Life in Deep Ellum

[ellum:onstage]

Hey guys, I just wanted to mention a project being developed in Deep Ellum that few of you may be aware of. The project is called Life in Deep Ellum, and its plan is to become a non-profit cultural center for Deep Ellum specifically. The 26,000 sq ft facility that used to be owned by The Graphics Company on the Taylor street between Malcomb X and Crowdus will begin renovation in March. When completed in August, the facility will house a 500 seat performance venue (1500 standing) an art gallery, recording studio, coffee shop, and space for an arts magnet charter school and after school program.

The project is being funded solely by the Hobby Lobby corporation, and is expected to facilitate some of the resurrection that Deep Ellum needs so badly. The goal of Life in Deep Ellum is to foster the existing artistic community in Deep Ellum and facilitate their growth. Basically, rather than being a club or a bar whose goal is to profit off of the community, we rather are investing millions into into a facility that will serve their efforts well.

I am the artistic director, so if you have any questions, let me know! If you live or work in Deep Ellum, this space if for you, so Happy Birthday!

[Columbus Civil]

That sounds like an awesome project. Please keep us posted with any new developments.

Welcome to the forum.

[Lionel Hutz]

Sweet. Excellent news.

I went to dinner at Tarantino's the other night, and it was great. I also dropped in the Kettle Art Gallery on Elm. It's a great little spot. And Club Dada is going to reopen at the end of March - it was purchased by some of the guys in the group Hard Night's Day (popular Beatles tribute band).

Deep Ellum will be back.

[Agnus Dei]

This is exciting. I'm glad to hear about this kind of project because I think there's a huge interest in art in Dallas but as a city we don't really direct our resources to it. So any progress on an arts project makes me happy. I look forward to hearing more about this.

I would live in Deep Ellum if it already had a rail station.

[Lionel Hutz]

Here is the website. Pretty informative:

http://www.lifeindeepellum.com/

[Lakewooder]

I'm glad to hear that the Hobby Lobby has become a bit more open-minded!

[ellum:onstage]

Lionel, thanks for the web link. I built the site and forgot to mention it. Glad to hear you guys are as excited as I am. I will keep you up to date with renderings and pictures as we progress. I have a couple of things to ask you guys your opinion on. We would like to create an art piece for the town of Deep Ellum and the city of Dallas that would be a tower/observation deck, attached to the existing building. While we are not wanting to rival reunion, we would like to create a piece that would become part of the skyline of Deep Ellum and could be enjoyed by the residents and visitors. Our initial idea is to hold a competition with architectural firms for its design. We want to see multiple ideas and submissions, and I was wondering if any of you had any thoughts on how to get it done?

Anything would help.

[cowboyeagle05]

I work right next to there at a certain Restaurant and can't wait to watch the construction/renovation. I think the tower needs to respect the city of Dallas since Deep Ellum is not a city of its own. But Deep Ellum is its own place and has its own identity. There is going to be alot of towers in dallas since they are going to build one in Fair Park and there is already Reunion and now Deep Ellum tower. This will certainly make it easir to find certain neighborhoods. "how do get to Deep Ellum? Just look for the tower!"

[incrediculous]

Very cool. I'm looking at office lofts at the moment, and I really have my heart set on Deep Ellum.

Deep Ellum is such a real place during the day. Everyone just doing their own thing, being their own way... together. At night, the club crowds take over and it has a very different, menacing feel. But during the day I love being in the neighborhood.

I think it's the most authentic part of Dallas, which is refreshing, as Dallas can be a very corporate, austere city. I think it's best to reflect Deep Ellum's authenticity in this project.

[ellum:onstage]

Its a great place to invest. Now it seems that it is in the pit, but that place has been reborn time and time again. It was built by a diverse community, and seems to be returning to its roots. Authenticity is certainly what we desire to see built, and are striving to make sure that happens. There are those who see dollar signs with this project, and we have to close the blinds to those folks, but Hobby Lobby has donated the funds for this building. It is not an investment for a return, but an investment to breath life into this part of the city. They are not even seeking credit for the investment, and are satisfied with only the results. It blows my mind to know that it is a billion dollar corporation. I think that says allot to the full intention of Life in Deep Ellum.

Cowboy, let me know anytime when the constuction is going on and I will give you a tour.

[ellum:onstage]

This email was sent to me in reguards to the next residence council meeting. We are requesting the presence of anyone who works or lives in Deep Ellum.

Thanks!

