Reply With QuoteI try to make it every time I am invited... Sometimes one of my clients gives me a pass... Or most of the time I just walk in, I know half of the people there so they never ask any questions.... LOL
No, never been there, but I've heard all about it. FC a good start and is part of the reason I think the fashion industry will be one Metroplex high growth industry in the future.Originally Posted by Insidetheloop
I try to make it every time I am invited... Sometimes one of my clients gives me a pass... Or most of the time I just walk in, I know half of the people there so they never ask any questions.... LOL
But Dallas has been a wholesale and retail fashion center for over 40 years. So I'm missing your point.
Oh okay, sorry. I think the Dallas marketplace will grow into a much more prestigious fashion center than it already is, taking a longer walk down the World Class runway than would be anticipated just from the population & spending growth within the trade area. The market in Dallas is reaching a critical mass allowing the city's proclivity for high fashion to generate its own weather. It will be as important for many lines to have a retail debut in Dallas syncronized with NYC, Chicago, Miami and LA - not so provincial anymore.
What I hope happens, is that Dallas will be able to bundle American AND European designer increased representation simultaneously. This would give the Dallas market significant independance from traditional American fashion headquarters.
We already know all of this, but pay particular attention to the highlighted area:
DALLAS STARS
Dallas is in the midst of a far-reaching public/private effort to revitalize the city.
Kevin Jeselnik
In January of this year, approximately 30 of Dallas’ most prominent professionals joined together to tackle the issue of economic development, which has been designated the city’s Number 1 priority. Over a 4-month period, this Stakeholder Task Force evaluated the city’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the major challenges hindering its growth.
The study found that the first step in revitalizing and establishing Dallas as a top-tier city — in the vein of Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles — is to reinvigorate the downtown core. In order to do so, an expansive effort has to be undertaken by many public and private groups throughout the city.
“We had to look at what Dallas really was and we concluded that the city needs to redefine its urban character,” Karl Zavitkovsky explains. Zavitkovsky, a recently retired managing director at Bank of America, is the newly appointed director of the Dallas Office of Economic Development (OED) and headed the task force that created the city’s plan for economic development.
“We have traditionally thought of the central business district as bounded by the expressways,” Zavitkovsky says. “In order for our traditional downtown to be successful, we have to link it to surrounding neighborhoods.”
The city is taking a leading role in the effort to create a more inviting, vibrant city. But the OED is not alone in its endeavor.
“Every time I go downtown and walk the streets, I see a new project starting construction or a new restaurant or retail space,” says John Zogg, managing director of asset management and leasing at Fort Worth, Texas-based Crescent Real Estate Equities. “I can tell that our downtown is evolving into something that will be very special, and as a lifelong Dallas resident, [I think] that is really exciting.”
All over the city, public and private institutions are undertaking a variety of exciting projects that will draw money and attention away from the sprawling suburbs and back into Dallas. In order to do so, the task force proposed a plan that calls for the city to dramatically increase the number of multifamily units in its core, retain and attract corporate tenants, and create a unified downtown by linking together the various areas disconnected by the interstates. The key to revitalization is drawing residents, businesses and consumers back to the city’s Downtown, Uptown and Arts District neighborhoods. A number of projects are underway or in the pipeline that aim to do just that.
Hillwood is developing the W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences in Victory Park. The project is the first W-branded hotel in Texas and will offer 261 hotel rooms and 144 condos in two towers, the 33-story North and nine-story South towers.
One of the primary goals set forth in the task force’s meetings earlier this year is to significantly increase the number of residential units to approximately 10,000. Nowhere is this movement more evident than in Victory Park, a mixed-use community in Uptown by Plano, Texas-based Hillwood. The 72-acre development is already home to American Airlines Arena and the second building is scheduled to come on line in May of 2006. The W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences is a $70 million project that will deliver 252 hotel guestrooms and 144 condominium homes in two towers. The 33-story North tower will house the hotel, 64 condos, and a two-floor spa and fitness center as well as Ghostbar, a trendy nightclub that will be located on the top floor.
Hillwood will own the building; McCarthy Building Companies is serving as the construction manager for the development. The W project, designed by architecture firm HKS Inc., is one example of the surge in contemporary, architecturally significant properties that are now rising on the Dallas skyline — a trend that is occurring in every real estate sector. The focus in Uptown, though, is firmly on the multifamily market
The development of the W Hotel and Residences marks the first major high-rise project in Dallas in 20 years. According to Chris Peck, vice president of business development at McCarthy, the high-rise condo market is hotter than it has been in quite a while. “I don’t know if Dallas has seen this kind of run on residential condos in the last two decades. The W project is certainly creating a lot of excitement for urban living and we are seeing a lot of other residential construction projects in Victory and throughout Uptown and Downtown that are coming on to the market.”
Philippe Starck and YOO UK are bringing The House, a 26-story condominium tower, to Hillwood’s Victory Park. The House is expected to be open for occupancy in early 2008.
There are other residential projects under development in Victory Park, including The House from renowned designer Philippe Starck and New York and London-based developer YOO UK. The 26-story tower will feature 150 modern luxury homes ranging in size from 1,000 to 3,500 square feet. Individual units will be priced from $375,000 to $2.5 million. The building will also include 30,000 square feet of retail at the street level that will be anchored by an upscale grocer, an essential retail component previously missing from the city’s downtown core.
Situated on 1.67 acres, the $70 million project is located at the southern tip of Victory Park, steps from the Arts District, another example of the blurring of the boundaries between the neighborhoods. Manhattan Construction is the general contractor. Elkus Manfredi of Boston designed the building and Starck provided his innovative design style for the interiors and public space. The House should be ready for occupancy in early 2008.
Just beyond Victory Park in Uptown, ZOM Development is adding another high-rise to the skyline. The $27.6 million Mondrian will offer 146 residential units and approximately 25,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The building will total 20 stories with two levels of two-story urban lofts flanking the central tower. Tribble & Stephens is serving as the general contractor; RTKL Associates provided design and architectural services.
The current influx in residential development is not exclusive to Uptown. In Downtown, the city has taken its first steps in redeveloping underused assets into viable urban draws. The OED recently entered into an agreement with Cleveland-based Forest City to redevelop an entire city block of blighted buildings. The former Mercantile Bank complex will bring approximately 1,000 units of for-sale and for-rent multifamily space to the area along with 35,000 to 50,000 square feet of retail space.
“The hope is that this will substantially change the environment in our Downtown, where there are a lot of Class C office buildings,” Zavitkovsky says. “It’s a gamble, but I’m very optimistic. There is a limit to what the city can do, but our job at the OED is to create an atmosphere that stimulates market forces.”
So far, the OED has succeeded getting individuals and companies at the local, national and global level to take a vested interest in the city’s future. Another goal that sprung from the task force’s meetings was to retain existing businesses and attract new corporate tenants. Like Hillwood, another prominent local developer is bringing an important new project to the city. Billingsley Company is developing One Arts Center, a mixed-use building that will be located on the cusp of Downtown and the Arts District, with 7-Eleven signed on to relocate its corporate headquarters from across town in CityPlace Center. One Arts Center will consist of 425,000 square feet of office space (300,000 of which 7-Eleven will occupy), 30,000 square feet of retail and 110,000 square feet of residential space in 60 condos.
Billingsley Company is developing One Arts Plaza, a mixed-use complex in Dallas that will incorporate 425,000 square feet of office space, 30,000 square feet of retail and 60 residential condominiums in 110,000 square feet.
Blocks from the site on which One Arts Center will rise, the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation is undertaking a massive effort to bring world-class performing arts venues to the Arts District. The non-profit group was formed in late 2000 and charged with facilitating the development of five separate projects that would enliven the Arts District, which has experienced very little growth since its inception in the late 1970s.
“Our campaign is a 9-year project,” says Bill Lively, president and CEO of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation. “We’re raising $275 million to build the eastern terminus of the Dallas Arts District. We are four-and-a-half years in and we’ve raised $191 million so far.”
The project is proof positive that the private citizens of Dallas are taking an active role in the city’s future, Lively says. “We have 75 gifts of $1 million or more. The entire concept of the Dallas Arts District is the product of the private sector; it is providing 93 percent of the cost.”
The 75,000-square-foot Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre is a one-of-a-kind theater that will incorporate the non-performance space in a “stacked” design in 11 floors above and below the auditorium.
The main attractions of this new development will be the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre. Along with the opera house and theater, there will be an outdoor theater named after former Dallas mayor N.M. Strauss; the Grand Plaza, a large park designed by Paris-based landscape architect Michelle Davie that will connect the new and existing buildings throughout the district; and an underground parking structure for which development will begin on November 10. Once the parking structure is complete in early fall 2006, the Foundation expects to begin construction of the venues.
