Allen’s Katy Trail Ice House project includes two office buildings by developer Hines

Developer Hines is teaming up with the owner of the popular Katy Trail Ice House on a new mixed-use development in Allen.

Ice House founder Buddy Cramer, in partnership with real estate investor Ray Washburne and broker Newt Walker last year, purchased 10 acres on State Highway 121 near Exchange Parkway on Allen’s north side.

The team acquired the land for the next location of the Ice House bar and grill.

Houston-based developer Hines joined the project with plans to construct two office buildings with 180,000 square feet.

Work will start on the development — called The Ranch in Allen — in mid-2024, Cramer said. It will be the third outlet for the Ice House since the original watering hole opened in Uptown in 2011. A Plano location was added in 2013.

Cramer said the new Katy Trail Ice House Ranch “is going to be a little bigger than our Uptown location with the patios and the building.

“We are designing it with Hines,” he said. “It will have a ranch-style entry as you drive up to it.

“The plan is to have trails running throughout the project,” Cramer said. “We are sharing the parking.”

Hines’ first Offices at the Ranch building will be five stories and 100,000 square feet and will break ground in 2025.

“They will scoot in one of the buildings close to the Ice House and have views of the creek,” Cramer said. “They will have one building with good visibility up by 121.”

Commercial property firm Transwestern is leasing the office development.

Transwestern’s Billy Gannon said the Katy Trail Ice House will be a draw for businesses seeking new offices in the S.H. 121 corridor.

“Tenants these days are craving an authentic, unique experience,” Gannon said. “Employers are trying to stand out and cultivate an office atmosphere that their workers cannot replicate at home.

“Surrounded by mature trees, wonderful topography, and the walkable access to the hike and bike trail system, The Ranch will distinguish itself as the luxury office experience in North Texas.”

The project is in an area along S.H. 121 that’s seeing increased office, retail, restaurant and entertainment venue developments.

“We still believe that there is huge net in-migration of office tenants coming to D-FW and Allen is in the middle of it,” said Dan Bowman, executive director and CEO of Allen’s Economic Development Corporation. " You couldn’t get a better developer than Hines.”

The Offices at the Ranch is one of two new office developments on the way on the south side of S.H. 121 in Allen.

Construction has already started on a three-story office building in The Farm mixed-use development at Alma Drive.

Hines recently completed an office building in Dallas’ Deep Ellum district and has another project finishing in Uptown.

At the end of the third quarter, only about 6 million square feet of office space was under construction in North Texas. The three largest building starts this year have been projects for new corporate tenants.