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Irving council denies comprehensive-plan change for mixed-use project anchored by Kirby Ice House
Summary
The Irving City Council voted 7-2 on May 1 to deny a developer's proposed amendment to the city's future land use map that would have allowed a 10.5-acre mixed-use development anchored by Kirby Ice House at 1101 West Royal Lane.
The Irving City Council voted 7-2 on May 1 to deny a proposed amendment to the comprehensive plan that would have changed the future land use designation for 1101 West Royal Lane and cleared the way for a mixed-use development anchored by Kirby Ice House.
Developer representatives told the council the project was designed to support nearby office buildings and bring foot traffic and amenities to the area. Steven Frazee, the city partner for Morgan Group, described the site as a 10.5-acre tract that would be built in a single phase and said the project includes two buildings joined by a central promenade, 378 residential units and commercial space intended to energize nearby offices. "This project will be a vibrant extension of Piedmont's Connection Drive office assets," Frazee said, adding that developer Piedmont Office Realty Trust views the plan as part of a broader strategy to make existing offices more competitive.
Russ Morgan, president of Kirby Ice House, told the council his company sees Irving as its top North Texas site and that the planned Kirby would anchor the development with about 24,000 square feet of restaurant space and an expansive outdoor patio designed to activate the promenade. "We're not here to test the waters, we're here to win," Morgan said, describing Kirby's multi‑site track record and its focus on large indoor and outdoor spaces.
Frazee told the council the developer was willing to add an enforceable condition to the ordinance requiring the restaurant to complete foundation work and receive its final certificate of occupancy before a final certificate of occupancy would be issued for the mixed‑use building. He also provided the traffic department's daily count for Royal: 4,251 vehicles per day, and described Royal as a six‑lane divided road with turn lanes.
Despite the presentation and the developer's offer to modify ordinance language, a motion to deny the comprehensive‑plan amendment carried 7 to 2. The council did not identify a follow‑up direction for the applicant during the public hearing on the amendment. The denial means the land use designation will not change as proposed and the specific development plan described by Frazee and Morgan cannot proceed under the requested amendment.
The council handled the request as a zoning/plan amendment hearing; no other formal council action related to the project was recorded in the meeting minutes.
