DTD: Hart Furniture Building

[ibryant]

Hey guys, this story was in Steve Brown's real estate section of today's Dallas Morning News. It's about the old Hart Furniture building in the CBD. I had noticed a few months ago that there were signs of life in the building, but I couldn't find out much about what was going on. Well, here's some info. More good news for the CBD!!! It's good to see redevelopment throughout the CBD!


Dallas Morning News
Steve Brown

Festive plans


An entertainment group is finalizing plans to convert one of downtown Dallas' oldest commercial buildings into a combination restaurant and nightclub.
The 111-year-old former home of Hart Furniture is an anchor of downtown's Harwood historic corridor.

Located next to the Majestic Theater, the Italianate-style brick and wood structure has been vacant since the early 1990s.

Several plans to convert the three-story landmark into apartments or offices never got off the ground.

Investors Noir Brothers Restaurants unveiled plans this week to the Downtown Partnership to convert the buildings into an elaborate restaurant and nightclub complex that would be called Blue.

The restaurant would face Elm Street near the Majestic, and the nightclub would have a new entrance facing the rear on Pacific Avenue.

"It's one of the best locations in the district for a club" because of the large number of parking facilities in the immediate area, said broker Jack Gosnell, who has reviewed the project plans.

The Hart Furniture building is one of the few remaining Central Business District structures that was built in the late 1800s.

With its tall windows and decorative cornices, the building has been a favorite with preservationists.

The downtown tax increment finance district board allocated almost $1.4 million to help convert the building.

[MustangMonkey]

You have to scroll down a little, but here is the link:
Festive Plans (http://www.dallasnews.com/business/columnists/sbrown/stories/061402dnbusrecol.b795b.html)

More great news, thanks for the info.

[GarrettCarey]

Does anyone have pictures of the Hart building as it looks today? Are there any "post-renovation" renderings of the building?

This is exellent news for downtown business and revitalization.

[jsoto3]

this is going to be huge! great news for DT!

http://www.wfaa.com/watchvideo/index.jsp?SID=3639467
http://www.bluevip.com/

[gc]

I saw this last night. Yes, this is great. Perhaps it will also help increase the populartity and visibility of The Majestic!

BTW jsoto, as you can see I have merged this thread with one that already existed. I hope you do not mind.

[freewaytincan]

Yup, it is good news. I remember the announcement, and I was ecstatic. What's new with it? Any "renderings" and stats on it?

[Kelley USA]

I just followed the link listed above (www.bluevip.com) .. they have tons of great renderings. This place is going to be amazing- and it's good to see that work is underway so it can become a reality.

[freewaytincan]

Cool. Thanks.

[psukhu]

looks awesome...

[John T Roberts]

Here is a picture that I took in 1986 when it was occupied. After Hart's closed down, it still looked the same, just vacant and without signage.

http://www.dallasarchitecture.info/hart-1986.jpg

[gc]

Great picture John thanks. The building is great looking...especially when occupied.

[freewaytincan]

Ooh! Blue! I like...and isn't that what they will bring back with this new club?

[gc]

I am not sure if any of you have had a chance to see this building lately, but they are making great progress. I believe they have fully restored the east side (except for the windows) to it's original maroon brick color and are working on the front now. It also appears that they will be re-doing the sidewalks as well. I am excited to see the finished product.

[bloodandpopcorn]

In what way are they re-doing them? Are they being widened, or just "Beautified"? I'll have to try and check it out in the near future...

[gc]

I am not sure if they are widening the sidewalks....because there is not a whole lot of space. It just looks as though they have torn them up and will be repaving them.

[Hunter Wadle]

So how is this Blue nightclub coming along, has anyone walked by or taken any pictures?

[chiboi]

They are currently working on the front facade which is really exciting. They have covered the front with scaffolding and like plastic tarps and there are signs for a historical restoration construction company. With the work on the front of the building it makes the area look like "something is going on." Any word on the Tower Petroleum Building. If that project gets of the ground that could make that block really a hot spot.

[ibryant]

This is a really long read, but informative. I signed up to receive info about Blue, and this is an e-mail they sent me last week...

