001
Plano,
Texas has been named the 5th most Kid-Friendly city. Plano
received an "A+" on the Report Card that offers a glimpse of the health
and well-being of some 20 million children living in America's largest
cities. The Report Card covers every city in the United States with a
population of 100,000 or more, as well as the largest cities in those
states without any cities of this size - 239 cities in all. More
information can be found at www.kidfriendlycities.org/2001/city67.html
Mortgage company firmly establishes itself in Texas: CoStar News, August 16, 2001
Long
Beach Mortgage Company signed a five year lease at 2745 North Dallas
Parkway in Plano. The company will move into its new
13,000-square-foot space in the 156,000-square-foot Parkway Centre III
in November.
Firm decides to stay in Plano: Dallas Morning News, August 15, 2001
Crossmark,
Inc. has decided to keep its headquarters in Plano at a $25 million
facility it plans to build in the Legacy business park. The
sales, marketing and consulting firm chose to stay in Plano after
considering a move to New York, Chicago and three Collin County
cities. "Plano was the clear winner", chief executive Butch Smith
said. Crossmark is expected to break ground early next year on a
150,000-square-foot building on Legacy Drive. The company expects
to be in the building by mid-2003. Initially, the new
headquarters will be home to about 400 employees.
Rapid5 Networks opens manufacturing facility in Plano: TechBiz, August 13-19, 2001
Rapid5
Network Inc. will occupy a 45,000-square-foot facility at Jupiter Road
and Highway 190. The new office will include a quality assurance
lab and training center as well as sales, marketing and administrative
offices.
Freeway design firm moving office to Plano: Plano Star Courier, July, 2001
The
firm that designed most of the big freeways around Dallas is moving its
office to Plano in August. HNTB Architects Engineers and Planners
is moving to Plano's Gleneagles Office Park in the third week of
August. HNTB designed Dallas North Tollway, parts of Central
Expressway, and is now designing the "high Five", the five-ramp
intersection of Central and Interstate-635. The company may have
as many as 100 people in two years and currently employs 45 in the
North Dallas office.
Dallas housing less costly: Dallas Business Journal, June 22-28, 2001
Buying
a 2,200-square-foot home will cost about $747,000 in San Francisco, or
$455,000 in Los Angeles. The same house would cost only $174,000
in Dallas, according to the latest quarterly home value study by
Rochester, Wisc.-based Runzheimer International. The company
evaluated more than 300 metropolitan areas in North America.
Dallas came in as the best bargain among U.S. cities.
Plano company banking on biometrics: Dallas Business Journal, June 15-21, 2001
A
Plano company, EL Specialists, is developing technology for the
emerging field of biometrics, the biological identification of people
via their voices, eyes, signatures or other means. The 10-person
staff will grow to 30 in the next 12 months. In addition to
bringing on business-development types with experience in electronic
equipment, Internet security and biometrics, the company will also hire
engineers in manufacturing, materials and design.
Argent makes spec bet on high-tech revival: Dallas Business Journal, June 15-21, 2001
Banking
on a renewed demand for tech space in the Plano submarket, Argent
Property Co. is moving ahead with three speculative buildings totaling
305,000 square feet in Plano Tech Center. The 120-acre business
park sits at the northwest corner of Plano Parkway and Shiloh Road,
just north of State Highway 190. Argent launched Plano Tech
Center in 1997. Three existing buildings are 100% leased to
tenants such as Alcatel and Sanmina Corp. Three additional
facilities, nearly 100% preleased, are scheduled for completion in July
and August. The latest three-building phase will be delivered in
early 2002. At completion, the park will have 20 buildings and
more than 2 million square feet of space.
AT&T Wireless takes building in Plano: Inside Collin County Business, June, 2001
AT&T
Wireless strengthened its commitment to Plano with a lease on a second
building. The company's 105,000-square-foot building is being
readied for a third-quarter opening and the newly secured facility is
set to open in early-to-mid 2002. AT&T Wireless leased the
second 150,000-square-foot building to supplement its proposed
corporate customer retention and marketing efforts.
American Title sets Plano tech center opening: Inside Collin County Business, June, 2001
American
Title Co. will open a technology training center this summer at 5400
Plano Parkway. The center will provide training for clients and
those involved in real estate transaction closings for American Title
and its subsidiary, Texas Title Co.
Going to town: Dallas Business Journal, May 25-31, 2001
Lincoln
Property Co has developed more than 1 million square feet of space in
the Legacy business park over the last four years. All of the
finished buildings are fully leased, and those under construction have
been significantly preleased. The company's latest venture is a
two-building, 360,000-square-foot complex that surrounds the new,
400-room Doubletree Hotel in Legacy Town Center. The center, a
150-acre, mixed-use development design by urbanist Andres Duany,
includes apartments, retail, hotel and office space. One Legacy
Town Center is six stories and totals 153,700 square feet. Two
Legacy Town Center used the same floorplates but is two stories taller,
totaling 207,100 square feet. Both are currently under
construction with completion scheduled for early next year. Two
deals have taken the project to 70% preleased. KMA Companies, a
marketing and advertising consulting company that serves ministries and
other organizations, has leased the two top floors of One Legacy Town
Center. The two bottom floors have been leased by Insight for
Living, an organization best known for its national radio broadcasts.
