A sneak peek at Scott Beck's reimagined Dallas Midtown, AMC Theatres

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Dallas Midtown is the 430-acre tract slated for redevelopment north of LBJ Freeway. Dallas-based development firm Beck Ventures showcased these renderings at the International Council of Shopping Centers conference in Texas.

Candace Carlisle

Staff Writer- Dallas Business Journal

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As the International Council of Shopping Centers' Texas conference gets in full swing, Dallas developer Scott Beck is showing off new plans for his massive $3.5 billion Dallas Midtown redevelopment.

The anchor of Beck's vision starts with AMC Theatres, which is already in operation at Valley View Center, which Beck Ventures owns.

"Our goal is to start the project next year," Beck, president of Dallas-based Beck Ventures told the Dallas Business Jou rnal in an exclusive interview. "Everything has been approved by the city and we have a couple of additional things to finalize with the city, but everything looks good."

Beck has signed a deal with AMC Theatres to redevelop its 16-screen theater at Valley View Center to include luxury seating and spacious quarters for movie goers. The development company is also planning to sign an undisclosed grocer and boutique hotel to the company's more than 70 acres, which will have a "timeless European look," he said.

Beck Ventures is the largest contiguous property owner of the 430-acre redevelopment project bound by LBJ Freeway on the south, Dallas Parkway on the west, Preston Road on the east and Southern Boulevard on the north. There are 121 property owners in all.

The AMC Theatres is suspended on top of Valley View Center. When Beck Ventures tears down the mall, they will keep about 80,000 square feet of the mall holding up the AMC. That space will be gutted and turned into 250 parking spaces, which is effectively covered parking, Beck told me.

The mall's food court will be redeveloped into a place for the art's community, which has been an important part of Beck's vision for the Dallas Midtown redevelopment.

As part of the redevelopment, Beck says his company plans to save about 150 trees on the property with a tree farm that is expected created north of the Chuck E. Cheese in 2015.

Construction on Beck Venture's project is expected to break ground in 2015. The exact date has yet to be set as Beck Ventures coordinates with the city of Dallas, Beck said.

"Everything has been agreed upon, but it needs to work its way through the process," he said.

Beck Ventures wants to make the redeveloped Dallas Midtown the center for corporate life, with a number of amenities and places to reside in the immediate proximity. The initial phase of Dallas Midtown includes a grocer, retail and apartments on the site of the Dillards.

Candace covers commercial and residential real estate and sports business.