Hi! I hope you are all having a great spring so far! The sun is out, and
everything is coming up...BLUE? Yes, BLUE! BLUE Nightclub, coming to
downtown Dallas this spring! 17,000 square feet of fun, and pumping
50,000 watts of sound! Check out everything from happy hour to concerts
in the best thing to hit Dallas since Mark Cuban and that brand new
basketball team the Mavericks (did Dallas have a basketball team before
Mark Cuban came?)!


PRESS RELEASE

Nightclub entrepreneur Keith Black is under construction with two new
exciting concepts in the entertainment district in downtown Dallas,
adjacent to the historic Majestic Theatre. The design team for Blue
Nightclub and Kindal’s Restaurant is architect/builder Tyler Duncan, with
Duncan Design Group, who recently was part of the design firm of the newly
opened Hotel Za Za, and Count Pagir of Cantoni. Blue Nightclub is a
15,000 square foot nightclub/entertainment facility scheduled to open in
May 2003. The second concept, Kindal’s Restaurant, is a multi-level 185-
seat entertainment facility that will feature new southern cuisine and
live entertainment nightly. An array of performers from comedians, poets
and magicians, to live jazz bands will add to the downtown Dallas dining
and entertainment options. Kindal’s tentative opening date is in October
2003.

Blue and Kindal’s are part of an aggressive effort to revitalize downtown
Dallas. Mayor Laura Miller participated in the groundbreaking ceremony
for the entertainment complex on Monday January 13, 2003. Mayor Miller
stated, “all things are starting to be knitted together to make downtown
Dallas a fabulous, vibrant, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, destination
place.” The city and the Tax Increment Finance Board (TIF) have committed
and approved to invest over $1.3 million to the building’s restoration.
This is part of an overall commitment to transform downtown Dallas into a
synergy of retail and entertainment.

Black entered the nightclub business in Dallas over a decade ago with the
hugely successful Iguana Mirage. This success was followed by other high
profile venues: The Spy Club, The Spot, and Lime Bar and Grill.

Blue Nightclub and Kindal’s Restaurant will encompass an entire city block
between 1933 Elm and 1930 Pacific Streets. Kindal’s Restaurant is next
door to the Dallas landmark Majestic Theatre. Black is planning to
promote 24 events at the Majestic Theatre and two street festivals
annually. Between the street festivals and four major events quarterly,
other downtown merchants will be able to share in these additional revenue
streams as well.


BLUE CONCEPT

Blue Nightclub is the best-designed and equipped nightclub in the state of
Texas and possibly the southwestern United States. Blue is a unique high
energy, interactive nightclub.
The Philips Stacks /Legoretta inspired minimalist décor is a beauty to
behold with it’s cobalt blue monochromatic room with marble bar tops,
metallic beads, velvet curtains, elegant high-gloss wood walls and back
lit murals: Blue also has cove lighting through out the space. Blue
architectural design will provide our guests with different environments
within the facility, our restaurant, Kindal’s, The VIP room, Deep Blue,
The Round room, Cyber-café and the rooftop deck, Sky Bar. Blue has
fourteen (14) state-of-the art bar stations for optimum beverage service.
With 3000 square feet to groove Blue has one of the largest dance floors
in Dallas. Having 50,000 watts of power Blue will be one of best sounding
hardest pumping systems in the United States. 53 moving and programmable
heads will highlight blues light show extravaganza. Video imagery that
towers at 22’ feet by 18” feet will come to life before your eyes. Center
Stage at Blue is Large enough for both local and National acts to
perform. Nightly Blue will feature Conga Players, Cirque de sole style
aerialists, Magicians and Belly Dancers. Located throughout Blue will be
dancers perched high above the crowd on conventional dance pods. Blues
mezzanine level surrounds the open two-story area over the dance floor
providing an excellent vantage point for all who want to catch a glimpse
of the action. Blue provides our patron with a total entertainment
experience like no other in the Southwest.


COMING SOON TO DOWNTOWN....BLUE NIGHTCLUB AND KINDAL'S RESTAURANT!

As a friend of a Blue Nightclub employee, you have the opportunity to take
advantage of this exciting offer, limited to the first 500 members!

