Lake Cliff Tower Condos (formerly Cliff Tower)

[snooch]

Landmark will be revamped - again
Retail, residential tower will overlook park, have views of downtown
December 16, 2003
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
http://homecenter.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/realestate/realestatenews/121603ccRestateClifftowers.a9e90e99.html

A faded Oak Cliff landmark soon may get a new life as luxury apartments and retail space. The 74-year-old Cliff Towers building at Zang and Colorado boulevards is scheduled to be converted into retail space and 142 apartments in a combination of renovation and new construction. The project will cost $15 million to $20 million and is set to begin in six to eight months, according to developers who unveiled their plans Monday.

ISG Architecture

As shown in an artist's rendering, Cliff Towers will be accompanied by new, adjoining three-story buildings. A partnership, including former Dallas assistant city manager Levi Davis and businessmen David Willis and Gary Sanders, has purchased the vacant red brick high-rise overlooking Lake Cliff Park and downtown Dallas. In recent decades, it had been used for seniors housing. The original tower, which was built in the late 1920s as a hotel, will be reconfigured into 62 apartments. Eighty apartments will be built in adjoining three-story buildings. "We are going to make the old building the focal point and do other units around it," said Mr. Sanders. "We are going to put the building back in its original form, and we are going to enhance it." The development – renamed Renaissance on the Lake – will include a new parking garage and a retail addition with room for restaurants and a fitness center.

Planning

Mr. Sanders said the new owners have spent about eight months studying the project. He said surveys show the tower has only small amounts of toxic asbestos, which often plagues older buildings and causes high renovation expenses. "Our engineer said it's the most structurally sound building he has ever seen," Mr. Sanders said. ISG Architecture and Dwight G. Hartwick Architect have been hired to plan the project. And Precept Builders will be the general contractor. "We started work on this project four years ago when another developer was looking at it," said Ken Killian, principal with ISG Architecture. "It's a fantastic location and a beautiful building to begin with."

A nursing home operator abandoned the building three years ago because of the need for costly repairs. It has been empty since. Cliff Towers has remained virtually unchanged while the neighborhood around it has begun to redevelop. "I have lived down the street and looked at this building for 17 years and wondered when its day would come," said Dallas Mayor Laura Miller who lives in Kessler Park. "You are going to get an amazing residential and restaurant project."

The developers plan to fund the deal with a combination of financing from GMAC Mortgage and public sector incentives. The 12-story tower has a checkered past. It went bust in 1926, before construction was finished. Three years later, investors E.W. Morten and Charles Mangold purchased it and spent two years completing it. Mr. Mangold led efforts to build the Houston Street Viaduct connecting downtown and North Oak Cliff, where his new project was located.

Area revival

Cliff Towers operated as a residential hotel until the mid-1950s, when it was converted into a nursing home. The top floor of the building once housed the studio for KLIF radio. Sarah White, who has worked in the building for 30 years and still watches over the property, said the building had a cafeteria, a beauty salon and a recreation room on the 11th floor. "I don't know if it's true, but they used to say that Bonnie and Clyde spent the night here when it was a hotel," Mrs. White said. The area around Cliff Towers is enjoying a renaissance. Just across the street, developer JPI is finishing work on the second phase of its Jefferson at Kessler Park apartment community with more than 200 units.

[gc]

I meant to post this earlier. To me, this is fabulous news for Oakcliff. It could be the beginning of another urban hot spot in Dallas. I just hope they are successful in removing the foul smell of the building. Other than that, this is awesome. Can you imagine the views of Dallas, Las Colinas, and Fort Worth from here? I'd imagine that if you are in for a view....this is a good spot.

[JBB]

Sounds great. Anyone have any pics of these buildings?

[crescentboi]

That is amazing. I've always thought that would make a great residential building. The only thing is that they really need to clean up that neighborhood at night. I used to live about a year or so ago at the Jefferson at Kessler Park and it was not a very nice area at night around the complex. Other than that, I can see this area possibly becoming the next Turtle Creek.

[tamtagon]

If we're lucky, parts of Oak Cliff will gentrify into pleasant, safe areas, some like Turtle Creek, some like Greenville, even possibly with a verticle downtown Oak Cliff; but if we're all very lucky, no Oak Cliff neighborhood will seem like any other neighborhood in Dallas. Keep the pretentious assholism out of Oak Cliff.

