Hoque Global to Start Southern Dallas Construction Next Week

One of Dallas’ largest mixed-use projects is raring to start construction while the financing is still up in the air.

Hoque Global is preparing to start its ambitious University Hills development on Monday, a 270-acre mixed-use project near the University of North Texas at Dallas, the Dallas Business Journal reported.

The Dallas-based real estate and hospitality firm, led by CEO Mike Hoque, plans to begin construction on Monday, the same date it is obligated to close on buying the land under the terms of a revised development agreement approved by the city in December. That agreement also raised Hoque’s minimum investment commitment to $62 million and increased the public subsidy to roughly $35.9 million.

Hoque has not confirmed whether the land purchase has been finalized.

The construction start would be a major step forward, emblematic of Hoque’s commitment to moving the needle on the massive project after years of delays and shifting timelines. A ceremonial groundbreaking is expected to draw key political figures, including Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert and Texas state Sen. Royce West.

University Hills is slated to include thousands of residential units, 1.5 million square feet of commercial space and more than 50 acres of green space. The site sits in a historically underserved pocket of southern Dallas, where real estate investment has been slower to materialize than in the city’s northern and central neighborhoods.

The project still faces a looming August 10 deadline to secure construction financing, one of several hurdles that have previously delayed progress. Hoque first secured incentives for the site in 2022 and has since navigated a series of amended deadlines and commitments to keep the deal alive.

The firm has made some headway. Last year, it sold 580 lots in the development to D.R. Horton and Lennar for single-family and townhome construction. And in February, it signed a development agreement almost a month ahead of the scheduled city-imposed deadline.

Hoque Global has proposed several large-scale projects across Dallas-Fort Worth, including the downtown Dallas “Newpark” district, but few have started construction. If it materializes, University Hills could mark a turning point for the firm’s development track record and for investment in southern Dallas.

— Judah Duke