Only two floors, or 53,400 square feet remain available in both
buildings.
Reinventing downtown: Dallas Morning News, May 30, 2001
The
new East Side Village development is transforming the look and feel of
downtown Plano. The "new urbanism" project, built on a 3.5-acre
site long Avenue K near 15th Street, will boast 229 apartments and
dozens of retail shops and offices surrounding a central parking
garage. The apartments and lofts will rent for $600 to
$1,300. East Side Village will be the first of two downtown
redevelopment projects undertaken by Amicus Partners Ltd. The
second project, on a 3.3-acre site bordered by 14th Street, Avenue K,
15th Street and Municipal Avenue, will break ground as soon as the
first project opens in September.
Gluon growing in northern California and Texas: Co-Star, May 24, 2001
Gluon
Networks, a developer and manufacturer of converged switching equipment
and management systems for communications providers, has expanded their
operations to Plano. The company's chief development center for
call processing and switch features will be anchored out of the
14,000-square-foot office at 1501 10th Street in Plano.
RX for growth: Dallas Business Journal, May 18-24, 2001
Presbyterian
Hospital of Plano is expanding their facility to include 24 more
medical/surgical beds. The $3 million expansion will boost
capacity in the medical/surgical department to 155 beds. Work is
scheduled to be completed by fall. The hospital has more than
doubled in size since opening in 1991, going from 437,205 square feet
to 907,005 square feet.
Vigor closes on Plano medical complex space: Dallas Business Journal, May 18-24, 2001
A
complex of medical office condos has been announced for a 3.2 acre site
at 15th Street and Plano Parkway. The development will consist of
three two-story, 14,750-square-foot buildings that will be ready for
occupancy in April 2002.
Raytheon picks Plano for infrared division: Dallas Business Journal, April 27-May 3, 2001
Raytheon
Corp. plans to build a 135,000-square-foot facility for its commercial
infrared products division in Plano Business Park at Plano Parkway and
Los Rios. Raytheon Commercial Infrared is the group behind the
company's new night-vision system utilizing infrared thermal imaging to
allow drivers to see beyond their headlights. It plans to move
into the new space by the end of the year.
Catholic school campaign begins: Dallas Business Journal, April 27-May3, 2001
The
Catholic Diocese of Dallas is launching several campaigns to build a
$30 million Catholic high school in Plano on 57 acres at the southwest
corner of Hegecoxe Road and Preston Meadow. The coeducational
school, which tentatively is scheduled to open in the fall of 2003,
would house 1,200 students in grades nine through 12. The project
is expected to include classrooms, a chapel for 120, a performing arts
center for 350 and possibly a natatorium.
Freeway design firm moving office to Plano: Plano Star Courier, July, 2001
The
firm that designed most of the big freeways around Dallas is moving its
office to Plano in August. HNTB Architects Engineers and Planners
is moving to Plano's Gleneagles Office Park in the third week of
August. HNTB designed Dallas North Tollway, parts of Central
Expressway, and is now designing the "high Five", the five-ramp
intersection of Central and Interstate-635. The company may have
as many as 100 people in two years and currently employs 45 in the
North Dallas office.
Dallas housing less costly: Dallas Business Journal, June 22-28, 2001
Buying
a 2,200-square-foot home will cost about $747,000 in San Francisco, or
$455,000 in Los Angeles. The same house would cost only $174,000
in Dallas, according to the latest quarterly home value study by
Rochester, Wisc.-based Runzheimer International. The company
evaluated more than 300 metropolitan areas in North America.
Dallas came in as the best bargain among U.S. cities.
Plano company banking on biometrics: Dallas Business Journal, June 15-21, 2001
A
Plano company, EL Specialists, is developing technology for the
emerging field of biometrics, the biological identification of people
via their voices, eyes, signatures or other means. The 10-person
staff will grow to 30 in the next 12 months. In addition to
bringing on business-development types with experience in electronic
equipment, Internet security and biometrics, the company will also hire
engineers in manufacturing, materials and design.
