Mockingbird Station

[DSM]

The developer has chosen not to go ahead with condos because (as we have all seen with Palomar) there is just not enough of a demand in that area right now. However, the design of the retail building will be such that in the future residential/office space can be built on the top (up to 20 stories as foundation allows).

[Kelley USA]

The problem with Palomar is that they are asking WAY too much for those condos... They set the price too high for that area.

[Milkman Dan]

THe high price point reflects the hard and soft construction costs. It doesn't look like the market is there at that price, especially all the other alternatives in that price range. This isn't very surprising.

[Kelley USA]

Plus it sits right on Central... Who really wants a view of Central Expressway! If they were selling for $350K then maybe- but $700K... Not to mention what a pain in the ass it is to get in and out- especially on weekends... Traffic backs up pretty good!

[rantanamo]

From what I've seen, the view up there is actually spectacular.

[SDORN]

Well, I am starting to think the Condo thing is gonna cause the next reccesion.
I would hate to see all of the empty buildings, these poeple goota bring the prices down if they want to fill the buildings.

[DFWCRE8TIVE]

The old cinema behind Mockingbird Station is about to come down. A construction fence just went up this week. Get some photos before it's gone. The gate is open and some of the doors have been left open lately ;)

[BigD5349]

^I'm not surprised, but am disappointed to hear that. Thanks for the heads up!

[MarkL2023]

Well, I am starting to think the Condo thing is gonna cause the next reccesion.
I would hate to see all of the empty buildings, these poeple goota bring the prices down if they want to fill the buildings.


No where near that bad. Thats what they are sayin about miami, but not here. They are actually sayin the entire FL economy is headed towards a recession by oct bc of miamis building craze during a housing slump

[incrediculous]

The old cinema behind Mockingbird Station is about to come down. A construction fence just went up this week. Get some photos before it's gone.

I get to watch this one fall from my office window. I've walked by it to peak in a few times, and the interior is a great throw-back.

Brass decor and "globe" lighting could so easily become trendy again. I hope it does.

[Columbus Civil]

They're tearing the Cine' down??

I have some great memories associated with that place.

:(

[vman]

They're tearing the Cine' down??

I have some great memories associated with that place.

:(
Okay, I hate to admit it, but I have no idea what building you guys are talking about. Where is this cinema in relation to Mockingbird Station?? Also, when did it close? Must've been before I moved here.

[AeroD]

Okay, I hate to admit it, but I have no idea what building you guys are talking about. Where is this cinema in relation to Mockingbird Station?? Also, when did it close? Must've been before I moved here.

Before there was Angelika and Magnolia...there was UA Cine. It was located behind the Radisson Hotel and two officers towers next to Mockingbird Station.

[DFWCRE8TIVE]

Here it is:

http://movie-theatre.org/grandopening/dallas150.jpg

The Dallas theater was a clone of the Chicago UA Cinema 150 (both opened in 1968).

http://cinerama.topcities.com/b0819682.jpg

http://cinerama.topcities.com/b0819683.jpg

MORE (http://cinerama.topcities.com/mph100968.htm)

[vman]

^^^^^
Oh thanks!! I do know the building, and I never knew what it was. Seemed like it was a big deal in its day. Maybe it's just me, but that style of architecture only looks good in California and Florida with palms trees and other tropical plants around it. It reminds me of the DART building downtown... a building I always thought would look really cool painted a bright color and tropical plants/trees platted around it.

[mjblazin]

Two things I remember:
- the entrance was a pain because it did not allow for people to wait inside. If there was any line at all, somebody was always having to hold the door open into the small area in front of the ticket booth.
- the concession stand was basically a candy store. It ran across the windows you see at the front in the drawing. Somehow I remember taped down cables running across the carpet to power the popcorn machine and cash register. I assume the idea that a stand would need lots of power for almost a kitchen was not evident in 1968.

Was that the theater that had the '96 70 mm re-release of Vertigo? I remember arriving late and being surprised at how packed the theater was. Normally it was mostly empty before and since.

They also had a lady working the booth in late 90's that had been there since the theater's opening. I believe they had her ID picture up on the window from her early days.

[Lakewooder]

When I was a little kid, before they made the theater a 'twin', I can remember a full color gigantic thick program from "Funny Girl" which was sold at the UA Cine prior to the film...

For me a lot of good memories there also -- and I used to have a friend or two who worked there (a bit past the glory days).

[clipper]

the Dart building downtown was "painted" in bright colors before Dart got ahold of it.

[Lakewooder]

:note: You can always tell a Sanger-Harris man!

[clipper]

!!!

[cowboyeagle05]

!!!http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13342

Gorgeous I am just hopeing DART will move out in the future for a bigger building and a developer would find the budget to rebuild and restore the original gradjure of the building for what ever use the building could be marketed as.

[vman]

the Dart building downtown was "painted" in bright colors before Dart got ahold of it.

Really??? So DART painted it that dull white?? I'm trying to remeber the building in San Diego (I think) that's kind of off the beat path, that looks very much like the DART building. It's painted that kind of peach/orangish color and surrounded by palm trees and troical foiliage. It looks amazing. That would really "pop" downtown. I would have loved to have seen the old building, before DART got their hands on it.

[Uptown72]

I think these may be the ugliest buildings in Dallas. It reminds me of movies made in the 50's that were about the future. That, or a bad backdrop to an old James Bond movie (of which I saw a James Bond movie at that theater btw). There is nothing historical about any building built in the 50's with that style. Plus, I'm sure there is asbestos in there that could kill a football team.

I think it is time for everything on Yale Blvd. to come down. That is such a great location and all the two-story crappy industrial-like buildings need to come down.

[clipper]

Variety - that's what keeps urban areas from looking like some Disney park.

[clipper]

The Cine site is planned for remote parking for the Bush Library.

[vman]

Variety - that's what keeps urban areas from looking like some Disney park.
Agreed, see downtown FW and what all of Schwarz' projects and unimaginative office buildings have done. Nice atmosphere, but architectually boring.

[DFWCRE8TIVE]

The Cine site is planned for remote parking for the Bush Library.

I heard it was the site for new SMU dorms?

[msutton]

what a waste. such an interesting looking building.... should have found a use for it in a mixed-use development that turned the parking lots into taller buildings. Why do we always tear down unique stuff when we have seas of concrete everywhere?

[Lakewooder]

It would make a great Dallas "Stonehenge" if they could just clear out the interior and leave the facade.

But nobody seems to be that creative these days...

[mrpipeline]

For me a lot of good memories there also

me too, for some reason seeing Jean-Jacques Annaud’s "The Lover" has always stuck with me

maybe it was the cappuccino machine they had,
before going there I never saw them in a theatre.

They had more variety in films than Inwood, oh well...back to the topic!

[clipper]

When the downtown Sanger-Harris building opened in 1965, it had on the exterior the largest imported glass mosaic mural in the country - more than 50,000 square feet of tiles shipped from Europe. The building was designed by Tom Stanley who did the First National Bank across the street which also has marble columns on the lower floor. DART covered the mural with stucco and sawed holes in it for window. Not much worth saving there.

[SDORN]

The old cinema behind Mockingbird Station is about to come down. A construction fence just went up this week. Get some photos before it's gone. The gate is open and some of the doors have been left open lately ;)

Hey man I took several photos 2 to 3 years ago. i will see if I can dig them up. I drove by the site 15 minutes ago I saw the fence. It's not far from me.

[TexasStar]

UA Cine 150
07/28/2007

http://urbandallas.us/images/ua_cine_150.jpg

http://urbandallas.us/images/ua_cine_150_2.jpg

[msutton]

It could totally be reused! Come on developers, start thinking outside the box and use the stuff that's already on your land.

[Uptown72]

George Dubya would love to look at that from his front window of the libruary. Ugly pin-cushion columns and a tin siding crown. Can I personally operate the wrecking ball on this one???

[SDORN]

Just drove by there no action on the UA yet. I will be watching.

[SDORN]

Scott Dorn here :smokecld: They have started outside demo on the outside now. Worker have almost totally gutted the inside of the place. A set up worker was laying out a blue tarp aand taping it down. On side side facing the Dart rail track worker are cutting down the metal and piling it up for scrap. Part of the columns on that side have been taken off too I took some shots on the film cam. I will get um processed tommorow I coudn't get inside because its obviuosly fenced off. :

[SDORN]

Here is one I took yesterday

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/3707/cine2yq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/3707/cine2yq9.e2863f6e3a.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=523&i=cine2yq9.jpg)

[SDORN]

zhttp://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7256/cine3agb7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[SDORN]

Since we are on Mockingbird Station
Here is a part of Mockingbird station expansion
Taken yesterday Nikon 6006

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3715/mockingbirdstaion2apz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[amarkscpa]

Better view, but using PC webcam...

[amarkscpa]

Prior pictures were of Phase 3.

Phase 3 is at top (North) on these pics.

The new 2 level parking lot is complete and is at far top, I know how you guys love parking lots...

The Phase 3 Retail is 2 story with 2nd story access from Trinity Hall/Irish Pub. The redish brown poles are for the 2nd story. Sloping roofs will be on top of these poles...

http://www.drivehq.com/folder/p2610494/186574617.aspx

http://www.drivehq.com/folder/p2610473.aspx

http://www.drivehq.com/folder/p2610480.aspx

[DFWCRE8TIVE]

Last view of the old cinema before it was covered with the demolition shroud today.

[Bferris]

http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/media/storage/paper949/news/2007/10/10/News/Demolition.Begins.Across.Central-3023431.shtml

The former UA Cinema at the corner of Yale and Central Expressway is currently being demolished to make room for development of SMU's new East Campus region. Once demolished, the building will be replaced with a new 870 space parking garage. According to William J. Nemeth, director of real estate for SMU, "Once a parking garage is complete, additional structures can be built to support the campus on the east side of Central Expressway."

[grantboston]

I like how they're intentionally cagey about what those "additional structures to support the campus" might be.

My guess is an RV/Bus park for the Presidential library at the very least.

[amarkscpa]

Over the past 3 to 4 months, they have torn down all of the old condo complex and hauled it away. This last week they had bulldozers grading the property getting it all nice and pretty. Judging from the activity, I would guess an announcement is coming soon.

And yes, that parking lot on the east side of Central Expy will be for parking and connected via pedestrian bridge to the Library.

[rosewood]

[QUOTE=njjeppson]Here it is:

http://movie-theatre.org/grandopening/dallas150.jpg

Fabulous! An exclusive PRIVATE GALA PREMIERE, and by invitation only none the less! Fabulous.

This is a far bigger loss both historically and architecturally than that silly railroad dereliction that communista HUNT is whining about. They never had any GALA events down there.

[SDORN]

Yes I pass this stuff everyday taking thwe wife to work. I have taken lots of pix of this area. Just haven;t posted them. Guess time for more updates.

[SDORN]

here is an iphone photograph of the Construction at mockingbird station.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9163/mockingbirdstaion4rz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[SDORN]

Here is one from today
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6389/mpckingbirdstation1in6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)