Energy Square, the five-building office campus sitting right across from Southern Methodist University, is gearing up for yet another eight-figure refresh. Ownership is targeting the central plaza, a new cafe and bar, and a batch of move-in-ready spec suites, all aimed at making the property more of a street-level hangout as fresh office towers crowd into the neighborhood.
Deal Details and Who's Behind It
According to the Dallas Business Journal, joint owners Glenstar and Affinius Capital have about $12 million lined up for the plaza overhaul and broader ground-floor improvements. One of the buildings is in line for new spec suites and upgraded tenant common areas, a play to cut downtime between leases and appeal to fast-growing companies that want to plug in quickly.
Design, Permits and the Cafe
Public records from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation detail a 7,400-square-foot cafe project in Energy Square III and list Gensler as the design firm on the permits, providing a clearer picture of the scale of the ground-floor work. The campus' own Energy Square site highlights outdoor plazas, fitness options, and flexible tenant spaces as core features of the five-building complex, all elements that line up with the new plans.
A Costly Redo Already on Record
This is not Energy Square's first big-ticket refresh. A major redevelopment wrapped up in 2019, and the Dallas Morning News reported that the earlier effort ran about $50 million. That phase delivered revamped lobbies, a fitness center, and expanded dining for tenants, effectively resetting the campus and helping it keep pace with newer product closer to Uptown. The current round of upgrades builds on that foundation with an extra push on amenities.
Leasing and Local Demand
Leasing at Energy Square is handled by JLL, where brokers argue that sharper ground-floor offerings help "earn the commute" for employees splitting time between home and office. Recent tenant moves and expansions nearby point to continued interest in amenity-rich suburban-style campuses, something the owners are clearly betting this latest round of work will capture.
Timeline and What to Expect
The project appears to be sequenced in phases. Permit filings show tenant build-outs beginning in late 2025, with some completions recorded in spring 2026, suggesting portions of the cafe and interior upgrades could open while plaza construction is still underway. For SMU-area workers and neighbors, that likely translates into more spots to grab a coffee, linger a bit longer, and, if the owners have their way, one more reason to keep North Central's office stock in the rotation in a shifting market.