[ship@O'cliff]

Any news on the Renaissance?

[dizzy]

Council voting on tax incentives for historic Oak Cliff tower
06:30 PM CST on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA-TV
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/localnews/news8/stories/wfaa050111_am_lakecliff.9d37db43.html

The Dallas City Council will vote Wednesday on $4 million in tax incentives to help restore a historic North Oak Cliff structure. The former Cliff Towers Hotel sits just across the Trinity River from downtown, at Zang Boulevard and Colorado. For close to 80 years, it's been a familiar beacon in that part of Dallas. Cliff Towers began life as a hotel, and ended as a nursing home. It has now been vacant for five years. "It's old, and it's horrible, and it will be turned into a residence," said developer Steve Everbach.

Everbach and his colleagues are bringing the tower back to life. "This area, believe it or not, will be a two-bedroom home with a den," Everbach said, pointing to the old, dilapidated kitchen on the main floor. "It will command the whole corner, and You're literally situated right in the trees of Founders Park." And atop the building, a former penthouse will be converted into a 1,400-square-foot condominium. The current machinery will go, but spared will be such decorative touches as a giant compass now etched into the floor.

There's also a rooftop tower over the bedroom. "We're going to put windows in there, so you could put your bed in there," Everbach said. "You'll have one of the towers up there, and you'll have a skylight." To the south, the building - soon to be renamed Lake Cliff Tower - overlooks scenic Lake Cliff. The deal-closer, though, is the view to the north. "This is where I walked up, and my jaw just dropped," Everbach said. "You'll be sitting here looking at downtown between the Calatrava bridges."

The gateway neighborhood to Oak Cliff around the tower has struggled for decades. The hope is that this new project, including a retail complex across the street, could fire up the area's economic engine. However, infrastructure and renovation costs are high. The developer wants help via the city tax incentives the council will look at on Wednesday. "The public sector, to spur this type of growth, has to participate," Everbach said. Success is not guaranteed, but the signs are good. The retail center is one-third leased, and more than half of the tower's 60 units have already sold. Opening day is still at least one year away.

[drumguy8800]

Well, I'm glad to see it's moving forward.. this project is very important.

[texman]

When TRP is finished this building will have development popping up all around it.

[crescentboi]

I agree texman, I think that the park right across the street from it is one of the most beautiful in the city, I just wish it had more lighting around it at night, like up in the trees or something.

[US75Guy]

Lake Cliff is beautiful. I've always wondered why that park is not lined with more beautiful homes and restored apartments. It's on the way, but has never caught on like Kessler Park and Winnetka Heights.

[rantanamo]

I think many are scared off of renovating because the streets immediately south aint a pretty picture. I agree that the TRP will really help with this.

[tamtagon]

I think many are scared off of renovating because the streets immediately south aint a pretty picture. I agree that the TRP will really help with this.

Push 'em back
Push 'em back
Waaaaaay back

This area should gentrify in a very nice way. Maybe they'll bring back the Ferris Wheel to Lake Cliff Park to boot.

[dallastophoenix]

i was thinking that this area might eventually be ripe for a posh "trump" residential tower as the trinity river project becomes reality.

[Random Traffic Guy]

DMN Editorial on Cliff Towers approval (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/011805dnediclifftowers.9516b.html)
This is a very distinctive building, and I am glad to see another try at making it a benefit to Oak Cliff.

The American Institute of Architects' Guide to Dallas Architecture lauds Cliff Towers as a "sophisticated" building and notes that, when it opened in 1929, it was "the most luxurious residential hotel in the state." "It remains a resolute Oak Cliff landmark," the guide concludes.

If development continues as planned, this landmark will house 60 condos. Resolute, perhaps, but increasingly forlorn in recent years – sitting empty as a series of developers tried and failed to put together deals to bring it back to life. Standing like a sentinel at the terminus of the Houston Street Viaduct, one of the few southern sector landmarks clearly visible from downtown, it became a thorn in the side of Oak Cliff boosters – Oak Cliff's counterpart to downtown's worrisome Mercantile.

For daily commuters on the viaduct, the choice was to avert one's eyes or to suffer the nagging internal voice that asked: "Why hasn't someone done something with that building?"

