It’s hard to imagine Southlake without its town square, which makes it difficult to believe we’re just now celebrating its 20th anniversary. The two – a city full of potential and a gathering space for its people – provide what the other needs.
It wasn’t until Cooper & Company U.S. Real Estate (Cooper & Stebbins at the time) came to town in the mid-’90s that it started to take shape. The district’s late developer, CEO and visionary Brian Stebbins had his heart set on creating a downtown from scratch. Not one that would eventually be deserted for the next best thing like other centers sprinkled throughout the country. But rather, build a hub for the community that would evolve with its people.
So when the Cooper & Company team first saw Southlake, they didn’t see it for what it was. They saw what could be. Anchored by the DFW International Airport, dense neighboring cities like Alliance and budding regional communities, Cooper & Company knew they could create an open-air, experimental development that would house current and future locals, bringing their concept to fruition.
It can be challenging to get others to buy into your vision, but Stebbins and current president Frank Bliss took the time to evaluate what Southlake and its nearby cities would look like in future generations. They didn’t just rely on the information before them. They looked at the upcoming workforce and the momentum of Southlake to sell people and future tenants on what this area would become, which started a new chapter in the city’s history.
“We had to find a new way to communicate growth,” Bliss says. “We talked about creating a windshield instead of having to look through the back mirror.”
After years of planning, designing, constructing and executing the exquisite first phase of the development, on March 20, 1999, locals gathered to celebrate what was to come.
Public officials like then Southlake Mayor Rick Stacy spoke, children gathered for the city’s first parade and locals browsed the district’s new retailers including GAP, Talbots and Williams-Sonoma, all of which will also be celebrating their 20th year anniversary this year.
“This is truly a day of firsts, a new beginning for our community, a foundation for the future,” then Southlake Mayor Rick Stacy said, according to the November 31, 1999, issue of “Southlake News & Times.”
On that first day, six new national stores reported setting records for their opening day sales. And, thanks to Texas’ constantly changing weather, the morning’s cold front resulted in high demand for outerwear purchases, a fond memory for those who were the first to venture out and swipe their cards at the new shops.
That chilly morning full of bustling shoppers may feel long past, but the excitement lives on with every visit to Southlake Town Square. It’s still the heart for what’s happening in town and still acts as a destination for locals and tourists alike to come together and live in community.
There may be more retail, restaurant and residential opportunities now than when the first 250,000 square feet opened 20 years ago, but the vision is still the same.
And there’s still room to grow. The 131-acre lot exudes the same potential to grow as the city does. There’s room for more office spaces, another hotel and exponentially more residential plots – on top of those currently under construction.
Since opening, Southlake Town Square has acted as a model for other cities interested in revitalizing their community downtowns. The district is even on the cover of the second edition of the “Mixed-Use Development Handbook.”
While others may be trying to emulate the concept, the development still feels uniquely ours. It wasn’t built in a day, but Southlake Town Square’s 20 years prove it doesn’t take a lifetime to weave a development into the fabric of a city. Over its tenure, the district has become a pinpoint for what makes the city unique – both with its amenities and its spirit.
Cooper & Company created something 20 years ago that will be with Southlake as it continues to develop into its full potential. And even though Stebbins is no longer with us, his initial desire and vision will continue to affect generations.
“Personally my biggest joy is that the vision was so strong and it can survive [Stebbins’] passing,” Bliss says.