Near East Dallas: New Henderson Ave. Developments

[DallasMan]

^They "lost" the temporary classroom space b/c they build the new annex to the high school across the street. I don't believe it has anythng to do with a drop in student population. I think the new building was supposed to help end the need for the temporary classes.

[Lakewooder]

From Dallas Business Journal:

An East Coast-style sushi restaurant will open in February 2008 in an ever-growing plaza on North Henderson.

Sushi Axiom, with its original location at 4625 Donnelly Ave. in Fort Worth, is owned by a pair of Vietnamese men, one of whom escaped war-shattered Vietnam in 1975 and came to Dallas.

Tran Diep, who will co-own Dallas' Sushi Axiom with Lee Nguyen, said he "left to avoid the communists" and ultimately was sponsored by a church in Garland, which gave him a place to live.

Diep said it's costing more than $500,000 - culled from a bank loan and equity from Sushi Axiom No. 1 - to finish out the space.


http://www.sushiaxiom.net/

[sheilock]

From Dallas Business Journal:

An East Coast-style sushi restaurant will open in February 2008 in an ever-growing plaza on North Henderson.

Sushi Axiom

http://www.sushiaxiom.net/

Nice! They just keep coming. I hope we have enough density to support these establishments.

[Lakewooder]

sheilock do you know if the Cochran Heights overlay hearing is still October 11? I can't remember if that is plan commission or council...

[sheilock]

I believe that is still the date, but I can't recall council, or commision...I have the voting letter somewhere-thanks for reminding me.

[sheilock]

I know this has been brought up before, but it's becomming more top of mind with all the new establishments opening in the next six months...
Henderson can already be hellish at times. I was discussing it with a developer friend of mine-over the next 18 months we'll easily see 5,000 new residents in the Fitzhugh/Henderson corridor. Couple that with the restaurant count on Henderson more than doubling in the next 6 months. Anybody care to discuss what some possible solutions are for the pending motor, and pedestrian traffic problems? Will it take some frogger-like accidents for the city to take notice?

[Lakewooder]

I heard there is a light-activated (yellow lights in street marking crosswalk) crossing on Cedar Springs. Last night driving through SMU I saw a new one...the person steps out and the lights go flashing all across the street pavement. That would be a great solution on Henderson without putting in a traffic light.

Wow - 5,000 new residents - I hope they are going to make the new developments pedestrian friendly - this could be an even better walking neighborhood.

[DallasMan]

^Yes! The pedestrian friendliness of this neighborhood needs addressing by the city. The Knox side is basically ok. However, the Henderson side is bad - even terrible. The sidewalks on both sides of the street are small and uneven in front of the restaurants and shops, and the sidewalks drop from poor to awful once you pass the main slew of shops and get closer to the elementary school.

In order to connect the new developments at Belmont and beyond to the first section on Henderson right off 75, the sidewalks NEED to be re-done AND widened. Considering the neighborhood is still transitional, lightin improvements would also be key.

[Lionel Hutz]

I will try to snap some shots of the developments on Henderson tomorrow and post them on Sunday.

[sheilock]

^Yes! The pedestrian friendliness of this neighborhood needs addressing by the city. The Knox side is basically ok. However, the Henderson side is bad - even terrible. The sidewalks on both sides of the street are small and uneven in front of the restaurants and shops, and the sidewalks drop from poor to awful once you pass the main slew of shops and get closer to the elementary school.

In order to connect the new developments at Belmont and beyond to the first section on Henderson right off 75, the sidewalks NEED to be re-done AND widened. Considering the neighborhood is still transitional, lightin improvements would also be key.

The thing is that right now you could actually get away with some sidewalk repair (maybe street widening?) without too much disruption, but if we wait too much longer...fuggetaboutit!

[Lakewooder]

Well I certainly brought it up constantly all through the bond package process a couple of years ago plus Mill Creek...

[GuacaMohle]

Next thing you know, Jimmy's on Fitzhugh will become James's on High Street!

Yep, just talked to a friend of mine from Boston who used to live down here. He doesn't even recognize Oak Lawn any longer. His old corner at Reagan and Rawlins now has Park Avenue-esque condos planted on it for sky-high prices. He's mourning the loss of affordable in-town living areas. Says soon we'll look just like real estate in Boston.

[GuacaMohle]

500 students is a shockingly high number.

I heard last week that plans are in place to close down the Bonham school on Henderson. I was quick to confirm that the building would be preserved as it is a beautiful structure. I'll be happy to not have to commute through a school zone any longer. Anyone know what plans may be forming for use of the building in the future?