Finally, it looks as though relief is on the horizon. Last week, the Dallas City Council approved $4.1 million in tax reinvestment funds for a project that would convert the 12-story red-brick tower into 60 loft-style condominiums. Even at prices starting above $160,000 and topping out in the neighborhood of $550,000, developers say advance sales are booming.

The project also includes more than 32,000 square feet of new retail space across Zang Boulevard, to include a Larry North fitness center, a furniture store and restaurants.


Edit: Thanks for the boost over to this thread, I had checked the development forum before posting, but didn't think about the News side.

Edit #2: I don't know if the Methodist Hospital expansion has been remarked on on this board, but this project is only a block away. Cliff Towers will really help the area. This project was known as the Oak Cliff Gateway at one time, very apt I thought.

[noelamador]

An 'entryway' for Oak Cliff
$24M+ project to turn area's tallest building into condos
Christine Perez and Sandra Zaragoza - Staff Writers
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2005/01/31/story2.html

A neglected area of Oak Cliff may soon be transformed into a bustling retail and residential gateway. Armed with $4.1 million in support from the city of Dallas, local developer Steve Everbach is renovating the historic Lake Cliff Tower at Colorado and Zang boulevards into 60 upscale condominiums. It's the largest component of Oak Cliff Gateway, a $24.5 million mixed-use development that will also include a new shopping center and a bank on nearby parcels. Built in 1928 as a luxury hotel, Lake Cliff Tower has been vacant for years. The 12-story, 85,000-square-foot building -- the tallest in Oak Cliff -- looks out on Founders Park and Lake Cliff Park, as well as downtown Dallas. "It's rare that a developer gets an opportunity to go in and materially improve an area like this," Everbach said. "We're really changing the entire feel of the neighborhood for the better." This is Everbach's first project on his own, but he has been down the condo/redevelopment road before.

Prior to launching Evergreen Partners last June, he was an executive with Dallas-based Lazarus Property Corp., which transformed an obsolete office building at 1505 Elm St. into about 65 upscale condominiums -- the first such project in downtown Dallas. Everbach believes Lake Cliff Tower will enjoy similar success. More than 60% of the units have been presold, he said. "Sales at the tower have far exceeded our expectations and exceeded the original pro forma," he said. Dallas-based David Griffin & Co. is overseeing the condo sales. The one- and two-bedroom units range in size from 900 square feet to 1,500 square feet, and in price from about $160,000 to more than $500,000. Amenities include high-speed Internet connections, a secured parking lot and a pool area overlooking Founders Park, complete with a large deck and fire pit. The property will be staffed around the clock by a doorman, porter, building engineer and manager. Rogers, Ark.-based PB2 Architecture and Engineering is architect of record for the tower, as well as the retail components. Local designer Aida Latorre is handling the interiors. Dallas-based Precept Builders Inc. is serving as general contractor.

Plans call for restoration of the tower's exterior and a complete renovation of the interiors. Despite the fact that it was built more than 75 years ago, the building is structurally sound, said Dave Karcher, president of Precept. "They don't build them like they used to," he said. Karcher said renovation of Lake Cliff Tower is long overdue. "There are some opinions that say substantive redevelopment of the Trinity Corridor is going to start in the northern part and move south," he said. "We're calling this Oak Cliff Gateway because we think it will really get the ball rolling." Everbach is under contract with a regional financial institution to build a 10,000-square-foot, full-service bank at the corner of Colorado and Zang. He's also putting in a 32,000-square-foot retail center directly across the street from Lake Cliff Tower.

Its Mediterranean look will mirror the style of the condo tower, said Jill Tiernan, vice president with Dallas-based The Retail Connection, who is overseeing leasing of the retail center. "It will be a great entryway into Oak Cliff," she said. "I think it will spur additional development." Fitness guru Larry North will anchor the complex with a 10,000-square-foot Larry North Fitness Center. It will be his first Metroplex location south of the Trinity. ""We like to be the bigger fish in what is perceived to be a smaller pond," North said. "Oak Cliff is the most untapped area in all of North Texas for my business. With Kessler Park, the beautiful homes, the upscale apartments going in, the medical community that's there -- the due diligence on that area has already been done." Tiernan said neighborhood service retailers, such as a salon, furniture user and restaurants, would be other ideal tenants. The Dallas City Council approved $4.1 million in tax increment financing for Lake Cliff Tower on Jan. 12.