Argent makes spec bet on high-tech revival: Dallas Business Journal, June 15-21, 2001
Banking
on a renewed demand for tech space in the Plano submarket, Argent
Property Co. is moving ahead with three speculative buildings totaling
305,000 square feet in Plano Tech Center. The 120-acre business
park sits at the northwest corner of Plano Parkway and Shiloh Road,
just north of State Highway 190. Argent launched Plano Tech
Center in 1997. Three existing buildings are 100% leased to
tenants such as Alcatel and Sanmina Corp. Three additional
facilities, nearly 100% preleased, are scheduled for completion in July
and August. The latest three-building phase will be delivered in
early 2002. At completion, the park will have 20 buildings and
more than 2 million square feet of space.
AT&T Wireless takes building in Plano: Inside Collin County Business, June, 2001
AT&T
Wireless strengthened its commitment to Plano with a lease on a second
building. The company's 105,000-square-foot building is being
readied for a third-quarter opening and the newly secured facility is
set to open in early-to-mid 2002. AT&T Wireless leased the
second 150,000-square-foot building to supplement its proposed
corporate customer retention and marketing efforts.
American Title sets Plano tech center opening: Inside Collin County Business, June, 2001
American
Title Co. will open a technology training center this summer at 5400
Plano Parkway. The center will provide training for clients and
those involved in real estate transaction closings for American Title
and its subsidiary, Texas Title Co.
Going to town: Dallas Business Journal, May 25-31, 2001
Lincoln
Property Co has developed more than 1 million square feet of space in
the Legacy business park over the last four years. All of the
finished buildings are fully leased, and those under construction have
been significantly preleased. The company's latest venture is a
two-building, 360,000-square-foot complex that surrounds the new,
400-room Doubletree Hotel in Legacy Town Center. The center, a
150-acre, mixed-use development design by urbanist Andres Duany,
includes apartments, retail, hotel and office space. One Legacy
Town Center is six stories and totals 153,700 square feet. Two
Legacy Town Center used the same floorplates but is two stories taller,
totaling 207,100 square feet. Both are currently under
construction with completion scheduled for early next year. Two
deals have taken the project to 70% preleased. KMA Companies, a
marketing and advertising consulting company that serves ministries and
other organizations, has leased the two top floors of One Legacy Town
Center. The two bottom floors have been leased by Insight for
Living, an organization best known for its national radio broadcasts.
Only two floors, or 53,400 square feet remain available in both
buildings.
Reinventing downtown: Dallas Morning News, May 30, 2001
The
new East Side Village development is transforming the look and feel of
downtown Plano. The "new urbanism" project, built on a 3.5-acre
site long Avenue K near 15th Street, will boast 229 apartments and
dozens of retail shops and offices surrounding a central parking
garage. The apartments and lofts will rent for $600 to
$1,300. East Side Village will be the first of two downtown
redevelopment projects undertaken by Amicus Partners Ltd. The
second project, on a 3.3-acre site bordered by 14th Street, Avenue K,
15th Street and Municipal Avenue, will break ground as soon as the
first project opens in September.
Gluon growing in northern California and Texas: Co-Star, May 24, 2001
Gluon
Networks, a developer and manufacturer of converged switching equipment
and management systems for communications providers, has expanded their
operations to Plano. The company's chief development center for
call processing and switch features will be anchored out of the
14,000-square-foot office at 1501 10th Street in Plano.
RX for growth: Dallas Business Journal, May 18-24, 2001
Presbyterian
Hospital of Plano is expanding their facility to include 24 more
medical/surgical beds. The $3 million expansion will boost
capacity in the medical/surgical department to 155 beds. Work is
scheduled to be completed by fall. The hospital has more than
doubled in size since opening in 1991, going from 437,205 square feet
to 907,005 square feet.
Vigor closes on Plano medical complex space: Dallas Business Journal, May 18-24, 2001
A
complex of medical office condos has been announced for a 3.2 acre site
at 15th Street and Plano Parkway. The development will consist of
three two-story, 14,750-square-foot buildings that will be ready for
occupancy in April 2002.
Raytheon picks Plano for infrared division: Dallas Business Journal, April 27-May 3, 2001
Raytheon
Corp. plans to build a 135,000-square-foot facility for its commercial
infrared products division in Plano Business Park at Plano Parkway and
Los Rios. Raytheon Commercial Infrared is the group behind the
company's new night-vision system utilizing infrared thermal imaging to
allow drivers to see beyond their headlights. It plans to move
into the new space by the end of the year.
Catholic school campaign begins: Dallas Business Journal, April 27-May3, 2001
The
Catholic Diocese of Dallas is launching several campaigns to build a
$30 million Catholic high school in Plano on 57 acres at the southwest
corner of Hegecoxe Road and Preston Meadow. The coeducational
school, which tentatively is scheduled to open in the fall of 2003,
would house 1,200 students in grades nine through 12. The project
is expected to include classrooms, a chapel for 120, a performing arts
center for 350 and possibly a natatorium.
Moving in: Dallas Business Journal, April 20-26, 2001
Cosco
Wholesale is planning to move its regional offices to the top of its
new 148,000-square-foot warehouse store in West Plano when it opens
this fall.