Entertain clients, co-workers, or friends, and save your accountant
headaches with this “no-brainer” of a deal! Check out all of the benefits
to which you will be entitled with your Blue-level VIP membership:

• No line/cover for you plus 3 guests
• Priority reservations for Kindal’s, Blue, and special events
• Complimentary valet parking
• Access to the Blue VIP room
• Use of the private VIP dining room
• Access to VIP Roof Deck bar
• In-house account
• Monthly e-mailed newsletter
• Monthly CD
• Embossed VIP card
• Cap
• Golf Shirt or T-shirt

There are only 500 Limited Edition Lifetime Memberships available for
$1000 each. So you have to act quickly. Plus, if you purchase now you
will receive a $1,500 credit on your VIP card for food or beverage in the
nightclub and restaurant!

Blue Nightclub and Kindal’s also offer the Gold-level VIP membership,
valid for one year, with the following benefits:

• No line/cover for you plus 3 guests
• Monthly e-mailed newsletter
• Monthly CD
• Complimentary valet parking
• Embossed VIP card
• Cap
• T-shirt

Annual Gold-level VIP memberships are available for $500. Purchase now to
receive a $750 credit on your VIP card for food or beverage in the
nightclub and restaurant.

Please contact BEVERLY DENNISON (214-880-0888, bdennison@bluevip.com) for
more information or to schedule an appointment to tour the club and
complete an application. You can check out the club online at
BLUEVIP.COM, there is even a VIP application for you to fill out! Just
fill in and fax to 214-214-7435, attention BEVERLY. Remember, there are
only 500 Lifetime Memberships available, so you will need to act quickly!

[bloodandpopcorn]

I want one of those Blue lifetime VIP memberships so badly.

[aceplace]

I've learned, to my amazement, that when a nightclub sells a "lifetime membership", it usually means the lifetime of the club (short), and not of the patron.

But paying $750 upfront to walk around a line, walk right by a bouncer, ahead of everyone else... that might be interesting...

[JaeTex]

I've seen the lifetime membership at a few charity events lately as silent auction items, it apparently included the $1000 or $1500 dining credit. How much did they go for? I didn't see, but not much. They didn't get a lot of bids and probably went for under $500. I was very tempted because that's money in your pocket, but as a student I can buy a lot of Ramen with that money.

[Horn96]

There was a good artilcle about this club in the Observer last week. Sounds like it will be a great addition not only to downtown but the the Dallas nightlife scene.

http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2003-05-01/feature.html/1/index.html

There is another, shall we say, megaclub in the works on Main on the edge of downtown that should be good too called Purgatory.

This coupled with all the new restaurants opening should bring more and more people downtown at night. Now, if the retail will just follow the lead we would be set for a real rennaisance downtown.

[TexasStar]

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/samclark/dfw/blue2.jpg


New Night Life
By VICTORIA LOES HICKS / The Dallas Morning News

What would induce hundreds of people to gather on a stifling evening in a building without air conditioning and look happy about it?
Apparently, the chance to submit themselves for approval by the self-appointed arbiters of hipness and, if found acceptable, to pay $500 or $1,000 for the privilege of returning again.

This is Dallas' newest and splashiest nightclub concept, Blue, due to open next month in the old Hart Furniture building next to the Majestic Theatre. In promotional materials Blue's creator, Keith Black, promises to spend $5 million to create "the best-designed nightclub in the state of Texas ... a unique, high-energy, interactive nightclub."

That means professional dancers and aerialists gyrating above the dance floor. It means several lounge bars where patrons can retire when overcome by the 50,000-watt sound system.

And it means memberships.

For $500, you and three guests can breeze past the line at the door and bypass the cover charge. For $1,000, they'll throw in access to the VIP room, the sky bar and other amenities.

But before they take your money, you must be "board approved."

"We're only accepting 10 percent," the winsome young sales rep cautioned the people in front of me at a recent "hard hat" preview party.

She was vague on the subject of what merits approval. (She was also vague on the subject of her name.) Money and "background" alone won't do it, she said.

"We're just trying to make it a happy place," she explained.

