FORT WORTH -- AllianceTexas, the 17,000-acre development in far north Fort Worth, has surpassed a total of $1 billion in property taxes paid to local governments over the project's 22 years, the developer's chief executive told the Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday.
"I knew we were going to get close last year," Mike Berry, president of Hillwood Properties, said in an annual review of the public-private partnership."This year, we made it."More development is ahead.Hillwood is looking at industrial possibilities, believing that there's a void in the market for projects of more than 600,000 square feet, Berry said in an interview after his presentation."We really feel it's time," he said.Hillwood is also getting ready to proceed with two speculative Class A office buildings totaling 230,000 square feet next to Alliance Town Center, the big mixed-use project along the east side of Interstate 35W."The market, in the Alliance Corridor, is leased," Berry said. "There is no space."Hillwood also plans to start 300 more apartments, likely by year's end, Berry said.A Dick's Sporting Goods is under construction and is expected to open next summer, launching the second phase of Alliance Town Center.Hillwood's property taxes go to eight entities: Fort Worth, Roanoke, Haslet, Westlake, Tarrant and Denton counties, and the Keller and Northwest school districts.That includes $22 million for Tarrant County in 2011, up from $7 million in 2000, and $22 million for Fort Worth, up from $9 million in 2000.Council members lauded the success of the project."A billion dollars in taxes is impressive," Councilman Danny Scarth said. "It shows what can be returned to the taxpayer."The council's redistricting map, set to take effect next year, will give the Alliance Corridor representation from three districts, including Scarth's east-side district and Councilman Sal Espino's north-side district.Councilman Dennis Shingleton's far-west-side district will expand to take in much of the corridor."It's great from our perspective to now have three council people representing the fast-growing corridor," Berry said.Pension legal feesAlso Tuesday, the City Council authorized another $100,000 in legal fees for the Fort Worth law firm Kelly, Hart & Hallman to represent the city in litigation over changes to the employee pension plan.The president of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association and a past president have sued the city in federal court.The council had earlier approved paying $100,000 to Kelly, Hart & Hallman to represent Fort Worth in a lawsuit the city filed in state district court.Arts task forceThe council tabled the formation of an Arts Funding Task Force that will look into alternative sources of city funding for the arts and Fort Worth Sister Cities.The council made the move after it tabled for two weeks the approval of changes to the city's code of ethics that would cover the task force.Scott Nishimura, 817-390-7808Twitter: @JScottNishimura
Alliance taxes
Cumulative property taxes paid by AllianceTexas since 1990.
| Entity | Taxes, in millions |
| Fort Worth | $206.9 |
| Haslet | $7.9 |
| Roanoke | $26.7 |
| Westlake | $1.4 |
| Denton County | $27.1 |
| Tarrant County | $185.5 |
| Keller schools | $220.1 |
| Northwest schools | $387.1 |
| Total | $1.062 billion |
Source: AllianceTexas
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