Though the development is far from its 2009 completion date, it has provided a noticeable economic boost to the area. “What this project has done is stimulate the whole area around the Arts District,” Lively explains. “Property values began to appreciate more than 1 year ago. We announced groundbreaking several months ago and now you have residential and retail developments planned all around.” Along with the 7-Eleven headquarters relocating just east of the Arts District, two other undisclosed $100 million mixed-use projects have just been announced in or around the neighborhood.
Construction for the 198,000-square-foot Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, designed by London-based Foster and Partners, is expected to start in 2006 and end in 2009.
The Center for Performing Arts is providing for Dallas a sense of sophistication and quality that few U.S. cities’ fine arts facilities can rival. Both the Winspear Opera House and Wyly Theatre were designed by world-renowned, Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architects. The unique buildings will join with the Nasher Sculpture Garden, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Meyerson Symphony Center to give Dallas five buildings designed by Pritzker Prize Laureates, a feat unmatched by any of the nation’s top-tier cities.
The Winspear Opera House will be a 2,200-seat venue designed specifically for opera and all forms of dance and musical theater. The 198,000-square-foot project will serve as the anchor of the Arts District’s eastern terminus. Sir Norman Foster of London-based architecture firm Foster & Partners created the design. Linbeck, a Texas-based construction firm, is providing construction management services. The striking red exterior of the Winspear Opera House will serve as a distinctive focal point for the Center’s Grand Plaza. A 60-foot high curved glass wall will provide views of the facility’s distinctive interior.
The Wyly Theatre was designed by Rem Koolhaas of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), a renowned firm with offices in New York City and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. McCarthy will serve as construction manager. “The design will be one-of-a-kind and incorporate new and innovative design techniques never before seen in the performance theater world,” McCarthy’s Peck says.
The 11-story, 75,000-square-foot theater will seat 575 and will incorporate some advanced mechanics that will allow for a variety of interchangeable layouts. The performance area can be configured in a variety of ways, even becoming an open, outdoor theater if a performance calls for it.
When the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts is complete, the city expects the new venues to infuse $170 million a year into the Dallas economy and create 2,000 permanent jobs. It is truly exciting to see non-traditional projects stimulate the city’s economy, Zavitkovsky says. And the growth of the Arts District, which is located right between Downtown and Uptown, is essential to the OED’s goal of providing a connected, expanded downtown core.
The primary obstacle keeping Uptown separated from Downtown and the Arts District is the network of interstates weaving through the center of the city, creating the boundaries of its distinctive neighborhoods. The Woodall Rodgers Freeway is one example, a recessed expressway separating the two districts at the northwest point of the city. Built below grade, it creates a discernible rift when one passes over it, says Zogg, whose company, Crescent Real Estate Equities, began the movement to bridge this gap nearly 2 years ago.
“When you drive over Woodall Rodgers Freeway, you feel a transition,” Zogg explains. “You know you have made a move from one area to another. And what we want to accomplish is a seamless transition between these two neighborhoods.”
To this end, Crescent has teamed up with the Dallas Real Estate Council, private citizens, the city and the state to develop a 5-acre deck park over the freeway. The Woodall Rodgers Park will create that connection between the neighborhoods and serve as a great urban walking environment in Dallas. Much like Millennium Park in Chicago and the Big Dig in Boston, the Woodall Rodgers Park will essentially be constructed atop a bridge that will span the freeway separating Downtown from Uptown.
Crescent and the Real Estate Council have each committed $1 million to the project. Jody Grant and Texas Capital Bank have also each provided $1 million. The city has committed $15 million and the state is providing $10 million.
With the appropriate funds in place, Dallas-based architecture firm Carter & Burgess is currently finishing up the initial feasibility studies and helping design the platform upon which the park will be built. The park is tentatively scheduled to come on line in late 2009.
A number of other projects that will create open, public space are underway in Dallas. Three additional parks are underway and several new bridges are planned for the Trinity River corridor in southwest Dallas. These projects provide further evidence the city is working toward providing a safer, more enjoyable urban environment for its residents. As these and the many commercial and residential projects open over the next 5 years, the city will become a more vibrant, attractive destination.
Through the efforts of an expansive array of local, national and global parties, Dallas is on the rise. The city had the foresight to step back and evaluate the direction in which it was headed and has effectively assessed its strengths and weaknesses in order to reprioritize and focus on developing assets that will help establish the city as a top-tier market in every sense.
^ Thanks for posting, what publication is this story from?
So, it's probably asking too much for this NOT to be a referance to either the Hunt HQ building, Lincoln Properties, or the Lone Star site inside the Arts District????
undisclosed, but announced?
shhhhh. it needs to be a secret.
then why would they be announced? Announced to whom?
http://www.texasrebusiness.com/artic...05/cover1.html
Thanks, jsoto3. Yea, that's where it's from.
I wouldnt really expect it from a real estate publication, but DART rail is one other important component increasing the quality of life for residents as well as the attractiveness of Dallas as a destination. By the time all the commercial projects identified in the article are open in 2010, downtown neighborhoods will be connected by twice as many rail lines.A number of other projects that will create open, public space are underway in Dallas. Three additional parks are underway and several new bridges are planned for the Trinity River corridor in southwest Dallas. These projects provide further evidence the city is working toward providing a safer, more enjoyable urban environment for its residents. As these and the many commercial and residential projects open over the next 5 years, the city will become a more vibrant, attractive destination.
Who knows what additional CBD projects will begin to form in the next five years, but I'm thinking they will be at least as substantial as what's coming online today.
This is an interesting concept on the second tallest building in Philly...but I'm not sure any of our trophy towers are candidates:
Liberty Two Buyer Said to Explore Partial Residential Conversion
By Marita Thomas
PHILADELPHIA-On condition of anonymity, two developers with condo properties under way in Center City tell GlobeSt.com that representatives from America’s CapitalPartners have had discussions with city officials about converting the top 25 floors of Two Liberty Place into residential condos. Neither source would identify the officials. Both also suggested that the required renovation would take about two years, and, thus, as one put it, “miss the mark (of residential demand).”
A published report that Miami-based ACP is exploring converting sent ripples through both the office and multifamily real estate sectors here. Center City office vacancy is above 15% and projected to climb above the 20%-level next year, while residential condos are proliferating downtown. Calls to America’s Capital, Shorenstein and the local office of CB Richard Ellis, which obtained the building’s office leasing assignment from Shorenstein in Nov. 2004, were not returned by deadline.
America’s Capital is in the process of acquiring the 58-story, 1.2-million-sf office tower from San Francisco-based Shorenstein Co. While Cigna, the largest tenant in the building, has renewed until 2016, it has downsized by approximately 200,000 sf, and Ace Ltd. is exiting to its own building. In all, the building faces a hole aggregating approximately 800,000 sf.
Dave Campoli, who manages Boston-based HRPT Properties Trust’s office properties here, tells GlobeSt.com, “Certainly taking 250,000 sf off the office market would be beneficial right now. But, a negative, a big negative in my view, is the indication that an outside investor doesn’t have faith in the Philadelphia business community’s ability to generate business and fill office space for workers. It’s pretty sad that a big building like Liberty II can’t be filled.”
Acknowledging, “I’m not an expert in condos,” Campoli adds, “it’s just my hunch that there’s soon to be a condo glut.” While some older buildings are considering conversion to condos, which gives them a 10-year tax abatement, “I don’t see this as a trend –not on Market St.” At a recent real estate conference here, Peter Linneman, a real estate professor with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, head of Linneman Associates, and a frequent speaker on real estate trends, cautioned about over-development and rising prices of Center City condos. “If you have a condo, sell it to the first U. of Penn graduate willing to buy it,” he said, “and, if you’re looking to buy one, wait two years.”
Jeff Algatt, regional manager of the local office of Marcus & Millichap, lists pros and cons for GlobeSt.com. On the plus side, “it’s a high-quality building in a very good location with jobs, services and entertainment nearby,” he says, adding, “I think demand for downtown living will continue.”
Among the challenges, he says, “it’s a very large floorplate and apartments need windows and light. I’m not sure how that can be accomplished. Meeting the sensibilities of both office workers and residents in a mixed-use environment is a delicate situation, but I’m sure it can be overcome. “
He notes that he has some concern about over-supply (of downtown residential). “I think demand will continue, but how much is a question.” Contemplating an average unit size of from 1,000 sf to 1,100 sf in the approximately 250,000-sf space, Algatt arrives at a guestimate of about 227 units and says, “that’s not a huge amount. I think there could be demand.”