Flextronics office project: Dallas Morning News, April 15, 2001
Flextronics,
the electronic components manufacturer has hired a general contractor
to build its complex on a 20-acre site at the southeast corner of Plano
Parkway and Shiloh Road. The two-building, 292,000-square-foot
project will be part of a corporate campus that will house about 5,000
workers. The Flextronics project is located in Plano's
Research/Technology Crossroads district.
CCCC student earns All-USA team honors: Plano Star Courier, April 6, 2001
A
Collin County Community College student has been named to the All-USA
Academic Team by Phi Theta Kappa. Thomas Doan earned recognition
at the American Association of Community Colleges national convention
and is one of 20 community college students named to the All-USA first
team, the highest level of academic competition.
Christopher A. Parr Library Opens: Plano City Briefs, April 6, 2001
The
City's new $5.2 million Christopher A. Parr Library has opened at 6200
Windhaven to serve the far west Plano neighborhoods.
D-FW grew fastest of large urban areas: Dallas Morning News, April 3, 2001
The
Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the fastest-growing large urban area in
the nation and has joined an elite group of nine U.S. metropolitan
regions with populations exceeding 5 million people. The D-FW
area grew 29.3 percent between 1990 and 2000, more than twice the
national growth rate.
Entertainment project in the works for Plano: Dallas Business Journal, March 30-April 5, 2001
Developers
are finalizing plans for a new restaurant and entertainment project, to
be called Landmark Centre, on the west side of Central Expressway at
Spring Creek. The 11-acre development will house a
66,000-square-foot facility with a mix of indoor entertainment,
including billiards, bowling, laser tag, video games and
restaurants. The Plano facility will employ 100 and is slated to
open December 1.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, March 11, 2001
Aerie
Networks, Inc. has leased 23,334 square feet at 600 Development Drive
in the Jupiter/190 building. Aerie plans to occupy the space in
May.
Legacy Doubletree aims for meetings niche: Dallas Business Journal, March 2-8, 2001
The
new full service $53 million Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting
Center at Legacy Town Center boasts 32,000 square feet of meeting space
designed to hold up to 1,600 people. The space includes a
14,000-square-foot ballroom and an executive meeting center with
conference rooms, a boardroom and a 100-seat amphitheater with
ergonomic furnishings and teleconferencing capabilities. A
concierge staff provides support services for those attending meetings
at the center. The hotel's guest and meeting rooms are outfitted
for high-speed Internet access. The hotel is part of the Legacy
Town Center project, a mixed-use development planned to include
multifamily housing, restaurants and retail space.
eWings speaks to the world on the web: Dallas Business Journal, February 16-22, 2001
A
Plano startup, eWings Technologies, has developed technology it says
can vocalize any content found on a server, such as Web pages and
email. The company has 32 employees in Plano and another 13 in
Taiwan.
Amicus has new plans for Plano/Developer eyes downtown boost: Dallas Morning News, February 7, 2001
Amicus
Partners Ltd. announced plans to construct a second downtown Plano
project: a 200,000-square-foot development at the northwest
corner of Avenue K and 14th Street that will be home to 400 apartments
and 25,000 square feet of space for shops, restaurants and offices.
Expansion Magazine publishes 10th Annual Education Quotient Ranking 2000
Expansion
Management Magazine, a monthly business magazine for executives of
companies that are actively looking for a place to expand or relocate
their facilities, recently published its 10th Annual Education Quotient
rating of 2,234 secondary school districts throughout the United
States. The Plano Independent School District (PISD) received a
Gold Medal, the highest ranking, representing the top 17percent of
those districts evaluated. The most important factors considered
were the test scores and graduation rates.
Texas newcomers to open stores at Willow Bend mall: Dallas Morning News, February 7, 2001
Taubman
Centers Inc. released a list of 100 retailers - including 36 that will
open their first Texas stores in the Plano mall- that have committed to
the $300 million, 1.5 million-square-foot regional center at the Dallas
North Tollway and West Park Boulevard. About 70 percent of the
mall's space has been reserved. The Shops at Willow Bend is
positioned to be comparable to the finest shopping centers ever
developed in this country and be the fashion destination of North Texas.
Forty-four Plano ISD Seniors Named Semifinalists in Year 2001 National Merit Scholarship Program: District Digest, February 7, 2001
Forty-four
Plano ISD high school seniors have earned Semifinalist standing in the
2001 National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically
talented young men and women have an opportunity to continue in the
competition for approximately 7,900 Merit Scholarships awards, worth
about $28 million, that will be offered next spring. Nearly 1.2
million students in more than 20,000 U.S. high schools entered the
Merit Program as juniors by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of
program entrants. Fewer than one percent of the national's high
school seniors were designated Semifinalists on a state
representational basis. To achieve Finalist standing, these
Semifinalists must have an outstanding high school academic record,
submit SAT scores that confirm their performance and complete a
self-descriptive essay.
