With about 75 percent of construction completed, the historic redevelopment is well underway at Granite Properties’ Factory Six03, a 114-year-old building in Dallas’ West End.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas has signed the building’s first lease with Granite to occupy the top two floors of the 7-story, 237,000-square-foot structure. BCBS plans to use the two floors for its new “C1 Innovation Lab,” and the space will be home to around 80 employees for the Richardson-based company.
“The addition of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas to Factory Six03 validates what we intended for this project,” Greg Fuller, Granite’s president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “The West End is part of a growing innovation and knowledge district, and we’re providing the type of space creative users desire.”
Factory Six03 is rooted in Dallas history. The building went up in 1903 and originally was used by Brown Cracker and Candy Co. Historic tax credits on the building will be available to Granite. It acquired the building in July 2015.
Granite intends to salvage as much as it can when it comes to the building’s unique elements. Among them: a one-ton scale and an old brick oven on the third and fourth floor, respectively. Columns originally made of historic long-leaf pine will remain and will be joined by newer columns made of Douglas fir.
A customer lounge, conference center, and patio with views of downtown will be constructed on the rooftop. Restoration is planned for the building’s three iconic tanks that will sit above the conference center, a process that should take about two months to complete.
The ground floor will include a coffee shop and two designated areas for restaurants. The basement will be used for parking. Factory Six03 is expected to be ready for occupancy in April 2017.
