Deal in Works for Bird's Fort

By ANDREA JARES
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The Lakes of Bird's Fort property in north Arlington is under contract to be sold.

Donald Huffines, an owner of Huffines Communities in Dallas, confirmed that a deal is in the works but said he cannot disclose details, citing a confidentiality agreement. The current owner, Sam Ware of Lazarus Property Corp. of Dallas, was not available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

The undeveloped land, which has almost 2,000 acres, is north of Green Oaks Boulevard, bisected by Farm Road 157.

Arlington Mayor Bob Cluck announced the deal in his state-of-the-city address. He said the new owner plans to have entertainment venues, mixed-use styling and homes that cost $300,000 to $600,000.

"Even though we don't have the final plans, I can tell you it will be a great product." Cluck said. "This is an important part of Arlington—the last big piece of land—and we want this to be a quality, upscale development.

"We told them that, and they seem to be on board of that. If they're not, remember, we have the ability to not let them to develop this property," he said.

Huffines Communities is known for developing large master-planned communities with resortlike amenities, such as water parks, golf courses and large clubhous-es. Its developments include Waterview near Lake Ray Hubbard and the Cape Cod-style Providence development between Frisco and Denton.

The Bird's Fort area was the first Anglo settlement in the Tarrant County area, and takes its name from Maj. Jonathan Bird.

The land's attraction is obvious—it's in the center of the Metroplex—but much of it is in the Trinity River flood plain, making development difficult. The land has changed hands several times over the past 25 years. Ware has owned it since 2004.

"This has been responsible for the demise—financial demise—of, I think, three or four developers, and we now have, I think, strong hands holding it," Cluck said.

A year ago, the city included the Bird's Fort land in a tax-increment financing zone, which would concentrate future tax proceeds into road and other infrastructure improvements.

Today, the Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission will hear plans for gas wells on 26 acres of the Bird's Fort land, part of which is over the Barnett Shale. Ray Ledesma of Star of Texas Mineral Resources owns the mineral rights, according to information filed with the city.