Grayson County's highest high-rise

[CTroyMathis]

Grayson County's highest high-rise


Developer Jim Forrest didn't set out to build the tallest building in Grayson County, but his new condominium tower overlooking Lake Texoma may take the prize.
The 10-story Diamond Pointe residential high-rise is on the south shore of the lake in Denison, just north of Dallas.

"I believe it's the tallest building between Plano and Oklahoma City," said Mr. Forrest, who has already sold about half of the units in the luxury condo tower.

The project has 16 condo units, two to a floor.

"Our building surprises people – it's like something you would see in Florida," he said.

The condos in the project range in price from about $300,000 to $850,000 for a two-level penthouse.

The development includes a 20-slip marina that is connected to the tower by an electric tramway.

"The first families will move in before the first of the year," said Mr. Forrest.

"At night, you can see all the way to Kingston, Okla."

Diamond Pointe takes the lead as Denison's tallest "skyscraper," eclipsing the historic Denison Hotel, which was built downtown in the 1920s.

The downtown hotel is a whopping eight floors.

[freewaytincan]

Oh boy! Kingston! And on a really clear day, I bet you can see Durant! :D

What kind of density is that? Like something in Florida? We're doomed, doomed!

[freewaytincan]

On a secondary note, the Denison Hotel is a classy building. It is right across the street from the Yellowjacket stadium.

[crescentboi]

My family has a yacht at Grandpappy's Marina and so every weekend in the summer we would go up there and watch the tower being built. Its an interesting idea considering that there is nothing out there taller than three stories. But I'm sure that it fill up. My family was even considering buying a unit there until they moved to Maryland(that's a whole different story there!) There's actually a lot of money up there and room for development. I commend him for building it, but just not for the design.

[CTroyMathis]

Here's Ace's old thread (http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=915) with lots of links and photos of Diamond Pointe now and while under construction.

Also, I forgot about one interesting feature it has - it's own incline elevator/tram down to the waterfront boat slips.
Source: http://www.diamondpointecondos.com/photos.asp (http://www.diamondpointecondos.com/photos.asp)

http://www.diamondpointecondos.com/images/photos/photos_2003251617_dcp_1093.jpg
http://www.diamondpointecondos.com/images/photos/photos_2003251619_dcp_1098.jpg

View from the tram deck:
http://www.diamondpointecondos.com/images/photos/photos_2003251621_dcp_1101.jpg

[CTroyMathis]

I wonder about the other 4 proposed condo towers.

[gc]

I do too! Those will be spectcular.

[Lakewooder]

Yes, my family has owned a cabin just west of Loe's Highport since 1961. It's amazing the teardowns and $300K-$500K plus homes going in...

Unfortunately, we have discovered that the entire south side of Texoma was under a faulty original survey by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Then all the subdivisions were laid out from that. The Corps is very capricious in enforcing these lines. Expect to hear about the shit hitting the fan eventually. I've also found that the local Grayson County Commisioners are totally corrupt. I'm sure it will come back to bite them before long. Now that the big money is going in at Texoma, they aren't going to put up with the Huey Long method of business prevailing there previously.

[mikedsjr]

Memories...

My grandfather has two paintings inside the big bank downtown.
My granny was a realtor there, had worked at the Eisenhower BirthPlace and was a nurse as well at the hospital.
My Grandpa worked at the Pillsbury there, played golf at the Rod and Gun Club and took us fishing on the below the dam 100s of times.
My Mimi worked at the one of the government building there.
There are places built in my Great Great Grandfathers name due to donating land.

Memories.....

[Lakewooder]

I have great memories of the area, too, Mike, especially stopping in Plano when it was just a gas station on Central and a little old downtown (HA!).

No, really, Denison is shaping up to have quite the Artsy little downtown. This growth at Texoma will probably cement its position as Kerrville North or something similar. I just hope they can avoid the "Suburb-wannabe" layout of Sherman.

[Hunter Wadle]

So I wonder, have they broken ground on the next tower? or mabey someone could tell me about the occupancy of the tower....

[mikedsjr]

In honor of my grandparents, I wish for Denison to stand still. :)

[clipper]

What's the deal with all these Grayson County folks. My family is all from Denison and were Katy RR folks. Mom still lives there.

[mikedsjr]

Ah yes. The Katy RR. I shan't forget that.

You know my Grandpa helped build the Denison Dam when he was young. And I remember doing a field trip to the meet some of the Katy RR building when i was young. I've walked the Denison Downtown probably 100 times over.

I can't remember the name of the golf course off Crawford St. that is no longer there. But when i was little I would go with my dad and grandpa and carry their clubs and sometimes try to play golf. I loved going into that creek beside there.

I've been to the peanut factory off of old 75 too.

[clipper]

That was the old Katy Golf course created from RR people to start with but later expanded. Along with St. Louis, Parsons, KS and Houston, Denison was one of the major employment centers for the MK&TRR. They actually built the town when Sherman wouldn't play ball the way they wanted. Ben Munson who founded Denison was the land man for Katy's expansion. Unfortunately the Katy Memorial Hospital, Katy Golf Course, downtown railroad car shops, roundhouse, peanut factory and other old industrial buildings are long gone. About all that's left is the depot, and a few years ago they tore down the huge ice house next to it. Even in small towns there is all this "pressure" to tear down old buildings when someone doesn't have an immediate use. Once they are gone, all that's left is a weed lot. Stupid.