Startup rakes in another funding round: Dallas Business Journal, February 2-8, 2001
Netrake,
a Plano start-up has raised $22.75 million to speed development of its
technology, which will let big data carriers prioritize and separate
different types of traffic on their networks. Testing of the
company's product is slated to begin late this year, and general
availability is scheduled for the first half of next year.
Netrake will double its 42-person staff in the next 12 months, with
most of the new additions being software engineers.
Center swells to 100 acres with purchase: Dallas Business Journal, February 2-8, 2001
Developers
of the $100 million Coit Center mixed-use development at the northeast
corner of President George Bush Turnpike and Coit Road have added
another 10 acres for restaurant space. The purchase boosts Coit
Center to nearly 100 acres, with zoning in place for office and
hotel-development and a mix of pedestrian-friendly retail, restaurant
and entertainment space. The development is the site of one of
the area's first Central Market Stores, the hot grocery concept
developed by San Antonio-based H-E-B.
Plano hospital expansion exceeds $100 million: Dallas Business Journal, February 2-8, 2001
Medical
Center of Plano pushed the price tag of its current expansion program
to more than $100 million with the announcement it will expand its
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to 40 beds. The $4.5 million project
was triggered by the increase of 4,218 births at the hospital in
2000.
Telecom manufacturer sees renewed growth: Dallas Business Journal, January 19-25, 2001
TelStrat
International Inc., a 7-year-old maker of telecom gear, is expanding
its presence in Plano in a big way.The company is building a new
90,000-square-foot headquarters on a 13-acre site. TelStrat
plans to move into its new space in April. The 100 employee staff
will grow by 25 over the next year.
AeA study cites Dallas MSA as one of the fastest-growing "cybercities": North Texas Commission Window on the Metroplex, January/February 2001
The
eight-county Dallas Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) experienced 54
percent growth in high-tech jobs from 1993 to 1998, making it the
fastest-growing large high tech area in the nation according to Cybercities: A City-by-City Overview of the High Technology Industry
produced by The American Electronics Association (AeA) and the Nasdaq
Stock Market. Large cybercities are defined as those with more
than 75,000 high-tech workers. The study found that the MSA added
62,100 technology jobs from 1993 to 1998, the second largest increase
nationwide. The Dallas MSA includes Collin County.
Lasting Legacy: Dallas Morning News, January 19, 2001
With
a daytime population of more than 40,000, Plano's Legacy business park
is opening the first phase of the community's new "downtown", Legacy
Town Center. Construction has begun on a half dozen blocks of shops and
restaurants that will line the town center's main street. The retail
complex is approximately 70 percent preleased. The 75-acre Town Center
at Dallas North Tollway and Legacy Drive has already undergone a
transformation. At the south end of the project, developers have
completed a three-building, midrise luxury apartment complex. The
400-room Doubletree opens in February and sits on a 25-acre lake and
park at the core of the new town center. West of the Tollway frontage,
Lincoln Property Co. has broken ground on two new office buildings. The
larger, eight-story building on Tennyson Parkway has been leased to
Compaq Computer.
Eastman Kodak inks lease at Tennyson project in Plano: Dallas Business Journal, January 5-11, 2001
Eastman
Kodak is moving its Metroplex research and development operations to
Plano. The company has signed a deal to lease 92,500 square feet
in Tennyson Office Center I, located at the southwest corner of
Tennyson Parkway and Communications Parkway. About 450 employees
will move to the new offices by the end of February. The group
handles software development for Kodak's health imaging division.
Growth promoted Plano move: Dallas Morning News, January 9, 2001
Expansion
needs lead Ericsson to move its U.S. corporate headquarters to
Plano. Ericsson's new campus will include three buildings at 6300
Legacy Drive. Construction is expected to be completed this month
and the buildings will be fully occupied in August. The Plano
campus will house 1,500 of Ericsson's 3,000 employees.
CCCC awarded $887,146 grant to provide workforce training: Inside Collin County Business, January , 2001
Collin
County Community College and 13 Collin County companies recently
received a Skills Development Grant from the Texas Workforce
Commission. The four Plano companies involved include: BICC
General Cable, Sanmina LP, Semiconductor Technologies & Instruments
and Telecom Electric Supply.
Electronics company to plug into city: Dallas Morning News, December 21 , 2000
Flextronics,
a California-based electronics company, plans to expand its operation
into Plano's Research Technology Crossroads, a district created to
attract high-tech companies. Flextronics' first phase of their
corporate campus will include four buildings covering 500,000
square-feet. Three more buildings will be built in the next phase
of the project. Ultimately, the campus located at Plano Parkway
and Shiloh Road will cover 125 acres and employ approximately
5,000. The company will manufacture telecommunications
infrastructure products.