[BGM]

I heard last week that plans are in place to close down the Bonham school on Henderson. I was quick to confirm that the building would be preserved as it is a beautiful structure. I'll be happy to not have to commute through a school zone any longer. Anyone know what plans may be forming for use of the building in the future?

A Bennigans . . .

[Lakewooder]

I can't imagine that, especially considering that it has been an exemplary school for the past few years. Has DISD received a developer offer it cannot refuse?

[Milkman Dan]

Hopefully it (Bonham) will remain vacant and an eyesore for decades to come ala Crozier.

Seriously, I think it's a pretty spiffy looking building but what on earth could it be used for besides a school? I assume it has not had asbestos remediation and so would be financially difficult to rennovate into, say, lofts or retail.

[LakeRidge]

Have any of you been to the Kennedy School in Portland,OR?

It is an old schoolhouse that has been converted into a bar/hotel/movie theater. It is the best use of an old schoolhouse I have ever seen.

http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=57&category=Location+Homepage

[gshelton91]

They just refurbished all the windows a year ago... seems odd they would get rid of it...

[tamtagon]

If DISD finds itself in a temporary situation in which the facility is not needed to teach students or for administrative office space, I think it's great to lease the building, but under no circumstance should DISD sell it. The reduction in students in East Dallas is temporary.

[trolleygirl]

I can't imagine that, especially considering that it has been an exemplary school for the past few years. Has DISD received a developer offer it cannot refuse?

That doesn't stop DISD from closing schools; attendance numbers do. Exemplary didn't stop DISD from closing Chappie James at Fair Park.

[Lakewooder]

I looked at the attendance zone map and this is starting to make sense:

http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/eszones2007/Bonham2007.pdf

Just about everything (as far as apartments) is being torn down in this zone.

The DISD site says the enrollment is 391 PK-3

greatschools.net says 382 students.

Since they go to JFK for 4th and 5th, I guess that enrollment will also fall -- it's listed as 650 on DISD site.

I think these numbers are for last year or the year before. I'm pretty sure they do the official enrollment count in the middle of October.

[sheilock]

I heard last week that plans are in place to close down the Bonham school on Henderson. I was quick to confirm that the building would be preserved as it is a beautiful structure. I'll be happy to not have to commute through a school zone any longer. Anyone know what plans may be forming for use of the building in the future?

You heard from whom? Close at the end of this school year? Has anybody else heard this?
Well I guess that will ease my traffic concerns...

[GuacaMohle]

I had been told by a neighbor who is a realtor in the area. I haven't heard a confirmation from any secondary source as yet.

[BGM]

I know this has been brought up before, but it's becomming more top of mind with all the new establishments opening in the next six months...
Henderson can already be hellish at times. I was discussing it with a developer friend of mine-over the next 18 months we'll easily see 5,000 new residents in the Fitzhugh/Henderson corridor. Couple that with the restaurant count on Henderson more than doubling in the next 6 months. Anybody care to discuss what some possible solutions are for the pending motor, and pedestrian traffic problems? Will it take some frogger-like accidents for the city to take notice?

I can't imagine the city will just do new sidewalks w/o the doing the streets as well. The whole stretch of Henderson needs to be repaved. That is "if" they get around to it. I thought the bond package L. Miller did would at some point get it repaved. Lower Greenville is in dire need of repaving as well.

[carousel]

^ The pavement on lower Greenville is horrible.

[sheilock]

how about while they're at it:
take the trolley up mckinney to knox...across to henderson, all the way to greenville...then back down ross to downtown. like magic we're bringing several entertainment districts together, alleviating parking problems, drunken driving liabilities, and giving access to several new establishments; thereby truly bringing a city together. charge a buck for a full day to pay for the whole darn thing...nah, makes too much sense :mumbles:

[gshelton91]

Something will have to be done... Henderson will not be able to handle all the new traffic. --- regardless of road condition.

Also bikers use this as a main route to get from uptown to WhiteRock Lake.... somehow we need to allow for that.

[sheilock]

i just drove down belmont, and noticed (hard to miss) they are scraping more land. that's the entire area from garrett to henderson, along belmont (across from the former perry homes site). i'm just wondering if anyone knows what's happening over there...? anyhow; sorry to be redundant, but if anyone wants to see an amazing large scale gentrification of a neighborhood...just drive down garrett street.

[BGM]

I saw that as well along Belmont--pretty impressive. The same thing will be happening along Bennett after they demolish those blocks.