But if I had to take a stab at the criteria, based on the crowd sweating around the makeshift bars that night, I'd pick (in ascending order of importance):

1. Youth.

2. Beauty.

3. Money.

4. Brazenness.

[bloodandpopcorn]

YAY, finally a picture.

I love that image. makes me almost optomistic about that area of downtown.

which it's finished, and people flock there, that 'almost' will be an 'amazingly'

[JIMPETERSON2000]

Looks like the pasted article got cut short. Please re-copy.

Thanks

[TexasStar]

Actually, this was excerpted from the biweekly column by Ms. Hicks called "About Downtown" in today's Metropolitan section of the DMN.

As far as the Blue Nightclub is concerned, that is all she wrote.

[dallastophoenix]

For all of you hoping to live the dream someday - D's Frontburner is telling us this:

"Rapper Missy Elliott will be at Blue Sunday night scouting talent for her new video, to be released this spring. She’s looking for back-up singers and dancers."

LOL

[gc]

ahhhhh yeeeaaahh! That place will be packed!

[evdallas]

look for me in the video! haha

[Columbus Civil]

misdemeanor on the m-i-c

[chiboi]

tell her to bring Madonna with her and I'll be there

[gc]

she is not coming anymore....check the Frontburner...she must have heard some of you folks were planning on attending...lol

[evdallas]

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, my life is over! :rolleyes:

[crescentboi]

Club's owner files $12M suit against city
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/101706dnmetblue.44f7ced9.html

03:17 PM CDT on Monday, October 16, 2006

By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News

The owner of downtown nightclub Blue is suing Dallas City Hall in federal court for $12 million, accusing the city of extortion, slander, fraud and repeated violations of its U.S. constitutional rights under the first, fourth, fifth, ninth and fourteenth amendments.

The lawsuit primarily stems from Blue's accusation that the city denied the club a permit to operate between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. and has sought various restrictions on club operations, including banning patrons under the age of 21.

"The city is using the dance hall license to discriminate against certain places," said attorney John Stewart, who's representing Blue's owner, Noir Brothers Restaurants, Inc.

Mr. Stewart says some city officials do not want a club primarily patronized by blacks, Hispanics and Asians operating downtown.

"The city wants a white club downtown," he said.

Dallas City Attorney Tom Perkins said Monday morning that he hadn't yet seen the lawsuit but planned to review the matter with his staff later in the day.

Many city officials have long considered Blue an epicenter of downtown crime, and the Dallas Police Department says it expends about 80 percent of its downtown resources in the wee hours of weekend mornings to patrol the areas near Blue.

Blue operator Keith Black, however, said his club is an asset to downtown's economy and the city often unfairly blames Blue for crimes unassociated with the club.

The city and Rita Sweeney, a Dallas developer who received more than $1 million city tax incentives to rehabilitate the building inside which Blue now operates, are also embroiled in a spat over $12 million in tax incentives for a new downtown hotel and 52-story condominium project Ms. Sweeney and her husband, Lawrence Sweeney, want to build.

The Dallas City Council's Economic Development and Housing Committee has, to date, told the Sweeneys that they will not consider them for new tax incentives until they ensure Blue adheres to several conditions, including banning cellphones, installing metal detectors, increasing security, outlawing glass containers and requiring all patrons to be at least 21.

[slfunk]

Hmmm, ANY correlation between the lawsuit for $12 mil and the city refussing to give the developer $12 mil in TIF money? How did the club owner come up with the $12 mil mark?

Things that make you go hmmmmmmm

[Boredkid]

Good way to rub it in the citys nose.

[FoUTASportscaster]

If the city doesn't want club's patronizing to blacks, hispanics and asians, then clubs like El Angel and Purgatory would be harrased by the city too. However, those clubs do what they can to keep crime down. Blue doesn't.

Plus if tghe city wanted, they could show the transition from upscale club to its current state.

If the coty lawyers are worth half their money, Blue shouldn't see a dime from Dallas.

[I45Tex]

Ugh.
What a nice building and an ugly business.
The Sweeneys would be a poor target for a recipient of any further grants from the citizens' coffers already, since they so clearly care nothing for citizens' benefit when compared with their concern for their own pocketbook and entitlements. That is reasonable for private citizens to a point, but not this point. If you say that incentive grants are appropriate -
because, hey, development ought to mean being in it for the money since no charitable project happens without good financing -
if you say that since all developers are this way, the way to deal with it is to get their self-interest in line with public benefit by lining them up to succeed on TIF terms, then you're putting the cart before the horse.

