Sky-Rise Living

Own a piece of the Dallas sky at Bleu Ciel luxury condominium tower

Global real estate developer Harwood International has broken ground on its newest high-rise tower, a 33-story luxury condominium community called Bleu Ciel. Tucked inside the District of HARWOOD, this world-class “Sky-rise” will offer two- and three-bedroom floor plans with designer-appointed luxury finishes and premium appliances.

On December 8, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings joined Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, Harwood International founder and CEO, and Dallas City Council members Adam Medrano and Philip Kingston for the official groundbreaking ceremony, which signaled the commencement of the inaugural phase of construction. Also on hand were members of the Swiss Club, who delighted the participants with a special alp horn performance that honored the Swiss heritage of Harwood International.

Urbanites looking for sophisticated, amenity-rich living have the opportunity to “own of piece of the sky” by purchasing a home at Bleu Ciel. With a completion date scheduled for 2016/2017, Bleu Ciel will offer homes priced starting from the mid-$700,000s.

The “It” Factor
Bleu Ciel is poised to become the most coveted condominium community in the nation. The building will offer unparalleled amenities, including two junior Olympic-sized pools with cascading water features, poolside kitchen, resident-only spa designed by the award-winning Be a Dragonfly Spa Group, premier fitness center, private garages, climate-controlled wine storage and social spaces, onsite dog run, social room with catering kitchen, 24/7 concierge services, and valet parking.

On the ground floor of the building, residents will enjoy high-end retail such as a gourmet grocery market and bistro, juice bar, and bike shop. The community will reflect a resort-like ambience with curated garden environments designed by world-renowned landscape architect Sadafumi Uchiyama. Other nationally lauded members of the Bleu Ciel team include architectural firm HDF LLC and design architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.

Bleu Ciel is located across the street from Harwood International’s Azure condominium tower and is in proximity to attractions such as the Dallas Design District, Dallas Arts District, Katy Trail, American Airlines Center, Nobu, Klyde Warren Park, and Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

Bleu Ciel is poised to redefine luxury Sky-rise Living. Discover all that Bleu Ciel has to offer with a visit to the sales center at 3008 N. Harwood St., or call 214-965-1099. Please also visit us online at www.bleucielliving.com and Facebook.

Mayor Mike Rawlings, Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, Adam Medrano, Alexis Barbier-Mueller and Philip Kingston prepare to dig.

Photo courtesy of Bleu Ciel

Mayor Mike Rawlings, Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, Adam Medrano, Alexis Barbier-Mueller and Philip Kingston prepare to dig.

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Royal Flip

Chip and Joanna Gaines find buyer for $2.7M Fixer Upper castle in Waco

Photo courtesy of Magnolia

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Texas' king and queen of home renovations, Chip and Joanna Gaines, are done lording over their 136-year-old castle in Waco. The stars of TV’s Fixer Upper have found a buyer for Cottonland Castle, Mansion Global reported. The sale is pending.

The Gaineses listed the 6,176-square-foot castle, in Waco's historic and affluent Castle Heights neighborhood, at nearly $2.7 million. They bought the property in 2019, when it carried a $425,000 price tag.

The castle, with a sandstone and limestone facade, is modeled after a German castle along the Rhine River.

Chip and Joanna Gaines, Fixer Upper Chip and Joanna Gaines are preparing to hand over the keys to their castle. Facebook Magnolia Network

The duo spent several years restoring the castle to revive its original character. That work became the foundation for their six-part 2022 series Fixer Upper: Welcome Home – The Castle. They opened it to the public for guided tours and introduced Magnolia brand tie-ins, like a “Colors of the Castle” paint collection.

“People love things that are nostalgic. They love things that are antique-looking, and I want this place to feel like it did in 1915,” Joanna said during an episode of Fixer Upper. “Whether you walked into the space in 1915 or today, it has that same feeling of history and love and beauty and castle-ship.”

A year after the series aired, the castle failed to sell at auction, according to Mansion Global. It went on the market in June. Amanda Nesbitt of Magnolia Realty, the real estate brokerage founded by the Gaineses, has the listing.

The three-story castle offers “a seamless blend of historic grandeur and modern functionality,” according to the listing.

That grandeur includes millwork, antique tile floors, diamond-paned windows and seven ornate fireplaces. The four-bedroom property features three-and-a-half bathrooms, a formal dining room, a great room, a card room, a library and a conservatory.

All furnishings, accessories and decor “have been thoughtfully curated to complement the home’s design,” the listing says, and are included in the sale.

The castle has a rocky modern history.

Jack Schwan bought the property in 1969 for $50,000, according to the Waco Welcome Center.

Over the years, the Schwan family made many repairs and renovations. The family tried to sell the castle in 1982; they thought it was worth close to $1.25 million following the overhaul. In 1991, the property sold only after a drastic price cut.

“Over the next two decades, the home passed through various owners’ hands and fell into disrepair. Many owners found the castle too large and in need of too much maintenance to be a financially feasible home,” according to the Waco Welcome Center.

The castle sold again in 2014, and a group led by Oxford scholar Dirk Obbink tackled renovation work. The Gaineses bought it five years later, after it had been neglected and abandoned.

castle celebrities chip and joanna fixer upper gaines home for sale waco luxury