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Please Join us on Tuesday, February 28th at Murray Street Coffee shop
at 103 Murray Street and Main to discuss the latest issues affecting
our neighborhood. We will have a representative from the upcoming Main
Street Arts festival and a City of Dallas Code Enforcement official who
can tell us how to get code issues resolved in a timely way.

We also need writers and personalities to contribute to our monthly
newsletter about events and people of interest or anything new that's
going on. If you or anyone you know are interested please contact:
Lane Dixon ldixon@henrysmiller.com We hope you will consider joining
the Deep Ellum Residents Council at $15.00 annually and volunteering on
one of our new Residents Council Committees and help us continue our
newsletter and our neighborhood mixers. There will be a brief security
meeting with the Dallas Police Department. For info call 214 742-LOFT.

We look forward to seeing you at Murray Street Coffee Shop!

[ellum:onstage]

Town Meeting tomorrow morning (Tuesday) at 10:30 AM at the Gypsie Tea Room. Mayor Laura Miller and Councilmember Hunt, and Chief Kunkle will be in attendance, and will focus on the reinventing of Deep Ellum. Everyone who lives or works in Deep Ellum is encouraged to attend. I know it is late notice, but make plans if you can.

[Rob]

It'd be nice if they could have done it at lunch time... I'd have walked over - but at 10:30 it's pretty much out of the question for me...

[tamtagon]

Town Meeting tomorrow ... Mayor Laura Miller and Councilmember Hunt, and Chief Kunkle will be in attendance...

would someone ask either of these esteemed elected officials if we - the people - should start calling it "Deep Elm" instead of "Deep Ellum?"

!!!!!!!!!!Elected Officials should not proclimate on the reinvention of this area!!!!!!!!

[msutton]

...why

[RadicalBender]

It'd be nice if they could have done it at lunch time... I'd have walked over - but at 10:30 it's pretty much out of the question for me...

Yeah, ditto. What a horrible time.

[Rob]

Yep.

I'd love to hear details of the meeting - specifically if they mention the Dart Rail or City Lights (if City Lights even counts as Deep Ellum, which I assume it doesn't). Thanks in advance.

[mikedsjr]

Laura has said that when she has luncheons with clients that she will be taking them to Deep Ellum.

[domicile]

It'd be nice if they could have done it at lunch time... I'd have walked over - but at 10:30 it's pretty much out of the question for me...

Couldn't agree more. While it is a great time for city officials to meet ("now let's do lunch and laugh about the lies we just told" - SORRY, I HAD TO), it isn't good for those of us trying to keep the economy moving. When I saw the original post by ellumonstage I thought that it would be in the evening.

Really would have liked to attend. Hopefully we get a nice report from anyone attending who participates in this forum.

[tamtagon]

Elected Officials should not proclimate on the reinvention of this area


...why

They're politicians; they are not artists, they are not musicians. From a politician's point of view, the best direction for Deep Ellum might find tax incentives targeting master plan development to "reinvent" the area to be more like Addison or The West Village.

The only politicians I want making improvements to Deep Ellum are the ones who like to get intoxicated, listen to garage bands, buy locally produced art and loiter on the street.

[freewaytincan]

The only politicians I want making improvements to Deep Ellum are the ones who like to get intoxicated, listen to garage bands, buy locally produced art and loiter on the street.

Down here in Huntsville, our's just get drunk. And drive. Out of state.

[msutton]

just because that's how it happened before does not mean that the government cannot find a way to help the district grow again. how about city-supported subsidized housing for artists? how about a special program of tax incentives given only to arts organizations, art galleries, small music venues, or small theaters? or how about a program where the city tries to lure a major retailer or business there with the stipulation that they include a small art gallery or low-cost housing for artists? the fact that miller is getting excited about the possibilities here could mean great things, if she's willing to think outside of the box. don't knock it until they start screwing stuff up.

[domicile]

Off topic but not really...

Did anyone see the latest issue of D Magazine? There is a blurb in there about "buying Deep Ellum" and how someone could go in an buy most of the buildings in the heart of Deep Ellum for a sum of money that I can't recall as I don't have the magazine with me. Of course, this was based on tax assessed values which, as we know, is not necessarily representative of market value.

I believe there was a thread about this (perhaps this thread). In any case, I was surprised to read about it in D and can't help but think this may be a possibility at some point. I don't know if it would be positive or negative for the community but it is provocative. Any thoughts?

[ellum:onstage]

The meeting was typical of most town hall meetings. The great thing is that there was about 300 people in attendance. The bad thing is that about 5 morans took up the entire time talking about how their hot dog stands got hit with bullets and eminent domain.

