Ferris at center of Cawley Partners’ 5,200-acre mixed-use project
FERRIS – In a consequential development moment in the city of Ferris’s 150-year history, Cawley Partners has acquired more than 5,200 acres straddling Dallas and Ellis counties for a transformative mixed-use project, marking a new era of opportunity and growth for Ferris and the southern DFW corridor, officials said.
“This is a generational turning point – not just for the land, but for the future of Ferris,” said Brooks Williams, city manager. “What’s unfolding here is not luck. It’s the result of deliberate decisions, relentless preparation, and an unwavering belief that Ferris is destined for more.”
The master-planned development, named South Creek Dallas, will include up to 5,000 homes, expansive digital commerce parks, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and potentially a corporate campus exceeding 1,000 acres. Located near the future Loop 9 corridor, the site surrounds land already annexed by Ferris and lies within the city’s long-established planning and influence zone.
“Ferris isn’t simply adjacent to this project, it is the launchpad,” a city media release reads. “With unmatched proximity to Interstate 45 and downtown Dallas, and a bold approach to government, education, healthcare, and public safety, Ferris offers a complete ecosystem for next-generation community development.”
“We are not the city next door to a development. We are the city at the center of what’s next,” Williams said. “And with the right partners, like Cawley, Ferris will shape the skyline and spirit of southern Dallas County for generations to come.
Williams pointed to the city’s accomplishments that drew the Cawley Partners project, including:
• Competitive financial climate that offers one of the lowest full-service municipal tax rates in the region
• Innovation in education through a strong partnership between the city and Ferris ISD, with plans for the Leaders at Heart Academy, a municipal charter school
• Healthcare access that provides every Ferris resident access to medical care through Tap Telehealth (from MD Health Pathways)
• A fully integrated Department of Public Safety with triple-certified officers trained in police, fire, and EMS and providing 24/7 protection
• Quality of life through parks, recreation, beautification, infrastructure, and mobility
“Ferris has come a long way, but we have never mistaken progress for arrival,” Williams said. “We refuse to accept that where we are is where we are supposed to stay. In Ferris, growth and improvement is embedded in who we are and ‘good enough for now’ is not a part of our organizational DNA. That is the spirit of being Distinct by Design.”
Additional updates, such as on phased development, infrastructure alignment, and city collaboration, are expected to be released in coordination with Cawley Partners as the project progresses.
