D Economy - February 2016

City of Dallas: Dallas Economic Development
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February 2016

Here are the highlights and news stories you may have missed from the past month:

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Small Business News

D ECONOMY EXCLUSIVE: Digital design company Dialexa doubles HQ near Dallas Farmers Market

Like most startups, Dialexa started with just a handful of employees but has substantially grown since then, doubling staff in the past year to 45. We talk to them about why, when they needed more space to accommodate their rapid growth, they were determined to stay in their Dallas Farmers Market neighborhood. Source: www.dallas-ecodev.org, February 17, 2016.

Fast-growing company RewardStyle is moving to new offices 4x bigger this March

In 2011 Dallas-based startup RewardStyle was launched as a platform that allowed fashion bloggers to monetize their content. The concept has proved to be so successful that next month the company is moving to new 32,000 square foot offices in Oak Lawn's Centrum building. The new space will allow the company to continue growing while also allowing them to incorporate more amenities into their workspace. Source: Dallas Business Journal, January 29, 2016.

General News

Sunoco relocates HQ to Dallas' Park Lane

After Sunoco was acquired by Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, the company decided it would relocate its own headquarters to Dallas, to be closer to its parent company as well as offer its staff a good lifestyle. Their new offices are in a recently built building at The Shops at Park Lane. As Sunoco's Jeff Shields stated, "That area is really a great area because it's close to transportation and highways, great schools and is an attractive neighborhood. Source: Dallas Business Journal, February 17, 2016.

ABC's Reese Witherspoon-produced pilot about "ruthless Dallas divorce attorney" will film here

The pilot for the new ABC series is scheduled to film in Dallas sometime this spring. The series focuses on the Dallas divorce attorney's professional and private life and is expected to "show off the vibrant, urban city that Dallas is." The City of Dallas awarded a small grant to the production as an incentive to film the pilot here. Source: Dallas Morning News, February 2, 2016.

Forbes says Dallas top metro outperforming national employment growth

Dallas has been proclaimed the country's top metro for job growth, outperforming growth rates of the 150 most populous U.S. metros between 2014 and 2015. Dallas added 112,829 jobs between 2014 and 2015, surpassing expectations by 44,871 jobs. The study was conducted by CareerBuilder and EMSI. Source: Forbes, February 10, 2016.

City Center News

Downtown Dallas' newest hotel is open for business

As they wrap up final touches, the Westin Dallas Downtown hotel has quietly opened its doors. It's located on 13 floors of the 34-story One Main Place Tower at 1201 Main Street. David Pinson of general contractor Aguirre Roden says "We are just inches away from being done." In addition to guest rooms, the Westin has 98 junior suites, 27 suites and a two story penthouse. Source: Dallas Morning News, February 1, 2016.

Real Estate News

New tower in the works for Dallas' hot Design District

Design District developers Dunhill Partners have requested approval from the City of Dallas to build a more than 20 story high-rise near Oak Lawn Avenue and Stemmons Freeway, replacing offices and showrooms currently located there. Plans are still being finalized but the tower may combine apartments and retail, or apartments and hotel rooms. Source: Dallas Morning News, February 1, 2016.

Southern Dallas News

The Cedars debuts new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has opened on South Lamar Street at Cadiz Street in The Cedars neighborhood. Developer Jack Matthews, behind many development projects in The Cedars, began talking to Alamo founder Tim League several years ago about opening an outpost of his popular movie chain here. With all the population growth in the downtown area, the time finally felt right. The new complex has seven screens that seat a total of 700 people, along with an indoor / outdoor bar and restaurant. Source: Dallas Morning News, January 30, 2016.

Surlean Foods expanding in southern Dallas

Surlean Foods is expanding its Dallas production facility as part of a multi-million dollar improvement project that is also expected to create almost 65 new jobs. Surlean, a manufacturer of customized food for restaurant chains, plans to add a culinary R&D center, customer presentation area and enhanced quality assurance capabilities. Plans are for the project to be completed in July. Source: Food Business News, January 26, 2016.

Work begins on Bonton Farm extension expected to bring food, jobs

Currently, Bonton Farm in southern Dallas is approximately an acre in size. But after a donation of almost 18 acres in land from Fred Treffinger, that is set to change. Work recently began on the new site, starting with creation of a new entryway. Labor and supplies for much of the work are being donated. Once completed the new site will likely supply more food, more jobs and volunteer opportunities to southern Dallas residents. Source: Dallas Morning News, February 10, 2016.

D Econ Yellow Line 2

Economic Review

PAYCHEX | IHS Small Business Jobs Index by MSA

Paychex IHS Small Business Jobs Index by MSA

Source: Paychex Inc., Feb 2016, http://www.paychex.com/jobs-index

  • The Paychex I IHS Small Business Jobs Index provides an
    up-to-date measurement of the change in small business employment over the last 12 months. An upward trend represented by an index value greater than 100 indicates a strengthening small business job market, while a downward
    trend represented by an index value less than 100 represents
    a slowdown in small business hiring.

  • The data used for this index comes from a subset of Paychex clients and includes 350,000 small businesses with less than 50 employees in the U.S.

  • Dallas has led all indexed metro areas in the nation by this measurement of small business job growth since October 2014.

More Dallas Economics

In this edition you'll find

Small Business News

The latest in small business news and development

General News

Info on the state of our economy, accolades and insights

City Center News

The latest developments and projects happening in the downtown core

Real Estate News

The latest real estate development projects and progress

Southern Dallas News

The latest developments and projects based in the southern half of Dallas

Economic Review

Unemployment data and more

More News & Press on the Blog

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Did you Know...

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Dallas Office of Economic Development // 1500 Marilla St, Dallas, TX 75201  //  214.670.1685  // dallas-ecodev.org