Plano project breaks ground: Dallas Business Journal, December 8-14 , 2000
Jackson-Shaw
Development has broken ground on Research Center @ Jupiter 190,
bringing the company's total development in east Plano to 900,000
square feet. Research Center will be comprised of five buildings
totaling 150,000 square feet. They will range in size from 23,000
square feet to 45,400 square feet and are scheduled for completion in
April 2001. Source Supply has already snapped up 15,000 square
feet in the new development at Jupiter Road and Plano Parkway.
Full speed ahead: Demographics Daily, December 11 , 2000
Collin
County, Texas was listed as among the nation's counties with the
highest growth potential. With a growth potential index of 443,
Collin County ranked fifth in the nation using an 11-part formula that
focused on each county's population growth since 1990, projected future
growth, population density, per capita income expansion and
small-business growth. The final rankings are designed to measure
each county's capacity for future growth and prosperity. The
higher the score, the more likely a county is to do well in the years
ahead. An index above 100 indicates that a county's growth
potential is stronger than the national average.
Riding rails of revival: Dallas Morning News, December 8 , 2000
Dallas
Developer Amicus Partners is building a $16 million, 233-unit apartment
and retail complex in the middle of Plano's downtown. The Amicus
project and the adjoining DART light rail station are bringing hundreds
of people back to Plano's old town center.
Virtual ad software maker draws investors: Dallas Business Journal, December 1-7 , 2000
Mirage
Systems, Inc., a budding maker of software that places virtual ads in
sport telecasts, received additional investment in a recent round of
funding. The funding is geared toward moving Mirage away from
testing its software toward real-world testing in sports-production
facilities. If all goes as planned, Mirage will grow its current
22-person work force to 30 in the first quarter of next year, and to
100 by the end of 2001.
Live Long, Prosper: Dallas Morning News, November 21, 2000
An
economic boom revitalizing the city's historic east side is taking
place. Amicus' multimillion-dollar housing and retail
development, DART's rail station, historic rehabilitation's, the
300-seat theater, the new Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church sanctuary
and the growth of high-tech companies are just a few of the exciting
things transpiring on the east side.
MindFlow Technologies earns honor: Dallas Business Journal, November 24-30, 2000
Plano-based
MindFlow Technologies, a provider of e-business applications for
Strategic Sourcing Management, has been named one of the "Top 100
Emerging Companies to Watch in 2001" by Computerworld
magazine. To qualify, companies had to be corporate-focused,
profit ventures foundedno earlier than 1995, with annual revenue of
less than $250 million and possess an innovative product or
service.
Teradyne puts Plano Group in new building: Dallas Morning News, November 21, 2000
Teradyne
Connections Systems Inc. is expanding its Plano operations group into a
new 50,000-square-foot building. The facility includes a "clean
zone" for integrating fiber-optic cable into telecom and data racks for
such customers as Cisco Systems, Inc.
Biz software designer will move into Legacy: Dallas Business Journal, November 10-16, 2000
Computer
Associates is consolidating two Metroplex locations into a new
215,000-square-foot regional headquarters at Plano's Legacy business
park. The first phase of Computer Associates' development
includes a seven-story building scheduled for completion in November
2001. The project will include a child care center, cafeteria and
600 parking spaces.
CCCC, UTD team up: Dallas Morning News, November 15, 2000
Collin
County Community College students soon will be able to enroll as
freshman at the University of Texas at Dallas without leaving the CCCC
campus for most of their first two years of coursework. Officials
from the two institutions signed a dual-admissions agreement creating a
program that is "clearly without any barriers". Accessibility and
affordability are two of the agreement's hallmarks.
AT&T deal means 600 jobs: Dallas Business Journal, October 27 - November 2, 2000
AT&T
Wireless Group has leased a building in Legacy business park and plans
to bring up to 600 employees to Plano. AT&T Wireless will use
the 3-story, 110,000-square foot facility at 7300 Parkwood Blvd. for a
call center. Construction on the interior will begin in the next
30 days, and employees will start moving in during the first quarter of
2001.
DCI Corp. new tenant in Jupiter Service Center: Co-Star, November 1, 2000
Digital
Computer Integration Corp. (DCI) has signed a lease for 19,780 square
feet of office/tech space at 1009 Jupiter Road, Jupiter Service Center,
in Plano, TX. DCI was founded in 1990 with a strategic objective
to develop a unique ability to serve customers needs, preferences, and
special requirements for total integrated system technology.
McGrath-RenTelco moves to Plano: Co-Star, November 4, 2000
McGrath
RenTelco, a fiber optics and electronic test equipment company, has
moved into its new location at 1600 North 10th Street in Plano.
In doing so, it has also changed its name to RenTelco. RenTelco
occupies approximately 20,000 of the 39,000-square-foot building.
