UPDATE: Bayside development

(ROWLETT, TX – June 20, 2016) Bayside Land Partners’ 260-acre development bringing a crystal lagoon to the former Elgin Robertson Park at Dalrock will soon begin to take shape, with construction for numerous residential units on the development’s north side slated to begin this Fall.

Texas-based developer Western Rim will install 845 urban design multifamily residential units on 145 acres located on the northern side of Interstate 30 off of Dalrock. Construction crews have already begun digging up dirt on the Bayside development’s northern section which will also include single family residential and town homes, as well as a commercial node with nearly 400,000 square feet of commercial space at the corner of Dalrock and I-30.

City of Rowlett Economic Development Director Jim Grabenhorst said Bayside is currently working through contract negotiations on the single family units and town homes, and estimates they’ll announce the developers for those units by the end of the year. Marketing for the commercial space is also underway and announcements for the users of that space are anticipated sometime during the first quarter of 2017.

Once the grading and earth work for the north side are complete (an estimated 30 to 45-day process) crews will begin construction on infrastructure including water and sewer lines and street network improvements.

The highlight of the Bayside development – a lagoon spanning eight acres of clear crystal blue – will mark the first stage of development on the south side, along with a central park area. The lagoon will reach a max depth of 13 feet and slope up to two white sand beachfront areas. A state-of-the-art show fountain will dazzle those relaxing on the beach or in the water with its 250 water nozzles, 29 fire nozzles and two video mist screens, utilizing technology said to be the first of its kind in the United States and surpassing that of the Bellagio show fountains in Las Vegas.

The southern end of the development will also incorporate multifamily units, a 500-room resort anchoring on the western edge of the crystal lagoon, and 200,000 square feet of office and restaurant space fronting the crystal lagoon. A 10 to 15-story residential condo tower is also in the works for the eastern side of the lagoon. Visitors can shuttle back and forth between these areas via a battery-operated, open-style bench trolley.

For the office/restaurant improvements, Grabenhorst estimated about a 17-month process from start of construction to having them open to the public, but did not have a timeline yet on when they plan to start building. About 800,000 square feet of the entire south side will make up office and retail space, with 300,000 square feet of mixed use and dining space fronting on the lagoon or the central park green space. About 45 acres of parks and open green space are also planned for the south side, as well as a four mile hiking/biking trail wide enough to accommodate golf carts and winding right alongside the lake.

Kent Donahue, development partner with Bayside Land Partners, said Lake Ray Hubbard presented an ideal location to bring in a crystal lagoon and resort development.

“The real estate lends itself to be something great,” Donahue said. “It’s not often that you find yourself on a peninsula on a lake 15 miles outside a major metro area and we wanted to do something special with it.”

While Bayside’s numerous amenities, restaurants and shopping units will certainly make for an ideal vacation destination for local families, its location right off of I-30 has many wondering what’s being planned to help alleviate the anticipated heavy flow of traffic coming in and out of the development.

“We are working with TxDOT and the North Central Texas Council of Governments for doing an overpass over I-30 that will connect the north side with the south side, as well as providing enhancements on the interchange there at Dalrock,” Grabenhorst said. “TxDOT’s long-term plans are to add additional lanes as well as outer road lanes to I-30. Those discussions are ongoing right now, talking with the City of Garland and City of Rockwall. TxDOT’s long-term plan includes improvements to I-30 from Bass Pro all the way to the Hunt County line.

“All of the different cities and counties are currently in the early stages of those discussions in coming up with a design that will try to get funding priority through TxDOT and NCTCOG to make those improvements happen in the future.”

Bayside Land Partners also plans a full service marina for the south side and is currently working on a transition plan with Bayview Marina located on the land Bayside is developing for its crystal lagoon.

“They’re working on a transition plan with the Bayview Marina right now, and ultimately Bayside Land Partners plans to redevelop that marina into more of a full service marina with valet services,” Grabenhorst said. “I don’t think they’ve finalized their transition plan as of yet, but it’ll be a little over 1,000 boat slips and have what they refer to as a valet service, where if you call ahead they’ll pull your boat out of dry storage, get it in the water and have it ready for you when you get there to head out on the lake.”

Bayview Marina owner Jim Rosenberg came before the Rockwall City Council during a work session back in February to propose relocating his marina to the Harbor. The city council took no action regarding the proposal. Since that time, according to sources with the City of Rockwall, the City has not received an official request from Rosenberg to consider the proposed relocation of his marina to the Harbor, and as a result there have been no discussions between Planning and Zoning or the city council regarding Bayview Marina in the time following the work session.

For more on the Bayside development visit discoverbayside.com.

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor. Renderings courtesy discoverbayside.com.

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