[Lionel Hutz]

Some shots I took a few weeks ago:

A new Asian place right there by Louie's:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4300/cimg0523ht6.jpg

Barcadia is going in where Mr. Do is:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5601/cimg0525sv0.jpg

Capital Pub (this will be really cool):


http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1719/cimg0526xz2.jpg

[sheilock]

Capital Pub looks just about ready...I keep meaning to stop, and look at the signs, or ask someone who looks as though they have a clue; when the grand opening is. The shops on Henderson don't look far behind (tenants should start moving in soon).

[auburndan]

When is this place going to open? I don't see any activity going on there.

[sheilock]

When is this place going to open? I don't see any activity going on there.

i just drove by there...windows are all covered, and it appears that work is happening on the inside.

[sheilock]

A new Asian place right there by Louie's:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4300/cimg0523ht6.jpg

-just drove by there, and i think it had an OPEN sign on the window...i think the sign said it was called urban china. there was a back patio with all sorts of statues and sculptures. i can't find anything online, but by the name, and look of the place; it sounds/looks like something unique conceptually-as opposed to the standard chinese food joint. i love that this neighborhood is drawing new ideas, and concepts with character. :cheers:

[neilk]

A new Asian place right there by Louie's:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4300/cimg0523ht6.jpg

-just drove by there, and i think it had an OPEN sign on the window...i think the sign said it was called urban china. there was a back patio with all sorts of statues and sculptures. i can't find anything online, but by the name, and look of the place; it sounds/looks like something unique conceptually-as opposed to the standard chinese food joint. i love that this neighborhood is drawing new ideas, and concepts with character. :cheers:

I can't tell what it is. We thought is was a restaurant before it opened, but driving by, it looks more like a furniture store now. Either way, better signage (sp?) would be advisable.

[Lakewooder]

Does anyone know what happened with the Cochran Heights overlay? I think it went to the Plan Commission yesterday.

[BGM]

Anyone else notice the amount of trash and furniture at the demolition sites (like on Bennett) of the apartments that people leave ? There are couches, chairs you name it piled out in front that cleaning crews had to go in and throw into piles at the street. It's like the people living there just got up and left.

[sheilock]

Anyone else notice the amount of trash and furniture at the demolition sites (like on Bennett) of the apartments that people leave ? There are couches, chairs you name it piled out in front that cleaning crews had to go in and throw into piles at the street. It's like the people living there just got up and left.

the people may have left, but i heard the rats were still there, and none to pleased about the abatement...

[clipper]

If I were the people who live in the blocks around there I would go ahead and buy rat traps.

[Lakewooder]

Hmm reminds me of when Pancho's in Hillside burned...

[GuacaMohle]

I noticed this week that the convenience store on the other side of Playa Azul has vacated -- on the corner of that building that was only half renovated. Looks like the restaurant won't be far behind.

[lpepping]

I noticed this week that the convenience store on the other side of Playa Azul has vacated -- on the corner of that building that was only half renovated. Looks like the restaurant won't be far behind.

Is this the place on Ross that changed names a while back?

[gingersteve]

I heard that The Capitol Pub had its Grand Opening Last Night - did anybody manage to make it out there?

[Lionel Hutz]

I saw them putting the signage up for the Capitol Pub. Looks really cool. I'll snap some shots this weekend.

[carousel]

Went to the grand opening last night. Capitol Pub is in the spirit of the Idle Rich and Old Monk and I imagine will do fantastic and similar business. Peter of the Peter and Feargal team is the owner.

[BGM]

On the tear-down front demolition has started on one of the bigger apartments on Matilda south of Ross.

[Lakewooder]

I was driving around yesterday and it's bulldozer city -- I can't count the number of things going down right now.

Also went to Capitol Pub on Friday night - good crowd - the entire parking lot in front of the new Shops on Henderson - (not yet open) was almost filled.

[Tnekster]

I was driving around yesterday and it's bulldozer city -- I can't count the number of things going down right now.

Also went to Capitol Pub on Friday night - good crowd - the entire parking lot in front of the new Shops on Henderson - (not yet open) was almost filled.

How are the crowds at Coquitas?

[EastDallasLonghorn]

The first of the UDR assembled 2-story apartments off of Bennett is in the process of being torn down this afternoon, with asbestos abatement under way on several others. The wood frame is finally going up for Phoenix's first project at Belmont and Henderson as well as Trammell Crow Residential’s project off Fitzhugh. It's exciting to see some much happening at once.

Cuquita's is always packed, except Tuesday's when I think they are closed. Capitol Pub seems to be doing phenomenal, every time I've driven by day or night over the weekend the patio has appeared to be full! They have a great menu as well as some of my favorites on tap: www.capitolpubdallas.com

[c0ldgirl]

How are the crowds at Coquitas?


This place is always full. We've ditched trying to go there on more than 2 occasions because the parking lot was full.