The Plano operation houses the company's communications and fiber
optic test equipment inventory and calibration lab as well as its
Midwest/eastern US sales engineering staff.
HQ triples in size: Dallas Business Journal, October 20 - 26, 2000
Proceed
Technical Resources is expanding its Plano headquarters from 2,000
square feet to 7,000 square feet. The company required more room
to do more in-house development of software applications for
clients. The firm, which also supplies project development
services and technical-services management, has grown from two
employees last year to 60.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, October 22, 2000
Santera
Systems Inc. has leased 100,230 square feet for its corporate
headquarters at 3605 Plano Parkway in Plano. Santera will use the
facility for research and development, sales, executive offices,
training and assembly.
Hendry plotting bigger facility, additional jobs: Dallas Business Journal, October 6-12, 2000
Hendry
Telephone Products, a California-based manufacturer of phone boxes, is
quadrupling its local space with a new manufacturing plant and
expanding its work force to 400. Hendry is building a $13.5
million, 200,000 square-foot light manufacturing facility on 12-acre
site at the Plano Tech Center business park.
SyChip coming to Plano: Dallas Morning News, September 28, 2000
SyChip
Inc. plans to open a chip design center in Plano in October. The
product development center will focus on the design and development of
radio frequency (RF) chip-scale modules for wireless Internet
appliances. Lucent Technologies owns SyChip. The center is
expected eventually to employ several dozen product development
engineers.
Texas Planners Recognize Plano: City of Plano Press Release, September 26, 2000
The
Texas Chapter of American Planning Association honored the City of
Plano's Planning Department with the Planning Excellence Award.
Plano is one of only 12 communities in Texas to receive the award this
year. Recipient cities are selected annually based on the level
of training of Planning Commissioners and professional staff,
qualifications of planning staff, breadth and currency of master plan
components and completion of other planning related projects.
Beal nabs Fina campus: Dallas Business Journal, September 1-7, 2000
Beal
Bank has signed a contract to purchase the former Fina
headquarters. The bank will be adding up to 100 employees to
their current base of 114. The bank was ranked 13th on the Dallas Business Journal's latest list of the largest Metroplex banks and savings institutions.
Legacy business park draws spec projects: Dallas Business Journal, August 25-31, 2000
Banking
on continued demand for office-tech space, Lincoln Property Co. is
building three speculative building in its Lincoln R&D development
at Legacy business park in Plano. The first four buildings,
delivered as part of Phase I in September 1999, are 100% leased.
Tenants include AT&T, Target Corp and DataStar. The three
single-story facilities in Phase II will be 28,600 square feet, 24,600
square feet and 53,800 square feet in size. Construction is under
way, and the buildings should be ready for occupancy by January 2001.
Adams Golf hopes iron turn to gold: Dallas Morning News, September 2, 2000
Next
month, Adams Golf Co. will introduce a set of irons with a
break-through in technology: a hybrid shaft that combines the
stability of graphite with the feel and consistency of steel.
Adams Golf required several years of research and testing to arrive at
a design protected by three patents.
2nd Granite tower planned for Plano: Dallas Morning News, September 1, 2000
Developers
will break ground in the next few weeks on what may be the largest
office building started in the Dallas area this year. The
10-story, 260,000-square-foot Granite Park Two building will be near
the southeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and State Highway 121
in Plano.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, August 27, 2000
S-2
Systems Inc., a global provider of high-volume e-business transaction
processing solutions, has leased 41,412 square feet of office space in
Two Preston Park South at 4965 Preston Park Blvd. in Plano. Some
100 employees will be housed in their new headquarters.
School of Management's satellite campus expands: Dallas Morning News, August 23, 2000
The
University of Dallas Graduate School of Management has doubled their
size and increased the number of classrooms and meeting areas at
their Plano campus. Since 1997, enrollment at the Plano campus
has remained constant, about 250 to 265 each semester out of the
college's 2,000 graduate business students. In addition to
attracting more students, university officials want to work with the
business community. The new facility will include a high-tech
video-conference center that corporations can use for meetings with
employees across the nation and around the globe.
Blue Mesa tackles new location: Dallas Business Journal, August 18-24, 2000
Blue
Mesa Grill will open early next year, moving into Plano's Granite Park
mixed-use development with a new restaurant prototype. The new
prototype will feature about 7,000 square feet of space plus a
!,000-square-foot patio.
Bond rating boost will lead to savings.: Dallas Morning News, August 16, 2000
Collin
County's bonds have been given the highest possible rating by Moody's
Investors Service, which will effectively lower the interest rates on
nearly $180 million bonds and save the county hundreds of thousands of
dollars. A rating upgrade came as the result of the service's
confidence in the way fiscal affairs are handled, a Moody's
announcement said.
