Two prominent Dallas families, the Washburnes and Hill-Hunts, have launched a new commercial real estate company by consolidating their property management operations. Gillon Property Group, operating as a subsidiary of Gillon Capital, will oversee assets owned by both families. The portfolio includes Highland Park Village, a well-known luxury retail center in Dallas.
Drew Steffen has been named president and CEO of the new firm. He previously led the Highland Park Village Management Company and the Village Collection. Ray Washburne will serve as vice chairman. Washburne’s wife, Heather Hill Washburne, is a descendant of oil tycoon H.L. Hunt.
The company’s holdings cover 81 properties across 10 states and include retail, hospitality, multifamily, office, and mixed-use sites.
Highland Park Village was established in 1931 as an inward-facing open-air shopping center. It now features luxury brands such as Rolex, Jimmy Choo, and Fendi on its 10-acre site at Mockingbird Lane and Preston Road. The Washburne family acquired this property in 2009 for $171 million.
Another major asset is Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. The Washburne family purchased it last year for $175 million. The property covers nearly one million square feet over 15 blocks and is recognized as one of the first suburban malls designed for automobile access. At the time of purchase, Ray Washburne announced plans to invest $100 million into upgrading the shopping center.
Properties formerly managed by the A.G. Hill family office—including Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth and Watters Creek Village in Allen—are now under Gillon Property Group’s management.
Ray Washburne is also involved in a planned development project in Dallas’ Knox-Henderson neighborhood with Trammell Crow Company, BDT & MSD Partners, and the Retail Connection. The project will replace Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant at 4544 McKinney Avenue with a 12-story office building called Knox & McKinney that will feature ground-floor retail space and total about 300,000 square feet when completed in 2028.
