OHT Partners’ proposal to build an apartment complex on the site of a former rehabilitation clinic in Arlington is moving forward amid opposition from residents.
The Austin-based developer plans a 360-unit project for 23 acres at 2601 West Randol Mill Road, where zoning permits apartments but requires city approval of a specific development plan, the Dallas Morning News reported.
Residents objected to the plan because of concerns of traffic congestion, safety, storm drainage and a potential decline in property values.
“To some extent, our hands are tied,” planning and zoning commission chair Ignacio Nuñez said. “This piece of property is already zoned with ready-made approval for apartments.”
The proposal is for 13 three-story buildings with garages and carports. Some mature trees near the proposed entrance to the complex would be preserved. The complex would offer one, two and three-bedroom units spanning from 700 to 1,300 square feet.
Amenities would inclue a pool, dog park, pickleball courts, gym and jogging trail. Howell Beaver, managing director at OHT, said the project would significantly boost property tax revenue, from $30,000 to an estimated $600,000 annually.
A recent meeting on the proposal drew a large crowd of people in opposition, but the planning and zoning commission ultimately approved the plan in a 5-3 vote, with several conditions. OHT must conduct a traffic impact study, increase security measures, and work to preserve mature live oaks on the site. The project also requires demolition of the long-vacant rehab center.
“The phrase I’ve heard more frequently is ‘Arlington is under-demolished,’” Beaver said.
Arlington is a suburb with a population approaching 400,000, just east of Fort Worth.
The Dallas-Fort Worth multifamily market is currently facing challenges, with a vacancy rate reaching a 20-year high of 11.2 percent due to an oversupply of units and rising interest rates impacting development. However, demand is strong, driven by population growth and economic development, leading to expectations of future rent increases as supply stabilizes.
—Rachel Stone