Everbach is finalizing a construction loan and hopes to kick off the 12-month building process in March or April. Work on the retail components is slated to begin 60 to 90 days after breaking ground on the tower. Everbach said Oak Cliff Gateway is an ideal first project for Evergreen Partners. "It perfectly fits with our investment philosophy, which is to go in and add significant value through construction and property improvements," he said. "In seven months, we've worked our way through a $4.1 million TIF, numerous neighborhood meetings, extensive involvement with the city planning commission and economic development groups and rezoned the property. "We couldn't have done this without the city's participation and support," Everbach said. "It should add significant value to the tax rolls."

cperez@bizjournals.com and szaragoza@bizjournals.com

[Texan#1]

Great News!!!!

[frankchitown]

Rendering from dallasnews.com

[St-T]

^I like! ...and, these are going to have the best views... imagine looking over the Trinity and the bridges to the skyline. Awesome!!

Anyone know a price range?

[texman]

So is this the first project due to the TRP to be started? I guess its sort of a memorable occasion.

[tamtagon]

So is this the first project due to the TRP to be started? I guess its sort of a memorable occasion.

I dont think this redo was in any way related to the new park.

[texman]

I dont think this redo was in any way related to the new park.

Hmm, Well I dont know If I saw this happening if there were no plans for the park. It must have influenced them atleast some to do it.

[St-T]

^I agree... I think that the TRP is a stimulus to Oak Cliff redev.

[rantanamo]

Oak Cliff has already been having its own renaissance.

[js]

The hood still needs to improve.
The area that this building is in it borderline OC and South Dallas. There are a lot of cheap apartments I think you can get an apartment for like $300. There is a lot of crime and a lot of drugs around this area. The Jeffersons at Kessler Park and Founders Park is somewhat helping improve the area.

[tamtagon]

The Trinity River Park will not have have an impact on developers plans for a couple more years - the earliest park prompted projects will be timed for availability within a couple months of the parks Grand Opening. Right now, property investors would be taking inventory on the most easily (re)developable land as close to the levees as possible.

Property between Industrial Blvd and the northern bank of the River will probablly see the initial flurry of park related development.

[rantanamo]

There's something in D magazine mentioning TRP related developments on the south/west side of the river first. The developer talking about the Cedars also mentioned the TRP.

This project is different in that only its view would make it Trinity related. Its not exactly on the river. There are plenty of blocks between the two.

[drumguy8800]

Pic from tonight. | Larger Version (http://xvisionx.com/picture.html?title=Lake Cliff&name=02050501&size=g)

<img src="http://www.xvisionx.com/collection/02050501s.jpg" style="border:1px solid #000000">

[mdunlap1]

Excellent shot. Nice work.

[Tnekster]

IN TOMORROW'S BUSINESS SECTION:
High life goes to Oak Cliff


Randy Eli Grothe / DMN
The historic Cliff Towers building sits across from Lake Cliff in Oak Cliff.By Steve Brown

Uptown, downtown, all around town — Dallas' homebuilding boom continues. Until recently, buyers hunting a high-rise condo or townhouse might not have thought about Oak Cliff. Well, think again.

A handful of new developments south of the river will bring the latest in urban housing to historic Oak Cliff neighborhoods.


Steve Brown is the real estate editor for The Dallas Morning News.



Read the complete story in tomorrow's Dallas Morning News or at DallasNews.com.

[crescentboi]

Here's their website:

http://www.vervenow.com/

[rantanamo]

Wow! Those views should help move a few units.

[noelamador]

IN TOMORROW'S BUSINESS SECTION:
High life goes to Oak Cliff


Randy Eli Grothe / DMN
The historic Cliff Towers building sits across from Lake Cliff in Oak Cliff.By Steve Brown

Uptown, downtown, all around town ? Dallas' homebuilding boom continues. Until recently, buyers hunting a high-rise condo or townhouse might not have thought about Oak Cliff. Well, think again.

A handful of new developments south of the river will bring the latest in urban housing to historic Oak Cliff neighborhoods.