Mayor Miller was very supportive of all everyone had to say, but when the owners of Club Blue started yelling, the meeting pretty much went to hell. Mayor Miller did call him out though and said that he was part of the problem, and the room erupted in applause.

Issues were brought up about city controlled parking garages, the cruising issue, congestion, and grafitti. The same crap that the people of Deep Ellum complain about but do nothing about. If you don't like the graphiti, buy a paint brush and a bucket of paint. It seemed that most of the peoples complaint was motivated out their personal interest and not necessarily out of the interest of the community at large.

There was a ton of media coverage, which is great. Be sure and watch the 6:00 news. Most of all it was unproductive, and the reality of the issue is that most of the people in the room do not attend bond elections, Deep Ellum Association or Residence Council meetings, and I doubt that the majority even vote. Mayor Miller is piecing together a task force made up of individuals from the restaurant industry, music veunes, booty shaking clubs, and residence council to advise on what steps are to be taken.

On a high not, I did have the pleasure of meeting Council Woman Hunt. What a beautiful and fantastic example of someone who actually has good ideas. Things are going to change. Our elected officials seem to be doing what we elected them to do. Only time will tell. My main concern was that the policy making is being driven by the commerce and not by the community, and in my opinion, that will kill this valuable cultural epicenter of Dallas.

[carousel]

Do you know the names of the morons?

[Rob]

Off topic but not really...

Did anyone see the latest issue of D Magazine? There is a blurb in there about "buying Deep Ellum" and how someone could go in an buy most of the buildings in the heart of Deep Ellum for a sum of money that I can't recall as I don't have the magazine with me. Of course, this was based on tax assessed values which, as we know, is not necessarily representative of market value.


I didn't see the article, but I did hear whispers that some of the investors in the company I work for thought about doing just that several years ago. For whatever reason (possibly that the rumors aren't true to begin with) they didn't go through with it.

[Lionel Hutz]

but when the owners of Club Blue started yelling, the meeting pretty much went to hell. Mayor Miller did call him out though and said that he was part of the problem, and the room erupted in applause.
What did the owner of Club Blue yell about?

[ellum:onstage]

Do you know the names of the morons?

Nope, don't remember. I do know that I have never met them before.


What did the owner of Club Blue yell about?

Mostly about the parking lot across from his establishment, and how there is so much violence from the 18 to 21 year old crowd beating people to death in said parking lots, and how somehow, the parking lot owners should be responsible for security. We all know that would be nice, but that is unlimited liability for the lot owners, and that simply will not happen. I think that he voiced a valid concern, but he was so beligerent about it, as were about 3 others that hogged the floor time in the meeting...aka, the morans.

I don't know if you guys know this, but there is a phrase in the club seen called "going dark." It refers to club owners attempting to build an upscale club for a more diverse clientel, and if that doesn't work out, then the club goes dark and promotes only to the black community, because it is a sure thing. It's pretty racist I know, and if I were part of the black community, it would piss me off greatly. Of course, I am white, so I am clueless and have no ability to relate, right?

[Lakewooder]

Miller: Deep Ellum needs 'united' effort

04:31 PM CST on Tuesday, February 28, 2006
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News




WFAA-TV
Dallas police Chief David Kunkle spoke at Tuesday's forum. Perception is not reality in Deep Ellum.

So say city leaders who met with dozens of the residents and workers of the near-downtown entertainment district, troubled in recent years by crime concerns and business closures.

"Deep Ellum is a safe place to come," Mayor Laura Miller said. That it's overrun by thugs and thieves is "a huge misconception."

Crime levels have indeed declined in recent months, and up to 25 officers patrol Deep Ellum when traffic there is heaviest, said Police Chief David Kunkle, who joined City Council members Pauline Medrano and Angela Hunt and other city officials at the Tuesday morning forum.

But some residents and business owners demanded the city do more to foster a resurgence of the district long known for its vibrant music scene, shops and restaurants.

"Clubs seem to be dropping left and right," said David Lewis, who works at Sons of Hermann Hall on Elm Street. "Improving the imagine, doing more in terms of crime prevention – that'll maybe cause more shops to move back in. And that's in everyone's best interest."


Attendees cited traffic control, parking problems, lighting regulations and the need for faster planning and zoning processes among their other concerns. Even such pedestrian problems as narrow sidewalks and graffiti make the Deep Ellum experience less pleasant, some said.

