KPMG’s pre-lease in the KPMG Plaza at Hall Arts triggered the start of Downtown’s newest office tower construction. JLL international managing director Carl Ewert calls it one of his most exciting assignments, and he’s been responsible for multiple mammoth deals Downtown. It’s one reason we’re stoked Carl will join the experts at Bisnow’s The Evolution of Downtown Dallas event on March 31.

Carl (with wife Trisha, who works at Old Republic National Title) has a laundry list of Downtown transactions over the years, but tells us his 1989 KPMG lease at The Crescent moved his career up a notch. The firm is still one of his largest clients. He played an integral role for the team that relocated Comerica from Detroit and Amegy Bank from Houston to downtown Dallas. Carl is now helping law firm Baker McKenzie (currently in the Trammell Crow Center) search for 50k SF. He is in the process of wrapping up the 39k SF renewal of Meadows Collier at Bank of America. (He also just completed the non-Downtown 55k SF lease for CEC Entertainment HQ.) Carl says the face of Downtown continues to change and the questions that need to be pondered are whether the growth will be organic or new and who's going to benefit most.

Growing up in Dallas, Carl says he and his brother would ride the bus to Downtown to spend the day walking around and going to the movies. He’s enjoying the resurgence of activity, not just because he has specialized in Downtown since 1986, but also because of his desire to see its revitalization. Carl has a condo in Victory Park for a secondary office and home away from home. He also helped sell the land where his condo is located. The NTCAR Stemmons Service Award winner also served on the board and executive committee for Downtown Dallas Inc as well as serving on the Downtown Dallas Mayor’s Task Force and Downtown Dallas Planning Committee. Come hear Carl’s Downtown insights on March 31 at Bisnow’s The Evolution of Downtown Dallas event.