FIDELIS IN THE NEWS

CHRISTUS Health eyes new headquarters in Las Colinas

Written by Ryan Salchert | Dallas Business Journal | Oct 9, 2020 10:00:00 PM

Multinational health care provider CHRISTUS Health is eyeing a 400,000-square-foot build-to-suit headquarters in Las Colinas, according to a document submitted to the Irving Planning and Zoning Commission.

During a Planning and Zoning meeting on Monday, the commission unanimously approved plan changes to a vacant 5.25-acre lot at the northwest corner of N. O’Connor and W. Las Colinas boulevards.

The property, owned by State Bank of Texas since 2017, was originally intended to house the bank's future 40,000-square-foot headquarters along with two duel-branded hotels.

Plans were changed on Monday, adding some 7,250 square feet to the bank's future headquarters, and scraping the two hotels in favor of a 15-story, 400,000-square-foot corporate headquarters. Plans also include a 10-story parking garage with one level of underground parking.

Though presenters of the project did not name the future tenant, language found on the planning document indicates that the project is intended to be a build-to-suit for CHRISTUS Health. The company currently operates its headquarters at 919 Hidden Ridge, also in Las Colinas. The company's current footprint is almost half of what is being proposed for its future headquarters.

When reached on Friday, a spokesperson for CHRISTUS Health said the company did not have any details to share at the moment.

“With the current supply and demand environment for hotels, we’ve started to look outside and what we’ve found is an amazing partner with a client of Fidelis Realty, who is looking to build a world-class, double A facility ... which will be their national headquarters," said Sushil Patel, president of State Bank of Texas during Monday's meeting.

CHRISTUS Health is being represented by Fidelis Healthcare Partners, a full-service, health care real estate firm and affiliate of Houston-based Fidelis Realty Partners. Kevin O’Neil of Fidelis Healthcare also spoke on Monday on behalf of the project.

The new headquarters is being designed by BOKA Powell. Don Powell, principal at the firm, also spoke Monday, indicating that the future tenant had been looking at a number of sites, including two in Irving, before landing on this one.

“One of this user's goals was walkability, not only to restaurants but hotels. We think this is a perfect fit," he said.

No timeline was given for when the project could start or when the tenant would need to occupy the new headquarters. CHRISTUS Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit system made up of more than 600 centers in four states and four countries.

Facilities include long-term care, community hospitals, walk-in clinics and health ministries.