Southern County Denton Business

Lakeside Village has completed construction on Sunset Plaza, a 217,000-square-foot facility designed to become the centerpiece of a new hospitality and dining destination overlooking Lake Grapevine.

The plaza, located on a 2.5-acre promontory at Flower Mound’s southern tip, offers 360-degree lake views and includes a two-level underground parking garage with 378 spaces. Developers envision the site as a future hub for restaurants, a wedding venue, and eventually a 12-story Marriott Autograph Collection hotel.

“We believe strongly in the magnetism of the lake views from this site,” said Peter B. Stewart, president of Lakeside Village Partners, Ltd. “The views appeal to sightseers, diners, wedding parties, hotel guests, businesspeople, and convention-goers. Seeing is believing.”

The project was originally conceived by planner Kevin Sloan, who imagined an open-air plaza surrounded by restaurants with unobstructed water views. Today, visitors to the site can see nearly all of Lake Grapevine’s 7,200 acres and 60 miles of shoreline, with year-round sunsets over the water.

With the parking garage complete, development partner Jimmy Archie said the next step is to begin construction on a lakeside wedding venue in early 2026, followed by a boutique hotel. “We expect the dining experiences offered by our restaurants to make diners feel like they have been transported to one of their favorite water vacation spots,” Archie said.

General contractor Swinerton oversaw the project’s construction, which presented challenges due to its location near the lake. “Our team is eager to have their first sunset drink at one of the new restaurants on the plaza and see the space come to life,” said Tyler Whittaker, division manager for Swinerton’s Dallas office.

The completion of Sunset Plaza and its garage marks the end of infrastructure development at Lakeside Village, Stewart said.

Dallas Business Journal

Construction is underway on a new passenger terminal to support commercial flights out of McKinney National Airport and is expected to be completed in fall 2026.

California-based Swinerton Builders began construction on the new 46,000-square-foot terminal on July 18, following years of debate. Work on the $58million facility is expected to wrap up in November 2026, a city spokes person said in an Aug. 4 email.

Commercial flights are expected to begin later that year. The development will turn McKinney National Airport, which goes by code “TKI,” into the third commercial airport in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and the first in booming Collin County.

“This new terminal is not just an investment in McKinney. It’s an investment in the future of North Texas,” McKinney Mayor Bill Cox said during the July 18 ground breaking ceremony.

The project also includes a new aircraft apron, 980 parking spaces with the capacity to expand to 1,450 and a new roundabout to manage traffic from FM546. The entire expansion has a price tag of $79 million, funded by sales tax revenue bonds from the McKinney Economic Development Corp. and McKinney Community Development Corp., a Texas Department of Transportation grant, tax increment reinvestment zone funds, city utility and airport construction funds and airport operating revenue.

The commercial terminal will initially open with four gates, with the potential to expand to six in the future. Airport officials predict serving 200,000passengers in the first year of operation, with an average of three daily departures. By 2031, the airport could serve 1 million passengers a year.

“I was proud to work with the city while drafting the [Federal Aviation Administration] Reauthorization Act and to provide support to help launch this project,” Sen. Ted Cruz said during the July 18 ceremony. “This is a major milestone that will bring jobs and promote economic growth in North Texas.”

Last year, Swinerton broke ground on a pivotal project to expand the transportation capacity of North Texas. The project is delivering a new 40,000 square foot hangar, Corporate Hangar 10, and a new 3,200-square-foot U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at McKinney National Airport, which will allow international flights to land and taxi directly to customs, expediting and streamlining the process for travelers.

The project taps architecture and engineering team JRMA and Garver and is being uniquely delivered under a Public- Private Partnership (P3) led by developer Griffin Swinerton. As population booms exacerbate infrastructure gaps across the country, P3 deal structures are quickly emerging for their ability to leverage the strengths of the private sector to finance, build, and manage public infrastructure, typically offering a more balanced allocation of risk, opportunity for innovation, and streamlined project execution with cost and performance guarantees. This opens up opportunities for counties and cities to deliver world-class facilities for their communities without placing unnecessary burden on local taxpayers.