Steve Brown is the real estate editor for The Dallas Morning News.



Read the complete story in tomorrow's Dallas Morning News or at DallasNews.com.


^I posted the full story under the Kessler Woods thread because there was more about it within the article.

[boozo]

Plaster on facade going from mustard to cream...

[Columbus Civil]

Looks good. Thanks for the pic.

[moderik]

Any word on the status of this project? I heard that they were supposed to start closing on units in the spring/early summer....doesn't look quite move in ready to me.

I agree that the area has great potential. The lake area could be absolutly amazing if they cleaned it up and developed around it. I just dont know that with all that is going on in uptown/downtown...that oakcliff has the lure to get people away from those developements. And from what I've seen, the prices at lake cliff tower and the surround developments are not that much less than units going in the oaklawn/downtown area.

Any thoughts?

[clipper]

They are working on it but its very, very slow. Still saying they are 65 percent sold. Looks like at least six months work left to do.

[TexasStar]

Any word on the status of this project? I heard that they were supposed to start closing on units in the spring/early summer....doesn't look quite move in ready to me.

I agree that the area has great potential. The lake area could be absolutly amazing if they cleaned it up and developed around it. I just dont know that with all that is going on in uptown/downtown...that oakcliff has the lure to get people away from those developements. And from what I've seen, the prices at lake cliff tower and the surround developments are not that much less than units going in the oaklawn/downtown area.

Any thoughts?

Seems considerably lower in price to me.

[lagunadallas]

Seems considerably lower in price to me.

I'm not sure what the initial prices were, but they're currently at $200-250/sq.ft. depending on size, floor, and view. I heard the first move-ins will be by the end of September, but that seems pretty optimistic to me.

[katrina]

The tower is going to be really great. Hubby and I took a tour a couple of weeks ago. I you are thinking about buying in that area, jump in now. Prices are going to rise. We just bought a fixer-upper (3200sf) by the lake and got a good deal.

Katrina

[gc]

Thanks for the update!

[dfwcre8tive]

The tower is going to be really great. Hubby and I took a tour a couple of weeks ago. I you are thinking about buying in that area, jump in now. Prices are going to rise. We just bought a fixer-upper (3200sf) by the lake and got a good deal.

Katrina

Is there a website or number for their sales office? All I can find is this (http://www.highrises.net/perl/mls.pl?agent=enright&page=1&StreetAdd=329+E+Colorado&City=dallas&ListingID=)

[moderik]

Is there a website or number for their sales office? All I can find is this (http://www.highrises.net/perl/mls.pl?agent=enright&page=1&StreetAdd=329+E+Colorado&City=dallas&ListingID=)


Yes, go to www.lakeclifftower.com

What did they show you on the tour? Did you see the finish out? Is it going to be worth the $225/sqft?

[gc]

The number available intown for rent/buy residential units is astounding when comparing to 5 years ago. I love this project and am excited about the future for this area.

[moderik]

Is anybody going to the Tour on Thurs. night? I got an invite to go between 5 and seven this thursday. If anyone else is going, i would love to see pictures and get a review of the property. I am undecided on whether or not to buy here and would love to hear about the progress of it.

Thanks and hope to hear from someone soon!

[LakeRidge]

My favorite part of Oak Cliff is the lack of corporate stores. During the corporate boom of the last 20 or so years Oak Cliff has been overlooked by corporations looking to open new storefronts(with the exception of Ace Check Cashing...I kid, I kid). The result is a neighborhood with mainly Mom & Pop stores and restaurants that are full of character and charm.

God, please protect Oak Cliff from Banana Republic and TGI Friday's.

[moderik]

Is this project still moving forward? Everytime I go by I never see anybody working on it. I thought it was supposed to be done this past spring/early summer. Any news? The website hasn't been updated in over a year!

[kenc]

God, please protect Oak Cliff from Banana Republic and TGI Friday's.

Why? I like mom and pop places too, but the people who can afford $225 per sq foot want Friday's and Banana Republic.

[lagunadallas]

Why? I like mom and pop places too, but the people who can afford $225 per sq foot want Friday's and Banana Republic.

Forget Friday's...too Frisco. The $225/sq.ft. crowd's bottom level is Houston's. And Banana will pass when they're feeling poor.

[BigD5349]

From today...