^Interesting article and having visited Philly this summer the condo market there does seem to be really strong. I don't think any of our trophy towers would work since most of them are sitting at over 90% occupied. Strange as it may seem I really think downtown suffers from a lack of good space. You can find enough class B or C space to last seemingly forever but Class A seems more difficult to come by. Interesting that Comcast has what will be Philly's tallest building under construction now.
Here is an article about Jos A Bank going to FW. Are they still planning a CBD store?
JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Sundance Square Ready to Sign Lease
By Connie Gore
Last updated: September 7, 2005 06:40pm
(For more retail coverage, click GlobeSt.com/RETAIL.)
FORT WORTH-Putting an end to months of speculation, Sundance Square Management Co. LP has confirmed it has hit the final stretch to sign JoS. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. for a prime CBD corner, vacated earlier this year by Pier 1 Imports. Not only is it a key backfill, but the landmark lease will mark the first time in decades that a national menswear retailer has been part of the square's lineup.
JoS. A Bank Clothiers, headquartered in Hampstead, MD, is working out final details for a long-term lease for 4,500 sf of a 6,000-sf storefront at the corner of Fourth and Houston streets. The balance of the top-tier retail space is under negotiation with a complementary shop, Johnny Campbell, president and CEO of Sundance Square Management, tells GlobeSt.com.
The 100-year-old retailer will go before the city's downtown sign review board this morning as part of the permitting trail so construction can begin on a shop at the hard corner of a key intersection in the 20-block mix of street-front retail and entertainment set in turn-of-the-century buildings. JoS. A. Bank hopes to be opening doors in November on its second store in Fort Worth and 27th in the state. "We've got a lot to get done between now and then," Campbell says.
Campbell says the JoS. A. Bank's addition is part of a push to build a soft goods corridor into the multifaceted, Main Street-style component that has made Sundance Square popular with tourists and locals alike. "Adding a recognized retailer of this caliber and reputation opens a new chapter in Sundance Square retailing," he says.
With more than 290 stores in 38 states and the District of Columbia, JoS. A Bank Clothiers' latest fiscal report showed net sales have reached a record $373 million. The menswear retailer, marking its second year of an expansion strategy, plans to add 60 to 75 shops this year in the US.
The Sundance Square news helps to ease the brunt of losing three restaurants, all owned by Planet Zolon, over the weekend. But, Campbell says, stay tuned because the backfill was already in play and should be announced before the week ends to keep the adaptive reuse CBD development at its historic 100% occupancy.
Interesting article, but they missed a lot of opportunities...
24 hours in Dallas
September 22, 2005
The Dallas skyline is filled with lights and colors when seen from the top of the South Side on Lamar lsouth of downtown Dallas. (Shane Bevel/The Times)
Before you go
For planning check out these resources.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit: www.dart.org.
Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau: (214) 571-1000. Log on to www.visitdallas.com. Photo Galleries:
24 Hours in Dallas
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The plan? 24 hours in Dallas. The reason? Art, food, night life and shopping. The challenge? Leave the car in Marshall, Texas.
We set out to see if downtown Dallas could be conquered without the convenience of a car. We parked at the Amtrak train station in Marshall and hopped aboard the Texas Eagle at 9:30 a.m. one Saturday.
Relying on the DART light rail transit system and a bit of footwork, we were able to get around downtown Dallas without much hassle.
The Arts District anchors downtown and can easily chew up an afternoon.
For nightlife, Deep Ellum and the South Side districts are easily accessible by DART travel, cabs or shuttles.
And for shopping on Sunday, the Dallas Farmers Market is a short walk from most downtown hotels. The Mockingbird Station shopping and entertainment center is a few stops away by DART.
In other words, the next time you plan a weekend in Dallas, take the train and bring a good pair of walking shoes.
Getting to and around Dallas
9 a.m.
Marshall Amtrak Depot and the Texas & Pacific Railway Museum
After a 45-minute drive from Shreveport to the north side of Marshall, Texas, you'll find yourself at a station that doubles as a museum and an Amtrak station. The westbound Texas Eagle line stops there at 9:30 a.m. every day. Arrive at 9 a.m., and you will have ample time to park your car in the free lot and tote your bags to the Amtrak train station.
Though the T&P Railway Museum won't be open before your train departs, it's worth a visit if you're in Marshall.
We arranged a quick tour of the exhibition with museum caretakers Claire and Hal Evans. They showed us artifacts and historic photographs, none more interesting than a bustling, smoky view of the train station from the 1920s.
9:30 a.m.
Amtrak's Texas Eagle
"Walk like a duck." That's the advice Conductor Larry Doyle gives passengers trying to walk between cars of the Texas Eagle. To stay steady while the train gently jostles over the track, point your toes outward, take wide steps and go.
The train is a stress-free, surprisingly quiet way to spend a speedy 31/2 hours of travel time. The seats on the upper level, where coach passengers sit, are big and comfortable. Storage space for luggage is generous.
From the lounge car, scenes of small- town life in Texas slide streamed over big, panoramic windows. Passenger Michelle Schroeder, who got on the train in Milwaukee and relaxed in the lounge car with "The Piano Teacher," was chaperoning 20 teens en route to San Antonio. Though she wishes she had booked a sleeper ticket for her 36-hour journey, she seemed completely at ease with her book.
"We wanted to make sure the kids got a better experience," Schroeder said as she smiled and looked out of the window to a rush of summer foliage.
You can grab a full lunch before stopping at Union Station in Dallas. Head to the dining car at noon. In about 35 minutes, we finished vegetable quiche ($9) and an Angus burger ($8.25). Parties smaller than 4 will be seated with other passengers.
Diner Kaan Akin, a professor from Norman, Okla., summed up his reasons for choosing the train travel succinctly. "It takes longer, but you'll live longer."
Amtrak Station in Marshall
Station hours: 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
Ticket office hours: 4-11:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.
Where: 800 N. Washington St., Marshall.
Station info: (903) 927-2442.
Train info: www.texaseagle.com.
Reservations: One roundtrip coach ticket is $44. Purchase by logging on to www.amtrak.com or calling (888) 872-7245. All tickets purchased will be FedExed to you for $12. You also can purchase tickets at the Marshall window during evening hours, but this will require an extra visit.
Railway Museum in Marshall
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 pm. Tues.-Sat. Other times by special request for groups of 12 or more.
Tours: $2, adults; $1, children.
Location: 800 N. Washington St., Marshall.
Info: (903) 938-9495 or www.marshalldepot.org.
1:02 p.m.
Union Station in downtown Dallas and DART
Know your trip from Marshall to Dallas may be delayed by freight trains using the tracks. They get priority, but the ease of traveling on the Texas Eagle is well worth a few extra minutes.
Our train to Dallas arrived at Union Station 18 minutes early. We retrieved our luggage, walked across the platform to catch a ride on Dallas's DART light rail system. Just purchase a $2.50 day pass from the yellow self-serve kiosks on the platform and get unlimited rides on the Red and Blue lines, which stop at stations throughout the city every 10 minutes.
$4.50 will get you tickets to the bus system too, but we found light rail to be adequate.
The light rail system is reasonably busy during morning and daytime travel. Travelers who don't know their way around Dallas may prefer hotel shuttle services and cabs during the night, but we felt safe on DART trains at every hour, despite one panhandler who insisted on showing us the contents of his cooler: one sandwich. Such encounters shouldn't discourage couples and groups from using DART when reasonable.
Before you go
For planning, check out these resources.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit: www.dart.org.
Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau: (214) 571-1000. Log on to www.visitdallas.com.
Magnolia Hotel
1:25 p.m.
Two stops north from Union Station is Akard Station. Get off there, walk east to the corner of Akard Street and walk three blocks south to the Magnolia Hotel.
Centrally located, spacious rooms with nice amenities and renovated in a modern style, the Magnolia is a great choice for a downtown stay.
Where: 1401 Commerce St.
Info: (214) 915-6500 or www.magnoliahoteldallas.com.
Shuttle service: Magnolia guests can use a free shuttle service between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. that covers a three-mile radius. The Arts District, Deep Ellum and Southside all are within reach.
Tips: Walk-up rates during our weekend were $139 per night. The hotel's Web site offers discounted weekend rates during the summer as low as $99 per night. Book in advance.
Other hotels
Adam's Mark Hotel Dallas: (800) 444-2326.
Adolphus Hotel: (214) 742-8200.
AmeriSuites Dallas, West End: (214) 999-0500.
Fairmont Hotel: (214) 720-2020.
Hampton Inn, Downtown Dallas, West End: (214) 742-5678.
Holiday Inn Dallas, The Aristocrat: (214) 939-3639.
Hotel Lawrence: (214) 761-9090.
Arts and culture by day
2:02 p.m.
Latino Cultural Center
Ricardo Legoretta's beautiful building will attract you to this arts and community resource center, but true rewards hide behind its heavy, wooden double doors. General Manager Alejandrino Drew said, "It's small but it's definitely worth a trip from downtown," and she was right.
It contains a small gallery of work for Latino artists and a 300-seat theater. The exhibit we toured featured a juried competition of local contemporary works. Currently on view is "Cuba Oriente: Contemporary Paintings from Eastern Cuba." It closes Aug. 20.
Must-sees are the voluptuous "Reclining Woman" sculpture by Columbian artist Fernando Botero and "Orientations," a gorgeous installation that features a digitally projected, picture-changing light mural in the center's interior rotunda.
Where: 2600 Live Oak St., just east of Good Latimer Expressway.
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.
Admission: free; special events may require fees.
Info: (214) 670-3320 or www.dallasculture.org/latinocc.
Tips: Call ahead or check the Web site for a list of dance, theater and music performances.
DART stop: Pearl Station, two stops east of Akard. Walk south to Live Oak Street and head east three blocks.
Dallas Museum of Art
2:55 p.m.
This 102-year-old Dallas Museum of Art anchors the downtown Arts District, and travelers should schedule ample time for a tour of its exhibitions. The building offers four floors, six permanent exhibitions, a variety of traveling exhibitions and plenty of beauty to get lost in.
Its current stunner is a travelling exhibition, "Gordon Parks, Half Past Autumn." Presenting 130 photographs from Corcoran Gallery of Art's collection, it maps Parks' work from 1940 to 1997. Parks came to prominence in the late 1940s when he began publishing photographs of poverty and racial injustice in Life magazine. From views into segregation in the South to speeches by Malcolm X, Parks captures subjects at their most expressive moments.
We met Janice Gossett and Daniel Billingham from the Shreveport area while touring the contemporary art galleries. Gossett said she'd never been to a museum before. "I saw signs for the Arts District and decided to check it out," she offered. "I'm really glad we came in."
Where: 1717 North Harwood.
Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Wed.; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.
Admission: $10, general; $7, senior citizens; $5, students; free, members and children younger than 12; free, Thursdays from 5-9 p.m. and the first Tues. of every month.
Info: (214) 922-1200 or www.dallasmuseumofart.org.
Tips: Weekends tours of the museum take place 2-3 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. The DMA's Atrium Cafe offers soup and salad and light lunches. Their flavored lemonades, including mango, are replenishing. Joint tickets for the DMA and the Nasher Sculpture Center start at $16.
DART stop: St. Paul Station, one stop east of Akard. Walk north on Harwood Street to the Arts District, roughly a 15-minute walk. Travelers wanting to conserve their steps for the DMA should head back to the Magnolia and take the shuttle.
Nasher Sculpture Center
3:35 p.m.
"I don't know what to think. I just wonder what gave him the idea to do that," said Ed Chappell of Hurst, Texas, about Jonathan Borofsky's "Walking to the Sky." This outdoor sculpture, which features people walking up a poll stretching 100 feet in the air, is just one of many objects to ponder at the Nasher Sculpture Center.
This museum opened in 2003. Its naturally lit indoor galleries and an exquisitely designed outdoor sculpture park are exclusively devoted to 20th- century sculpture. Works by Richard Serra, Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso can be found among a first-rate collection.
Where: 2001 Flora St. between Olive and Harwood, directly across from the DMA.
Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Wed., Fri.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.
Admission: $10, general; $7, senior citizens; $5, students; free, members and children 12 and younger. Joint tickets for the DMA and the Nasher Sculpture Center start at $16.
Info: (214) 242-5100 or www.nashersculpturecenter.org.
Other attractions in the Arts District
Dallas Symphony: (214) 692-0203 or www.dallassymphony.com.
Crow Collection of Asian Art: (214) 979-6440 or www.crowcollection.org.
Dallas World Aquarium
4:12 p.m.
Observed Times photographer Shane Bevel, "It's like walking into a set of 'Jurassic Park.'"
The Dallas World Aquarium is not just a series of indoor tanks. It's an indoor ecosystem with a path that winds down from the birds in the tree canopies to the turtles and fish in the pools.
"Unlike other zoos, you are in the environment. You feel a part of it," said Lafayette resident Tawny Lebouef. She was leading her son, Micah Tullia, through the exhibits.
Felipe Ortega, a new Fort Worth resident from Chile, was surprised by what he found during his first visit. "I was thinking about just an aquarium, but not all of this forest," Ortega said as he and Viviana Letelier took pictures of a manatee on the other side of a glass wall.
The aquarium includes a beautiful waterfall, tropical birds, monkeys, a huge crocodile and an underwater obser-vatory for sharks, a la "Jaws 3-D".
"You don't get to see the rainforest very often. A lot of these animals are very unique," said Dallas resident Jack Tinsley, who shared a smile with wife Linda.
Where: 1801 N. Griffin St.
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day.
Admission: $15.95, general; $12.95, senior citizens; $8.95, ages 3-12; free, ages 2 and younger.
Info: (214) 720-2224 or www.dwazoo.com.
Tips: At the aquarium's Jungle Cafe, kids can get slushies and adults can get frozen margaritas. Be mindful of where you set those drinks.
Food and clubs by night
The Green Room
7:06 p.m.
For some, no trip to Dallas is complete without a stop in Deep Ellum district. We chose to start our tour of the night life with dinner at The Green Room, which sits next to The Trees music club. Established in 1994, this restaurant and bar has quickly grown into Deep Ellum's version of the Hard Rock Cafe. Its offers much better food and grittier charm than this unfair comparison.
Chandeliers are fashioned from drum cymbals. Plates are signed by band members from Cracker and Pavement Spiral. Don't worry if you haven't heard of the names. In the restaurant, the emphasis is decidedly on great food.
The food, in a word, is fabulous. The menu offers a "Feed Me, Wine Me" option, for which the chef chooses your appetizer, salad, entree, dessert and wine for $70.
You can skip the wine and get the food for $45, like I did. Just tell the wait staff your dietary restrictions and let them bring it.
I started with fried green tomatoes in an avocado sauce, moved on to an entree of braised beef short rib and garlic-flavored cauliflower mashed potatoes, and then finished with an almond cheesecake covered with raspberry sauce. Every bite, gone.
Being that the short rib entree was $29 by itself, the "Feed Me" choice is a bargain.
Where: 2715 Elm St. in Deep Ellum district.
Restaurant hours: 5:30-11 p.m. daily. Last seating at 10:30 p.m.
Bar hours: 4:30 p.m.-midnight Sun.-Tues.; 4:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Wed.-Sat.
Info: (214) 748-7666 or www.thegreenroom.com.
Tips: Reservations recommended. The bar will close early if slow.
Getting there: Since light rail does not go into Deep Ellum, it's best to take the free hotel shuttle or a cab. Log on to www.dart.org for a bus route from your hotel.
Take in Deep Ellum charm
9 a.m.
You can't help but be won over by the quirky charm of Deep Ellum while walking its streets. From fake chalk lines painted on the sidewalk outside the Franzinni's Pizzeria & Conspiracy Bar to the 24-hour glow of Cafe Brazil, the districts awash in atmosphere.
Besides popular music clubs like the Gypsy Tea Room, there are lots of distractions to pursue. Memory of a shamelessly affectionate pooch inside Far Fetched Imports lured me through its doors. I ended up buying a carved toad figurine for $10, and I was happy to overpay Lama, the smiling store owner, for it.
From Deep Ellum to South Side
9:30 p.m.
Since many Shreveporters have done Deep Ellum, we decided to head to a newer center of nightlife: the South Side on Lamar building that's just south of downtown.
From Deep Ellum, we hoofed it to the nearest light rail stop at Pearl Street by walking through the Good Latimer Expressway tunnel. Since the tunnel was dark and littered with trash and glass, I'd recommend taking a cab to the next destination.
But for the adventurous who make it through to the other side of the tunnel, hop on either westbound Blue or Red line at Pearl Street station and get off at the Cedars Station, six stops away. You'll have a lonely walk to the west on Bellview Street to the South Side building about two blocks away, but the route passes by a newly built police headquarters.
Smarter travelers than us can take a 20-minute bus ride directly from Deep Ellum to the South Side. Log on to www.dart.org and click "DART Trip Planner."
South Side on Lamar, a former Sears, Roebuck & Co. merchandising center, includes nine floors of lofts and a basement level "indoor street" leading past a coffee shop, video store, artist galleries, grocery store and more.
Standard & Pours Coffee & Stocks
10 a.m.
