DTD: 500 South Ervay (old Butler Bros.)

[clipper]

That's the 'before' photo. The big middle piece of glass is now broken.

[dfwcre8tive]

Why are the bricks on upper floors a different color from the other bricks? Do they plan to leave them this way?

[DFW-LAX]

I got around to shooting this baby, about time!!!. last I was with Ninja, last year.

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3298/500servayxz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Does anyone else wonder how long it took for the developer who added that hideous skin to realize the building was suddenly FUBAR?

Thank goodness someone has finally come to their senses and will rescue this building. Hopefully more of this will happen in the future!

[freewaytincan]

even luqa moved faster than this. good grief.

[clipper]

That's because they are busy at Austin trying to get historic designation approved. They have to convice the bean counters they can make that building look like it did in the 1930s.

[vman]

I did notice fencing was installed around the entire property, including the parking garage Thankfully, the fencing keeps the vagrants from doing who know's what in that parking structure. I would always see homeless people in the space between the building and parking garge. Hopefully, they'll move on now.

[clipper]

The bums have been pulling some of the metal panels off the garage in a couple of places. Also, someone asked why the brick on the upper floors was different. The top few floors used to have a slight setback. To even the facade up to install that concrete mess , they filled it in with the pink brick. The original is probably behind there.

[clipper]

This is a murky picture but you can see the detail with the setback and stone medallions that were their originally.

[vman]

Okay..is this project dead or what?? The fencing that was put up last month has been removed!!! Now the homeless people have their parking garage/home back. I saw several bums walking out of the parking structure this morning. Does anyone have the real 411 on this project??

[warlock55]

Okay..is this project dead or what?? The fencing that was put up last month has been removed!!! Now the homeless people have their parking garage/home back. I saw several bums walking out of the parking structure this morning. Does anyone have the real 411 on this project??

Yeah, I saw this and thought it was a bad sign. Now the building looks even worse, impossible though it seems, since SOME of the concrete panels have been torn off. It'd be just great if it was left that way indefinitely now.

[The Judge]

Yeah, I saw this and thought it was a bad sign. Now the building looks even worse, impossible though it seems, since SOME of the concrete panels have been torn off. It'd be just great if it was left that way indefinitely now.


It's dead. They are selling it. HFF has the listing.

[FoUTASportscaster]

Does this kill the Leonard Street project as well?

[clipper]

Actually the listing says they are hunting a joint venture partner, but I doubt anything will happen there unless they get one.

[kenc]

I'm not an engineer, so I may be talking out of my a**, but it looks to me as though the concrete panels are so attached to the brick facade that the brick is getting damaged in the removal process. If the brick gets pulled down with the concrete, then they are looking at replacing the facade- adding huge costs.
This may be one that gets torn down eventually.

[clipper]

They've been doing mock ups with new brick that matches. I think the plan was to replace the stuff that didn't match or paint with epoxy to match.

[Tnekster]

Actually the listing says they are hunting a joint venture partner, but I doubt anything will happen there unless they get one.

Developer seeks partner in warehouse redevelopment


A California developer who wants to transform one of downtown's largest vacant commercial buildings is looking for a partner.

For months, Bisno Development has been doing preliminary construction at the old Butler Brothers Building at 500 S. Ervay St.

The Los Angeles company plans to convert the old warehouse and office building into more than 400 residential units. The 93-year-old building is across the street from City Hall and started out as a wholesale distribution center.

But first, Bisno wants partners. The real estate company has hired Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP to advertise for "qualified investors" to enter into a joint venture on the project.

The city of Dallas has designated $15 million in tax increment financing funds toward redeveloping the building.

Steve Brown 6-21-07

[vman]

I walked pass the building yesterday and there were several city vehicles around the building and in the parking garage area. I couldn't tell what they were doing. I hope this project eventually gets on track!!!

[dfwcre8tive]

Has this project been canceled? Didn't they receive TIF funds from the city?

[Justin Terveen]

I heard it was squashed somewhere, but while poking around the property a few days back, I saw a few workers doing something on the west side of the structure...

[Justin Terveen]

photos from that same day....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2905643637_a12cb27380.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ninjatune/2905643637/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/2906485540_5b0403db0b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ninjatune/2906485540/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2906484656_ebb17da5aa.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ninjatune/2906484656/)

[aygriffith]

Wasn't this the same developer that was going to build condos on top of the parking garage near the Westin? I think it was, and if that was the case they had tons of inventory of housing in California that was driving them into the ground a half a year before this whole mortgage crisis was in full swing.

If anything it might be the code enforcement people out, they've been zeroing in on alot of empty buildings with code violations lately. Don Corleone Leppert isn't putting up with the run down buildings anymore...

