Alice Murray is putting every ounce of her developmental philosophy into the 1380 River Bend project, located near the UT Southwestern Medical District and Dallas Love Field. With her company, Groundwork Development, she embraces the concept of adaptive reuse, which she defines as “creative problem solving—reinventing, reimagining, reusing existing buildings for new and higher purposes.”

Sandwiched between the Stemmons Corridor commercial district and UT Southwestern Medical District, this busy area of Northwest Dallas has changed significantly since the 55,000-square-foot office building was built 40 years ago. Between today’s robust job market, growing need for business services, and surging area population, reinventing 1380 River Bend into a trendy mixed-use community with residential condos and business lofts has created a prime fit with the neighborhood’s multi-layered persona.

But it all started with trees. As Murray was combing Deep Ellum and West Dallas for her next redo project, a friend sent her a marketing flyer on 1380 River Bend. Mature live oak trees that line the front and back of the building were Murray’s initial wow factor, which was magnified by the building backing up to a greenbelt along an old Elm Fork bed of the Trinity River. Unlike most buildings in the inner city, this one came with its own greenspace.

Since the structure’s interior had hardly been updated since 1977, Murray began the project by essentially gutting the original building and filling 50 large dumpsters with antiquated materials. After the dust cleared, the lofts that emerged from human reimagination and skilled craftsmanship are far from cookie cutter style.

1380 River Bend photo courtesy of Shoot2Sell

1380 River Bend

In addition to soaring 18-foot ceilings, each of the 22 contemporary condos includes individual electric and gas utilities, HVAC system, and plumbing lines. Beyond these standard features, buyers can add any finishing touches that meet their personal style, whether it’s a mezzanine level or skylights in the roof.

Unit sizes range from slightly less than 2,200 square feet to 3,500 square feet, and prices start at around $350,000. While that’s a median price point for new residential construction, the purchase price for businesses is about half the going rate of office rent in North Texas.

David Griffin, president of David Griffin & Co., and Grant English with Venture Commercial Real Estate are co-marketing 1380 River Bend, which is drawing a wide mix of interested buyers.

"We've talked to people who own CPA offices, architectural offices, people who restore cars, people who make art, and people who just want a cool place to live," Griffin told the Dallas Business Journal. "It seems like every time we talk to somebody, it's for a completely different use."

Around the Neighborhood

While 1380 River Bend Drive is nestled off the beaten path between the Stemmons Corridor neighborhood and UT Southwestern Medical District, it’s minutes from Downtown and close to everything in Northwest Dallas.

On the Stemmons Corridor side, 1380 River Bend is near hotels and office buildings along Stemmons Freeway. And on the Medical District side, it’s blocks from the William P. Clements University Hospital, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Children’s Medical Center-Dallas, and the Medical-Market Center DART Rail Station.

Since Mockingbird Lane and Inwood Road are both a stone’s throw away, 1380 River Bend is a short drive to Dallas Love Field, restaurants, bars, and shopping.

The River Bend project is on the ground-floor of a rising demand for new developments in Northwest Dallas that’s spurred by growth in the Medical District and around Love Field. On Mockingbird Lane just east of Harry Hines Boulevard, construction of the 35-acre West Love mixed-use community is in the works, which will include retail and office space along with hotel rooms and apartments.

Previous Alice Murray Projects

Murray’s interest in real estate development dates back to 1991, when she headed up The Real Estate Council and worked on affordable housing and inner city revitalization efforts. Since 1997, she’s had a hand in redeveloping some of the most notable buildings in Dallas, including the landmark Kirby Building that was one of the first urban housing communities downtown, the adjacent Gulf States Building, and the W Hotel in Victory Park.

In addition to working with other companies on projects, she previously owned The Alice Murray Company, and in early 2017, she founded Groundwork Development.