FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walsh Family has a deep-rooted history in Fort Worth, stemming from dedication to the community and support for local arts and education programs, as well as a 7,200 acre picturesque stretch of land known as Walsh Ranch. The property consists of rolling hills, cattle, and precious family memories, and will serve as the setting for a new community, which will continue the family legacy with a sense of purpose to serve its residents and the surrounding area.
Walsh Ranch is the headquarters of the F. Howard Walsh Family ranching operations. Since the 1930’s, the Walsh Family has had a long legacy of giving back through their devotion to the arts, education, and medical initiatives. Among their many philanthropic endeavors, some of their most notable are Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, Harris Methodist Hospital, All Saints Hospital, Cook Children’s Medical Center, funding of the annual production of the Littlest Wiseman at the Scott Theater, donating land for the Northwest Campus of Tarrant County College which made the extension of Northwest Loop I-820 possible, and contributions to Texas Christian University including the Mary D. and F. Howard Walsh Center for Performing Arts, Walsh Sports Medicine Complex, renovations to the Daniel Meyer Coliseum, and numerous endowed academic scholarships.
“Our family has always been dedicated to encouraging and promoting our surrounding community. The Walsh Ranch development will be a continuation of that commitment to the region,” explains F. Howard Walsh III.
Once Walsh leadership made the decision to transform this land into a community that would exemplify the ideals, honor the land, and respect the history of the family, the groundwork was laid with the City of Fort Worth to build infrastructure to serve Walsh and the surrounding areas. After many years of planning and investment, Walsh began the process of finding a partner who understood their vision, goals and passion for the project. The selection process implemented and managed by the DFW office of Land Advisors Organization included a national search comprised of over 40 top development firms in the country. Through a meticulous, multi-step process over many months, the list was culled down to a select few for a final round of presentations. When the dust cleared, the Walsh Company chose Metroplex development firm Republic Property Group (RPG) as their partner to transform the ranch into the premier development in the nation.
“In RPG, we have found a partner who shares our passion and vision. They are legacy minded in their desire to create a world class community, which will have a positive, lasting impact on the region,” explains Malcolm Louden, President of Walsh Holdings.
RPG was a natural choice with over 48 years of experience developing signature projects. Under the leadership of Chairman Rick Strauss, the company has been responsible for notable developments including Stonebridge Ranch in McKinney, Lake Forest, home to the old EDS headquarters in Dallas, Lantana, north of Flower Mound, Phillips Creek Ranch in Frisco, and Light Farms in Celina. Strauss is supported by a strong management team led by Co-CEOs Tony Ruggeri and Jake Wagner. RPG’s company make-up, a blend of youth and experience, collaborative approach and respect for the history of the property, allowed them to stand out amongst the competing developers during the selection process.
”We chose RPG because they share our vision to be innovative and with their combination of youth and experience they will be able to grow with this community,” says F. Howard Walsh III.
“We are approaching this project in an incredibly thoughtful way. After getting to know the Walsh family, we better understood their vision for the property. RPG took the time to learn the lay of the land, understand the possibilities and put forth long term goals and parameters for the development,” explains Ruggeri. “We will work in conjunction with the family to make this vision of becoming the premier development in the Nation, a reality.” We are currently in the planning phases and are scheduled to break ground later this year.
The goal for the highly anticipated community called “Walsh” is to create a place dedicated to its residents’ wellness and quality of life, and enhance value for the surrounding region for generations. Walsh will emphasize premier health, wellness and educational benefits and be developed as a park - centric community with abundant open space. Representative of the historic neighborhoods in Fort Worth, Walsh will fuse the precious history of the City with revolutionary and beyond state-of-the art technology and modern concepts for living. Upon full build out, Walsh will consist of single-family homes, multiple schools, churches, hospitals, retail, office, hotels, multi-family and other mixed-use space. At Walsh, students will attend the highly regarded Aledo Independent School District, one of the best school districts in the State.
“Our collective vision is to create an iconic community that compliments Fort Worth, promotes growth and brings another facet to the thriving city,” says Wagner. “Walsh will bring a unique combination of innovation, beauty, and convenience to the area while also holding the distinction of being one of the largest master-planned communities ever built in North Texas. We will implement a plan that does justice and builds upon the rich heritage that has been established by both the family and Fort Worth.”
“From a market standpoint, the timing for development is perfect, allowing the family and RPG to capitalize on the growth of Fort Worth and the region. Walsh presents an unparalleled development opportunity. It is the largest contiguous tract of land in the country within 10 minutes of a major Central Business District. When paired with excellent highway access and a top school district in Aledo, it has the opportunity to become one of the next great centers of regional importance,” said Todd Larue, Managing Director for Robert Charles Lesser Co.
ABOUT WALSH RANCH
Walsh Ranch is located 10 minutes west of downtown Fort Worth, where interstates I-20 and I-30 merge, and comprised of 11.4 square miles, serves as the headquarters of the F. Howard Walsh Family ranching operations for over 70 years. Since its inception, Walsh Ranch has been a working cattle ranch renowned for the quality of its cattle. In the 1950s it became one of the premier Charolais breeding operations in the country, and it also hosted the largest Charbray herd in North America. Prior to beginning development, the land continues to serve as a working cattle ranch. Currently, over 100,000 vehicles pass the property on I-20/I-30 each day and the Ranch has over 7 miles of frontage on these highways. For more information please visit www.walshranch.com
ABOUT REPUBLIC PROPERTY GROUP
Republic Property Group “RPG” is a premier Master – Planned Community Developer, founded in 1967 and based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. The company has developed and managed award-winning real estate projects for a broad range of residential and commercial uses that spans eight states and totals in excess of $7 billion. For the last 25 years, RPG has focused solely on creating one-of-a-kind communities. Upon completion, three of its latest – Lantana in Denton, TX, Light Farms in Celina, TX and Phillips Creek Ranch in Frisco, TX – will have a combined 10,000 homes, 3,500 acres and 35,000 residents. For more information please visit www.republicpropertygroup.com