Taking the Gypsy Tea Room's main stage, Ms. Miller argued that outlawing after-hours permits, which allow clubs to remain open until 4 a.m. instead of the 2 a.m. standard closing hours, would solve many crime and crowd control issues. She urged Deep Ellum stakeholders to support that measure.

Not all people gathered seemed inclined to do so. Marshall Armstrong shouted back at Ms. Miller that blaming after-hours clubs for crime is "misleading and inaccurate," and said most problems occur in the streets and would happen regardless of when clubs closed.

The mayor asked Mr. Armstrong who he represented.

Club Blue, he responded.

"Ahhhh, a couple of problems associated with Club Blue," Ms. Miller said, smiling, as "ooooohs" emanated from the audience. The massive downtown nightclub, she said, is one of the area's most notorious crime hotspots.

"This meeting is a joke," Blue's owner Keith Black said afterward as Mr. Marshall nodded. Their operation is unfairly portrayed by city officials, they said.

While crime has improved, restaurateur Peter Tarantino said Deep Ellum is nonetheless plagued by "a fringe element, and it's out of control."

"We've got to tackle that issue right now," Mr. Tarantino, who owns Tarantino's Deep Ellum on Elm Street, told Ms. Miller.

The best way to make Deep Ellum more attractive, Ms. Miller told the audience, is to create "a united Deep Ellum, with all you guys on the same page."


E-mail dlevinthal@dallasnews.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/030106dnmetdeepellum.70eefb86.html


YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN COMMENTS IF YOU LINK TO THE STORY -------------

[RadicalBender]

Taking the Gypsy Tea Room's main stage, Ms. Miller argued that outlawing after-hours permits, which allow clubs to remain open until 4 a.m. instead of the 2 a.m. standard closing hours, would solve many crime and crowd control issues. She urged Deep Ellum stakeholders to support that measure.

Consider it done. Where do I sign up?


"This meeting is a joke," Blue's owner Keith Black said afterward as Mr. Marshall nodded. Their operation is unfairly portrayed by city officials, they said.

He's right. They're being unfairly portrayed by city officials. They're being far too kind. But I won't be. I consider his club to be a blight on the area, the city and the community as a whole. I believe there should be a parade down Elm Street the day it's finally shut down.

[UrbanHope]

I went to the meeting and got to meet some interesting people. The great thing about Deep Ellum is that is attracts the most diverse crowds whether it's a club or a town hall meeting.

Club Blue is part of the problem, and I told the operators of Blue just that, but not the only problem. If Blue closes, crime won't magically disappear.

[RobertB]

KERA 90.1 ran a commentary this morning, which they are kind enough to include on their site:


Commentary: Deep Ellum
By Michael Tate, KERA 90.1 Commentator
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kera/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=884373

DALLAS, TX (2006-03-01)

When we say "Deep Ellum" we're really talking about two different yet related things: there's the Deep Ellum neighborhood, a physical part of Dallas; and then there's a Deep Ellum spirit, an essence that transcended the streets and storefronts. The neighborhood is still there, the spirit was mortally wounded when a bankruptcy judge closed the legendary music venue Trees and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission slapped a lock on Club Dada in late December. And that is forcing people to reexamine everything about Deep Ellum.

The neighborhood is suffering an identity crisis. As a creative space, Deep Ellum has been running on fumes for years. But the neighborhood isn't going to die, not even in the chaotic state it seems to be in today. Although desirable businesses have left and dance clubs are attracting violence-happy teens, Deep Ellum is really gentrified. As a reviving urban neighborhood with a growing and affluent residential base, there's too much at stake to let it fail now. In the end it will probably morph into another urban suburb like Uptown. Starbucks and Pei Wei will arrive with the DART train and Main Street will start looking more and more like McKinney Avenue. It's just a matter of time.

For most people, however, Deep Ellum was really always about a state of mind. I knew people for whom Deep Ellum defined the entire world. It was their way of life. And no matter how contrived that may sound, that spirit had an honest beginning.

The neighborhood's reemergence in the mid-1980s from decades of decay coincided with a particularly creative period among Dallas' young musicians. When Deep Ellum clubs like Theatre Gallery, Prophet Bar, Clearview and Dada opened their stages to local musicians and artists, it was as if the performers and the neighborhood had found soul mates. It sparked an artistic moment in a city not known for its artistic vitality. Deep Ellum developed a reputation for good live music and people took notice. Major record companies signed bands to big time contracts. Three On A Hill, Buck Pets, Shallow Reign, 4 Reasons Unknown, Ten Hands, and most of all the exceptionally talented New Bohemians, are names that stir recollections of another time or a long lost cassette tape.

