DALLAS -

World Class Automotive Group recently broke ground on a new Lincoln dealership that is part of a 25-acre, $140-million mixed-use redevelopment at the historic Braniff International Airways facility at Dallas Love Field.

While renovations are predicted to be finished by summer 2019, the redevelopment of the historic site conducted in partnership with the Texas Historic Commission has been a vision of World Class Automotive owner Randall Reed for six years.

 “We’re extremely excited to finally be breaking ground on this project,” said Reed in a news release. “The synergy is beyond anything I could have imagined in the six years that we've been working on this project. This amazing redevelopment will not only preserve this important piece of Dallas history, but create wonderful business opportunities that will provide incredible services to our local community,” Reed added.

Located at 7777 Lemmon Avenue in Dallas, the 267,342-square-foot luxury dealership will operate adjacent to the area’s iconic building now called the Braniff Centre.

“It’s an exciting time,” said Greg Wood, manager, sales and service, at the Lincoln Motor Co. “There is no one who does it better than Randall Reed.

“There will be no better facility in the country to represent the Lincoln brand,” Wood added. “We are just thrilled and honored … thank you for making this all come to fruition.”

According to World Class Automotive, Reed brought aboard founding partner of The Gravity Company, Michael Graves in 2009 to develop his vision of the mixed-use development.

“While updating the structure to serve contemporary uses, it was crucial to keep the original designs of William Pereira and Charles Luckman and retain the spirit of flight, as seen in elements such as the inverted butterfly roof architecture and the glass curtain wall,” said Graves.

World Class Automotive Group said that the project has also attracted development partners Lincoln Property Co., Blue Star Land, and The Arnold Companies, which each have projects that are a part of the group’s new development.