Most cities grow in random fashion, evolving bit by bit over time. Imagine having the opportunity to design a community for more than 16,000 people—from scratch. That’s exactly what a collaborative team of designers have had the opportunity to do with CityLine. They’ve been able to consider pedestrian traffic flow and how the different components should best interact.
“What’s exciting about the CityLine project is that it’s a state—if not national—example of where contemporary office and residential mixed-use development is going,” says Dan Johnson, Richardson’s city manager.
The opportunity to plan such a development is rare. It’s all made possible by the fact that CityLine is anchored by at least 2.5 million square feet of office space for State Farm and Raytheon. That creates a ready-made base of consumers to support the simultaneous development of residential, hotel, medical, entertainment, and retail space.
The walkable urban development will promote a healthy lifestyle and provide plenty of opportunities to get outside. The first phase will include two parks, the 1.3-acre CityLine Plaza and the 3.5-acre CityLine Park. Both are being designed by renowned landscape architect the Office of James Burnett, designer of Dallas’ popular Klyde Warren Park. On the east side of the project, nearly 20 acres are currently set aside for green space.
CityLine Park will provide a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of work, Johnson says, with a quiet wooded area right next door. “There are some very tall trees—some that have been there for decades,” he says. “Other trees will be planted. The meandering trails will create almost a treehouse-effect, because of the terrain that falls down below.”
Many companies want to create their own campus and have their own amenities. CityLine goes well beyond that and takes a new approach, says Joe Haver, project manager with Corgan.
“The live-work-play, this excitement, this vibrancy—I think it’s going to be a really neat place to be,” he says.
GETTING OUTSIDE
Two parks will be developed as part of CityLine’s first phase:
CityLine Plaza
Size: 1.3 acres
Location: Centrally located within the development
Features: A natural-looking landscaped plaza will offer open space for outdoor concerts and festivals, shaded gathering spots for meetings or meals, and inviting walkways for an enjoyable pedestrian experience. More than 92,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and entertainment venues with sidewalk cafés and patio seating will frame CityLine Plaza and State Street.
CityLine Park
Size: 3.5 acres
Location: Western side of phase one, bounded by the DART red line.
Features: The park will offer expansive open space, a hike-and-bike trail that will ultimately extend as far south as White Rock Lake, an amphitheater, and a children’s play area.
A Day in the Life of CityLine
Communities typically evolve and grow over time. But the pure scale of CityLine’s office component—more than 2.5 million square feet—means immediate support for residential, retail, hotel, entertainment, medical, and other uses. With so many amenities on site, here’s how a typical CityLine worker might spend his or her day.
6:30 A.M. – Hit the snooze button for an extra 15 minutes in your CityLine apartment—no traffic jams for you. Wake up, walk the dog, and start your day.
7:00 a.m. – Stroll through the plaza to drop off dry cleaning.
7:15 a.m. – Head to the wellness center for yoga class. Hit the showers to get ready for the work day.
8:30 a.m. – Stop off at a Grab-n-Go station for coffee, a banana, and a muffin.
8:45 a.m. – Arrive at the office.
Noon – Meet a friend at the DART’s red line station, then walk to a fast-casual restaurant. Get lunch to go and eat outdoors in the plaza.
1:00 p.m. – Stop off at the apartment to check on the dog. Call CityLine hair salon to confirm the next day’s appointment, then pick up a prescription on the way back to work.
1:30 p.m. – At the office again.3:00 p.m. – Walk to the Aloft hotel to meet out-of-town co-workers arriving for a two-day conference.
3:30 p.m. – Back to the office for meetings. Administrative assistant brings in trays of goodies from the first-floor deli.
5:00 p.m. – Take advantage of the nice weather and catch up on emails using the free Wi-Fi in the plaza.
5:30 p.m. – Head to the tavern for happy hour.
6:30 p.m. – Walk back to the apartment, take the dog for a walk around CityLine park, then get ready for the evening.
7:30 p.m. – Walk to the plaza and have dinner with out-of-town co-workers.
8:45 p.m. – Make a quick stop at Whole Foods for some milk, produce, and organic dog food. Run into neighbors on the walk back to the apartment.
9:30 p.m. – In for the night.
This story originally appeared in the Dallas-Fort Worth Real Estate Review.
Read all stories from the CityLine Anatomy of a Deal package:
Building a City Within a City
State Farm at CityLine: Kind of a Big Deal
A Place to Walk About
Raytheon at CityLine: Creating a High-tech Command Center
A Multifamily Home Run
A Development That’s Built to Last
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