AT&T’s new $1.35B global headquarters in Plano is set to have more than twice the amount of space of its current 1M SF Whitacre Tower building in Downtown Dallas.
Courtesy of AT&T
Rendering of AT&T Plano headquarters campus
The Plano Planning and Zoning Commission approved four items related to the global telecommunications titan’s planned headquarters on Monday. Among those was a preliminary site plan that shows AT&T’s campus will have 2.3M SF of building space, a 280-foot cell tower, a daycare center, parking garages and a pedestrian bridge, The Dallas Morning News reported.
AT&T announced plans in January to move its headquarters to the 54-acre campus at 5400 Legacy Drive. It is targeting an initial move-in date during the second half of 2028, AT&T CEO John Stankey said at the time.
Other items approved by the commission were two requests to update site boundaries, as AT&T wants to add parts of adjacent lots to the campus. Another item sought a zoning change to “planned development” for the portion with the tower, as it will have an enclosed communications antenna.
All items were approved unanimously and will next go before the Plano City Council.
Commission member Ben Alali compared AT&T’s planned antenna structure to an iconic part of Dallas’ skyline, calling it a miniature version of Reunion Tower. AT&T’s tower will feature the company’s logo in addition to the antenna.
It will be more than 300 feet from nearby residences and won’t be allowed to flash or strobe overnight. The tower also needs to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Stankey called the tower “a foundational part of the campus” in a LinkedIn post last week sharing renderings of the company’s new headquarters. He said it will deliver “world-class cell coverage” to the campus and the surrounding neighborhood.
Courtesy of AT&T
Rendering of AT&T’s antenna tower in Plano
The new headquarters campus is expected to help AT&T attract and retain top talent, Stankey said in his post.
The global telecommunications titan required all office employees to return in person five days a week at the beginning of last year. The Plano location is expected to offer a shorter commute for a majority of AT&T’s personnel, a company spokesperson said in January.
AT&T’s lease at Whitacre Tower in Dallas runs through the end of 2031, the DMN reported.
Plano officials approved a pair of economic development agreements for AT&T in February offering $20M in financial incentives and a 65% property tax rebate for 25 years on improvements made at the site.
