High-Rise Home Run

Uptown Dallas' next haute high-rise promises to be a mind-blower

High-Rise Home Run

Uptown Dallas' next haute high-rise promises to be a mind-blower

Bleu Ciel, which is set to break ground this fall, will be located across from Azure condominiums.Photo courtesy of Bleu Ciel
Bleu Ciel units start in the $700,000s.Photo courtesy of Bleu Ciel
The gardens and retail-level plaza will be nestled within curated environments designed by world-renowned landscape architect Sadafumi Uchiyama.Photo courtesy of Bleu Ciel
Real estate VIPs and select members or the media got a sneak peek at Bleu Ciel during a cocktail reception.Photo by Daniel Driensky
Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, Ann Barbier-Mueller, Kari Schlegel Kloewer, Troy KloewerPhoto by Daniel Driensky
Bleu Ciel will have two junior Olympic-size pools with cascading water features, cabanas, hot tub, and poolside kitchen and grills.Photo by Daniel Driensky
The ground level of Bleu Ciel will feature more than 12,000 square feet of unique amenities, including a gourmet grocery market, restaurant, juice bar and bike shop.Photo by Daniel Driensky
Nina Tollett, Andrew Danna, Lea Ann Laughlin, Sheila Bryant, Corri SmithPhoto by Daniel Driensky
Bridget Ryan, Alexis Barbier-MuellerPhoto by Daniel Driensky
Justin Moon, Jessica Young, Brant McFarlin, Chris TimneyPhoto by Daniel Driensky
Peter Lynch, Kiersten Dolbec, Stefanie Prentiss, Michael PrentissPhoto by Daniel Driensky

Real estate VIPs and select members of the media recently gathered for a cocktail reception to get a sneak peek at Bleu Ciel, the Harwood District’s next luxury high-rise. Bleu Ciel is set to break ground this fall, and it promises to be Dallas’ next residential hot spot.

World-renowned architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte designed the Bleu Ciel tower, which will be located across the street from Azure condominiums. The gardens and retail-level plaza will be nestled within curated environments designed by equally renowned landscape architect Sadafumi Uchiyama of the Portland Japanese Garden.

Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, founder and CEO of Harwood International, was beaming with pride as he showed off the 3D models and rattled off the unprecedented list of amenities future Bleu Ciel dwellers will enjoy. The ground level will feature a gourmet grocery market, restaurant, juice bar and bike shop. Additional amenities include a wine tasting room; private boardroom; onsite dog run; social room with full catering kitchen; and an event space with private catering available from Marie Gabrielle, Mercat Bistro and Saint Ann.

Bleu Ciel also will boast two junior Olympic-size pools with cascading water features, cabanas, hot tub, and poolside kitchen and grills. A residents-only spa will be designed by the award-winning Be a Dragonfly Spa Group, recognized by Condé Nast as one of the top 25 spas in the world for its facility at Primland Resort.

And we haven’t even talked about the living spaces. This 33-story tower will be a mind-blower, with floor-to-ceiling glass, airy open-plan interiors and sweeping terraces to fully enjoy the Dallas skyline. As one would expect, finishes and appliances will be top-of-the-line.

Residents can choose from two- and three-bedroom floor plans, ranging from 1,300 square feet to more than 7,000. Units are priced from the $700,000s.

“Dallas continues to attract international and domestic newcomers who expect a world-class lifestyle,” Barbier-Mueller said. “This international lifestyle also appeals to the growing number of Dallasites who wish to experience the billion-dollar cultural ‘art-chitecture’ monuments within a short stroll of Bleu Ciel.”

Although the sales center is now open, those who are ready to sign their names on the dotted line have to wait a little while to move in: The estimated date of completion is winter 2016.

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full steam ahead

11 Dallas suburbs soar as fastest-growing U.S. cities in last decade

City Government of Celina, Texas - Facebook

Celina's population has soared over 300 percent in the last 10 years, according to the report.

It's no secret that Dallas-Fort Worth's population is growing faster than most other metros in the U.S., but now several surprising Dallas neighbors have been named among the top 10 fastest-growing suburb nationwide over the last decade.

Celina nearly led the nation with an astonishing 314 percent increase in population from 2014 to 2023, according to a recent growth study by marketplace platform StorageCafe. The far-flung suburb, which is located about 45 miles north of downtown Dallas, ranked No. 2 in the report's rankings of the 100 fastest-growing U.S. cities during the 10-year period.

The report said Celina was home to more than 27,000 residents in 2023, but now the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city's population has grown to more than 43,300 people.

"A mix of diverse housing options, proximity to city amenities, a strong local economy and access to top-rated schools and entertainment have made it one of the most attractive places to settle in the region," the report's author wrote.

This isn't the first time Celina has entered the spotlight for its exploding population: It was the No. 1 fastest-growing U.S. city in 2023, and recently came out on top of GoBankingRates' new study ranking of the fastest-growing affluent suburbs in America for 2025.

Four more Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs earned spots among the top 10 fastest-growing U.S. cities from 2014 to 2023: Melissa (No. 3), Princeton (No. 7), Prosper (No. 8), and Fate (No. 9).

In all, 11 DFW cities earned spots in the report, including:

No. 14 – Anna
No. 33 – Midlothian
No. 43 – Royse City
No. 45 – Forney
No. 58 – Little Elm
No. 72 – Frisco

Fate, Dallas suburb The small town of Fate has grown by 172 percent since 2014, StorageCafe says.fatetx.gov/

"Aside from Frisco, which is already a well-established suburb, the rest are smaller cities — six of which more than doubled in size during this period," the report said. "The remaining cities still saw impressive gains, with population increases exceeding 60 percent. Meanwhile, Dallas proper experienced more modest growth, with a 5 percent increase over the decade."

The report added that Dallas-Fort Worth's population surge has also led to a high demand for housing. Home prices in Celina stood at nearly $611,000 in November 2024, whereas Melissa's home prices were about $466,000 during that same period.

For comparison, the national average price of a home is $354,000.

Only three Dallas suburbs had the most affordable home prices out of the total 11 DFW suburbs on the list: Princeton ($326,299), Royse City ($332,537), and Forney ($323,229).

StorageCafe says the reasons for population shifts vary greatly, with many people seeking out cities with a more affordable cost of living, or those moving for socioeconomic factors like better employment opportunities.

"Population growth is far from even across the U.S. Some cities are experiencing significant increases, directly driven by steady in-migration, rising immigration and birth rates outpacing death rates," the report said. "But what’s fueling these trends runs deeper — economic and social forces like shifting job markets, the rise of remote and hybrid work and soaring living costs are all reshaping where people choose to live."

Other fast-growing Texas cities
Texas had the greatest number of cities to earn spots in the report's ranking of the 100 fastest-growing U.S. cities over the last decade, with 25 total cities making the cut with the highest growth rates nationwide.

Austin had five suburbs land on the list: Manor (No. 6), Leander (No. 16), Kyle (No. 53), Hutto (No. 54), and Buda (No. 68).

San Antonio also had five suburbs make the top 100, including Boerne (No. 63), Selma (No. 74), Fair Oaks Ranch (No. 70), New Braunfels (No. 77), and Canyon Lake (No. 99).

Houston only had four entries on the list, but Fulshear led the nation as the fastest-growing U.S. city over the last 10 years. The remaining Houston-area cities included in the report were Manvel (No. 24), Katy (No. 82), and Conroe (No. 83).

The top 10 fastest-growing cities over the last decade are: