Davis Garden District in North Oak Cliff

[katrina]

I just saw a spot on the news about the coming Davis Garden District in North Oak Cliff. They briefly showed a rendering of what it might look like. Does anyone know where to find it online?

Fun stuff!
Kat

[dfwcre8tive]

1,000 new homes planned for Oak Cliff
04:59 PM CST on Thursday, January 10, 2008
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA-TV
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080110_lj_watson.ca6fbdc.html

A major change is coming to a huge part of Oak Cliff.

It will impact several neighborhoods.

But this time, there's no controversy - just excitement.

The new development will take out aging apartments for new housing and retail.

Dallas city hall is big into these public-private partnerships, where the city puts in tax dollars and developers do the rest.

One in North Oak Cliff will cover about 600 acres and starts tomorrow with the demolition of apartment units.

Time has passed these old apartments by and the surrounding neighborhoods could face the same risk.

But because of developers investing in the urban core and city tax breaks, neighborhoods along West Davis Street are about to get an injection of new building.

Residents like Nina Powell think that's just fine.

"We think it will bring the home values up. We think it will continue to sell houses and flip houses quickly because of the retail and the new development," she said.

On Friday, the city and Incap Fund, a developer, will start the redevelopment of what they're calling the 'Davis Garden District.'

The project plans about 1,000 single family homes, town homes and condos.

The housing density means more people will live in the area and bring along something North Oak Cliff has needed for a long time - more stores and shops.

"Again, mixed use development is the key thing for Dallas as we grow before and that is combining in a way that's positive for the neighborhood residential and retail," said Dave Neumann from the Dallas City Council.

People living in these established neighborhoods had lots of questions, though, about whether the comfortable feel would be kept as new buildings go up.

They're satisfied the character will be preserved.

"We like the uniqueness of Oak Cliff. We like the fact that we look like a settled community," Powell said.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.

[katrina]

I dont see the rendering on the WFAA website either.

[DallasMan]

So, is this going to be higher density? I mean, does anyone know how many homes are being demolished and how many are being built? Hmmm...I guess we'll have to wait for more news on this to flesh this development out a bit more. Sounds exciting though!

[noelamador]

I think there are a few renderings in the www.kesslerwoods.com website. at least for some of what's being developed.

[noelamador]

^ go to phase III on the homepage and view the illustration.

[dfwcre8tive]

^ Not sure if this is the same project but here are the illustrations from that website:

[ericthegardener]

Dave Neumann's site says there is a kick-off event for the Davis Garden District tomorrow morning:

http://www.daveneumann.com/news/011108_gardendistrict.htm

and this...

http://www.buffaloniagara.org/Home/About_BNE/PressRoom/CurrentArticles/December/HousingDownBuyingSpotsTheBoomBypassed


From here, residents get an unobstructed view of the downtown Dallas skyline. Developer Scott Hager plans to spend $120 million building 90 to 100 condos and townhomes standing above the river levee.

"We're creating a sophisticated urban lifestyle at a prime location on the Trinity River corridor," Hager said.

A major factor driving new home sales is the soaring cost of energy. According to a study by the nonprofit research firm Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, the average commuter in Dallas spends 19.7% of his income on transportation and loses more time in traffic each year than a motorist in Los Angeles.

"At $1.50 a gallon, people could afford to make 25-mile-long commutes from (the northern Dallas suburbs of) Plano or Frisco, but at today's prices, Oak Cliff starts to look very attractive," said Alan McDonald, senior managing director of the Incap Fund, a Dallas-based private equity firm. Incap is investing more than $200 million to develop 5,000 residential units on 300 acres inside Oak Cliff's Davis Garden District TIF.

McDonald believes that Oak Cliff's value results from it being ignored for so long. "Instead of 'McMansions' and starter castles so prevalent in North Dallas suburbs, Oak Cliff's housing base consists of elegant older homes that would cost $600,000 were they on the other side of the river," McDonald said. "In Oak Cliff you can buy the same house for $300,000, spend $100,000 remodeling and have a $600,000 house just five minutes away from the city's best restaurants, nightlife and culture."

[SDORN]

I have photo of this One a cd somewhere.

[DallasMan]

Cool information, and interesting graphics. Nice to see that they are hopeful the streetcar will make it back to the Cliff. Still not a fan of all the modern though.

[xen0blue]

What about everyone in oak cliff BUT north oak cliff...north oak cliff is well off, its everywhere else that needs help.

[AeroD]

What about everyone in oak cliff BUT north oak cliff...north oak cliff is well off, its everywhere else that needs help.

Don't worry. All the artists and creative people that live in East Dallas will be outpriced of their own homes, and won't be able to afford East Dallas.

Next stop, Oak Cliff...South Oak Cliff. I say that just based on the fact I did meet someone in Bishop Arts who was bartending and is in band, and he says he got a home in South Oak Cliff cos' housing is still cheap. Artists usually flock together.

[KesslerDweller]

Don't get too excited. At the rate it is taking them to finish Kessler Woods, it should be about 2025 before this becomes reality.


^ Not sure if this is the same project but here are the illustrations from that website:

[Cliff Dweller]

In terms of density, there was a fair amount of empty space in the area they're working on. I'm pretty sure density will increase if they build everything they're planning on.

