The Draper, An Adaptive Reuse Project In Garland, Texas, Gains Metroplex Buzz

As the city of Garland, Texas takes bold steps to revitalize its downtown, The Draper, a six-acre mixed-use development, is garnering attention across North Texas.

Marrying antiquity with modernity, this multiphase adaptive reuse and urban infill project on the west side of downtown Garland, pioneered by Dallas-based developer GroundFloor Development, aims to transform the way residents live and connect with their community. The Draper will bring a variety of residential, office and retail spaces to the growing city of 250,000 residents. 

“More people are becoming aware of what Garland is doing with their city,” said Matt Holley, chief operating officer at GroundFloor Development. “It’s a city that is absolutely on the move and is bringing some really interesting value to the DFW metroplex.”

Development Phases

The first phase of the Draper project was to construct 155 apartments on the site of a former Wyatt’s Cafeteria, which was completed in 2024. Dubbed The Draper Apartments, these units are already 94% leased, according to Holley. 

“We've seen a really successful lease-up with these market-rate apartments, and they’re exceeding our projected rental rates, which we’re really excited about,” Holley said. “It shows how much people really want to live, work and play in this city.”

Phase 2 — the transformation of the 39K SF Chase Bank building into The Draper Tower, a five-story mixed-use space —  is underway. Chase Bank will remain the building’s anchor tenant on the first floor, occupying 3,200 SF of office space, while 6K SF of additional office and retail space will be available for lease.

The vision for the third and final phase involves building 60 apartment units as part of the project's infill component. GroundFloor plans to move onto this part of the project after The Draper Tower is delivered, Holley said.

The Draper Tower

In addition to office and retail space, the top four floors of The Draper Tower plan are slated to be converted into artist lofts, adorned with architectural details that highlight the building’s mid-century modern character. 

“These lofts will have high ceilings, concrete floors, open pipe work in the ceilings — they'll be very spacious units geared towards the artistic community so they can live and work in the same place,” he said. 

Holley said development catering to this community will complement the efforts of the city of Garland to revitalize its downtown center, which is mere blocks from the Draper site.

“Downtown Garland has an authenticity you can feel the moment you arrive. The city has invested heavily, not just with streetscaping, but by planting its own offices right in the heart of downtown,” he said. “And that investment is paying off. You’re now seeing a wave of exciting new energy with retailers and restaurants like Taco Y Vino, Dead Wax Record, Fortunate Son and Lockwood Distilling Co. setting up shop. It’s becoming a destination for the creative class, and we’re eager to build on that momentum and take it to the next level.”

Holley added that The Draper Tower hopes to accommodate an exhibition space for local artists to showcase their work, as well as a vision for a speakeasy in the building’s basement later down the line — the location of the bank’s old vault that’s been there since 1961.

“The vault has massive metal doors characteristic of an old-fashioned bank, making it a very unique feature that’s perfect for the vibe of a speakeasy,” he said. “We're working with a couple of fantastic food and beverage teams to design and plan it. It’s going to be a great addition to this development.”

Adapting A Piece Of History To Modern Needs

Holley said that The Draper Tower is registered on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation for buildings of historical and cultural prominence. That’s why, as it is under renovation, it has to be carefully curated to maintain its mid-century modern charm.

“We’ve been working on abating the building, and given its age, it’s not a surprise we had asbestos,” Holley said. “The city gave us a grant to help with asbestos removal, which was very helpful, and now we’re onto renovating the remainder of the tower.”

A big part of bringing a historic building such as The Draper Tower to modern standards is ensuring that it meets today’s sustainability expectations, said Beth Brant, associate principal and director of sustainability at DSGN Associates. For this project, several updates have to be made. 

“The main sustainability factor is the embodied carbon in this building,” Brant said. “By not building new, we are saving a ton of carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere. By just reusing the structural system alone results in 1,322 metric tons CO2e, which is equal to the annual emissions of about 176 average U.S. households.”

In addition, The Draper Tower will require a new roof, with added insulation. The original windows will also need to receive a layer of film to mitigate heat gain while preserving their original character. High-efficiency mini-split systems are planned to be installed, using less energy than a typical cooling tower, and all of the lighting will need to be replaced with LED bulbs, Brant said. 

These sustainability efforts will not only be better for the environment but allow the building to run more efficiently and safely. The GroundFloor and DSGN team also want to keep small mid-century touches, such as brass details on the doors, mosaic tiles and its distinct shellstone veneer, Brant said. 

City Support And Community Impact

Given the tower’s historic nature and design, several challenges arose on the path to revitalization, including asbestos removal and adding another stairwell to meet modern safety and usability requirements. Despite these challenges, the city has been there to help every step of the way, Holley said. 

“The city really wants to make things happen,” Holley said. “They have been exceptional in terms of their commitment in getting this project over the finish line.”

When complete, The Draper is expected to feature more than 240 residential units along with retail and office spaces across multiple sites, all designed to blend seamlessly with Garland’s vibe.

Beyond the site of The Draper Tower, Holley said GroundFloor has another site directly across the street where the goal is to build 60 additional residential units purpose-built for the artistic community. This community will be equipped with specialized common areas for artists of all kinds — from painters and sculptors to digital media artists and software engineers.  

“Our team develops projects across Texas, but no market excites us more than Garland,” he said. “City leaders are charting a visionary course that celebrates Garland’s unique character while capitalizing on its strategic location near major employment centers and its more attainable housing costs compared to other northern DFW suburbs.”

The result? A community that offers tremendous value and a vibrant lifestyle that’s drawing new residents and fueling the city’s next phase of growth.

“Garland is truly a city to watch, and we’re thrilled to contribute by delivering impactful, beautiful projects that add to its momentum,” Holley said.

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and the city of Garland, Texas. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.