The strength of the Dallas-Fort Worth economy is creating opportunities for developers willing to think “beyond the transaction,” to take a longer-term view on “tenant curation and community impact,” said Ray Catlin, vice president for the Texas region at construction firm LGE Design Build.

“The DFW story right now is one of sustained, broad-based momentum, and it's not slowing,” Catlin said. “Forward-thinking developers and municipalities alike understand that the most resilient projects are the ones that give people a reason to show up, stay and come back.”

DFW has become a proving ground for the next generation of mixed-use development, he said.

“The market has made clear that vanilla retail is not going to survive in the best locations,” Catlin said.

As regional vice president, Catlin leads LGE Design Build’s growth in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, ensuring the firm is delivering the kind of integrated architectural design and general contracting services that clients can't get from a traditional general contractor or architect relationship.

The unique approach LGE takes to projects is especially valuable in today’s elevated construction cost environment as it compresses the timeline between design decisions and procurement, allowing teams to lock in pricing before the market moves again, Catlin said.

Catlin will speak on this issue and more at Bisnow’s DFW Experiential Retail & Mixed-Use Summit on June 2. Bisnow caught up with him about the enduring appeal and resilience of mixed-use projects, ongoing cost volatility and other trends impacting the built environment of the Metroplex.

Register here to attend the event.

Bisnow: What are you seeing in the DFW market right now? 

Catlin: We're seeing a clear flight to quality across every product type. Tenants, whether restaurant operators, fitness concepts or experiential retailers, want modern, purpose-built environments that can't be replicated online. That's a major driver for why mixed-use is gaining so much traction.

Bisnow: What are some challenges you’re helping your clients navigate?

Catlin: From a construction standpoint, material cost volatility remains something every project team has to actively manage. The cost of metals, in particular, has stayed elevated, largely due to tariff pressure and sustained demand from data center and infrastructure projects.

Bisnow: What is LGE Design Build working on right now? 

Catlin: LGE has been doing design-build for over 30 years. What that means in practice is that our architecture team and our construction team operate as one: same firm, same financial interest, same accountability to the client.

In terms of active work, we're proud to be part of high-profile projects across the region. One worth mentioning is our work on a high-end restaurant in Dallas. The project is exactly the kind of tenant that mixed-use developers are eager to land: a concept that creates energy, drives foot traffic and elevates the surrounding retail environment.

Bisnow: What makes a project stand out? 

Catlin: First, intentionality: The best projects are designed with a clear point of view about the tenant mix, the customer experience and how the space will feel at different times of day.

Second, quality of execution: In a market where rents are rising and tenants have options, construction quality and design distinctiveness are meaningful differentiators. A project that looks and feels premium will attract premium tenants.

Third, integration: The mixed-use projects that are moving the market are the ones where residential, retail, restaurant and public space feel genuinely connected and not just adjacent.

Bisnow: What do you think will be the hot topics of conversation at this event?

Catlin: I expect construction costs to come up early and often. Everyone in the room is managing the same uncertainty around steel, aluminum and supply chain timing. The conversation will naturally turn to how teams are adapting, whether that's through advanced procurement, design substitutions or adjusting project phasing.

We'll also hear about the southern sectors of the Metroplex. South Dallas has been underserved for decades, and there's a growing recognition that the infrastructure, land pricing and demographic trends there represent a genuine opportunity.

Bisnow: What are some key points you hope attendees take away from the panel?

Catlin: DFW's fundamentals are exceptional, but they don't eliminate execution risk. Population growth, corporate relocations and a business-friendly environment create enormous opportunities. However, the projects that win are still the ones with the best teams, the most disciplined underwriting and the highest quality of design and construction. The market rewards excellence, and it exposes mediocrity pretty quickly.

The design-build model is becoming a competitive advantage in this environment. When architecture and construction are integrated from Day 1, you compress the schedule, reduce change orders and make better decisions earlier in the process, when they're still inexpensive to make. For retail and mixed-use projects where speed to market and cost certainty are critical, that matters enormously.

Think beyond the transaction. Creating places, rather than just filling square footage, requires a longer-term perspective on tenant curation, community impact and design quality than a traditional development model often encourages. The developers and construction partners who understand that are the ones building the projects everyone will be talking about five years from now.

Register here for Bisnow’s June 2 event.

This article was produced in collaboration between LGE Design Build and Studio B. 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.