This Wall Street-themed coffee shop, bar and live music venue is located in the basement of South Side. Music is free and if the talent of Fat Palace was a good indication, Standard & Pours is a great place to get a caffeinated groove on.
Owner Pascale Hall says South Side residents take advantage of the music, but word is gradually spreading around town.
Beer and wine are available, and this will please revelers seeking an alternative from the bar scene.
Fat Palace guitarist Johnny Ferrell enjoyed the opportunity to play there. He says he doesn't smoke, but he's been playing clubs for a long time. "I was afraid of getting lung cancer with all the smoke in the air" at other venues, he said.
Chester Yeary, who listened from the back during the band's set while surfing on his wireless laptop, said he likes the casual atmosphere. "It's not too busy. I used to live in Deep Ellum, and trying to find parking and waiting got old," he said.
If you didn't have dessert at dinner, try one of their frozen "coffee coolers." Loaded with chocolate and whipped cream, they make a rich end (or beginning) to a night of entertainment.
Where: 1409 S. Lamar St., Suite 012
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-10 a.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 7:30 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.
Info: (214) 565-0383 or www.standardandpours.com.
Tips: Bands play almost every night they're open. Check the Web site for dates and times of upcoming shows.
Poor David's Pub
10:46 p.m.
Causal bar-seekers and aspiring songwriters, get thee to Poor David's Pub. Located a block north of Standard & Pours, it's easy walking distance.
There you'll be serenaded by musicians like Brian Burns and John M. Greenburg. Lovers of good-ole Texas country, Burn spun off lines like, "Don't tell mamma I'm a guitar picker, she thinks I'm just in jail."
Many of the venues' small, circular tables were littered with more than one beer per patron. But the mood was relaxed, and most of the half-packed house seemed focused on the stage.
Near the window sit three different sections of box seats labeled "President's Box," "Mayor's Box" and "Governor's Box," along with a caution to "evacuate" if any of the suspects show up.
Said Clay Cayce, who was manning the musicians' merchandise near the door, "It's really musician friendly. Eighty percent is nonsmoking. They like to have a crowd, but they like you to hang out and not make noise for no apparent reason."
Six baseball-capped gentlemen outside, all too lubricated to hold public office (we hope), agree Poor David's was the place because "it really supports local music."
Where: 1313 S. Lamar St.
Hours: 8 p.m. until ... Wed.-Sat. Bar closes when musicians finish. Days very based on schedule.
Info: (214) 565-1295 or www.poordavidspub.com.
Cover charge: varies.
Tips: Most shows are general admission. Check Web site for upcoming schedule. Music styles change from night to night.
Gilley's Dallas
11:15 p.m.
Urban cowboys aren't dead, but they sure are a' changing.
A gigantic nightclub and live music venue that gets lots of top-name country acts, Gilley's attracts cowboy hats, Hawaiian shirts, tiger prints and lots of tight clothing (both women and men).
We visited during the tail-end of a Kentucky Headhunters show, and the applause in between songs was unfortunately pathetic. The empty-looking house held about 200 people, an off night for certain.
Youth surrounded the mechanical bull in the back. Zach McGinniss, a 19-year-old urban cowboy who recently moved to Dallas, paid $5 to ride. "I wanna do rodeo," he said. "Country music and horses is what Texas is all about."
Later, after he had fared better than most, he admitted his riding skills were a ruse for disco deficiencies. "If you can't dance, you got to learn to rodeo."
Minutes later, after the Kentucky Headhunters finished, Britney Spears' "Toxic" piped through the speakers and McGinniss bolted for the door.
Advice to Mr. McGinniss: Rent "Urban Cowboy." Real ones dance.
Where: 1135 S. Lamar St.
Hours: 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Thurs.-Sat.
Info: (214) 421-2021 or www.gilleysdallas.com.
Cover charge: varies, but often between $3 and $9.
Tips: $5 mechanical bull rides. Cowboy hats optional.
Absinthe Lounge
12:06 a.m.
As our last stop of the night, we visited the Absinthe Lounge, also located in the basement of South Side on Lamar. Decorated with velvety curtains and chairs and lit just enough to see the glow of revelers faces, it feels like a bohemian speakeasy where the only ticket to entry is an open mind.
On Friday and Saturday nights, a DJ spins records in the back. Round high tables are surrounded by friends. Some listen to the music, others chat and a few more will sample cigars from the bar's humidor.
"The desperate housewives of Plano don't know about this, and it's so fabulous," Jennifer O'Connor said. She custom-makes cowboy hats for rock stars of the real and self-imagined variety, all of which could be lounge regulars. "I love it. It's so underground."
A visit there is not complete without sampling a signature drink like the Absintini or the Good 'n Plenty. Bartender and manager Constance Smith prepares the drink by pouring absente (a modern, legal alternative to the European absinthe, which is banned in the United States) over sugar cubes resting on a slotted spoon. Once she's done pouring, she lights the cubes on fire for drama.
This spot offers a casual end to a couple's night of entertainment. But be careful: Their specialty drinks are potent.
Where: 1409 S. Lamar St., Suite 008.
Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Tues.-Sat.; 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Sun.
Info: (214) 421-5500 or www.absinthelounge.net.
Tips: Wear something shiny. All patrons dress fashionably.
Shopping on Sunday
Dallas Farmers Market
9:15 a.m.
On a Sunday morning, the Dallas Farmers Market is a wonderful place to spend the cash remaining from a long night of entertainment.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are abundantly present in two sheds. From watermelons to Texas oranges, squash to strawberries, pineapples to gorgeous peppers of all colors, there is no better place in Dallas to buy fresh produce.
For Janet and Tony Creed of Louisville, Texas, there's only one rule to shop by: "You need to taste it, because you need to know what you like." They had a few sacks filled with squash, tomatoes and peaches, and said their take would last family and friends about a week. "We buy enough to fill up the bottom layer of the truck," Tony laughed.
In nearby sheds and lots, you'll find southeast Asian spices and fresh seafood for cooking, chimineas and plants of all sizes for the garden, baroque decorations for the kitchen, and southwestern furniture.
Natividad Rios, of Rios Interiors (www.riosinteriors.com), showcases a huge collection of rustic furniture, including couches, bar stool and table sets, and mesquite desks, cabinets and dining tables. His clients range from young couples seeking odds and ends to retirees decorating a second home.
"Our overhead is very low," Rios asserted. "We can give them a great deal."
Before you shop, stop by El Mercado Cocina Mexicana, the market's only restaurant, for a cheap, decent breakfast or lunch. It opens at 8 a.m. daily, and closes at 3 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Where: 1010 S. Pearl St.
Hours: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
Info: (214) 939-2808 or www.dallasfarmersmarket.org.
Getting there: The nearest DART stations are the Convention Center or Cedars, which can be reached on the southbound Red or Blue lines. You still will have to walk a few blocks to get to the market. The No. 3 bus line will drop you at the front.
Mockingbird Station
11:30 a.m.
Described as an "urban village" by its developers, Mockingbird Station is an open-air mall surrounded by loft apartments. It's like a richer cousin of Bossier City's Louisiana Boardwalk.
Located near Southern Methodist University, Mockingbird Station offers restaurants, pubs, a multi-screen independent movie theater and many stores, including boutiques and higher-scale national chains.
Stores include Urban Outfitters, Victoria's Secret, Francesca's Collections, The Gap, Ann Taylor Loft and more. Restaurants include Spike, Trinity Hall Irish Pub, Reikyu Sushi Bar, Starbucks, Rockfish and others.
Where: 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane.
Info: www.mockingbirdstation.com.
DART station: Mockingbird Station. From downtown, head northeast on DART's Red or Blue line. It's four stops from Akard Station.
Angelika Film Center
Elise Granelli, a manager at the eight-screen Angelika Film Center, is a transplant from New Jersey who apparently loves her job. Sporting dreadlocks, sparkles and an irrepressible smile, she likely will start up a friendly conversation with you if the lobby isn't too busy.
In addition to showing independent and international films, the Angelika offers a cafe with a nice list of coffees, wines, beers, sandwiches, salads and deserts.
Carolyne Gray and Diane England were sharing a lunch during our visit. Gray, who described herself as someone who's always loved good movies, described the Angelika as "absolutely wonderful."
Where: Mockingbird Station.
Info: www.angelikafilmcenter.com/dallas.
Tips: For a list of films, prices and discounts, check the Web site before you go.
Movida Boutique
From club wear to chic dresses and tops, Movida Boutique's house motto is "fashion forward," according to manager Leah Burnard.
The women's store includes lines from Seven (denim), Joe's Jeans, Blue Cult (denim), Trunk (vintage T-shirts), and BCBGirls (clothing, shoes and accessories).
None of the items are cheap at regular price, but a lot of items were made affordable by sale prices.