For the City of McKinney, the P3 development method is enabling the City to maintain ownership and oversight of the facilities, while tapping Griffin Swinerton’s network of resources and expertise to design, permit, and construct the new facilities alongside Swinerton.

George Fuller, Mayor of McKinney, says, “The Swinerton and Griffin Swinerton team has done an excellent job partnering with the City to facility a smooth P3 delivery process, and we’re excited to see the results.”

New Commercial Terminal Project Expands Impact in Texas

Another pivotal project will reshape the airport, this time opening it up to commercial travel. The City has awarded Swinerton the contract for a 45,000-square-foot commercial airport terminal facility at McKinney National Airport, alongside design and engineering team Corgan and Garver.

Pending final city council approval, the terminal will include three gates for arrivals and departures—with space to accommodate future expansion to five—and will feature a public arrival check-in area, concessions, hold rooms, airline support areas, ramp operations, and rental car counters. Other plans for the terminal include food and beverage concessions, passenger holding rooms, above-ground jet fuel tanks, other extensive airside site development, and a parking lot with up to 1,500 spots.

The City estimates that the terminal could see 200,000 passengers in its first year of passenger service, and up 1 million annual passengers by its fifth year. This estimate trends inline with the recent population boom in the Dallas area. The metroplex consistently ranks among the fastest growth metropolitan areas in the United States. Of the top 10 fastest-growing cities in the country ranked last year by the U.S. Census Bureau, four were in Collin County, which stretches from North Dallas and includes the communities of McKinney, Plano, and Celina.

McKinney National Airport will mark the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex’s third regional airport and has been strategically planned to serve these fast-growing cities in North Texas. The airport will provide greater convenience and flexibility to residents of Collin County and nearby communities— while also easing the burden on Dallas Love Field and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the latter of which was ranked the third busiest airport in the country last year by the Federal Aviation Administration.

As a community contractor with national reach, Swinerton is proud to continue its commitment to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and invest in the continued growth and prosperity of North Texas.

Culture Map Dallas

The City of Rowlett broke ground on its new Municipal Complex on April 26, a project that represents the largest capital investment in the city’s history.

Hosted at Herfurth Park, the groundbreaking drew residents, elected officials, project partners, and city staff to commemorate the beginning of construction on what is anticipated to become a cornerstone of Rowlett’s civic life.

There were also food trucks, bounce houses, a DJ, giveaways, and a commemorative coin for early attendees. During the ceremony, community leaders were joined by representatives from design firm Hoefer Welker, construction firm Swinerton, and engineering teams from Lamb-Star, Terracon, and SAM, all of whom shared their excitement for the project.

According to a release, the new Municpal Complex will be located on approximately 25 acres at 4601 Centennial Dr. This facility will house the new City Hall, city administrative offices, police department headquarters, fire administrative offices, and animal shelter. The grounds will include walking trails, community gathering spaces, playgrounds, and a dog park.

Star Local Media | Celina Record

Development of the new downtown parking garage is moving forward on schedule, the city of Celina reported, with its construction partner, Swinerton, making progress on level three.

The city stated that in the coming weeks, the focus will be on placing concrete decks, a milestone that will enhance parking capacity.

Swinerton also officially broke ground on the new Downtown Center.

Initial construction activities will include excavating the basement area, installing the soil retention system and drilling foundation piers. Additionally, extensive hauling operations will begin to remove significant volumes of soil from the site, resulting in increased truck traffic along FM 455 during this phase.

Assistant City Manager Kim Brawner said crews have begun pouring columns for the fourth deck and will soon pour concrete for the fourth deck.

Swinerton has also dug the foundation and basement of the Downtown Center, reaching a depth of 5 feet.

The city approved the $19.3 million garage in September 2024 and the Downtown Center project in February.

