Friday, Oct. 17, 2008

The River Walk at Central Park Breaks Ground

By Adrian McCandless

Staff Writer

The red carpet was rolled out – literally – for elected officials, community leaders, physicians and residents from around the Flower Mound area at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Presbyterian Hospital of Flower Mound on Oct. 8.

Representatives from Texas Health Resources [THR] and its subsidiary, Texas Partner Health Resources [TpHR], played host to Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, State Rep. Tan Parker and representatives from the offices of Texas Sen. Jane Nelson and U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess. TpHR was formed for the purpose of owning and operating the business of developing, constructing, and managing for profit ambulatory surgery centers and short stay hospitals in North Texas.

The ceremony was held at the Chappelle des Fleurs in Flower Mound just north of the actual hospital location. Brief presentations by representatives of THR and TpHR, Flower Mound Mayor Jody Smith and Five Star Development President Cole McDowell preceeded the ceremonial groundbreaking. The hospital will be Flower Mound’s first and will serve as one of the anchor facilities within the 158 acre The River Walk at Central Park development by McDowell.

"The new hospital will be a cornerstone in our community," Smith said.

TpHR Board Chairman Steve Hanson said the actual location chosen for the hospital has been the site for many types of celebrations throughout the years.

"Besides a working cattle ranch, it [the land] was a beautifully kept retreat where Edward Marcus hosted celebrity-studded Neiman-Marcus parties – I’ve heard that John Wayne even attended a party on the ranch," he said. "Just as the land hosted weddings years ago, in the future it will host joyous celebrations of birth and healing."

Hanson added that the hospital would benefit not only Flower Mound, but also Highland Village, Double Oak and other communities in the area.

The hospital will be located on a 12-acre site and is expected to provide 97 acute care beds, an emergency department and an array of additional medical services. It is expected to be open in 2010, and provide up to 600 jobs by its third year of operation.

McDowell said the hospital wasn’t just the icing on the cake for his development, but the whole cake.

"This is an incredible piece of property, right at the center of town," Bill Resch, Five Star Real Estate senior vice president of development, said. "Until now, there really has been no downtown – no heart to Flower Mound."

"This is a rare opportunity to build a traditional downtown design after the town has already been established – we want it to be a fun place for people to live, work, or to just come and hang out," Resch added.

The River Walk at Central Park will also include parks, hotels, a grocery store, retail, restaurants, offices, senior-living, single- and multi-family residential space, luxury condos, and townhomes. The multi-phased project has a 10-year timeline.