Burnard said a lot of women come in to get dressed up for the "young, hot" Dallas night life.
Whether you're in the mood to browse or beauty up the wardrobe, Movida is a small boutique that's big on good fashion. Their staff was personable and very well dressed, a great sign for shoppers seeking solid fashion advice.
Where: Mockingbird Station.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon-6 p.m. Sun.
Info: (214) 821-8669.
Virgin Megastore
At stores like Virgin Megastore at Mockingbird Station, you pay a little extra for having a little bit of everything under one very big roof.
It's basically a Barnes & Noble for music and movie lovers, and it offers a plethora of listening and DVD-viewing stations, knowledgeable staff and lots of movie tie-in paraphernalia you wouldn't find at smaller mall stores.
Dallas resident Tony Phan considers the Virgin to be a "little expensive," but he shops there occasionally because "they have a better international collection than anybody else."
This Virgin Megastore has the obligatory racks of International, R&B, rock and pop and contemporary Christian CDs.
But you'll also find a small but solid collection of current vinyl albums, a book section that offers music titles like Henry Rollins' "The First Five," and a collection of movies that reaches much deeper than the Targets and Best Buys of the world.
Where: Mockingbird Station.
Hours: 10 a.m.-20 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 10 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat; 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Sun.
Info: (214) 615-3887 or www.virginmega.com or www.virginmegamagazine.com.
Check-out and lunch
Iron Cactus
1:30 p.m.
Outside the Magnolia Hotel's doors is the Iron Cactus, a nicely designed Mexican restaurant and bar. It offers a full, high style, nice urban patio and plenty of TVs to waste away two hours before you head to the train station. The fish tacos are light and tasty.
Where: 1520 Main St.
Info: (214) 749-4766 or www.ironcactus.com.
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon.- Wed.; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thurs.-Fri.; noon-2 a.m. Sat.; noon-10 p.m. Sun. Kitchen closes at midnight Mon.-Sat.
Holy Cow- that's some info! But nice job by this guy...
I've been wanting articles like this. Very intrigued about what one "actually can do" without a car. Of course the 102 yr old museum (misleading?) would be a "must see". Thanks for the posting this article barry.
The appeal of Dallas, the appeal of the Dallas CBD is linked to DART, for residents and visitors. As the train grows with East- West accessibility, the number of destination stations will double. Transit oriended developments to reshape neighborhoods like the Market Center area and East Dallas will add variety. With six new destination stations near the CBD (Fair Park, Baylor, Deep Ellum, Victory, Market Center, Parkland), convenience and variety of use among this expanded collection of central LRT destinations put public transportation in Dallas over the threshold to improve the area's quality of life.
After 25 years, DART trains routes finally do more than replace bus routes; the urban community will have an immutable transportation foundation.
When does Dart service commence for Deep Ellum and Fair Park?
June 2009 Downtown to Fairpark -the first half of the orange line will open in June 2009 including the Deep Ellum Station, Baylor station(also in Deep Ellum), and Fairpark Station.
Opening Dates for DART PDF
I was in the Bay area, CA this week for work. I was talking with this very nice woman from SF about Dallas. She had recently been in the city, in fact was in town during the Katrina evacutation. She went on and on about how nice Dallas is and how prospersous the city appeared to be. Also made comment on how nice the people were and how impressed she was with the efforts Dallas was making towards the citizens of N.O. I thanked her for her kind words and said I was happy she liked the city. Anyway, thought I would share. Hers was just one of several comments I heard from this group from around the country with very positive things to say about Dallas.
This is very exciting. The expansion of our entertainment disricts is vital to the long-term success of Dallas. Easy transportation to these districts is essential.
That's great to hear. And it's only going to get better.
WSJ DOES DALLAS
Downtown Dallas gets front-page treatment in today's Wall Street Journal. The story--online for WSJ members only--is headlined "Dallas Revisited: Still Struggling After '80s Bust, Downtown Tries to Woo Families." The city has given a bunch of tax breaks and cash to small-time retailers. Local banks haven't been as enthusiastic, as one couple eventually tapped a bank in Houston for money to redo a residential loft. Consultants say downtown Dallas still needs 5,500 residents to reach the critical mass of 10,000. Make that 5,502. My wife and I, who have lived downtown for almost two years, have found a house in East Dallas and will be moving in February. Read on, if you care.
Continue reading "WSJ DOES DALLAS"
Adam McGill · 10:03 AM
WSJ DOES DALLAS
Downtown Dallas gets front-page treatment in today's Wall Street Journal. The story--online for WSJ members only--is headlined "Dallas Revisited: Still Struggling After '80s Bust, Downtown Tries to Woo Families." The city has given a bunch of tax breaks and cash to small-time retailers. Local banks haven't been as enthusiastic, as one couple eventually tapped a bank in Houston for money to redo a residential loft. Consultants say downtown Dallas still needs 5,500 residents to reach the critical mass of 10,000. Make that 5,502. My wife and I, who have lived downtown for almost two years, have found a house in East Dallas and will be moving in February. Read on, if you care.
I still firmly believe downtown is burgeoning, on the brink of greatness. I've seen it inch closer and closer as months go by. It seems like new projects--retail and residential--are popping up every other week. As the WSJ article points out, work crews are everywhere. And all of this activity is before the Trinity gets under way and Woodall gets covered.
Then why are we leaving? A couple of reasons: first among them, our building is too fancy for us. We live at 1505 Elm, luxury condos with a wine cellar we never use, a weight room that I rarely visit, a small movie theater, a Moroccan-themed lounge, an outdoor pool, a sauna, a room for massages--fancy, fancy, fancy. My wife and I don't take advantage of all of the amenities available to us. They've become an extravagance that we really should forego in our nest-egg-forming years. So there's that. Another reason: luck. We finally found an affordable mid-century modern-design home, something we've been looking for almost a year. Also: I want a dog.
We can't wait to move in, but we know we'll miss downtown. We'll visit and reminisce. We'll bemoan the drive home, rather than enjoy a short stroll.
By the way, if you're thinking of buying a condo downtown or know someone who is, I know a bargain: Check it out.
Dallas Business Journal - 2:57 PM CST Monday
Dallas Citizens Council trumpets activity downtown
Kerry Curry
Managing Editor
Dallas has never been more alive, according to a new video previewed by the Dallas Citizens Council during its annual meeting Monday.
About 750 people, many from the city's business and government elite, gathered to see "Coming Soon," a marketing video detailing what's happening in Dallas.
The Citizens Council, whose basic mission is to support issues important to the quality of life for Dallas residents, also passed the chairmanship from Elaine Agather, whose held the position for the past 2 1/2 years to Tom Dunning. Dunning, who ran an unsuccessful race for mayor against Laura Miller in 2002 is chairman and CEO of Lockton Dunning Benefit Co.
Both Agather and Dunning, along with a who's who's list of civic and business leaders, were featured on the film.
They talked about everything from the Calatrava suspension bridges to be built over the Trinity River to new office and condo developments downtown. The first of three signature bridges, all designed by by architect Santiago Calatrava, is scheduled to break ground this Friday.
The video also touted the Dallas Performing Arts Center, which recently broke ground and new residential and industrial developments under way in southern Dallas, one of the city's most impoverished areas.
Dunning said the city will be transformed over the next five years, with the completion of the performing arts center, two new office buildings downtownb and three new luxury hotels scheduled to come on line.
Upcoming challenges will include seeking funds to renovate the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park and seeking long-term commitments from the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma to continue to host the Texas-Oklahoma football game. The Dallas City Council was scheduled to hear a proposal to renovate the aging stadium during a Monday meeting.
Dunning said the Citizens Council would also continue its commitment to improve public education and higher education during his tenure as chairman. The Dallas Citizens Council was a lead supporter of the Dallas Independent School District's bond package and has pushed for more state funding for public schools.
kcurry@bizjournals.com
A few nights ago I was passing over downtown around midnight during final approach to Love Field and I have to say that I definitely was surprised by the high amount of activity going on in the streets. Lots of headlights and taillights. It appeared to be fairly busy.
It was nice to see.
I did that too on Sunday night, around 9 pm, and Elm Place was all ablaze. Definitely the most visible thing in downtown.
I tell everyone...I smile just because...I've got a city love...
Very Exciting!!!
