Denton Economic Development
414 Parkway
P.O. Box 1719
Denton, TX 76202-1719
940.382.7151
940.243.9695 metro
940.382.0040 fax

Home » News / Reports » Articles of Interest » New Complex Near Airport

Articles of Interest

Developer plans to build new complex near airport
Proposed business and industrial park could bring more jobs, boost tax base

August 1, 2007
By Dawn Cobb / Business Editor, Denton Record Chronicle

A national industrial real estate developer could bring more businesses and thousands of jobs to Denton with a 1,200- to 1,600-acre business and industrial park it plans to build near Denton Municipal Airport.

Industrial Developments International, based in Atlanta, Ga., has an estimated 1,200 acres under contract from the Rayzor family, according to Doug Elliott, grandson of J. Newton Rayzor. Negotiations on additional property are under way, city officials said Tuesday, adding that the project could draw new businesses on the scale of Peterbilt and Tetra Pak.

"It's going to make Denton more attractive to business and it's going to provide more jobs in Denton," said Linda Ratliff, director of economic development for the city.

Doug Johnson, regional development officer for Industrial Developments, said he has been talking with city officials for a long time.

"We've been working on it for three years now," he said, adding that the company saw the junction of the east and west branches of Interstate 35 as a crucial site for future development. "There's not a better address in Texas than 35 and 35, and we're right on top of it."

The project, known as Port 35 North, is estimated to include about 12 million square feet of warehouse distribution centers and 2 million square feet of high-tech, commercial and retail centers, Johnson said. Port 35 North is proposed to have separate components, including a distribution center area, a technology park with possible student housing nearby, a rail park, heavy industrial area, light industrial area, and retail and commercial space along I-35 and within the park.

Port 35 North could bring an estimated $700 million increase to Denton's tax base, Johnson said, adding that the proposed park could provide 4,000 to 5,000 jobs.

"It's a big project," he said, adding that the site in Denton is near where the company believes the next epicenter of growth will be in 10 to 15 years -- at U.S. Highway 380 and I-35.

The current epicenter, Johnson said, is State Highway 121 and the Dallas North Tollway.

"If you look at the metroplex today, all growth is north," he said. "This is the next logical place to buy."

Karen Dickson, vice president of economic development for the Denton Chamber of Commerce, said the Atlanta-based company is considered a quality developer.

"We're very happy to see that," she said. "They have just done really quality projects around here and they're planning nothing less for this project too."

Elliott, who also represented his family in negotiations with Allegiance Development to build a proposed 410-acre mixed-use development directly across the interstate from the proposed Port 35 North, agreed.

"We think it's a good use for the property that's consistent with the city's long-term plans to have an industrial park," he said, adding that a contract was signed with Industrial Developments several weeks ago. "It was important to us for it to be something that Denton wanted to do."

The proposed park in Denton is bordered by U.S. 380 on the north and Interstate 35 on the east, and it crosses Airport Road on the south. Jim Christal Road provides east-west access through the property.

The proposed park also will have a major thoroughfare built through it, with the construction of Western Boulevard to start this fall, Ratliff said.

Though planned since 1990, the thoroughfare, paid for with bond funds and easements given by the Rayzor family, will serve several purposes. It will serve as an alternative route when Masch Branch Road is closed during Denton Municipal Airport's runway expansion project and will provide access to new businesses in the area.

The site also includes access to the Kansas City Southern Railroad, which has a spur parallel to I-35 near the frontage road.

"They've got all the transportation areas covered here," Ratliff said.

Johnson agreed, adding that the location and additional transportation venues would meet all the companies' needs.

A timeline for construction was not yet available because a number of details need to be worked out, Johnson said.

"There's a lot of stuff that's going to happen," he said. "We're plugging away one piece at a time."

The technology park is of special interest to Denton Mayor Perry McNeill, who has touted the University of North Texas' new College of Engineering and UNT Research Park as major attributes for the city in attracting both talent and companies.

"There's a lot of opportunity for companies that would use their [Industrial Developments] facilities to co-work on some of the projects [with UNT]," McNeill said.

The planned student housing and the technology park were included in direct response to the proximity of the proposed park's location to UNT, Johnson said.

"It's logical," he said, "to take advantage of the educated workforce."

DAWN COBB can be reached at 940-566-6879. Her e-mail address is dcobb@dentonrc.com.