TREC Announces 3 Finalists for its First Shark Tank Focused on South Dallas Projects

The Real Estate Council has released the names of finalists who will make pitches for funding in the organization’s first TREC Shark Tank.

Presented by Nexbank, the finalists will pitch their projects to redevelop parcels within the city of Dallas’ GrowSouth footprints before a live audience and a panel of real estate professionals on Nov. 2 at Gilley’s Dallas.

The host of the event will be Demond Fernandez of WFAA, and it will feature a conversation between Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

“Everyone involved has demonstrated a deep commitment to transforming our city.”

Linda McMahon

“TREC Community Fund is thrilled to be working with Mark Cuban, Mayor Rawlings, and our panel of real estate investors to create awareness of several innovative solutions with the potential to have long-term impact in southern Dallas,” TREC President and CEO Linda McMahon said in a statement to Dallas Innovates.

“Everyone involved has demonstrated a deep commitment to transforming our city. It’s inspiring to work with the development teams and I could not be more proud of our TREC members for all the work they’ve put into supporting the projects. Looking at the ideas that were submitted for this event, it’s clear that there are many creative, community-driven solutions for development in southern Dallas.”

Here are the finalists and their projects:

Dr. Michelle Morgan — The shuttered former Forest Avenue Community Hospital on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has been purchased by Vector Studies, LLC and Morgan’s goal is to revitalize the building into a multipurpose medical facility capable of housing a dialysis center, imaging center, urgent care center for emergency services, and a medical and dental assistant school.

Dallas Unity Fund — Doric Earle, Maria Schneider, and Hugh Resnick are the brain trust behind the Dallas Unity Fund, which seeks to unite investors, land owners, the South Dallas community, and entrepreneurs to rebuild southern Dallas. Having acquired several lots in the last two and a half years, the team is looking to develop and sell single family infill houses priced for quality, workforce housing.

Burchfield & Partners Inc. — Represented by Managing Director Rodney Burchfield, Burchfield & Partners wants to construct a 70,000-square-foot corporate maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) hangar at Dallas Executive Airport, which the company anticipates will create 30-60 full-time jobs. Burchfield also is seeking to collaborate on the project with the city of Dallas’ Office of Economic Development and Department of Aviation.