Uber opens Deep Ellum office, second largest in U.S.

Uber's November 2019 groundbreaking in Deep Ellum, a Downtown Dallas neighborhood experiencing rapid redevelopment, was major win for the City of Dallas Office of Economic Development's Public/Private Partnership Program, which aims to attract high-wage jobs and capital investment to underserved areas of the city.

I was thrilled to be a part of the City of Dallas team that finalized contract negotiations with Uber, an American multinational transportation network company, Dallas County, and the State of Texas.

Uber's announcement of a new shared-service technology center cemented Dallas' urban core as a market for innovation and high-growth tech companies. The 450,000 square-foot lease at The Epic office tower in Deep Ellum also made Dallas Uber's second largest U.S. office outside of its headquarters in San Francisco.

The project will dramatically increase wages in Deep Ellum and put it in the top 20 submarkets in Texas for high-wage employment.

The Epic in Deep Ellum, where Uber's second largest office opened in 2019. Courtesy of Westdale Real Estate

The Deal
Uber's corporate office expansion to Dallas will create more than 2,500 jobs with an average annual salary of $100,000. Uber committed to a 15-year lease of 450,000 square feet of corporate office space and $60,000 in leasehold improvements, along with $50,000 in business personal property by 2023. 

The City of Dallas offered 50 percent, 5-year business personal property tax abatement, a Chapter 380 real property/leasehold investment grant in an amount not to exceed $3,500,000, an economic development job grant in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000, and a grant to fund an expedited permitting process and fee reimbursement.

The deal's high-wage jobs and investment attracted $24 million from the State of Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF), the state's deal-closing fund.

Economic Impact of Uber

Uber's expansion in the Deep Ellum neighborhood will have a major economic impact on the city and the neighborhood, mostly bars, restaurants, and entertainment, according to an analysis by Bradley Ford.

The project will vault Deep Ellum from a current state ranking of 152nd for high-wage employment to one of the top 20 sub-markets in the state for high-wage employment.

Analysis by Bradley Ford

In 2019, the average wage for all jobs located in Deep Ellum is estimated at $68,000. Uber’s presence in Deep Ellum will grow over the next three years and result in an average wage of more than $94,000 by 2023.

Uber's job growth and investment will also reduce the gap between average wage in Downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum from about 30% in 2019 to less than 3% in 2023.

Analysis by Bradley Ford

For more statistics or visualizations of the change to employment and wages, visit Bradley Ford's analysis.