But Dallas' Deep Ellum music didn't exactly take the world by storm. After several years local musicians started moving on until it seemed like the city's deep reservoir of unique talent was spent. Then a certain snob appeal crept over Deep Ellum in the mid- and late 90s. Pricey lofts and chic restaurateurs moved in and the gentrification had begun. We may not have known it at the time, but the Deep Ellum spirit was already ebbing away.

The neighborhood is just now feeling it's spiritual loss because it seemed to thrive economically even as the creative juices that built its reputation were running dry. The zeitgeist that nurtured bands like New Bohemians, Reverend Horton Heat and Old 97s moved out years ago. The end of Trees and Dada finally drove that point home and closed a vibrant chapter in Dallas' history. Culture shock is setting in and the neighborhood is finally coming to grips with the fact that, after two decades, its original energy is pretty much tapped out. It'll survive, but it will have to reinvent itself.

Edie Brickell did as much as anybody to define Deep Ellum in those early days. Her line from the Bohemian's song "Circle" sort of puts it all in perspective: "Everything is temporary anyway."

Michael Tate is a writer from Dallas.

If you have opinions or rebuttals about this commentary, call (214) 740-9338 or email us.

© Copyright 2006, KERA

[tamtagon]

Three On A Hill, Buck Pets, Shallow Reign, 4 Reasons Unknown, Ten Hands, and most of all the exceptionally talented New Bohemians,

It seems the UNT music school has as more to do with the chances of Deep Ellum than anything else. If the city wants to do anything "official" it should find a way to get a UNT campus for Art, Music, Drama and RTVF in Deep Ellum / Fair Park.

[ellum:onstage]

It seems the UNT music school has as more to do with the chances of Deep Ellum than anything else. If the city wants to do anything "official" it should find a way to get a UNT campus for Art, Music, Drama and RTVF in Deep Ellum / Fair Park.

I agree. Our Life in Deep Ellum is planning to open a charter arts magnet campus with the hopes of giving the artists in DE the abitily to pour into young minds. It would be great if a college campus did open. We have a couple downtown, and then of course the Seminary, neither of which focus too much attention on the emmergance of DE.

I will pass this comment on to our council person though. It is one of the best ideas for the revitalization of that area that I have heard in some time. Certainly, the tripe spewed forward yesterday doesn't even come close to bring about the resurrection of DE. It only addresses problems in a reactive way and is in no way proactively pushing for a greater DE community.

[Lionel Hutz]

It seems the UNT music school has as more to do with the chances of Deep Ellum than anything else. If the city wants to do anything "official" it should find a way to get a UNT campus for Art, Music, Drama and RTVF in Deep Ellum / Fair Park.
I've always thought that the UNT music school needs to get more tied into Dallas. Deep Ellum is a perfect spot.

I'll be in Deep Ellum on Friday night to see Hard Night's Day at the Curtain Club. And when Hard Night's Day reclaims its every Friday night gig at Club Dada at the end of the month, I will once again be a regular.

I've been going to Deep Ellum at least once a month for the last 7 years. I don't feel any less safe today than I did back in 1999. And in 1999, I felt perfectly safe.

[tamtagon]

Developing the land owned by the Meadows Foundation in East Dallas could become the single most influential force in the atmosphere of Downtown Dallas. Although the Meadows Foundation has an unwavering relationship with SMU, I think it would be a relatively easy task to rededicate the philanthropic legacy toward the establishment of an Art, Music and Performance University in East Dallas. UNT and SMU undergrad programs would make an excellent source for A Meadows Graduate School. Baylor would also have a big role, as Music and Art Therapy become an important part of the hospital.

If the Meadows Foundation didnt own so much land in East Dallas, I'm not sure there would be much of a chance at all for something like this, but it's all there to get worked out....

[carousel]

^ What land does the foundation own?

[carousel]

Deep Ellum, or Deep Doo-Doo
Filed under: News
The mayor oughta play Deep Ellum more often. At 10:30 a.m. yesterday, there was quite the line snaking out of the front door of the Gypsy Tea Room, as some 200 folks waited for Mayor Laura Miller and her backup band–Police Chief David Kunkle and council members Pauline Medrano and Angela Hunt–to take the stage for a two-hour set of their greatest hits, among them “Crime’s Down, So Put Down the Gun,” “Graffiti Abatement Means I Love You,” “What’s So Special About a SUP?” and “Lovely Rita Meter Maid, You Best Step Off.” The crowd reacted with moderate enthusiasm; one Deep Ellum club owner stomped out before the show was over, muttering (loud enough for every one to hear), “Nothin’s accomplished, I’m goin’ home.” T-shirt sales were not at all brisk.

