“Most country clubs of old were designed for dad first, mom second, and kids last.”

Dawson Williams
Former head of real estate at Common Desk
.…on working with Common Desk Founder Nick Clark to develop a kids-first “boutique country club” in Dallas’ Lake Highlands, via LinkedIn.

Dawson Williams

Williams recently wrote on LinkedIn about working with his former Common Desk colleague, founder Nick Clark, to develop the “first boutique country club in the USA” in Dallas’ Lake Highlands neighborhood. The twist: Unlike traditional country clubs, where space and programming for kids are a relative afterthought, the boutique country club project prioritizes kids over adults “when it comes to design, indoor space allocation, amenities, and programming.”

“I want my kids to have fun, make friends, and be in an environment that helps them truly flourish, not just be watched in smaller confined spaces” as in typical country clubs, Williams writes. “This will be a new type of club that only specializes in elevating the social membership experience for families.”

Clark, who sold his coworking brand Common Desk to WeWork in 2022, sees an unmet demand in urban Dallas for spaces that cater to families.

“There’s a real hunger for family-focused spaces,” he said, adding that the project fills a gap where “communities are starving for this—places where kids can roam freely, and parents can truly relax.”

To realize that vision, Williams and Clark have a 3.65-acre site under contract “in the heart of Lake Highlands” that currently includes a prairie-style 42,000-square-foot building. The country club will be a redevelopment of the 1967-built Northlake Building, a three-story medical office building at 10405 E. Northwest Highway, between Ferndale and Plano Roads.

When the property came on the market, Clark says they quickly “snapped it up,” recognizing its potential for their family-centric country club vision. (Earlier this year, the Javelin Group LLC applied for zoning to build up to 44 single-family homes on the same site.)

The as-yet unnamed country club project is slated for the site of the Northlake Building at 10405 E. Northwest Highway in Dallas’ Lake Highlands. [Rendering: Cliff Welch/Welch Architecture]

The club is slated to have 18,000 square feet of indoor space for kids, family dining, adult dining, a “state-of-the-art” fitness and wellness facility, an outdoor playground, and a resort-style pool.

The selection of the Northlake Building is no accident. Its Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture serves as a cornerstone for the partners’ vision, says Clark, who honed his real estate expertise before founding Common Desk. 

“This is more of a passion project than anything I’ve ever worked on,” Clark told Dallas Innovates. The prairie-style building “doesn’t look like an office building whatsoever,” he added, describing the instant connection he felt to the property.

Originally crafted by Dallas architects Hallum and Wrightsman, the structure embodies mid-century prairie style at its best. Clark and his team even connected with Don Wrightsman, son of the original architect, to learn more about its heritage. “He even shared his father’s original sketch of the building,” Clark said.

Now fathers themselves, Clark and Williams both approach the project with a personal stake.

For the entrepreneurs-turned-dads, reimagining the space is about creating the kind of place their own families would love. The partners plan to restore and reinvent the building, which has become a neighborhood landmark.

“Once we reimagine it, it’ll look like it was originally designed as a clubhouse,” Clark explained, noting how the building’s lines and layout lend themselves perfectly to an inviting, family-centered space. The goal is clear: preserve the building’s rich history and design while creating a community hub that Lake Highlands families will embrace as their own.

In keeping with their community-first approach, Clark and Williams are taking an unconventional step: they’re inviting Lake Highlands residents to help name the club.

“We want to bring the Lake Highlands community in on helping us name it,” Clark said. “This is a place meant for families, so it only makes sense to have the community involved from day one.”

Currently pursuing rezoning for the project, the partners are hosting a community meeting at the Audelia Branch Library at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9. Williams says the project’s supporters will get “exclusive invitations to early membership sign-up, happy hours, family meet-ups, and new swag drops.” More info on the project—including public “voting” on its desirability and an investment inquiry option—is available here.

“In the end, we want this club to feel like it’s always been part of Lake Highlands,” Clark said. “A place where families feel at home and neighbors come together—that’s the goal.”

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

The article was updated on Oct. 8, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. with additional information following an interview with Nick Clark after the story’s original publication. Quincy Preston contributed to this report.

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