[SDORN]

Understand, but with the slowdown in the economy Leppert, need to be patient, I know he want a cleaner city, but we don't to have tear down all the older building to do. how about kicking in some incentive, to get people in these older structures. Maybe a tax write off. example Urban Market, It is doing well Yes there were problem the urban market but it is doing well. It will take time!! . If leppert want to this city to grow, he needs to work with Preservationist and potentental buyer of these buildings. as I have said in other threads I support preservation of then Historic Building of Dallas
The Butler Building should be Preserved Built in 1910 This building should be preserved. Before we stated tearing building down al the option shuld be explored. They need to find some incentive to renovate and occupy thid building. It would be a huge assest to Dallas. I have yet to see Preservation project encouraged by Leppert from the ground up,yet From what I am reading he is in support of demoing the Statler Hlton, He is using code to get more of the building torn down.
Justin great shot from the rooftop!! i hope to get a crack at 500 s ervay shot as well someday.

[gshelton91]

drove by this weekend and saw something that looked like a window cleaning platform hanging off the top of the building.... not sure what is going on... might just be trying to fix some of the issues talked about by the above post

Seems like this would be a great building for dallas to invest in getting re-habed

[warlock55]

^ No, it's been there for a while. I got excited the first time I saw it too.

[dfwcre8tive]

From http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/04/27/story3.html

"Trigon will also manage two projects currently in the planning stage: the 233-unit Atmos Complex and the 489-unit Butler Brothers Building. The Atmos project is scheduled to begin construction in July, with Butler to follow by September, Baldwin said. Both projects are historic conversions, similar to The Merc."

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showpost.php?p=335260&postcount=956

[clipper]

I wouldn't bet on. I believe this one was recently scheduled for foreclosure.

[cowboyeagle05]

I wouldn't bet on. I believe this one was recently scheduled for foreclosure.

Well maybe they are negotiating to get it from foreclosure considering Hamiltons were not the group I believe that was originally going to renovate Butler Brothers building it was a another developer.

We will just have to see what happens.

[xen0blue]

From http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/04/27/story3.html

"Trigon will also manage two projects currently in the planning stage: the 233-unit Atmos Complex and the 489-unit Butler Brothers Building. The Atmos project is scheduled to begin construction in July, with Butler to follow by September, Baldwin said. Both projects are historic conversions, similar to The Merc."

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showpost.php?p=335260&postcount=956

How can the several-building Atmos complex have less units than the single-building Butler Bros. building?

[dfwcre8tive]

How can the several-building Atmos complex have less units than the single-building Butler Bros. building?

Atmos Complex: 249,114 sq ft.
http://dallascityhall.com/committee_briefings/briefings0209/ECO_UpcomingAgendaItems_020209.pdf

Butler Building: 341,223 sq ft.
http://www.dallascityhall.com/committee_briefings/briefings1106/20061120_EDH_PublicPrivate.pdf

[dfwcre8tive]

Who is developing this project now? Bisno was the former developer, but they were going to create 717 Leonard (http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=6375) as part of the deal.

[aygriffith]

How can the several-building Atmos complex have less units than the single-building Butler Bros. building?

They're supposed to level one of the atmos buildings for a garage. I think its one of the ones on the middle of the block thats less than architecturally significant.

[Bandito]

Enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bandto/sets/72157623016690609/

[dfwcre8tive]

This building would make some very interesting lofts.

[gshelton91]

At a NCTCOG meeting yesterday and noted that this building got a $1+ Million Dollar grant for street scape improvements..

And construction has to start by 2013... It would be really good news if they can get this building redone...

[Bandito]

That's great news! It really is a pretty brick building under that nasty facade. I wonder if they will renovate or renew?

[dfwcre8tive]

New owners, who will hopefully want to do something with the building:

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/500_s_ervay.php

[cowboyeagle05]

^The article says by the first of the year that they hope to have a plan for the building in place. Lets hope they move as quickly as possible so we can start construction and get rid of the current facade that's waiting to be removed now.

[Double Wide]

I know. They need to bring back the old brick facade like the version on the right

835

[Hannibal Lecter]

This building would make some very interesting lofts.The building has a lot of potential. But spend a few minutes walking around it. Realistically, how many people do you think will want to live on that block?

[AeroD]

The building has a lot of potential. But spend a few minutes walking around it. Realistically, how many people do you think will want to live on that block?

But isn't how that all starts? Who would have thought about living in the Cedars, Uptown, Knox-Henderson, Design District, Deep Ellum and Oak Cliff in 1990?

