DART, Trammell Crow Company Celebrate Groundbreaking of New Transit-Oriented Development at SMU/Mockingbird Station

DALLAS, January 22, 2025 - Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Trammell Crow Company celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 500-space subsurface parking garage for DART riders and a 394-unit apartment community that will be integrated into the existing shopping center and DART's SMU/Mockingbird Station.

The apartments and underground garage are the first phase of redevelopment of 16 acres of DART-owned land adjacent to the light rail station at the intersection of Twin Sixties Drive and Worcola Street. Built on the site of a former DART parking lot, the seven-story apartment building will feature a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom units, as well as a resort-style swimming pool, outdoor areas with fire pits and grilling stations, a fitness center, club room, co-working spaces, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, a dog park, and a skydeck overlooking the Downtown Dallas skyline.

"We are thrilled to break ground on this transformational project at SMU/Mockingbird," said Nadine Lee, DART CEO and president. "Developments like these promote the economic and social activity that underpins vibrant and prosperous communities, all centered on a critical regional mobility hub."

Partnerships help SMU/Mockingbird Station transformation

The expanded development around SMU/Mockingbird Station is a true partnership between DART and Trammell Crow, with both parties actively working to reconfigure the site through the Covid-19 pandemic and inconsistent economic conditions to ensure a viable TOD opportunity remained near downtown Dallas.

The transformation of the existing land will afford residents and visitors convenient access to DART's 93-mile light rail system, multiple bus routes, walkable retail, and Dallas' extensive urban hike-and-bike trail network. Trammell Crow's future development plans include an office tower, retail, and hotel, adding to the existing retail, dining and living experience available at the SMU/Mockingbird Station area.

The buildout of the entire site will be completed in phases, with the second phase focusing on the office tower and hotel. Construction of the SMU/Mockingbird Station TOD is supported by the City of Dallas TOD Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District and funds programmed by the Regional Transportation Council.

Transit-oriented development supports economic growth

A University of North Texas study published in 2025 showed that transit-oriented development has had an $18.1 billion direct economic impact on North Texas, including $1 billion in the last two years.

Additionally, the study showed residential properties had an average rental price of $1.85 per square foot when they were located a quarter mile or less from a DART rail station. Those same one-bedroom/one-bathroom units increased to $2.04 per square foot, over 10% more per month, when located more than a quarter mile from a DART rail station. Similarly, commercial properties with similar dimensions and amenities within a quarter mile or less from a DART rail station saw an increase of over 12%, or $0.21 per square foot per month.

For more information about DART real estate and transit-oriented development, visit https://www.dart.org/tod.

About DART

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) provides modern public transit services designed for fast, comfortable, and economical travel. The agency operates light rail, Trinity Railway Express, regional rail, bus routes, GoLink on-demand service, and paratransit, moving more than 171,000 passengers daily across a 700-square-mile, 13-city region including Addison, Carrollton, Cockrell Hill, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Garland, Glenn Heights, Highland Park, Irving, Richardson, Rowlett, Plano, and University Park.