Real Estate Leases.: Dallas Morning News, August 13, 2000
NetPower
Technologies Inc. has leased 7,005 square feet of office and technical
space at Jupiter Tech Center, 1100 Jupiter Road, in Plano.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, August 13, 2000
The
University of Dallas Graduate School of Management has expanded its
Plano campus to 12,000 square feet at One Preston Park office building
at 2301 Ohio.
Perot taking over ARCO facility: Inside Collin County Business, August, 2000
Perot
Systems made its consolidation into the former ARCO facility at 2300
Plano Parkway official. The company is combining into the one
location for a world headquarters. The facilities, encompassing
nearly a 1 million square feet on the 64-acre site, include a
cafeteria, fitness center, auditorium, credit union and parking
garage.
New E-Business program starts at CCCCD this month: Inside Collin County Business, August, 2000
Collin
County Community College will present its new e-commerce media
certificate program when the fall 2000 semester begins this month.
CCCCD is a pioneer in this rapidly growing area, having created
six new courses for the one-year, 33-credit-hour program. CCCCD
will also offer Associate of Applied Science degrees in E-business
media and in Web Developer.
SMU plans new E-Center at Plano Legacy facility: Inside Collin County Business, August, 2000
Southern
Methodist University's Board of Trustees has approved plans for an
E-Center at the SMU-in-Legacy facility. The E-Center will include
resources in various disciplines, including ethical and legal
practices, business effectiveness, technological capability, visual and
auditory aesthetics, human perception and cognition, consumer behavior,
social mores and cultural changes wrought by technology.
Perot Systems to relocate: Dallas Morning News, July 25, 2000
Perot
Systems Corp., the information-processing company founded by Ross Perot
is relocating its operations to a 1-million-square-foot office complex
in Plano. The company will move its headquarters to Atlantic
Richfield's former office and research facility on Plano Parkway.
About 1,500 Perot Systems employees now working in several locations
will be consolidated into the 64-acre property. The move is
expected to begin late this year after renovation of the complex.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, July 23, 2000
@Track
Communications Inc. has leased 25,000 square feet at 1801 10th Street
in Plano to be used as a research and development facility.
Real Estate Leases: Dallas Morning News, July 23, 2000
American Flood Research leased 12,300 square feet at 1820 Preston Park Blvd. in Plano.
Real Estate Report: Dallas Morning News, July 21, 2000
With
office leasing so strong this year along the Dallas North Tollway,
Heady Investments has announced plans for the third phase of its
Parkway Centre office complex on the tollway between Park Boulevard and
Parker Road. The six-story, 157,000-square-foot building will
feature a marble exterior and adjoining parking garage.
Feed-store silos coming down, Sam's Club going up in east Plano: Dallas Business Journal, July 7-13, 2000
The
16-acre site was purchased from the Wells family in May 1999 by North
Plano Spring Creek Ltd., which in turn sold it to Sam's East Inc. last
month. Arkansas-based Sam's Club paid more than $7 per square
foot for the 16-acre site, or $4.9 million. Land in that area is
typically priced for about $4.50 to $10 per square foot.
Vigorous plans ahead: Dallas Business Journal, July 7-13, 2000
A
partnership led by Howard Kollinger of Vigor Properties has acquired 1
acre of land on Plano Parkway west of Preston Road and plans to build a
new 15,000-square-foot office building on the site. The property
will be leased for $24 to $26 per square foot, net of electricity.
Lacerte construction could begin today: Dallas Morning News, June 30, 2000
Construction
began in Legacy business park on a 165,000-square-foot headquarters for
Lacerte Software Corp. Lacerte, a subsidiary of Intuit Inc.,
hopes to move next summer and bring 400 plus jobs to Plano. The
$25 million project is scheduled to be the first of three phases that,
when finished, could be worth $50 million.
Monterey vets part of incubator for tech firms: Dallas Business Journal, June 23-29, 2000
The
Plano incubator, dubbed Iris Labs Inc., is assisting startups
that specialize in moving voice and data via light over high-speed
networks. Iris' role is also defined as taking care of the
assorted headaches entrepreneurs face, such as providing seed financing
and lining up venture capital, accounting and human-resources
help and recruiting.
CSM Mailing Services moving to Plano offices: Dallas Morning News, May 28, 2000
Construction
has been completed on a new Plano headquarters for CSM Mailing
Services. The 30,000-square-foot office and production building
is located at 1700 10th Street. The company will consolidate
production, warehousing and administration operations into the new
facility. CSM provides direct mailing operations for clients in
several states.
Assured Technologies Inc. : Dallas Morning News, May 28, 2000
Assured
Technologies Inc. has leased 20,954-square-feet in Palisades Business
Center V & VI at 16000 Capital Avenue in Plano.
A & G Insurance : Dallas Morning News, May 28, 2000
A
& G Insuranc