The Cross Timbers Gazette

Swinerton is vitally involved in developing the underground parking garage for Flower Mound’s Lakeside Village, an essential part of the area’s transformation into a waterfront dining and entertainment district. The $16 million garage will offer parking for lake-view restaurants, a public plaza, and trails.

This infrastructure project is part of a more extensive $60 million expansion to enhance the village’s southern section. The garage’s completion is expected in April 2025, and it will significantly improve access and the surrounding environment.

Mass Timber Buildings: A New Approach to Sustainability and Net Zero Goals

Mass timber is quickly becoming a solution as the number of public institutions and private developers pledging to attain net-zero carbon emissions increases. Whether they are leaning on public-private partnership (P3) or traditional delivery methods, owners and developers are recognizing the benefits of wood as a versatile, sustainable, and structurally efficient feature for their projects. With public and private support for this renewable resource, experts believe mass timber could challenge steel and concrete as favored construction materials.

“Mass timber offers cost and value considerations that developers and clients see as benefits. Mass timber supports regional economies, saves time on the speed of construction, and is a renewable resource—with the added benefits of improved daylighting and interior aesthetics, which benefits the health and well-being of the end-user as well,” said Swinerton Builders (Swinerton) Pacific Northwest Regional Director of Preconstruction William Silva.

For example, at Northlake Commons, the utilization of mass timber estimates 1,990 metric tons of avoided CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions, with a total carbon benefit of 2,920 metric tons; this is equivalent to removing 558 cars from the road or to the energy required to operate 249 homes for an entire year. It is also estimated that forests in the U.S. and Canada can regrow the equivalent wood volume in four minutes.

Swinerton’s early commitment to mass timber began in 2016 with the design, permitting, and construction of the then largest mass timber office building in the U.S.—First Tech Federal Credit Union Oregon Corporate Campus—which was delivered four months faster and four percent cheaper than structural steel.

In a short period, Swinerton has become known for taking on and successfully delivering some of the most challenging mass timber projects in the country. With the number of mass timber projects expected to double every two years, Swinerton has assembled an unparalleled knowledge base and robust internal resources that are sought after by design teams and owners who want to capitalize on the lessons learned from other projects.

While building designs will continue to push toward net zero energy, reducing operational carbon through better energy efficiency and cleaner energy sources, there is growing policy and regulation emphasizing the importance of reducing the embodied carbon of our infrastructure as well. Structure and foundation make up over half of a building’s embodied carbon footprint, so they are often targeted first for reductions. Every metric ton of wood used in place of concrete and steel in the structure is estimated to avoid 3.9 metric tons of CO2 emissions, and this is compounded by the fact that mass timber buildings are lighter and reduce the carbon (i.e., concrete) in the substructure.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is the industry tool for evaluating the embodied impacts of a building design, but what it cannot account for is the potential carbon “storage vault” mass timber infrastructure offers cities. Mature forests are maximizing their carbon storage, while growing forests are maximizing their carbon sequestration. By sustainably harvesting trees off the landscape and storing that carbon in wood structures for the life of the buildings, forests are allowed to sequester carbon more rapidly from the atmosphere and avoid releasing a large portion of the carbon stored in the removed trees.

While the softer benefits of mass timber, sustainability, and aesthetics frequently lead project teams to want to use a mass timber solution, the construction benefits are often what enables them to happen.

Swinerton recognizes the challenges of developing a project around a new structural system and brings its expertise to teams seeking creative solutions to make a mass timber project financially viable. Swinerton’s approach is to direct efforts toward reducing overall construction cost through smart and informed selections of not just the structural system but also to look at how to leverage complementary benefits in building mechanical, electrical, envelope, and interior systems to help achieve low energy goals.

“We can control costs through early assessment on project alignment with building code and efficient structural layouts that allow for complementary benefits with other building systems and maximize prefabrication,” added Silva.

Because Swinerton is a national leader in numerous construction market sectors, it combines market sector knowledge with mass timber advantages to bring beneficial outcomes for its clients. Swinerton has pioneered mass timber solutions in market sectors, including affordable housing, aviation, civic, community college, corporate accounts, healthcare, higher education, life science, office and more.

