DALLAS, Oct. 6, 2015 – With less than a year to go before construction and finish-out are completed, leaders from Crescent Real Estate Holdings LLC today marked a momentous milestone with the topping out of McKinney & Olive. Legendary architect Cesar Pelli and his firm Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects designed the sleek and contemporary, one-of-a-kind, Class-A office tower. A building unlike any in Dallas, McKinney & Olive is slated for completion in August 2016.
Media got a sneak peek at several floors and experienced the unrivaled city views offered in the 20-story Uptown structure, along with a construction update. The 530,000-square-foot structure is the first commercial building in Dallas to be designed by an internationally acclaimed architect since the 1980s.
The extraordinary features of McKinney & Olive’s ultra-premium design are emerging – the two-and-a-half story lobby with crystal-clear glass, the 1-acre piazza and community gathering space, and the graceful canopy with eye-catching oculi that is both aesthetically beautiful and structural. Also, the corners of the building have been specially designed without supporting columns so that the floor-to-ceiling glass walls offer stunning unobstructed city views up and down McKinney Ave., throughout Uptown, over to downtown Dallas’ Arts District and Klyde Warren Park, and as far as Victory Park.
Crescent leaders also mentioned construction highlights to come, such as the dramatic Carrara marble – extracted from the legendary Italian quarries that Michelangelo once surveyed and prospected – that will be installed in the stunning grand lobby, glass elevator lobbies in the parking garages to create an uplifting path to offices and retail spots, 10-foot ceilings in offices with highly efficient floor plates, and a sunlit conference center and fitness facility overlooking the lushly landscaped rooftop garden.
“When we broke ground and unveiled the renderings back in June 2014, we were confident Cesar Pelli and his team had created a blockbuster design that truly embraced Uptown’s vitality. Now that the massing of the building is complete, the proof is here for everyone to see,” said John Goff, chairman and chief executive officer of Crescent Real Estate Equities, LLC. “Knowing that Pelli Clarke Pelli only takes a very limited number of new commissions a year, we’re truly honored they chose McKinney & Olive as their first building in Dallas. It’s been a great partnership.”
Goff believes the quality and design are unlike any commercial building in Dallas. In addition to its bold, sculptural design, McKinney & Olive will feature state-of-the-art security, destination elevators, an outdoor landscaped garden on the fifth floor, a fitness center designed by Canyon Ranch® and a conference center. In an effort to serve customers and the community, 50,000 square feet of McKinney & Olive is dedicated to ground-floor retail, including its flagship restaurant Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse.
“This is the premier site in all of Uptown, and this building is going to change the definition of an urban office tower,” said Gregg Jones, principal at Pelli Clarke Pelli. “Pelli Clarke Pelli is extremely pleased that Crescent Real Estate has chosen to complement the architecture with extremely high-end finishes – such as the beautiful marble that we traveled to Italy to hand-select for the walls and floors of the lobby.”
Located in Uptown Dallas on a 3.1-acre site at McKinney Avenue and Olive Street, the tower is juxtaposed amid the grandeur of the neighboring Ritz-Carlton and The Crescent® and just blocks from downtown’s Dallas Arts District and Klyde Warren Park. The building’s bold, contemporary presence will crown the skyline as the tallest commercial building in Uptown. Beyond the sweeping views of Uptown and Downtown Dallas, the building is enhanced by McKinney & Olive’s piazza, which will be filled with umbrella-covered tables, park benches, water features and more. The piazza, surrounding grounds and rooftop garden are designed by acclaimed landscape architect, The Office of James Burnett, who crafted Klyde Warren Park.
Interest in the building is extraordinarily high, according to Goff. Already, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP and Sidley Austin LLP have signed on, and more leasing announcements are coming this fall. Crescent also expects to reveal additional retail commitments by year’s end.
“We’re telling people if they’re interested, they had better get on board fast,” said Goff. “The response has been very strong – especially after people get a chance to get inside, experience the light coming into the building and see the extraordinary views.”
The project team includes Crescent Property Services LLC as developer, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects as design architect, Kendall/Heaton Associates as executive architect, The Office of James Burnett as landscape architect, and The Beck Group as general contractor.
The development is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification.
In preparation for the fast-paced year as construction is completed and interior finish-out begins, Crescent has hired Angelique Wade as senior property manager for McKinney & Olive. A 20-year veteran in the commercial real estate industry, her career has been marked by continued success in every aspect of property operations and tenant relations.
As is the mission with its other properties, Crescent will provide exceptional customer service at McKinney & Olive. Crescent has been recognized 10 times with the prestigious National Commercial Real Estate Customer Service Award for Excellence, or the “A List” Award, from CEL & Associates, Inc.