Starwood, KFK Team on Adaptive-Reuse Project in Downtown Dallas

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in a joint venture with the KFK Group, will open a new Starwood-managed Westin hotel in the heart of downtown Dallas, Texas in December.

The Westin Dallas Downtown is part of an adaptive re-use project that will transform the landmark “One Main Place” complex into the city’s newest lifestyle development. The KFK Group acquired the 1-million-square-foot building in March of last year.

“The Westin Downtown Dallas will appeal to both business and leisure travelers seeking an upscale, modern, and comfortable hotel in the city’s core,” Nick Malone, KFK Group’s development manager, told Commercial Property Executive. “The vertical multi-use building will feature amenities that are atypical for a building that’s almost 50 years old, such as a new 30,000-square-foot conference center, a contemporary bar, and a full service three-meal restaurant.”

The Westin Dallas Downtown will feature 323 luxurious guest rooms, including 21 expansive suites. Hotel facilities will include a three meal restaurant, a contemporary bar and more than 27,000 square feet of meeting space, including a primary ballroom overlooking the eastern courtyard.

KFK Group’s research revealed that since 2009, conferences/meetings at the Dallas Convention Center have increased by 55 percent and the 1,000 rooms added directly next to the convention actually improved the hotel market and has improved the city’s ability to attract city-wide conventions.

“Downtown Dallas is taking on a life of its own and is no longer the nine-to-five environment people once associated with the area,” Malone said. “The residential population is approaching 10,000 and over 5,000 units are under construction in or around the core. Areas like the Farmers Market, the Arts District, Victory Park, and Main Street provide an alternative to the suburbs that many people, both young and old, are attracted to.”

The Westin Dallas Downtown is conveniently located just five miles from Dallas Love Field, less than 20 miles from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and just one block from the DART light rail. It’s also within walking distance of leading attractions including the Dallas Arts District, Victory Park, American Airlines Center, the West End Historic District, Klyde Warren Park, and the Dallas Convention Center.

According to Malone, the KFK Group is looking forward to future development in the area and is excited to be a part of the change.

“Re-positioning through redevelopment has been at KFK Group’s core since inception in 1996. The building is being placed on the National Register of Historic Places and we understand the challenges that come with age,” he said. “When One Main was built, it was the building of the future and we appreciate the significant role it has played in Dallas’ history.”

Starwood has been busy lately with hotel openings. Earlier this month the company opened three hotels in China; and at the end of December, it opened a 300-key hotel in Charlotte.