There was a party in Uptown Tuesday to top out the 20-story McKinney & Olive on three acres at McKinney Avenue and Olive Street in Uptown Dallas. Crescent Real Estate Equities CEO/chairman John Goff says the project is the first in Dallas to be designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli’s Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli, which only takes a very limited number of new commissions each year. The tower, which already has deals inked for Gardere Wynne Sewell and Sidley Austin, should see more leasing announcements coming this fall. John says he also expects to reveal additional retail commitments (Del Frisco’s is already on board) by year’s end.

One of the project’s biggest features is the one-acre open space courtyard. (Construction pictured here). This space will be filled with umbrella-covered tables, park benches and water features. The piazza, surrounding grounds and rooftop garden are designed by acclaimed landscape architect The Office of James Burnett, which crafted Klyde Warren Park. The project team includes Crescent Property Services as developer, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects as design architect, Kendall/Heaton Associates as executive architect, The Office of James Burnett as landscape architect, Staffelbach as the planner of record for the building and The Beck Group as general contractor. The development is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. In preparation for the fast-paced year as construction is completed and interior finish-out begins, Crescent has hired Angelique Wade as senior property manager for McKinney & Olive.

The features of McKinney & Olive’s design include a two and a half story lobby with clear glass and the canopy with oculi. Crescent leaders also mentioned construction highlights to come, such as the Carrara marble—extracted from the Italian quarries that Michelangelo once prospected —that will be installed in the grand lobby. Pelli Clarke Pelli principal Gregg Jones says everyone at the firm is pleased that Crescent chose to complement the architecture with extremely high-end finishes—such as the marble that the team traveled to Italy to hand-select. Additionally, the corners of the building have been specially designed without supporting columns so that the floor-to-ceiling glass walls offer unobstructed city views up and down McKinney Avenue, throughout Uptown, over to Downtown Dallas’ Arts District and Klyde Warren Park, and as far as Victory Park.

Read more details and see more images at our McKinney & Olive slideshow here.