The Town Hall meeting, attended by landlords and club owners and every spare news camera in town, was the result of several Deep Ellum club and restaurant owners storming Miller’s office two weeks ago, demanding to know what she was going to do about bad business and bad folks in the neighborhood. One of the folks in on that initial meeting said Miller knew little about the neighborhood’s recent woes, including the closing of several venerable clubs and restaurants; apparently, a meal at Tarantino’s and a show at the Curtain Club rekindled her interest, along with a particular story in a particular publication, much of which was repeated at the Tuesday meeting.

Frank Campagna

Her d’oh face: Deep Ellum gallery owner Frank Campagna sketched this portrait of the mayor during her Tuesday Town Hall meeting at the Gypsy Tea Room.Nothing much happened at this particular gathering: There was the familiar promise of new development in the recently created tax increment financing (TIF) district, as well as talk of putting in more street lights and parking garages and widening the sidewalks and taking out the parking meters. There was also a lengthy discussion about abolishing all late-night permits, which means every single club in Dallas would have to close at 2 a.m. While it might sound like a good idea–the cops can clear a crowd much easier when folks can’t claim they’re heading to some early-morning establishment–it would also “throw out the baby with the bath water,” as Don Nedler, owner of the Lizard Lounge, told her.

“We have allowed a band of teenagers to take control of a major entertainment district in a major city,” Nelder said, to loud applause. But abolishing the late-night permits, he insisted, would create “a thriving industry for illegal after-hours warehouse parties.” The mayor doesn’t understand why anyone would wanna be out after 2 in the morning; “you’re supposed to be in bed,” she says, suggesting she’s not really in touch with The Youth Vote.

No matter: After the meeting, it became clear there would be only more meetings. And more meetings. And more meetings. Miller wants to put together a task force, which ain’t enough for most in the neighborhood who’ve seen the crowds shrink, their profits dwindle and their fellow club owners shutter their establishments and move elsewhere. The reaction of Medrano was particularly telling: Toward the end of the meeting, she stood in front of the mike and said, twice, “I need a plan for Deep Ellum.” Hers was the tone of voice of the politician begging for help, from anyone.

“Rudy Giuliani told the police chief in New York City to get rid of crime, and he got rid of crime,” said Whit Meyers, co-owner of the Gypsy, the Green Room and the recently chopped-down Trees. “Why can’t we do that here in Dallas? It seems pretty simple. We can have a task force, meet regularly, all those things. But why can’t they just enforce the law? All we’re doing is circling the target? Deep Ellum’s not the only thing at risk here. Downtown is, too, and so are billions of dollars in investments.” –Robert Wilonsky

[ellum:onstage]

Great article. Telling. Maybe we could get Rudy to become our mayor! That would rock! That is about as probable is Kunkle getting a neck...and a backbone for that matter. It is true that we aren't enforcing the code, which most of the complaining club owners and landlords are breaking, and our parking lot owners can provide storage for our car but 0 security. Many times, the attendants can't even provide a drivers license or a hello in English. That is Deep Ellum, and I say once again, that the Mayor and councilmembers and police are only goign to react to the situation. It is up to us who live, love, and believe in Deep Ellum to get change to occure. For Deep Ellum, her only hope relies in the creativivity of the remnant. There isn't a task force that will make that happen or a free parking spot on a Friday afternoon or evening for that matter.

[RobertB]

That is Deep Ellum, and I say once again, that the Mayor and councilmembers and police are only goign to react to the situation. It is up to us who live, love, and believe in Deep Ellum to get change to occure. For Deep Ellum, her only hope relies in the creativivity of the remnant. There isn't a task force that will make that happen or a free parking spot on a Friday afternoon or evening for that matter.
If the city will only react, and your depending on creativity from the club owners who are part of the problem, then your options are pretty limited. You can either watch the decay (and buy empty buildings like a vulture picking over a carcass in hopes of eventual gentrification), or you can ask the Guardian Angels to patrol the area, cross your fingers, and pray.

