LIKE OTHER BUSINESS PEOPLE HERE, DENNIS FRANKE IS COUNTING ON A NEW CAUSEWAY AND AN ECONOMIC UPTURN TO HELP REVIVE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS UPSCALE COMMUNITY AT THE EDGE OF SOUTH PADRE ISLAND’S PROMISING NORTHERN STRETCH. FOR 30 YEARS, FRANKE AND HIS TWIN BROTHER RICHARD HAVE WORKED TO DEVELOP THE SHORES, THE ISLAND’S FIRST GRAND NEIGHBORHOOD THAT EXTENDS FROM A STATELY BEACHFRONT VILLAGE TO SEVEN ISLES THEY CARVED OUT OF THE LAGUNA MADRE.
“WE’RE TRYING TO CREATE SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE AND SPECIAL,” FRANKE SAID.
A PLANNED 8-MILE CAUSEWAY THAT WOULD CONNECT NEAR HOLLY BEACH ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES FROM THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD HELP TRANSFORM THE ISLAND’S NORTHERN TRACT, SAID FRANKE, WHOSE FAMILY HELPED DEVELOP SOUTH PADRE ISLAND. “WE WILL PROBABLY DRIVE THAT BRIDGE IN FIVE OR SIX YEARS,” HE SAID. “THAT WILL BE A HUGE BENEFIT. IT WILL GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT BUILDING FARTHER NORTH AND EXPAND THE ISLAND.”
FRANKE SAID THE NATION’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY WOULD HELP HIM COMPLETE THE PROJECT. IN 1982, HE AND HIS BROTHER’S VISION LED THEM TO BUY ABOUT 250 ACRES THAT STRETCH FROM THE BEACH TO THE BAY TO PLAN “THE ONLY UPSCALE DEVELOPMENT ON THE ISLAND,” HE SAID.
BETWEEN 1984 AND 1995, THEY DREDGED THE LAGUNA MADRE, MOVING ABOUT 1 MILLION YARDS OF EARTH TO CREATE SEVEN ISLETS THAT THEY PLANNED TO TURN INTO POSH VILLAGES, FRANKE SAID.
FRANKE SAID THEY OUTLINED PLANS FOR A PROJECT OF 400 TO 450 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, TOWNHOUSES AND CONDOMINIUMS AS PART OF A DEVELOPMENT TO FEATURE A DOWNTOWN AREA MADE UP OF A RESTAURANT AND CAFÉ ALONG WITH A BOUTIQUE HOTEL AND A MAJOR HOTEL.
IN 2000, FRANKE SAID, HE AND HIS BROTHER LAUNCHED THE DEVELOPMENT WITH CONSTRUCTION OF TALL, STATELY BEACHFRONT HOMES WHOSE ARCHITECTURE IS A BLEND OF SOUTHERN AND CARIBBEAN STYLES. “THE MARKET WAS SUCH THAT THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN BEACHFRONT PROPERTY,” HE SAID. NOW, HE SAID, THE PROJECT THAT FEATURES THREE CONDOMINIUM TOWERS IS ABOUT 60-PERCENT COMPLETE. ALONG THE BAY, FRANKE SAID HE AND HIS BROTHER SOLD 120 LOTS FROM 2004 TO 2006.
BUT AFTER THE RECESSION HIT THE NATION IN 2008, FRANKE SAID, PROPERTY OWNERS HELD OFF ON PLANS TO BUILD HOMES WITH PRICE TAGS OF ABOUT $800,000. TODAY, THE PROJECT’S TWO-ACRE PARK FEATURES TENNIS COURTS, POOLS, BASKETBALL COURTS AND AN AMPHITHEATER NEAR A 2,000-FOOT MARINA.
FERNANDO DEL VALLE
