Merriman Anderson Architects
The city of Mansfield is continuing its investment in its downtown district by partnering with Hoque Global in a new wave of development in the city’s historic economic and entertainment district.
The $65-million Smith & Elm development will include 253 units of urban lifestyle multifamily apartments and ground floor live/work units, approximately 13,000 square feet of commercial and restaurant space catering to innovators and entrepreneurs, and a central green space for community events and gatherings.
The Mansfield City Council approved the development of the site along with incentives for infrastructure and activation of public improvements in the project in September.
The historic downtown has seen significant public investment in recent years, and local shops and eateries have made the district a destination for the surrounding community and broader North Texas region. Officials say this next wave of development and investment will bring much-needed housing and commercial uses to make the area a truly mixed-use, walkable environment.
“Downtown is a gem in our community, and we are excited to see new development coming to take the area to the next level,” says Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans. “We believe the mix of housing, innovation, and community space will bring together a greater good for our city.”
Hoque Global is working with GSV Labs to create an innovation hub at Smith & Elm, which will be linked to the innovation center the partners are building in Dallas at the SoGood development. Some of the ground floor commercial space will serve as a hub for innovators and entrepreneurs in the local area and environs to collaborate, gain access to resources, and take their dreams and ideas to reality.
Hoque Global’s hospitality division will be bringing its Neighborhood Brew concept to the district, which is a coffee house by day and brew pub by night with an environment of creativity, collaboration, and innovation stemming from its connectivity with the innovation hub. The venue will serve as a local hangout spot for entrepreneurs and creative workers to post up to work, meet with other like-minded people, and engage to build business and grow commerce together.
“We see the concept of innovation and creativity happening at a global scale, but it all starts with local connections,” says Michael Moe, founder & CEO of GSV Labs. “Our model of having satellite innovation hubs in local centers where people connect and where local talent thrives will be a big driver for new ideas to come to fruition.”
Says Mike Hoque, CEO of Hoque Global: “Our company and partners are focused on having meaningful, significant impacts on the communities where we do business. We believe Smith & Elm with its focus on innovation, community building, and integration with the historic downtown will be a catalyst for more growth and opportunities in the area.”
In addition to bringing urban living to the downtown neighborhood, the project’s live/work units will create unique spaces for small business owners and entrepreneurs to establish a shop space with direct street frontage without the complexities of building out expensive commercial space. The integration with a dwelling unit in the same ground floor space has been done in other urban areas seeking to cater to creative local talent.
“The residential opportunity in Downtown Mansfield ties well with the city’s efforts to create a complete neighborhood,” says Steven Shelley, multifamily partner at Hoque Global. “By bringing hundreds of urban apartments and specialized live/work units for aspiring local entrepreneurs, the area will come to life as the neighborhood grows.”