I think the DART line is the wildcard. Until it's built, there's no way to say for sure what will happen. Will Deep Ellum become Mockingbird Station (http://www.dart.org/mockingbirdstation.asp), a thriving retail destination... or Morrell Station (http://www.dart.org/morrellstation.asp), where hoped-for retail in the cool building nearby never materialized? Perhaps Kiest Station (http://www.dart.org/kieststation.asp) is a closer analogue -- the retail nearby seems to be holding its own, if not booming, but as far as I can tell (I'm not a frequent visitor) things haven't gotten any worse.

[tamtagon]

The mayor doesn’t understand why anyone would wanna be out after 2 in the morning; “you’re supposed to be in bed,” she says,

Another reason why LaMiller should stay away from "planning" for Deep Ellum.

Like, I thought she was all about making Dallas a 24 hour city. The first thing the mayor and city council should do is prohibit underage dance clubs (those without a liquor liscenes) from operating anywhere near a collection of bars. Second thing the mayor and city council should do is to get rid of the 4:00 am closing time. Stop selling booze at 2:00am - whatever - but if there are enough people wanting to dance until noon, let them.

[ellum:onstage]

If the city will only react, and your depending on creativity from the club owners who are part of the problem, then your options are pretty limited.

My point is that I don't think the club owners can see past their crappy colored building to get the point that Deep Ellum doesn't exist for their profit. It is important for these owners to profit, and business in Deep Ellum should flourish, but not at the expence or to the detriment of a Developing Community. My point is that I don't believe that commerce or DART is going to do a thing for Deep Ellum, because Deep Ellum has never been a destination spot for people like Laura Miller and the like. It has always been an alternative, and personally, the thought of a Mockingbird station in DE turns my stomach. The last thing DE needs is a bunch of pretentious 23 year old trust fund babies running around trying to find a new support braw for their fakies. Deep Ellum needs great music and great art and a economic and cultural scene that supports the two. If those two items can be fostered, then DE will live again, irreguardless of the transportation or shopping possibilities. Many call it an entertainment district. It is to an extent, but it is also a cultural district in need of being nurtured and developed. Either its that or level the whole thing build a Wal Mart Supercenter.

The reality is that we are in danger of losing something that makes Dallas diverse, a place where cultures mix and mingle, and yes, sometimes knife one another at 3 in the morning.

[Lakewooder]

Supposedly you can see the meeting at:

http://www.texasgigs.com/podcasts/texasgigs-video/2006/mar/01/getting-deep-deep-ellum/

[noelamador]

More proof of the influence this Forum has. Every topic, issue and project about Deep Ellum summed up in one story by Steve Brown. Thanks Steve for the positive spin!

Putting their roots in Deep Ellum
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/030306dnbusdeepellum.1c592902.html
Developers, restaurateurs bet area's image will improve
08:38 PM CST on Thursday, March 2, 2006
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

Tom Granese predicts that he won't have trouble finding buyers for his Eastside Lofts.

The four modern townhomes start at about $378,000 and include rooftop decks with postcard views of downtown Dallas.

Unlike dozens of similar developments north of downtown, the First Avenue townhouses are being built in edgy Deep Ellum.

Negative publicity about crime in the area and a rash of club, shop and restaurant closings have given Deep Ellum a bad name in the real estate market. Competition from newer close-in retail districts has also taken away new business, property brokers say.

Still, a handful of developers and several restaurant owners are kicking off new ventures in Deep Ellum, hoping the district will turn around again.

"We like the community feel Deep Ellum has," Mr. Granese said. "We saw a good opportunity in that area with the saturation of development in Oak Lawn and Uptown."

Add to the lower land prices, plans for two DART rail stations in Deep Ellum, and what's a developer not to like about the neighborhood just east of downtown?

But Mr. Granese admits he had to have "conversations with our banker" about Deep Ellum's image problems before getting financing for his deal.

Restaurateur Peter Tarantino, who opened Tarantino's Deep Ellum on Elm Street in December, said, "Because it is a controversial neighborhood right now, it is under the radar screen of a lot of people.

"There is a lot of room for growth down here," he said.
Transformations

Deep Ellum has seen a series of transformations. Starting in the 1980s, the blocks of warehouse and manufacturing businesses began to give way to artists' studios and lofts.

In the 1990s, the area boomed with nightclubs and restaurants. Then dot-com companies were attracted by the cheap space and prime location.

But the tech sector wreck that started in the 2001 put Deep Ellum into a spin, and media reports of street crime in the neighborhood did even more harm.

"There are more empty restaurant spaces on Dallas Parkway, but where's the front page story on that?" Mr. Tarantino asked.

