A billion-dollar development in Southern Dallas may get an assist from Elon Musk’s tunneling ambitions.
Hoque Global’s 270-acre University Hills project emerged as a finalist in The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” a competition to build a one-mile demonstration tunnel. If selected, the proposed route would connect the development’s commercial district to the nearby University of North Texas Dallas DART Station, potentially creating a fast underground link between the mixed-use project and regional transit, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The city revealed the project’s finalist status Wednesday. The tunnel would come at no cost to the city, according to the press release, offering a high-profile infrastructure boost to a part of Dallas that has historically drawn far less real estate investment than the city’s northern suburbs.
Hoque Global CEO Mike Hoque framed the proposal as validation for the firm’s bet on Southern Dallas. The developer broke ground last May on University Hills, which sits near I-20 and Lancaster Road and has already begun transforming from wooded land into an active construction site.
The project’s first phase centers on residential development. Builders D.R. Horton and Lennar purchased lots in 2024 and are expected to begin construction soon to meet an early 2027 goal for first completed units, according to the outlet. The finished community is slated to include about 580 townhomes and single-family homes along with roughly 1,500 apartments.
Plans also call for 1.5 million square feet of commercial space anchored by a town center, along with office buildings, retail and a stadium component. Wheatland Road will divide the largely residential portion of the development from its commercial half.
Hospitality is also part of the mix, as Hoque plans to launch one of its Hotel Local properties at the site under Marriott International’s Autograph Collection banner, bringing a branded hotel to the development as it grows, according to the publication.
The Dallas City Council already signaled support for the project, approving amended plans in late 2024 that include up to $36 million in city subsidies.
The Boring Company, Musk’s infrastructure venture, is known for constructing underground transit tunnels designed for cars and pedestrians. Other Texas finalists include proposals in San Antonio, Waco, Bastrop and The Woodlands area near Houston.
A winner is expected to be announced on March 23.
Even if the Dallas proposal isn’t selected, Hoque said the project will still connect to the nearby university campus and sits close to the planned Dallas Police Academy.
— Eric Weilbacher
Read more
Hoque seeks affordable housing subsidy increase for University Hills
Musk’s Boring Co tunnel ambitions surface in Nashville
Hoque sets construction start date for University Hills
University of Austin is building a lab next to Musk’s Boring Bastrop campus