5 Examples of Swinerton’s Mass Timber Project Experience

Northlake Commons, Seattle, WA

Swinerton’s Northlake Commons highlights the sustainability of mass timber in workplace construction. This 275,000-square-foot, LEED? Platinum-certified building incorporates mass timber columns, beams, and cross-laminated timber (CLT), showcasing how renewable materials can support both structural durability and environmental responsibility. Built in collaboration with Timberlab, a Swinerton affiliate, Northlake Commons’ timber was carefully chosen for its capacity to age beautifully while creating a warm, health-focused environment. Mass timber, significantly lighter than concrete and steel, reduces carbon emissions by up to 75%.

Beyond the use of wood, the building’s design maximizes water and energy savings, contributing to a 27% reduction in electricity usage and conserving over 700,000 gallons of water annually. Further, a significant 96% of construction waste was recycled, minimizing environmental impact. This commitment to sustainable mass timber not only enhances the building’s aesthetic and structural integrity but also reinforces Northlake Commons as a model for eco-friendly development in modern architecture.

Childcare Center, Boise, ID

The new 19,347-square-foot single-story childcare center is a groundbreaking example of the benefits of mass timber in early education. Imagine nine lively classrooms with stunning vaulted ceilings, where clerestory windows flood the space with natural light, accentuating the warmth of timber columns and beams. Outside, timber overhangs create inviting play areas, blending seamlessly with nature.
This center isn’t just beautiful—it highlights sustainability. It combines mass timber with additional eco-friendly exterior materials, native landscaping, and cutting-edge energy-efficient features like low-VOC paint, smart thermostats, and LED lighting, seeking to achieve LEED? Gold certification. This innovative approach ensures a healthy, inspiring environment for children to learn and grow.

Sunnydale Community Center, San Francisco, CA

A vibrant new 30,000-square-foot neighborhood community center is a stunning two-story mass timber marvel. It offers a mix of spaces, such as a teaching kitchen, study areas, a recording studio, and a living room for community gatherings. The Sunnydale Community Center also hosts new facilities for Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco and Wu Yee Children’s Services, significantly boosting their capacity to provide childcare and youth programs.

Designed for LEED? Gold certification, the center emphasizes sustainability and biophilic design, using CLT and glulam for structural, aesthetic, and eco-friendly qualities. The exposed wood structure not only speeds up construction but also reduces waste and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere.

This project revitalizes the neighborhood, demonstrating the potential of mass timber construction and environmental responsibility with beautiful, impactful construction.

Live Oak Bank Building 4, Wilmington, NC

In Wilmington, NC, a new development is welcoming employees—a four-story, 67,000-square-foot constructed entirely from mass timber. This ambitious project is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, slashing the building’s carbon footprint by up to 60%. Nestled among trees and overlooking an expanded pond, Live Oak Bank Building 4 is a harmonious blend of nature and innovation. The design incorporates numerous biophilic elements, aiming to foster a happier, healthier, and more productive work environment. The building is on track to achieve LEED? Silver certification, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly design.

Responsive Arts & STEAM Academy, Denver, CO

Nestled in Northeastern Denver, the Responsive Arts & STEM Academy is setting new standards for sustainability with cutting-edge innovations. As one of the first all-electric hybrid mass timber schools in Colorado and a pioneering project for Denver Public Schools, it highlights the district’s climate action plan. This means that every aspect of the heating, cooling, and kitchen facilities is designed to meet rigorous environmental standards.

The school’s commons and gymnasium will feature striking mass timber beams and columns. This design choice not only enhances the building’s aesthetic appeal and sustainability but also streamlines construction. Utilizing cross-laminated timber (CLT) in these areas eliminates the lengthy wait for long-span steel joists, which typically have a lead time exceeding nine months. This innovative approach not only supports environmental goals but also creates a vibrant, inviting learning environment for students.

Additional Reading: Contractors are Partners for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals