DTD: Gulf States Bldg. + 1414 Elm + Third Rail Lofts (1407 Main)(16 ST.)

[crescentboi]

Here's some pics from yesterday afternoon of mostly the Mayfair building and then one of the "Davis Lot".

[Lionel Hutz]

the picture posted by clipper is one of the coolest pictures I've seen of downtown Dallas.

Just wow.

[BigD5349]

I've got that picture hanging on my wall. It was always one of my favs.

It would have been terrific if another couple of the old theatres on the north side of the street had survived. Their destruction for some non-descript office towers has made Elm street out of balance, from the perspective of the street life. I hope developers are thinking about how to reclaim it.

[clipper]

Same intersection in the 1920s.

[Tnekster]

^I love those old pictures but it so sad that it was bustling with activity way back when and now?

[Lakewooder]

OK the sign in the right rear is driving me crazy -- why is it WA Green, Then Titche's, then the WA Green sign is on a different building...and wasn't HL Green's at the Wilson Building?

Clipper help -- I must be having a senior moment -- and I'm not a senior yet!

[clipper]

Okay, here goes. Titche's was originally located in the lower floors of the Wilson Building. Then it constructed the new building up the street and moved. Next door to the Wilson building in that taller section was W.A. Green Department Store. It was a fancy retailer of its day. Later, H.L. Greens the dimestore and drugstore chain took over the old Titche's space in the Wilson Building plus some of the old W.A. Green space in the building next door which was combined.

[clipper]

Looking the other way down Elm you see H.L. Green's on the left and the old Palace Theater on the right.

[clipper]

I love that "Clear Heads Switch. . ." billboard. I've found that Calvert has the opposite effect on me.

[tamtagon]

I love that "Clear Heads Switch. . ." billboard. I've found that Calvert has the opposite effect on me.

You must not be using enough.

[Justin Terveen]

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/bitmapbandito/thirdrailsmall.jpg

[Lakewooder]

Okay, here goes. Titche's was originally located in the lower floors of the Wilson Building. Then it constructed the new building up the street and moved. Next door to the Wilson building in that taller section was W.A. Green Department Store. It was a fancy retailer of its day. Later, H.L. Greens the dimestore and drugstore chain took over the old Titche's space in the Wilson Building plus some of the old W.A. Green space in the building next door which was combined.

Thanks, Clipper.

I grew up here, was in downtown quite a bit as a kid in the 60s and 70s, one of my best friends worked at Titche's in high school (we also did inventory there for club fund-raising) and I did not know all that great history!

I am glad someone is able to pass this on to those with even less knowledge than I.

[clipper]

Yes, I would go down to Titche's when I was a kid for their big Christmas display. I also worked while in high-school with a friend who's father had a luggage store on Main Street in the old SW Life Building. Downtown was really booming as recently as the mid 1970s.

[Lakewooder]

That wouldn't be the Adensam's luggage store would it?

Yes, I can remember the Titche's Christmas Wonderland, just barely --- wasn't that on the top floor?

[Justin Terveen]

3rd Rail Randomness..


punchin' piers - davis roof
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/bitmapbandito/th_3rd1.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/bitmapbandito/3rd1.jpg)

random crane shot
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/bitmapbandito/th_3rd12.jpg (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/bitmapbandito/3rd12.jpg)

[Jack Flack]

More randomness...

I pass by this building every day and construction is progressing well. The model unit on the ground floor looks almost completed, and they appear to be installing a vertical sign to the corner of the Gulf States building that is one to two stories tall. The sign is not in place but what looks like the wiring and supports to accomodate a sign have been installed. If memory serves, back in the good ole days there used to be sign at that the same spot that was removed some time in the past. They might be trying to replicate it.

[Justin Terveen]

Same intersection in the 1920s.

Clipper: I missed these somehow... but I just wanted to say thank you for posting them.. they are amazing... do you just have a vault of these things somewhere or what? I would love to see you put together a full-length feature sometime..

thanks again..

[clipper]

I'm a packrat - keep boxes of old stuff which sometimes I can find.

[FoUTASportscaster]

How many square feet is the building?

[msutton]

how close is the new construction to going above ground?

[Tnekster]

^It started at ground level so technically it is already above ground.

[Justin Terveen]

3-12-06

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID194copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID194copy.jpg) http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID196copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID196copy.jpg) http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID202copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID202copy.jpg) http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID204copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID204copy.jpg)

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID198copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID198copy.jpg) http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID199copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID199copy.jpg) http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID200copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID200copy.jpg) http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/th_D70RAPVID201copy.jpg (http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/DFdub/D70RAPVID201copy.jpg)

[FoUTASportscaster]

I stopped by with my girlfriend while walking in DTD and this seems to be moving slow. I really haven't seen much progress in a month.

[CityLove]

Construction photos...from 3/25/06...

(click for larger image)

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/9812/thirdrail013dv.th.jpg (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thirdrail013dv.jpg)

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/6441/thirdrail020yv.th.jpg (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thirdrail020yv.jpg)

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2930/thirdrail035pd.th.jpg (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thirdrail035pd.jpg)

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5151/thirdrail041ec.th.jpg (http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thirdrail041ec.jpg)

[FoUTASportscaster]

Wow, that was the day that I walked by with my girlfriend. Those photos were as I remember at the site.

[gc]

Thanks for the updates. Good to see them pluggin away.

[barrycb]

The signage is up on the Gulf States Building...looks good.

[Justin Terveen]

cooling tower is up as well... roof is starting to take shape...

[Justin Terveen]

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6835/gsbcopy5qh.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gsbcopy5qh.jpg)

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2530/d70sundaygarages190copy3tw.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d70sundaygarages190copy3tw.jpg) http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7892/d70sundaygarages191copy4rq.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d70sundaygarages191copy4rq.jpg)

[gc]

Nice update. I hadn't thought about this in a while.

[Tnekster]

Good to see some progress here. Good pics Ninja.

[Justin Terveen]

thank you sir.. i'll try to snap a few of the roof here in a few..

[FoUTASportscaster]

The new addition is starting to go up fast. I guess they had a lot to do before they could start rising. I am glad to see new progress.

[freewaytincan]

What are they doing with the old Mayfair building? What's with those windows?

[Justin Terveen]

I don't know, but I said the same thing... I think they look horrible.. (right now)

[gc]

They look better than before, IMO.

[Justin Terveen]

than before.. maybe.. but what they could look like is a different story..

the sign looks outstanding.. very clean and very classy

[cowboyeagle05]

Look what I Found!
Thanks to MAA Architects (http://www.merriman-maa.com) !

[gc]

than before.. maybe.. but what they could look like is a different story..

the sign looks outstanding.. very clean and very classy


Well, now you know you know what it's gonna look like (see rendering above). What do ya think? I think it will look 1000% better than before.

[crescentboi]

I think that this is going to look great, and almost anything is better than a dilapitated building as it was before and a surface parking lot. Does anyone know rates on this yet? Also is there someone who can get some shots of the new signage?

[jsoto3]

Also is there someone who can get some shots of the new signage?
http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/5536/picture0256mp.th.jpg (http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0256mp.jpg) http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/3200/picture0307yz.th.jpg (http://img161.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture0307yz.jpg)

I really like the new windows on 1414 Elm.

[Jack Flack]

Nice shot. The sign looks great. I am so glad to see these unique buildings being cleaned up and put to good use instead of continuing to rot.

[CTroyMathis]

I really dig the sign. Thanks for the last few updates ninja and jorge.

[CityLove]

I like the sign...though I'm surprised it says "Gulf States" instead of "Third Rail Lofts". Anyone know why?

[FoUTASportscaster]

I bet it has something to do with historic reasons. Like under 1900 Elm, the original tenant is in the logo.

[Justin Terveen]

Well, now you know you know what it's gonna look like (see rendering above). What do ya think? I think it will look 1000% better than before.

10x better with some color on it.. Though I still would've gone with different windows..

[crescentboi]

Thanks for those shots! I was able to make it downtown yesterday and so I took some as well. Here ya go!

[TexasStar]

I like the sign...though I'm surprised it says "Gulf States" instead of "Third Rail Lofts". Anyone know why?

Third Rail Lofts is the all-encompassing moniker for the entire 3 building development.
Third Rail Lofts will include the following distinct elements:

[1] Gulf States (1415 Main)

[2] 1414 Elm (Ugly windows and all)

[3] 1407 Main (The new building)

[Jack Flack]

The Third Rail Lofts group had a tent set up at the DT Earth Day event in Pegasus Plaza. They had a flat panel tv display showing renderings of the building.

[Dr. Thunder]

Yeah, I talked to them... the Gulfs States buildings is going to be open in Oct. and the new building won't be done till the end of 07. Did you see what there were handing out??? Matches!!!! and on EARTH DAY!!! I asked them if they were promoting smoking on earth day... lol... too funny to pass up...