Constructing a shopping center in a floodplain is complicated and expensive. But that’s Retail Plazas Inc.’s next endeavor — if the developer behind Creekside can woo the City of Dallas.
RPI plans to construct a retail center at 6800 Abrams Road near Park Lane. The development’s aesthetic and tenants would be similar to Creekside shopping center at Abrams and Skillman.
Called Creekside on the Trail, the center could consist of three two-tenant buildings with restaurants and perhaps a bicycle store.
“I’m seeking the type of tenant that would like Deep Ellum — urban and cool,” says Trey Hodge, RPI’s vice president of acquisitions and development.
RPI has a handful of major hurdles to clear before Creekside on the Trail could come to fruition. The 6.6-acre property is zoned for single-family homes. The developer first must convince the City Plan Commission to recommend rezoning the vacant land to community retail.
If RPI wins the commission’s favor, the next step is creating engineering plans that mitigate potential flooding and requesting Dallas City Council’s approval.
One challenge is the economic viability of the center, says Cory McCord, RPI’s director of leasing. They’ll need to find tenants willing to pay rent that’ll support the cost of construction and maintenance. Because of the property’s small size, plans will be both tedious and costly. Hodge himself is skeptical of how realistic the concept is.
“We had to agree to certain standards, but if we can pull it off, it could be a one-of-a-kind destination,” Hodge says.