I would LOVE 2 b on a plane 2 Love field passing over DT Dallas @ night seeing all that activity!!! LOL this gets me VERY excited. Cant wait to visit BELOVED CITY[Dallas] next year!!:bounce:
http://www.downtowndallas.com/current.htm#wsj
CDA FOLLOWS UP ON WALL STREET JOURNAL COVERAGE OF DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS
On November 28, the Wall Street Journal highlighted development in Downtown Dallas in a cover story article. Many Central Dallas Association members noticed key developments missing from the coverage, and therefore, the Executive Committee of the CDA has submitted the following Letter to the Editor as a follow-up. There's much to celebrate in Downtown Dallas, and we want to make sure you know it all! Please let us hear from you with your thoughts on the Wall Street Journal's coverage, and our response below by emailing info@downtowndallas.org.
Dear Editor,
Downtown Dallas is undergoing one of the greatest metamorphoses in its history. As urban centers throughout the country follow the trend toward revitalization, Downtown Dallas is a shining example of what monumental change can be achieved. In the Wall Street Journal article dated November 28, 2005, “Still Struggling after 80’s Bust, Downtown Tries to Woo Families,” some of our successes were outlined in Steve LeVine’s narrative of Downtown Dallas’ history. However, we found several critical developments missing from the article that will enable your readers to understand the true scope of what is happening here, and what the future holds.
§ The article cited $160 million of public funds invested in Downtown Dallas for residential development, but did not point out the $650 million of private investment that was attracted by the public incentives. Nearly all of this new development money was used to transform 4 million square feet of obsolete office space into modern residential and retail use. Furthermore, just this year, a second Tax Increment Financing district was created that will invest an additional $70 million of public funds in a $200 million-plus private development by Forest City Enterprises.
§ 2,200 residential units either began construction or were announced in 2005, including the groundbreaking of The Mercantile Complex by Forest City Enterprises and Mosaic Towers coming in December. This will double the number of residents living in the Downtown core in less than two years.
§ Downtown Dallas currently boasts the largest urban Arts District in the country. Adding to that, the new $275 million Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, which will include an opera house, theater, performance hall and grand plaza, broke ground on November 10.
§ With the construction of the Dallas Center for Performing Arts, Dallas will be the only city in the world that has four buildings within one contiguous block designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize winners.
§ The Trinity River Corridor is undergoing transformation into what will be the centerpiece for Dallas, providing breathtaking aesthetics and first-class recreational facilities including an equestrian center, lakes, trails and three bridges designed by Internationally-acclaimed architect, sculptor and engineer Santiago Calatrava. Work begins on the first bridge this month.
§ Two of the first new-construction office building projects Downtown in over 20 years broke ground this year - One Arts Plaza, a mixed use office, retail, residential development in the Arts District which will be the new home of 7-Eleven’s headquarters; and the Hunt Consolidated office building.
§ Six new upscale, boutique retailers have opened in the Main Street District in just the last 12 months, including Downtown’s first full-service grocery store, Urban Market. And the Neiman Marcus flagship store, located Downtown for nearly 100 years, continues to be one of the retailer’s top performers annually.
§ Downtown is no longer confined to the urban core, but now includes portions of Uptown, The Trinity, Victory, Deep Ellum and The Cedars. Development in these areas is integral to the overall development of Downtown, and is certainly not considered competition as the article implied. Within these areas, which are all within a 1-mile radius of the core, over 25,000 Dallas residents live.
§ Additional greenspace will be added to the landscape of Downtown Dallas with parks that are in the works, including three core locations in the Central Business District and a 5-acre deck park which will bridge a freeway and unify Downtown.
There is much to celebrate in Downtown Dallas. These aren’t just plans to hang our hopes on, but developments that are happening now! This is the complete picture of Downtown Dallas the nation should see.
Regards,
The Central Dallas Association
Executive Committee of the Board of Directors
hummmm, will that population tally double before 2010?
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas...05/daily8.htmlDallas Citizens Council trumpets activity downtown
Kerry Curry
Managing Editor
Dallas has never been more alive, according to a new video previewed by the Dallas Citizens Council during its annual meeting Monday.
About 750 people, many from the city's business and government elite, gathered to see "Coming Soon," a marketing video detailing what's happening in Dallas.
The Citizens Council, whose basic mission is to support issues important to the quality of life for Dallas residents, also passed the chairmanship from Elaine Agather, whose held the position for the past 2 1/2 years, to Tom Dunning. Dunning, who ran an unsuccessful race for mayor against Laura Miller in 2002, is chairman and CEO of Lockton Dunning Benefit Co.
Both Agather and Dunning, along with a who's who list of civic and business leaders, were featured on the film.
They talked about everything from the Calatrava suspension bridges to be built over the Trinity River to new office and condo developments downtown. The first of three signature bridges, all designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, is scheduled to break ground this Friday.
The video also touted the Dallas Performing Arts Center, which recently broke ground, and new residential and industrial developments under way in southern Dallas, one of the city's most impoverished areas.
Dunning said the city will be transformed over the next five years, with the completion of the performing arts center, two new office buildings downtown and three new luxury hotels scheduled to come on line.
Upcoming challenges will include seeking funds to renovate the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park and seeking long-term commitments from the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma to continue to host the Texas-Oklahoma football game there. The Dallas City Council was scheduled to hear a proposal to renovate the aging stadium during a Monday meeting.
Dunning said the Citizens Council would also continue its commitment to improve public education and higher education during his tenure as chairman. The Dallas Citizens Council was a lead supporter of the Dallas Independent School District's bond package and has pushed for more state funding for public schools.
kcurry@bizjournals.com
What are three new luxury hotels they've mentioned?
My guesses: Joule Urban Resort on Main, convention center hotel, the remodeled Aristocrat. whatcha think?
Obviously they're jumping the gun a bit on the convention center hotel.....
I think he is talking about the Joule, W and Ritz.
I guess W, Ritz and Mandarin Oriental
Nothing offical has come out about the mandarin oriental. So dont think they would count it as of now.
Hot club's quarrels with police boil over
Dallas: Officers say Blue draws crime; owner thinks it's a bad rap
10:35 AM CST on Wednesday, December 28, 2005
By JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News
In the lavish interior of the uber-hip downtown Dallas dance club Blue, the simple, typed black-and-white signs stick out.
KYE R. LEE/DMN
Two years after opening, downtown Dallas nightclub Blue remains a hot draw among the dance-club set, but its owner and police are at odds about whether it has a serious crime problem. "Word to the wise," they proclaim. "Dallas police officers are outside to harass and arrest you."
They urge exiting patrons to go straight to their cars and go home, to avoid fighting, congregating or otherwise attracting attention.
"It's a shame that we've got to have this in here," said veteran nightclub owner Keith Black. "But it has come to this."
Dallas police say Blue has a serious crime problem and they're just doing their job.
When it opened in 2003, downtown watchers had high hopes for Blue, the result of a $6 million overhaul – including more than $1 million in city money – of a run-down historic building at Pacific and Harwood streets. It was, and to a certain extent still is, "the hottest club in Dallas," as its marketing heralds.
Two years after its highly anticipated opening, about 5,000 people – mostly black and Latino – still pack the massive 18,000-square-foot space on weekend nights to catch hot new rap acts or just groove to the thundering bass.
Mavericks and Cowboys players are regularly spotted in the second-floor VIP lounge.
But police say that the once predominantly upscale clientele has been edged out by a younger, more aggressive crowd of 18- to 20-year-olds.
They say there are more serious crimes inside and around Blue than at other clubs its size, including Escapade and DMX, both in northwest Dallas.
DMX has yet to shake an infamous reputation that grew out of a November 2001 brawl that led to the shooting death of Dallas police Officer Christopher Kevin James.
Downtown police commanders fear history could repeat itself.
"Having an officer killed, that's what we're terrified of," said Lt. Tom Lawrence, who supervises the Central Business District. "We're trying to get people to move downtown. There are neighborhoods starting. I don't think anybody down here wants to have such a problem club like this. It's frustrating."
But Mr. Black, who has owned some of Dallas' swankiest nightclubs, including Lime and Iguana Mirage, said he has done all he can to make conditions safe at Blue.
The club stopped selling beer in bottles so people couldn't wield them as weapons. He installed metal detectors and an ID checking system "that would make the airport jealous," he said.
Mr. Black has instructed his door staff to work harder to identify problem patrons and keep them out. He also has spent nearly a half-million dollars over the past two years on off-duty police to work outside the club.
Despite all this, Mr. Black says, he feels that police single out his club by congregating near it at closing time, laying in wait to antagonize his patrons. He also accuses officers of padding Blue's crime statistics.
"Have we had fights? Yes. Name a club that hasn't," Mr. Black said. "If we were dealing drugs or running prostitutes, I could understand all this attention. But they are stereotyping our clientele."
The police view
Deputy Chief Brian Harvey, who commands the central patrol division, said police are just responding to the high number of fights and incidents inside and outside the club.
"That club came to our attention because of the numbers," said Chief Harvey, who said he watched patrons pour out of Blue on a recent Sunday night fleeing closing-time fisticuffs inside.
