D
allas-based developer Cawley Partners has acquired the 5,200-acre South Creek Ranch near Ferris for a mixed-use development. The property, which includes a 23,000-square-foot stately home overlooking a small lake, is located in Dallas and Ellis counties, about 20 miles south of downtown Dallas. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

    Cawley Partners plans to build a series of "digital commerce parks" near the future Loop 9 highway corridor, featuring data centers, advanced manufacturing, logistics buildings, and other commercial uses. The site could support a more than 1,000-acre corporate campus, with up to 5,000 homes potentially built within the development.

    The initial focus will be on 2,000 acres of the property's northern side, with development work starting immediately. The first building is expected to be completed in two to three years. A natural break in the terrain will separate the two portions of the development.

    The sale was brokered by Bernard Uechtritz of Icon Global, who described it as "transformational" for the south Dallas area. Cawley Partners considers this one of the largest land transactions in recent years. The property once belonged to late businessman W. Ray Wallace and has been used for cattle and hay production, with some residential development.

    The nearly 8.5-square-mile property includes a stone mansion built in 2000, which may be repurposed or sold. Cawley Partners plans to operate the ranch in the short term before developing it into a mixed-use project that honors the legacy of the original owner.