[tamtagon]

Dave Neumann's site says there is a kick-off event for the Davis Garden District tomorrow morning:

http://www.daveneumann.com/news/011108_gardendistrict.htm

and this...

http://www.buffaloniagara.org/Home/About_BNE/PressRoom/CurrentArticles/December/HousingDownBuyingSpotsTheBoomBypassed

From here, residents get an unobstructed view of the downtown Dallas skyline. Developer Scott Hager plans to spend $120 million building 90 to 100 condos and townhomes standing above the river levee.
.... Oak Cliff starts to look very attractive," said Alan McDonald, senior managing director of the Incap Fund, a Dallas-based private equity firm. Incap is investing more than $200 million to develop 5,000 residential units on 300 acres inside Oak Cliff's Davis Garden District TIF.


Has any new construction gotten started with the Davis Garden District, or are dilapidated buildings still getting torn down? When the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge is finished, I would imagine just about every part of North Oak Cliff and West Dallas will be relivant for similar gentrification.

[Cliff Dweller]

From what I've seen, they're still in the demolition phase along Davis. I believe they were waiting for the TIF to be finalized before starting.
I'm not sure I see the bridge as having much influence on development along Davis, since its terminus is in West Dallas, but I suppose it doesn't hurt.

[tamtagon]

From what I've seen, they're still in the demolition phase along Davis. I believe they were waiting for the TIF to be finalized before starting.
I'm not sure I see the bridge as having much influence on development along Davis, since its terminus is in West Dallas, but I suppose it doesn't hurt.

The bridge is going to hook up with Fort Worth Ave, right? With that connection and some thoughtful upgrades to FW Ave (becoming a significant reliever of I-30 traffic), a pretty big slice of Dallas would open up for new development.

Doesnt DART have plans to route a train through West Dallas/North Oak Cliff? A place in the Davis Garden District might be one of the best long term investments in the future.

[boozo]

The bridge is going to hook up with Fort Worth Ave, right?

Singleton Blvd.

Fort Worth Ave already has the Commerce street viaduct to Lew Sterritt.

[KittyPie]

Who is the developer for this project? Any idea on the timeframe?

Kitty Pie :bhat:

[katrina]

Incap Fund

[xen0blue]

there is so much land in south Dallas, particularly in the outskirts of oak cliff and pleasant grove, they should be building new stuff there before tearing down old stuff nearer in-town

[KesslerDweller]

Incap is buying land on the cheap ($10 - $15 a foot) in Oakcliff, packaging it together, getting a TIF from the City of Dallas, and then trying to flip it to developers. Incap is not building anything. They are trying to sell the land back to developers for $30+ a foot. The only thing you are going to get with $30 a foot land is townhomes and apartments mixed in with retail. This is not an urban renewal effort but rather a urban scrape and build. I don't have a problem with it. I think redevelopment is good for Dallas - just don't think that all of a sudden you are going to be able to buy a house for $300,000 next to downtown.

Alan McDonald is a principal at Incap. He started City Homes and sold it to Centex a few years back. He knows what a pain in the ass building is and how much liability you take on when you do it. It is likely he doesn't want to get back in that business. I wouldn't if I were him.

[TheMapman]

^^This is correct. INCAP isn't going to build anything. And the TIF was approved, but I don't think INCAP's funding has been approved.

[Cliff Dweller]

The above two posts are correct. I will just add that no, DART does not have any lines planned that go anywhere near Davis Garden. The red and blue lines as currently configured are about it for Oak Cliff for now (with the blue line extending further south eventually).
It would indeed be wonderful if the trolley idea took hold, but in my opinion it's highly unlikely.

[tamtagon]

Thanks for clearing up my misconceptions. I've always thought FW Ave would be an excellent route for street level light rail, and must have let the notion become a real plan.....

[cityconvo]

Actually DART is showing a 6 mile rail line as part of its 2030 plan that will run along Fort Worth Avenue or Singleton and terminate at Loop 12.

[TheMapman]

Actually DART is showing a 6 mile rail line as part of its 2030 plan that will run along Fort Worth Avenue or Singleton and terminate at Loop 12.

That's one possible alternative of many. But assuming that DART continues to expand on schedule, after the Green and Orange lines come the Blue Line extension to UNT-Dallas, and then I would expect a north LBJ line before anything gets to that area. Those were the two priorities of Dallas City Council last time around.

[ericthegardener]

A couple of small stories from Backtalk Oak Cliff:

http://backtalkoakcliff.typepad.com/back_talk_oak_cliff/2008/10/davis-avenue-corridor-study-progress-is-meeting-oak-cliff.html

http://backtalkoakcliff.typepad.com/back_talk_oak_cliff/2008/10/davisbishop-corridor-study-the-presentation.html

PDF of the presentation originally given at the October 22 meeting:

http://backtalkoakcliff.typepad.com/back_talk_oak_cliff/files/bishop_davis_land_use_study_102208_presentation.pd f

Local blog lists items discussed at October 22 meeting:

http://thinkdavis.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/public-meeting-october-22-2008/