[vman]

The building has a lot of potential. But spend a few minutes walking around it. Realistically, how many people do you think will want to live on that block?
I think the main reason that block is a little sketchy is because there's a huge, vacant, rundown building on it. Rehab the building and the block improves dramatically.

[cowboyeagle05]

The building has a lot of potential. But spend a few minutes walking around it. Realistically, how many people do you think will want to live on that block?

People said the same thing about the Main Street District back in the day now there's people living all around and within Main Street District.

[dfwcre8tive]

Because of its size, the restoration of this building would serve as a catalyst to surrounding development. It is pretty sketchy right now, but it's also isolated from everything else. Fill in some of those lots along St Paul and Young and the area becomes a good connector between the Farmers Market and Main Street districts. The Lone Star Gas Lofts is already extending that activity south.

[mjblazin]

Filling that building would have a huge impact. Homeless population follows the path of least resistance. A huge building with lots of people is not a magnet. It's just the opposite. I don't know what it would do for other side of St. Paul and over to Harwood, but Ervay south of Elm would change for the better.

We could also help out at the Library by getting rid of the benches along Ervay and at the front door. To my knowledge, no law requires benches and I've never seen anyone but homeless on them. I don't remember the complete topography. If we have anything that looks like a horizontal surface besides the ground, it needs to go.

[cowboyeagle05]

Filling that building would have a huge impact. Homeless population follows the path of least resistance. A huge building with lots of people is not a magnet. It's just the opposite. I don't know what it would do for other side of St. Paul and over to Harwood, but Ervay south of Elm would change for the better.

We could also help out at the Library by getting rid of the benches along Ervay and at the front door. To my knowledge, no law requires benches and I've never seen anyone but homeless on them. I don't remember the complete topography. If we have anything that looks like a horizontal surface besides the ground, it needs to go.

Ridding public space of benches leaves you with NO people at all homeless or not so that's not the answer. If you take the usefulness out of public space it detracts and pushes all kinds of people away. The last thing we need to do is rid the library and its outdoor public space of places for people to linger and have lunch or read a book. I understand your reasoning to deter the homeless by preventing them from having a place to sit or lay down but the act of preventing that also prevents all people from enjoying the area. Look at the many Downtown Plazas we have now built over the years that have limited to no seating. There's no homeless but there's also no one sitting outside eating lunch, no one watching their children play, no eyes on the street, no one reading book. Removing functionality is not the way, in fact its one of the biggest things killing Dallas County's Dallas Historical Plaza behind the Records building. That thing might as well be a concrete parking lot if it doesn't encourage lingering behavior by all kinds of people in Dallas.

[mjblazin]

If any other people were using the benches, I'd agree. Maybe they pull them, wait till the neighborhood makes progress and bring them back. Or put them in the City Hall Plaza, just moving them a couple of hundred feet. Of course, maybe the original design by Pei prohibits that move.

[maconahey]

I just uploaded some pictures from my trip inside 500 South Ervay last January. I couldn't believe how HUGE that building was. It felt like it went on and on forever....

http://s1096.photobucket.com/albums/g330/maconahey/500%20South%20Ervay/

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g330/maconahey/500%20South%20Ervay/IMG_9011.jpg

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g330/maconahey/500%20South%20Ervay/IMG_8967.jpg

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g330/maconahey/500%20South%20Ervay/IMG_8959.jpg

[mjblazin]

Are those pillars the normal configuration throughout the office space. That would seem to limit office users. Combined with low celings and lack of windows in middle, not the best place to work.

[Rangers100]

I just uploaded some pictures from my trip inside 500 South Ervay last January. I couldn't believe how HUGE that building was. It felt like it went on and on forever....

Very cool. How did you get in (if you can share the secret)?

[cowboyeagle05]

Are those pillars the normal configuration throughout the office space. That would seem to limit office users. Combined with low celings and lack of windows in middle, not the best place to work.

Well it is an historic warehouse building. Most plans recently have planned to convert it to residential which would not have as many issues with the number of columns as it would be if it was being offered as office space. The low ceiling thing is not really that big of an issue either unless you plan on selling it as luxury living.

Maybe this could be an attractive building for family oriented residential tenants. Its closer to the Farmers Market, Urban Market and the City Library which can be more attractive to families than singles in some cases. It is a quieter area so their will be less dance club/bar noise to annoy parents and kids who actually sleep when the sun goes down.

Amenities could be oriented towards family activities. A rebuilt parking garage on the backside could have a large green space on top with playground equipment, small spray water park around a family pool, all above the street so parents don't worry as much about the homeless which will be a concern of any family moving Downtown no matter what. Attract a daycare to take up space in the building for residents and other downtown area children to patronize with a discount for building residents for a cheaper lease for the daycare.