The Near Southside, already one of the area’s more popular sites, now has another innovative drawing card.
The 701 is a 68,000 square-foot, mixed-use, multi-building development from Dodson Commercial Real Estate on the corner of Hemphill Street and Magnolia. It features a new building and two historic buildings.
“The attractiveness of this property is the enhanced live-work-play environment based on walkability to numerous restaurants on Magnolia Avenue and the unmatched parking in the area,” said Alex Bryant, Development and Brokerage Principle at Dodson Commercial Real Estate.
New businesses set to open in the 701 include:
- VLK Architects, one of the state’s largest architecture firms, now has its headquarters there (previously on West 7th St.). The 701 headquarters office is officially open and operational on the fourth floor.
- Texas Health Resources will open a specialty clinic in the new development, slated for completion in early 2023 on the third floor.
- Monument Realty, the Frisco-founded and official real estate company of the Dallas Cowboys, will open its second Fort Worth office on the third floor.
- Walloon’s, the laid-back seafood-focused American grill from chef Marcus Paslay will be on the ground floor of the old Fort Worth National Bank building. The concept will feature a raw bar with oysters on the half-shell and shrimp cocktail, and American grill classics including steak fries, mussels, large-format salads and sandwiches. The restaurant is slated for completion in early summer 2023.
“I’m excited to finally be in the Near Southside and create a restaurant that fits the eclectic and cool vibe of the district,” said Paslay, owner and operator of From Scratch Hospitality. “We’ve had our eye on this neighborhood for quite some time and wanted to become a part of the growing community.”
“We never start with a restaurant concept and try to find a home,” he said. “Instead, we discover a neighborhood we want to be a part of and develop a concept to complement the existing people and tastes.”
Outdoor space and community elements of the 701 include a 200-space parking garage and a vibrant walking amenity. The Paseo Plaza will feature small pop-up style shop spaces for new, emerging concepts and serves to connect the buildings.
Existing business that will continue to operate include:
- Shinjuku Station, an izakaya-style restaurant that serves traditional small plates. Located at 711 W Magnolia Ave., another building absorbed into the project.
- Link Construction, a boutique commercial construction firm specializing in tenant finish-out and ground-up construction.
Bryant stressed that there is still room for the 701 to grow.
“We’re in discussion with numerous office and restaurant users that have expressed interest in the project,” Bryant said. “We hope to curate a dynamic mix of exciting, creative concepts at The 701 that will be great additions to the Near Southside.”
The concept of reflecting the neighborhood in the design permeates the project, with an intentional focus to maintain the integrity of the existing buildings while paying homage to the surrounding neighborhood. The 701 is also located minutes from downtown and the city’s four largest hospitals, with close proximity to the TCU campus.
“Like all of our projects, we want to develop a space filled with unique projects that fit into the neighborhood and bring something new to its neighbors,” Bryant said. “Whether that is the next cool restaurant, retail shop or lifestyle concept, if it uplifts and celebrates the Southside it is the right fit for this incredible location.”