I say the Sweeneys care nothing because banning cell phones, installing metal detectors, increasing security, banning glass containers and keeping youths out of that environment are all legitimate goals of orderly operation and legitimate goals for community governance.
Nevertheless they're trying to spin it into a sick issue by portraying the interests of the city as unacceptably conservative rather than facing the reality that the administration is embracing a liberal or consensus conception of public health.

[Mephis Gooseberry]

Are the Sweeney's doing this? Or is it Keith Black and the Noir Brothers Restaurants? I thought the Club is a tenant of the Sweeneys. The Sweeney's aren't necessarilly involved in this lawsuit. Do we have any proof that they are.

The Sweeney's must realize that their chances of getting any redevelopment funds from the City at this point have been completely obliterated by this scam lawsuit from their scumsucking tenant.

I hope a Judge has guts enough to throw it out on frivolous grounds.

The City should close this club immediately, since its been linked to the crime in the area. The Police Chief ought to be able to make the decision for the Public's safety. He has the Authority to do so. If the City doesn't have the cajones, the Sweeneys should at least cancel the Club's lease to save face.

[slfunk]

Its Keith Black.... but it would leave one to suspect that there very well could be some connection between the developer and the tenant. One the developer has defended the tenant and she says she will not tell Mr. Black how to run its club. Then a week or so later this comes up. Just so happens the lawsuit is requesting the same amount in damages as Ms. Sweeny is asking for in TIF money. No proof of anything here, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Sweeny would benefit financially from the lawsuit if Mr. Black were to win.

[clipper]

Ms. Sweeny and Mr. Black won't win. Texas law protects cities from paying out such damages. It caps city liability in many cases. All she's done is insure she will never get another dime or an ounce of support from Dallas. A dumb move. I heard she left Canada in part because of scraps like this. It won't work in Dallas.

[dallasrookie]

wow. what a change of events.. i wouldn't be caught dead there.

unless i get shot while driving thru.

[dfwcre8tive]

Carnival Cruise Lines is installing a large window advertisement along the ground floor of the building with an aquarium theme. Last year this time Converse did the big window ad for AFI. This year you can "create your own fish" with the interactive video wall behind glass. Looks like fun.

[dfwcre8tive]

Here’s how it works: participants dial a toll-free number and follow voice instructions. A fish in a bubble then appears on the screen with the last 4 digits of your phone number. By talking or making noises into the phone (the louder and crazier the better, they say) the fish changes into different shapes, sizes and colors until you are satisfied. When you like your creation, you can swim your fish around using the number keys on a phone. The fish responds by moving up, down, right or left with a surprisingly fast reaction. Swimming into different color bubbles produces different sounds effects and video reactions. Up to 20 fish (from different participants) can be swimming around at one time.

http://www.nolacreative.com/images/carnival/fish01a.jpg

http://www.nolacreative.com/images/carnival/fish02a.jpg

http://www.nolacreative.com/images/carnival/fish03a.jpg

http://www.nolacreative.com/images/carnival/fish04a.jpg

http://www.nolacreative.com/images/carnival/fish06a.jpg

http://www.nolacreative.com/images/carnival/fish07a.jpg

[xen0blue]

that is the coolest thing. ever.


ever.

[cowboyeagle05]

If more empty storefronts were welcome to this kind of use Main Street would look even better and get press for being such a cool way to use empty store fronts in this economy. These kinds of things have been popping up more and more around the country.

I can imagine a street game that uses an iPhone connected through Wifi as remotes to some interactive ad like this one. Imagine just downloading a free App off the App store that allows you to race other people that are walking by. They already have such games and utilities available that provide a similar experience within the same Wifi hotspot.

It could be as simple and gimmicky as using the motion sensor in the iPhone to let you shake [sponsored seasoning] onto various recipes. Or it could be a cool shopping thing that allows you to assemble a outfit from [store sponsor here] and see it actual size, maybe from an online store.