In the last few years, vacant storefronts have proliferated, and some of Deep Ellum's largest club operators went bankrupt.

"How much longer can we survive in Deep Ellum with the image that crime is out of control?" Mr. Tarantino complained this week at a town hall meeting with city officials.

The crime worries haven't scared off all new business.

Kim Harris opened her diner on Elm Street this week. She'd previously worked in restaurants in Deep Ellum and in Oak Cliff.

"I'm going to be serving good old home cooking," Ms. Harris said. "I've always wanted to be here.

"I think Deep Ellum is a good place, and there are good people down here during the day," she said.
Crime and its effects

It's late at night ? mostly on the weekends ? that crime problems emerge in Deep Ellum. City officials blame most of the street violence on after-hours clubs, which they are trying to restrict.

"There is no place in any city in America that is perfectly safe at 3 o'clock in the morning," Dallas Mayor Laura Miller told business owners at this week's meeting. "It's a huge misconception about Deep Ellum and safety."

But the image is hard to overcome with retailers, say property brokers who've tried to lure national merchants to the neighborhood.

"We spent a lot of time making calls talking to retailers and at the end of the day, as hard as we tried, we couldn't make it work," said Mickey Ashmore, president of United Commercial Realty, which tried to market Deep Ellum properties a few years ago.

Mr. Ashmore said it's a mistake to try to turn Deep Ellum into a neo-urban retail district given competition from such projects at Victory and in Uptown.

"You have to embrace what it is and tout it as that ? it isn't going to be the West Village," he said. "They need a mix of interesting shops, restaurants, clubs and art galleries."

Businessman Santiago Pena is currently remodeling his third restaurant in Deep Ellum. His Cantina Dallas on Main Street, which was redone last year, cost more than $1 million to fix up.

"I built it from scratch," Mr. Pena said. "If more people would commit to Deep Ellum and care about the area, all the rest would take care of itself.

"Sometimes I think maybe I ought to go to Uptown or Addison, but I really like this area," he said.
At home

Housing is also part of the mix. The first lofts were built in Deep Ellum in the 1980s and continue to attract new residents.

Investor Jeff Swaney is a partner in eight new townhouses being built on Commerce Street.

"We already have three of them presold," said Mr. Swaney, who also brokers properties and invests in businesses in the neighborhood.

His Delphi Group just rented 10,000 square feet nearby on Commerce Street to GLO Cleaners, which is moving from Gaston Avenue. "They had been in the same location for 60 years," Mr. Swaney said. "I also recently leased 22,000 square feet of renovated space to a glass studio."

Photographer Paul Morgan is finishing up his renovation of the former Bill Reed Building on First Avenue and hopes to have his studio and lease space open in about six weeks.

"I made the investment here because I believe in this neighborhood," Mr. Morgan said. "When the DART stations open, you'll see a spike in property values and the area will become more accessible."

The two DART stations ? one at Good-Latimer Expressway and one closer to Baylor Medical Center ? will open in 2009. Similar transit centers have resulted in a redevelopment booms.

But until the train arrives, city officials agree they have to work on crime and perception problems in Deep Ellum.

"It's one of the most important entertainment districts we have," Dallas City Council member Pauline Medrano said at the neighborhood meeting. "You play a very important part in what's happening to revitalize downtown."

E-mail stevebrown@dallasnews.com

[ellum:onstage]

Yeah, that's kinda creepy. I feel almost plagerized! Great article. Now we need allot more.

[Columbus Civil]

I can't tell you how many of my lines posted on here have been printed word for word in Steve Brown columns.

[gc]

Who cares folks? It goes both ways. His articles have been the source of many many threads here too. Besides, I think it is pretty cool.

[carousel]

^ you should call him out

[domicile]

Well, it is a public forum after all and I think it was a great article. While it was nice to see a mention of our project in there, the article also articulates many of the perceptions of the area and some of the battles that have to be overcome by business owners and developers who are ultimately going to carry a lot of the burden of improving the Deep Ellum neighborhood. I shouldn't say burden when it really is an opportunity to be a part of a positive change.

I'm sure Mr. Brown reads this forum but he also gets information from people and makes phone calls to follow leads as would any good journalist. This forum happens to be a wealth of information from people who are enthusiastic about DFW and the current events surrounding it.

[ellum:onstage]

I'm sure Mr. Brown reads this forum but he also gets information from people and makes phone calls to follow leads as would any good journalist.

Very true. He just emailed me asking me more about the Life in Deep Ellum project. I am glad he reads our threads. He certainly helps us stay informed.