Matthews, a developer based in Lewisville and formerly known as Matthews Southwest, has expanded its presence in Dallas’ Cedars neighborhood with the acquisition of the former Sears Roebuck distribution center at 1600 Roe Street. The property spans 2 million square feet and sits on a 39-acre site just south of downtown Dallas. The deal, which closed last week, was brokered by Davidson Bogel Real Estate, while California-based LBA Logistics acted as the seller. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the property has a taxable value of $18.9 million.
The warehouse is located directly behind South Side on Lamar, another former Sears warehouse that Matthews redeveloped two decades ago into apartments, offices, and retail space—a project that contributed to transforming the Cedars from an industrial area into a creative district.
Matthews President Jack Matthews commented to the Dallas Morning News that specific redevelopment plans for the newly acquired property have not been finalized but indicated an intention for mixed-use development. In a statement, Matthews said: “Nearly 1.8 million people visit the Cedars annually.” He added that his firm sees this redevelopment as “a flagship property that will more than double commercial activity in the area.”
The building’s history reflects broader changes in the neighborhood. Originally a hub for Sears’ national retail operations, it later served industrial purposes before becoming largely inactive. This purchase further increases Matthews’ influence over an area it has played a key role in redeveloping.
Since its founding in 1994, Matthews has been involved in several significant Dallas projects such as the Omni Dallas Hotel and Gilley’s Dallas. The company also donated land for the city’s police headquarters and is managing early work on redeveloping the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center through its affiliate Inspire Dallas.
Regarding next steps for Roe Street, Matthews stated that input will be sought from tenants, investors, and community stakeholders before finalizing plans for what could be another major transformation within Cedars.
