DALLAS – September 3, 2024 – Granite Properties, a commercial real estate investment, development, and management company, and Highwoods Properties (NYSE:HIW), a publicly-traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”), announced that Wish You Were Here Group, the renowned, multi-concept hospitality group built on creating unforgettable dining experiences inspired by travel, will bring their Los Angeles-based Élephante and New York City based Little Ruby’s Cafe to 23Springs. The Class-AA, 26-story, 626,215 square feet office tower featuring two restaurant buildings and green space is under
development in Uptown Dallas. The project will transform the corner of Cedar Springs Road and Maple Avenue into an engaging and vibrant destination for people to enjoy and connect. 23Springs will be delivered in March 2025, and both restaurants are slated to open in fall 2025.

The coastal Italian restaurant, Élephante, will span 11,000 square feet at a standalone, two-story restaurant building facing Maple Avenue. Upon opening, it will be Élephante’s third location outside Los Angeles. Its second location will open in Scottsdale, AZ this fall with Laguna Beach on the horizon as its fourth location. In Dallas, Élephante will offer the restaurant’s expansive menu of signature wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas, famed whipped eggplant dip, family-style dishes and expertly crafted cocktails. The restaurant interior is designed by Nick Mathers, Founder of Wish You Were Here Group in collaboration with Alter Studio. The interior will have a light and breezy atmosphere inspired by the Los Angeles location featuring a rich mix of natural textures. The exterior walls are composed of sliding glass panels creating a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor space for the ground level patio and second floor decks overlooking Maple Avenue.

Little Ruby’s will be housed in a 3,000 square feet space at the one-story restaurant building facing 23Springs’ park. The restaurant will bring Australian café culture to Dallas with its approachable all-day fare, specialty drinks, and a full coffee program. Open all day for brekkie, lunch and dinner, Little Ruby’s beloved menu will feature its signature burgers, pastas, salads, bowls and brunch classics. This will be Little Ruby’s fifth location and first location outside of New York City.

“We’re excited to bring Little Ruby’s, our Australian café with roots in New York City for the last 20 years, and Élephante, our elevated coastal Italian restaurant, to Dallas’ lively culinary scene. We hope to captivate Dallas’ genuine appetite for new and creative restaurant experiences. All of our Wish You Were Here Group restaurants intend to transport you for a moment in time to somewhere else through great food, design, aesthetic and overall experience. It has been our ethos since day one for people to feel like they’re on vacation when they come to our spaces, and we always want to make sure we offer an inclusive style of service. As we grow into new markets, we remain focused on the local character and comfort of each restaurant while still offering the escape our guests seek,” said Nick Mathers, Founder of Wish You Were Here Group.

“The inclusion of restaurants like Élephante and Little Ruby’s will cater to the culinary tastes of the community and foster social interactions, making 23Springs a hub for both business and leisure,” said Paul Bennett, Senior Managing Director, Granite Properties. “23Springs offers a unique blend of amenities and community-focused design. At 56% leased, the project is a testament to the demand for innovative work environments offering more than just office space. The project’s emphasis on green spaces further underscores its commitment to work-life balance, providing a change of scenery and space to unwind at the office. 23Springs’ dynamic and engaging atmosphere will be a compelling alternative to working at home,” he added.

23Springs features amenities designed for the modern workforce with restaurants and a half-acre street level park fostering a communal feel. The park is made possible by placing six stories of parking underground. The building’s amenities include:

  • a two-story hospitality-driven lobby featuring a coffee and wine bar
  • an indoor lounge with golf simulator
  • a large conference center and boardroom
  • an outdoor lounge with full AV-enabled conference facilities
  • private motor court
  • valet parking
  • EV charging stations and bike storage

Designed to achieve LEED Silver and Fitwel certifications, 23Springs will offer a high-end fitness center, a touchless path from the garage to the office, 14 foot floor-to-ceiling windows, clean air technology, destination dispatch elevators, and ample green space to work or meet outdoors. Sustainability features will include a rainwater harvesting system and low flow water fixtures, reducing indoor water consumption by 50% and energy consumption by 14%.

23Springs is designed by GFF. General Contractor, DPR Construction, kicked off construction in June 2022. The building is located at 2323 Cedar Springs Road across the street from Hotel Crescent Court and Stanley Korshak. The building is also near the Dallas North Tollway, popular restaurants and shops, and the Katy Trail.

Wish You Were Here Group was represented on the lease transaction by Jack Breard of Segovia Partners.  Granite was represented by Jack Gosnell, Elizabeth Herman Fulot and Marissa Stave of CBRE.

About Granite Properties
Granite Properties is a privately held commercial real estate investment, development and management company founded in 1991. The firm owns 11 million square feet of high-quality office space in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Southern California, Boston and Nashville. Granite is an established investor, developer and manager with a focus on sustainable, highly amenitized projects. It has completed more than $10 billion in real estate transactions and more than 30 million square feet of real estate development and acquisitions. Current active development projects in Boston, and Dallas total over 1.6 million square feet with total costs over $1.2 billion. Granite focuses on creating extraordinary customer experiences through mixed-use environments, rich amenities, customer-centric service, and innovative wellness features. Granite, NAIOP’s 2022 Developer of the Year, was named one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Workplaces nine times, ranking #8 on their 2022 Best Workplaces in Real Estate list. For more information, visit: graniteprop.com.

About Highwoods
Highwoods Properties, Inc., headquartered in Raleigh, is a publicly-traded (NYSE:HIW), fully-integrated office real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that owns, develops, acquires, leases and manages properties primarily in the best business districts (BBDs) of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa. Highwoods is in the work-placemaking business. We believe that by creating environments and experiences where the best and brightest can achieve together what they cannot apart, we can deliver greater value to our customers, their teammates and, in turn, our stakeholders. For more information about Highwoods, please visit our website at www.highwoods.com.

About Wish You Were Here Group
Wish You Were Here Group is a hospitality and lifestyle group built on creating unforgettable dining experiences inspired by global travel. The group’s multi -concept portfolio is responsible for some of the most beloved restaurants, cafes and bars across the country, which aim to transport guests to other parts of the world. Each property has its own unique vibe influenced by different cultures and cuisines and delivers delicious food and cocktails alongside exceptional service in thoughtfully designed spaces. Wish You Were Here Group’s restaurants, bars and lounges are currently in destinations including Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York City with many more to come. For more information visit www.wishyouwereheregroup.com.