Last Land Standing No More
For years, developers have planned and then withdrawn multifamily projects at 4300 Lomo Alto Drive, which remains one of the most intriguing half-acres of vacant land in the Park Cities.
Bill White intends to change that pattern. His company, Dallas-based Len Mac Development, intends to break ground in June on a luxury townhome complex that he hopes will help revitalize the corridor on the southern end of Highland Park.
The concept features a pair of three-story buildings with seven townhomes total. The purchase price will start at $1.85 million for a 3,000-square-foot vertical floor plan with three bedrooms and 3.5 baths that includes an elevator in each unit along with two balconies and a gas fireplace.
“These will be unique to the area, simply because there hasn’t been a design quite like this before,” said White, whose company has built projects in nearby Oak Lawn.
He hopes the gated project, known as 43hundred Lomo Alto, will be a catalyst for transforming the neighborhood, which could include other multifamily developments and is within walking distance of an upscale shopping complex anchored by a Whole Foods Market.
“There is a walkable aspect to this corner of the Park Cities, that we think will attract a new kind of resident to Highland Park,” said Claudine King of Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, who is marketing the development. “They’re very crisp and very clean, and a lot of attention was paid to detail. It’s not a cookie-cutter apartment feel. These are very well appointed.”
The amenities include white marble kitchens, oak hardwood floors, limestone exteriors, landscaped interior courtyards with water fixtures, above-ground garages, and a common area with a workout room.
“I see neighbors of all ages gathering for cookouts on the common terrace with kids and grandkids playing – four-legged ones, too,” White said. “The overall layout and individual floor plans support this communal aspect.”
King said the property should attract empty-nest couples looking to downsize from a larger home, but also could lure young families because it’s within Highland Park ISD. Construction is expected to finish in spring 2017.
Previously home to an apartment complex that was razed several years ago, the site has changed hands multiple times in the past three years, with two prior efforts to develop the land falling apart for one reason or another.
The first effort came in October 2013, when a proposal included eight units in three buildings. Another effort the following year was even more ambitious, featuring eight units within a single structure, along with an underground parking garage. The Highland Park town council approved both special use permits, but neither broke ground.
White acquired the land in August 2015 and gained town approval for the current idea in December.
“It’s an iconic location. Everybody has been driving past there for years wondering what’s going to happen,” King said. “Everybody knows that location because it’s been vacant for so long. I think it’s going to change the face of that street, which is exciting.”
