Southeast Dallas, Texas, October 9, 2025
News Summary
Construction has begun on Palladium Buckner Station, a $107 million, 304‑unit mixed‑income residential project adjacent to the Buckner DART Light Rail Station in Southeast Dallas. About 244 units (roughly 80%) will be income‑restricted for households at or below 60% of AMI, with 60 market‑rate units. The development includes 90 one‑bed, 147 two‑bed, and 67 three‑bed units (30 townhomes), two parking garages with roughly 350 spaces, a landscaped public promenade to the rail stop, and amenities such as a pool, fitness center, community room and business spaces. Financing combines LIHTC equity, loans, tax‑exempt bonds and city incentives.
Palladium Buckner Station breaks ground on a $107 million transit‑oriented, mixed‑income housing project next to DART Buckner Light Rail Station
The Dallas‑based developer has started construction on Palladium Buckner Station, a 304‑unit residential development on a DART station parking lot at 8008 Elam Rd. in Southeast Dallas (Pleasant Grove). The project, reported to cost about $107 million (also cited as $107.1 million), is designed as a transit‑oriented, mixed‑income community that will sit adjacent to the Buckner Light Rail Station in City Council District 5.
What the project will include
The development will deliver 304 apartments with a unit mix shown in city documents as 90 one‑bedroom</b units, 147 two‑bedroom</b units and 67 three‑bedroom</b units. Of the three‑bedroom product, 30 will be two‑story townhome units. About 244 units (roughly 80%) will be income‑restricted and leased exclusively to households at or below 60% of area median income (AMI), while 60 units will be market‑rate.
Site, access and parking
The project occupies land currently used as a DART station parking lot and includes a publicly accessible pedestrian promenade that creates a direct walking route to the Buckner Light Rail Station. Two residential parking garages will provide 350 parking spaces</b. The design emphasizes improved landscaping along the promenade to enhance connectivity to transit.
Amenities and design
Planned on‑site amenities include a resort swimming pool, a state‑of‑the‑art fitness center, conference and business centers, a children’s playroom, a 1,600‑square‑foot community room, a basketball court and additional resident spaces reported as part of the amenity package. ARRIVE Architecture Group is the architecture and design firm; BBL Building Co. is the construction partner. Operation Community Care is named as a community partner on the project.
Financing and public support
Financing for the development combines private and public sources. Regions Bank provided key financing: $34 million in low‑income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity, $26 million in bridge loan proceeds, and a $47 million FHA Section 221(d)(4) loan. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs awarded the 4% LIHTCs. Additional public financing includes $14.5 million from the City of Dallas as an economic development incentive and $49.9 million in tax‑exempt bonds issued through the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation.
Local government action
The Dallas City Council unanimously approved the $14.5 million incentive. That package was structured as a loan not to exceed $6,183,092 plus a grant not to exceed $8,316,907, drawn from several funding sources administered by the City’s Office of Economic Development, including bond proceeds tied to economic development and housing propositions.
Policy and neighborhood context
City officials describe the project as the result of coordinated planning with the regional transit authority to create denser housing choices near stations. The development comes amid a broader city policy shift that included reducing or eliminating parking minimums to free up land for housing and encourage transit use.
Southeast Dallas (Pleasant Grove) has seen comparatively limited private investment in recent years, and municipal leaders view transit‑oriented projects as a tool to spur economic activity and better connect neighborhoods to the rest of the city.
Public reaction and community concerns
Public commentary has been mixed. Some community members objected to the incentives and expressed a preference for single‑family housing, along with concerns about crime and homelessness. Others supported the project, highlighting the need for more housing, the set‑aside of affordable units, and the logic of placing denser housing near transit.
Project role among station‑area proposals
The development is one of five transit‑oriented proposals on property owned by the transit authority that were submitted for review. The broader goal is to increase ridership by offering a mix of market‑rate and affordable housing that is directly connected to light rail service.
Construction and next steps
With ground broken, construction will proceed as new ground‑up development on the parking lot site. The development team has committed to long‑term property management after construction. Exact construction timelines and an estimated completion date have not been specified in the public materials reviewed for this report.
Related development
Also under development in the city is a separate mixed‑use project set to open in 2028 that will include major office, residential and retail components. That project is being positioned as a high‑end, mixed‑use center with office floor plates of roughly 29,000 square feet, a 17‑story residential tower with 147 units, and significant retail and rooftop park space. The inclusion of large parking stacks and highway access are noted as part of its market orientation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is Palladium Buckner Station located?
A: The project is adjacent to the Buckner DART Light Rail Station at 8008 Elam Rd. in Southeast Dallas (Pleasant Grove), within City Council District 5.
Q: How many units and what types are included?
A: The development will contain 304 units: 90 one‑bedroom, 147 two‑bedroom, and 67 three‑bedroom units, including 30 two‑story three‑bedroom townhomes.
Q: How many units will be affordable?
A: About 244 units (roughly 80%) will be income‑restricted and available to households at or below 60% AMI. The remaining 60 units will be market‑rate.
Q: What is the total development cost and who is financing it?
A: Total reported cost is approximately $107 million. Financing includes LIHTC equity, bridge loan proceeds and an FHA 221(d)(4) loan provided by Regions Bank, plus a city incentive and tax‑exempt bonds through the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation.
Q: Will the development improve transit access?
A: Yes. A publicly accessible promenade will provide a direct pedestrian connection to the Buckner Light Rail Station, and the development is intended to encourage transit use by placing housing adjacent to the station.
Q: Who are the partners and contractors?
A: The developer is Palladium USA. ARRIVE Architecture Group is the architect, BBL Building Co. is the construction partner, Regions Bank provided major financing, and Operation Community Care is a community partner.
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Key project features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Project name | Palladium Buckner Station |
| Location | 8008 Elam Rd., adjacent to Buckner DART Light Rail Station (Southeast Dallas / Pleasant Grove) |
| Total units | 304 apartments (90 1BR, 147 2BR, 67 3BR; includes 30 two‑story 3BR townhomes) |
| Affordability | 244 units restricted to ≤60% AMI; 60 market‑rate units |
| Estimated cost | Approximately $107 million (reported $107.1M in some materials) |
| Financing highlights | Regions Bank: $34M LIHTC equity, $26M bridge loan, $47M FHA 221(d)(4) loan; $14.5M city incentive; $49.9M tax‑exempt bonds |
| Parking | Two residential garages with 350 spaces |
| Public access | Pedestrian promenade directly connecting to DART Buckner Light Rail Station |
| Design & construction | ARRIVE Architecture Group (design); BBL Building Co. (construction) |
| Community partner | Operation Community Care |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Housing Finance: Construction begins on transit-oriented development in Dallas
- Wikipedia: Transit-oriented development
- CultureMap Dallas: Buckner Station / Palladium Buckner Station coverage
- Google Search: Palladium Buckner Station
- WFAA: Dallas / Buckner Station project report
- Google Scholar: Buckner DART Station transit-oriented
- CandysDirt: Dallas green-lights $14.5M for transit-oriented project
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Transit-oriented development (search)
- Hoodline: Dallas City Council approves $14.5M incentive for Palladium Buckner Station
- Google News: Palladium Buckner Station
Author: Construction TX News
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