De La Vega Development is moving forward with the next phase of The Central, a planned 27-acre mixed-use district positioned between SMU and Downtown Dallas. The company is working through the permitting process as it readies multiple new components for the project, including a sizable residential tower, a health and wellness facility, and a branded hotel offering. The Central is envisioned as an urban destination combining multifamily, hospitality, office, retail, and restaurant uses with significant open space.
According to reporting from The Dallas Business Journal, De La Vega is preparing to go vertical on a 400-unit apartment tower that will add to the site’s existing multifamily presence. The tower is intended to expand the community’s residential offering and build on momentum established by the project’s initial phase. Alongside the residential component, a health and wellness club is planned as part of this next wave of development activity and is positioned as an early starter among the upcoming elements.
The timeline for new construction at The Central anticipates the health and wellness club could break ground as soon as this summer, subject to permitting and other predevelopment steps. A Marriott-branded hotel, expected to include around 200 rooms, is slated to follow on a longer schedule, with site work projected to begin in the first quarter of 2027. The hotel will be one of the main hospitality anchors for the district and is planned to sit within a broader environment that will feature three restaurants as part of this phase.
De La Vega is also keeping open the option of adding office space adjacent to the planned hotel. While no specific office footprint or timing has been detailed, the potential office component would further diversify the project’s mix of uses. This flexibility illustrates how the master plan can accommodate additional demand over time as leasing, tenant interest, and market conditions evolve around the site.
The Central’s initial phase has already delivered a substantial multifamily presence with The Oliver, a 321-unit high-rise developed and built by Dallas-based StreetLights Residential. That first tower established a residential foothold and helped frame the character of the emerging district. Building on that start, the full build-out of The Central Dallas is planned to encompass approximately 4 million square feet of urban mixed-use space. The program is centered on connectivity and higher-end multifamily, hospitality, office, retail, and restaurant offerings, complemented by a 3.5-acre park intended to provide green space and a focal point for residents, workers, and visitors as future phases come online.
