Major Retail Center Set for Denison
BY DEWAYNE WILDER

Casey Shires and Steve Rumsey are returning to Denison in a big way. The two Denison High School graduates aim to bring retail development to their hometown. The partners’ company, Cross Development, is the lead in the new shopping center to be located just west of the US 75 and FM 120 intersection. The proposed 30,000 square foot center has some stages to complete but things are beginning to take shape for the site on the north side of FM 120.

“ Denison is pretty special to us,” said Shires, a 1991 DHS graduate. “We’re excited. We want to do really well here.” Rumsey is a 1994 graduate of DHS.

Shires and Rumsey have already tossed around some names for the new development; currently “ Cross Point Shopping Center ” is a strong contender but the name could be different when construction begins.

“We’re expecting to start about Nov. 1,” explained Shires. “But that’s tentative and could change.” Shires also deferred announcing any of the center’s tenants. It’s the nature of the retail development business, he explained. “They are really good stores; mostly nationally known tenants,” said Shires. “Legally, we can’t announce them yet but as we get to certain points, we’ll release tenant names.”

The native Denisonians have been “eyeing the property” for a long time, according to Shires. It’s been “a lot of work” but being partners with the city of Denison has worked well, he added.

“We’re excited to work with them. They have really worked with us on a lot of issues,” said Shires. “Scott Smathers (Denison Development Alliance vice president for business development) has been a huge help. We know he’ll see us through this project. We appreciate his help.”

Some of the steps involved with the process include replatting, abandonment of a road, site plan approval by the Denison Planning and Zoning Commission and approval by the Denison City Council.

“This is great for Denison ,” said Smathers Tuesday. “People will have the opportunity to buy items that previously they had to drive to get. There will be a wide selection as well.”

Smathers noted that the project will not only create construction jobs but bring jobs to Denison , increase the tax base and increase the sales tax revenue for the city.

“It will help the economy,” he said. “It makes the retail community a little more diverse.”

Cross Development has enlisted the services of the Dallas based Staubach Company to help recruit more businesses to the shopping center. According to tentative plans, the first businesses could open in March.

Shires speaks of the development in glowing terms because he and Rumsey are getting to do a project in their hometown. One can hear the excitement in his voice.

“It’s my hometown. I love it. We both have families still there and visit frequently,” said Shires. “We’re just small town guys who cherish the traditional lifestyle that Denison embodies.” Shires said he has “a million memories of Denison ” and loves seeing the “Welcome to Denison ” sign when driving into the city limits on US 75.

“You realize how beautiful it is; there are hills on either side,” noted Shires. “You don’t realize how much you miss Denison until you see it again.”

Shires said both of them are “extremely close to our families.” One familial connection is Brian Rumsey, of Cross Architects.

“Brian (Steve’s brother) works with us. They are our architectural firm,” explained Shires. “He’s from Denison , too.”

Both men attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock . Shires went to work in the commercial real estate business and Steve Rumsey began his career in construction. In 2002, the two friends formed Cross Development to pool their respective talents and resources to develop retail projects. Current projects include shopping centers in Durant, Idabel , Okla. , Grove, Okla. , Saginaw , Texas , Nebraska , MO., and one in Arizona . The largest on for the Dallas based company is the Saginaw location at 70,000 square feet.

According to Shires, the Denison project has gone so well – and well, it is their hometown – that Cross Development plans other projects for the place where the two men grew up.

 “We are looking at other possibilities,” said Shires with a smile.

Not bad for a couple of hometown boys; not bad at all.

Posted by:
 Denison Development Alliance
 311 West Woodard Street
 Denison, TX 75020
 (903) 464-0883  phone
 (903) 465-6476 fax
 ssmathers@denisontx.org e-mail
 www.denisontx.org