Upgrade Your Life

These luxe apartments let you call this booming Richardson area home

Richardson is booming, thanks to CityLine's long roster of shops and restaurants and the many big-name companies that have moved their offices to the area. And what's right next to it all? Alexan Central, a new all-in-one apartment community that combines smart luxury with an unbeatable location.

Coal Vines, Tom + Chee, Whole Foods, Tricky Fish, Edoko Sushi and Robata, Taco Diner, Super Chix, Jasper's — it's all here and then some. Just a stone's throw away from the Alexan are some of North Texas' hottest dining destinations, as well as the CityLine/Bush DART station stop (U.S. 75 and the President George Bush Turnpike are mere minutes away). A movie theater is slated to open at CityLine in 2017, and there are already several spas and medical offices for practical services.

But you might be too comfy at home to venture out often. Homes at Alexan Central range from studio to two-bedroom floorplans, and come standard with an array of cool amenities. Love the feeling of space? Each unit has a minimum of 9.5-foot ceilings. Granite a must-have? You'll find it in all the kitchens and bathrooms. Need high-end appliances? There's stainless steel in the kitchen, plus a washer and dryer included in each unit. Carpet a deal-breaker? Stained concrete or plank wood are the floor materials of choice.

Certain units even come outfitted with especially swank touches, such as custom closets, wine fridges, wood-framed mud rooms, and vertical spa shower/tub combos.

And that's all just in your own residence. The community itself boasts such perks as a clubroom with billiards and shuffleboard, resort-style pools and cabanas, and courtyard grilling and outdoor gaming areas (count sand volleyball among the courts). On the fifth floor, an open-air amenity deck mixes a business center with skyline views. A gym filled with state-of-the-art fitness equipment also boasts internet televisions, workout tracking, and a yoga studio. The dog park gives Fido nearly an acre of land to run out his energy, plus there's a dog wash for spiffing up after playtime. Or you both can venture offsite to take advantage of the nearby 40-plus miles of hike and bike trails. And if your bicycle needs a tune-up, there's an onsite repair and storage center.

Alexan Central is open now, but you'll want to reserve your spot for the grand opening celebration in July. The theme "A Taste of CityLine at Alexan Central" promises tasty bites from the neighboring restaurants, along with signature spirits, live music, tours, a grand prize giveaway, and much more. Visit www.alexancentral.com to make sure you're there for all the fun.

Alexan Central apartments are right by CityLine in Richardson.

Photo courtesy of Alexan Central

Alexan Central apartments are right by CityLine in Richardson.

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Million-dollar homes

Multi-million-dollar gated home community The Preserve rises in Frisco

Preserve

A palace on the prairie of The Preserve in Frisco

Construction has begun on a multi-million-dollar custom home community in Frisco. Called The Preserve, it's situated among PGA Frisco’s championship golf courses and near the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, with multiple phases that will roll out over the next few years.

The Preserve is part of Fields, a 2,500-acre development in North Frisco off the Dallas North Tollway. Fields is co-developed and owned in partnership with The Karahan Companies, Hunt Realty Investments alongside investors Chief Partners and Cross Tie Capital.

The development will feature retail, dining, entertainment, hotels, corporate offices, native Texas plants, flowers, trees, and 250 acres of park space. It's designed by the same team responsible for Plano’s Legacy West, led by Fehmi Karahan.

Phase 1 of The Preserve will feature 233 homes crafted by 10 North Texas luxury homebuilders: Alford Homes, Coats Homes, and Starside Builders have all begun home construction. The other seven are The Preserve Bella Custom Homes, Endurance Homes, Faulkner Perrin Custom Homes, Hawkins-Welwood Homes, Shaddock Custom Builders & Developers, Sharif & Munir Custom Homes, and Ventura Custom Homes, for whom construction will start soon.

The Preserve Frisco The Preserve in Frisco, soon to be covered with homes.The Preserve

Lot sizes range from 6,800 square feet to more than an acre. Home design options will incorporate high ceilings, open floor plans, glass walls, and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor such as patios, infinity pools, and landscaped exteriors.

The surrounding area will have more than 2,000 new trees plus views delivered via design elements such as floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive outdoor living areas.

Many of the homes will address sustainability, health, and wellness with green architecture, energy efficiency, water conservation, and recycled building materials.

It will combine the privacy of a gated community with resort-style living, featuring amenities such as the PGA golf courses, 20+ miles of hike and bike trails, and the exclusive Brookside Club with an expansive swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts and a playground.

Prices will start at $3,500,000.

Hunt Realty SVP Todd Watson calls it one of the most anticipated mixed-use projects in the area -- æa perfect location for discerning buyers seeking their forever home or a secondary residence" — although he's involved with the project so he's probably biased.

“As part of the Fields development, with prominent neighbors like PGA of America and the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, we know The Preserve will be one of the most sought-after addresses in North Texas," Watson says.

According to the Frisco Economic Development Corporation, Frisco’s population has increased by 500 percent in two decades and was recently recognized as the fastest growing city in Texas and third across the U.S.

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