The zoning application for the development of a rail station, hotel and parking garage was approved at the Oct. 17 joint planning and zoning commission and Grapevine City Council meeting. The decision marks one more steppingstone to the development of Grapevine's TEX Rail station and transportation hub. In 2016, Grapevine officials broke ground on TEX Rail, a 27-mile project that will extend commuter rail from downtown Fort Worth, through Colleyville and Grapevine, and into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. When TEX Rail opens there will be nine stations, including the one in Grapevine. The city purchased 4 acres of property at the northeast corner of Main Street and Dallas Road to build a rail station. City officials said they plan to make the station an “iconic destination” by including elements, such as a boutique hotel, retail uses, an observation deck and an outdoor plaza. In December, it was announced Coury Hospitality was selected as the developer of the hotel, which will feature between 110 and 125 rooms. Craig Melde with ArchiTexas gave a presentation for the commission and the council to illustrate the look and feel of the hotel and the parking garage, showing the hotel would be based on historic train stations. "It will be very high quality," Melde said. "The interior will be not overtly historic but comfortable." The marketplace and train station itself will be accessed through a grand hall, which will have a Grand Central Station feel to it, including tile floors and a period chandelier,Melde said. "We want it to be a memorable space for people to come to," he said. "We want them to leave with some memory of this incredible space." Directly at the corner of this property, a large, open-air landscaped plaza with a public art area, a water feature and a stage for outdoor events are proposed, Melde said. Moving eastward from the outdoor plaza, the six-story rail station is proposed with the first floor consisting of the market hall, great hall and a restaurant/retail lease area that combines meeting, retail and restaurant space in one area, along with a second floor that contains offices and additional meeting space. The third floor of the hotel is designed to be open to the area below with the fourth floor consisting of a large ballroom, meeting spaces and a prefunction area. The fifth floor is open to the fourth floor ballroom/meeting room area below. There is also stairwell and elevator access to the clock tower that is 150 feet in height along the western elevation. After a few questions, both the council and commission voiced their appreciation for the project. "This will certainly be a game changer for Grapevine," Council Member Duff O'Dell said. "It will be a legacy piece that will stand the test of time." TEX Rail is scheduled to begin service in late 2018, so development on the parking garage will take place soon. The hotel, plaza and train station building are expected to be completed by early to mid-2019.