"When I was standing on Harwood at 2 o'clock in the morning and the crowd was running out the door because of the fights going on inside, people were saying, 'I ain't coming back here! This is craziness!' Is that edgy? Does that equate to a world-class entertainment district?"
Police say that overnight downtown crime inside the freeway loop is up 26 percent from midnight to about 8 a.m., but it is down 18 percent during the day and down 13 percent during the earlier evening hours. The biggest increase is in violent crime, which is up 41 percent overnight.
Blue contributes significantly to that trend, police say.
Dallas police say that there was a rape, five robberies, and 13 aggravated assaults – seven of which listed club employees as suspects – alleged to have occurred inside Blue from January through early October.
Blue competitors DMX and the two Escapade clubs – high-volume nightspots located on the same property – had five and eight aggravated assaults, respectively, for the same period.
This includes crimes not only inside the clubs, but also in their parking lots, police said.
"Some of these complainants are coming out of Blue with split lips, Maced, missing gold chains, alleging security put hands in their pockets and stole things," Chief Harvey said. "We just don't see those offenses at other clubs. That all goes back to crowd management."
Mr. Black said many of the incidents have been overblown.
"Out of the 19 violent crimes that supposedly occurred in Blue, not one arrest or conviction, to my knowledge, has been made," he said.
Punched in the face
But few dispute that there have been some serious violent incidents inside the club.
Kerry Drosno said he was dancing at Blue on Nov. 13 when he saw someone near him take a swing at a bouncer.
"He looked around at me, and he thought I did it," said the 20-year-old Dallas man, who filed a police report. "He hit me. By the time I woke up, I was outside. My mug shot was full of blood."
The blow left three teeth broken, one at the gum line. "I can hardly eat," said Mr. Drosno, who had gotten out of prison a few weeks earlier after serving a year on gun and drug charges.
"I shouldn't even have been there," he said. "I had only been to that club once before. It has a reputation. I'm never going back."
Looking at total offenses linked to the clubs, DMX actually leads Blue with 131 crimes from January through late December, compared with 79 at the downtown club. Sixty-three crimes were associated with Escapade's address.
But accurately measuring total crime for these clubs is difficult because unlike Blue, DMX and Escapade have their own parking lots. Crimes inside those clubs and on the lots are reported as having happened at the club's address.
Blue only has a small valet parking lot. Most patrons park in pay lots across the street on Harwood, and it is difficult to determine which crimes in those lots are tied to Blue and which are not.
"Inside our four walls, we've got things under control," Mr. Black said.
From January to late December, police logged 149 reports from the 1900 block of Pacific Avenue, which encompasses Blue and the parking lot many of its patrons use.
Unfair association?
Officers, Mr. Black said, sometimes list the nightclub's address on offense reports about fights and shootings in the pay parking lots across Harwood Street. Those lots aren't part of Blue, although patrons of Blue and other clubs park and often congregate there.
Mr. Black said that the Aug. 1 shooting that killed a man and injured the grandson of City Council member James Fantroy is an example of how his club is unfairly linked to crimes that don't happen there.
The incident began when Demitri Thomas, 22, of Mesquite and his girlfriend were leaving Blue, returning to their car in one of the lots across the street. A fight broke out when another man began talking to Mr. Thomas' girlfriend. Shots were fired, and Mr. Thomas was struck. He died hours later at a hospital.
The council member's grandson, who had been in the parking lot socializing about 25 feet from the brawl, was struck by a stray bullet, police said. The police report says the shooting occurred in the "club/bar parking lot" and lists Blue's address.
Mr. Black disputes the location of the shooting.
"The shooting of Councilman Fantroy's grandson was erroneously reported at our address," he said. "The actual shooting happened three to four blocks away."
Mr. Black said he has no control over what happens at the lots, which he does not own or lease. He said he has offered to split the cost for off-duty police security with the parking lot owners, but he said they declined.
A manager for the lot declined to comment.
Mr. Black said he pays about three to six off-duty Dallas police officers regularly to watch nearby lots and the area outside the club – with additional security on concert nights. "I have spent a half-million dollars for security to make sure other people's parking lots are safe. Who gets blamed for all this? We do."
Late-hours permit
Downtown police commanders, Mr. Black and his attorney sparred over these issues during an all-day hearing in front of the city's Permit and License Appeal Board in late October.
At issue was whether Blue could keep its late-hours dance hall permit, which would have allowed the club to stay open until 4 a.m. After hearing from downtown residents who said they were fed up with the traffic and crime generated by Blue, the board voted to pull Blue's late-hours permit.
"I've had residents say they've been chased down the street by Blue patrons and threatened," said Don Raines, president of the Downtown Residents Council, which represents the 3,500 people who live in downtown apartments. Although he said downtown is safe these days, "Blue is a time bomb."
Michelle White, 21, said that even with the reputation, Blue remains a popular hangout.
"Everybody knows Blue," said Ms. White, a Dallas resident who is a criminal justice major in Tyler. "It's crunk. But everybody knows that you have to be careful when you go down there."
She said that the ubiquitous police presence sometimes has the opposite effect of deterrence. "Sometimes it's the police starting things," she said.
In October, a 31-year-old friend of hers got smacked in the head with a beer bottle. The police report states it caused a four-inch laceration. "He said it was young boys," she said. "If they raised the age limit, things would slow down."
Mr. Black said he can't afford to exclude the younger crowd. "I've got to fill this room," he said.
He said he originally planned to build an upscale restaurant as part of Blue, but because of police pressure, he'd rather shut down Blue and relaunch with a restaurant and club targeting only an upscale crowd.
"I want to call it Posh," he said.
E-mail jtrahan@dallasnews.com
Mr. Black's standard method of operation is 1) open night club touting it as "upscale;" 2) operates it as upscale for 6 months to a year; 3) deliberately target a younger crowd via rap concerts and urban music radio stations (K104 & 97.9 the Box); 4) be forced to close down due to excessive crime/violence; 5) comes back reincarnated in the form of another "upscale" nightclub. It has happened with every club he's owned in Dallas. EVERY ONE!! (check his record if you don't believe me) I don't know why the City thought it was going to be different this time.
The restaurant he mentioned in the article was part of his original proposal that went to the City for funding/permitting. I'm sure the thought of an upscale nightclub/restaurant in the old "Hart" Furniture building sounded like a good idea in 2002 to a council that was desperately trying to bring some night time activity back to DT Dallas. However, I seriously doubt that Mr. Black ever had any intentions of opening that restaurant. I think that he wants to make as much money as he can at the expense of others. When the well dries up, he then moves on to the next opportunity. He's made a lot of money from Club Blue, but it is now a serious problem that needs to disappear. So, I say, "Mr. Black it's time to move on as you always do. The future of DT Dallas is far more important to me than your bank account." To the City of Dallas I say "stop giving this guy funding and permits so that he can open up these 'crime magnets' in Dallas!!!"
A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool because he has to say something. - Plato
Well stated. Total BS that this guy hasn't been able to open his alleged restaurant concept. I agree that he never intended to do so in the first place. Blue uspcale for six months? That place immediately went down the tube. If he does shut the doors only to reopen and an uspcale dinging/club concept he will quickly realize that the profit margins on food are not as great as they are on Hypnotique and Krystal. Or has he already realized this? I think so.
RMbala is right on the money. Check the Dalco records.
This guy bounces from place to place. Right now, he also operates Club Che on NW Highway (btw naming a club after Che Guevara is a strange thing that makes no sense to me). It will probably meet the same fate.
We can only wish for a location where one is free to fight and loiter. Seriously?Hot club's quarrels with police boil over
They urge exiting patrons to go straight to their cars and go home, to avoid fighting, congregating or otherwise attracting attention.
"It's a shame that we've got to have this in here," said veteran nightclub owner Keith Black. "But it has come to this."
I understand that a large police presence can be bad for business. I also understand that many clubs reinvent themselves on a regular basis to stay hip. What I do not understand is this mentality. I do not see the public buying into this.
You ought to see the e-mails I get about this place.
He could fix most of this problem and probably get his 4 AM permit just by banning the 18 to 21 crowd. 95% of violence at any club is going to be in the age group.
they think they're so smart
I doubt this demographic is even mindful of its intellect. Probably much more concerned with the imagined size of their biceps and balls.
Last edited by incrediculous; 29 December 2005 at 09:28 AM.
The problem is the under-21 clubs draw a lot of the 16-18s just as the 21 and ups draw so many 18-21 year olds.
Is this the same guy that opened Lime in Oak Lawn a few years back.
Yes.. plus some Club called Iguana something.... and a few others. etc etc etc
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