Hoque Global has begun construction on its billion-dollar University Hills development in southern Dallas.
The Dallas developer held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday, marking the start of infrastructure work for the commercial and residential portions of a 270-acre project near the University of North Texas at Dallas campus.
At full build-out, the development may hold hundreds of single-family homes, 1,500 apartments, 1.5 million square feet of commercial space, a town center and more than 50 acres of open green space on undeveloped land near the intersection of Interstate 20 and Lancaster Road.
“We owe a big deal to southern Dallas to dream big,” Hoque Global CEO Mike Hoque said during the ceremony.
“We started looking at this deal (as) how can we create a project (so) that southern Dallas can become the next Frisco. Today, I will start with my team.”
At the event, Hoque also announced new details surrounding the project. University Hills will be home to the second location of Hotel Local, the firm’s new hotel brand. The first community-centric hotel launched last month in Dubai, in partnership with hotelier Dave Johnson under the Marriott International system.
Partnering with developer Mike Ablon’s PegasusAblon to handle retail, Hoque is aiming to bring a major grocer to the project.
Real estate developer KDC will handle build-to-suit office developments at the site. Hoque also plans a stadium and multipurpose facility at the development, with hopes of attracting a professional sports team.
Those in attendance at Monday’s ceremony included Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert, state Sen. Royce West, Dallas City Council members Tennell Atkins and Jesse Moreno, and University of North Texas at Dallas president Warren von Eschenbach.
Monday’s announcement comes after Hoque Global says it hit a key deadline set by city leaders last year.
The developer first secured city incentives in 2022. City council members approved amended plans in late 2024, giving Hoque Global up to nearly $36 million in city subsidies — up $1.75 million from the original agreement.
Under the agreement, Hoque was required to purchase the land by Monday. In an interview following Monday’s event, Hoque said his business now owns the property.
City officials and Dallas County records confirmed that an LLC affiliated with Hoque’s firm closed the deal last week.
“This is the legacy of us and our company and the city of Dallas,” Hoque said. “We’re going to do what’s good for the community. It’s not going to be driven by when we break ground. We’re going to do things that are needed for this city.”
The development was years in the making, but Hoque Global first got involved with the project in 2022.
Late last year, the firm announced that it sold approximately 580 lots to D.R. Horton and Lennar. The lots will be used for single-family homes and townhomes. The project is also located near the planned Dallas Police Academy.
“We know that southern Dallas is a beacon of hope for our city,” Tolbert said.
“We cannot stop and we cannot celebrate too early. The residents in this part of our city definitely deserve more. … We will continue to be champions for a brighter future in southern Dallas.”
