citizen

za za to build a 240' condo on just a corner of the property

St-T

^Has ZaZa officially announced the project? If so, starting date???

By the way, thank you Ciizen for joining the forum... you will find this is a very good place to find a lot of info on Big D.

citizen

When I asked a few weeks ago they said probably that they would start this fall

Agnus Dei

I tried Grotto tonight. I really liked it. The service was great and the food was as well. Plus, the prices are not bad at all so that made the food even better!

I've never been to their other locations so I don't know how it compares.

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Columbus Civil

You'll probably be blackballed for saying that.

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St-T

I went to Grotto tonight too. It was good. That shopping center is f-ing awful...but, I lifted my ban on it since Shaffer sold it.

Columbus Civil

carousel is drafting a nasty email to the both of you!

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Agnus Dei

^I hope I'm not mysteriously hit by a car walking through that massive parking lot!

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carousel

nothing but nice emails today.

St-T

I think that Shaffer Plaza could be ok--note I am saying OK not that it's good--if they would take away most of the parking and create a patio/open space. I'm sure grotto and potbelly would like to have outdoor seating...and, once I think that could attract more cafes/wine bars/etc if they do that. They can still have an area for valet--a must--and mabye some parallel parking along the street.

Rob

Does anyone think that 5 or 10 years from now someone will be trying to buy and bulldoze that tract - at some point it will be the last under-developed piece of property in the area. I just don't see that plaza surviving in the long term.

1999McKinneyAve

You know, another developer recently did a "cut and run" in Uptown as well...that being Hanover Property. The difference is, they left us with the Ashton.....

Profits can be made by doing what Shafer did, plus leaving behind a building that is an asset for the 'hood.

FoUTASportscaster

The thing that I don't understand is there is a parking garage. Why the surface parking?

I like the idea of outdoor seating idea. Maybe make part of it outdoor green space too.

gshelton91

I was thinking the same thing... plant some grass and some trees might make it ok

BigD5349

^I sent that suggestion to Shafer before they sold it. It drives me batty that from the corner of Pearl & McKinney, there's no path for someone to simply walk onto the property (you either have to cut through the bushes or walk down to the entrance driveways for cars!).

I suggested that they add some concrete steps at the corner, and then convert 10 parking spaces, just at that corner, into an outdoor seating area for Grotto. They told me that they would look into adding the steps, but all the parking stays. If Grotto themselves asked for this, it would have a better chance of going through.

I didn't think they would convert the entire parking area fronting McKinney Ave for two reasons: city codes that require a certain number of parking spaces, and the tenants that are there now. The bank branch and the salon have no need for an outdoor grassy area, and in fact, they came in there because the parking was an added convenience for their customers.

The Shafer complex could fit in better if that parking lot was converted to 2-3 outdoor cafes, but it's hard to see that happening without them booting some of those existing tenants.

UrbanHope

The next thing he tries to build, we have to be ready. We as a community have to go down to City Council and the Plan Commission and give him HELL. I'm sick of Shafer and his half-back real estate product.

I read the Council agendas faithfully, and if anyone hears any rumblings about where he's building next keep us all posted!

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carousel

^ the shopping center/strip mall will be making too much money to bulldoze. i fear that we are stuck w/ schafer for the foreseeable future.

1999McKinneyAve

There may be such a high demand for condo/apartment/office space in the future, I wouldn't be surprised to see it get bulldozed and the block rebuilt. Doesn't that corner have the same 240-285' height variance?

TheCDAllenGroup

From Donald Trump: "If I had my choice between a great location and a great developer, I'd choose a great developer, because I've seen people that don't know what they're doing blow a great location."

Hence, this piece of crap.

TheCDAllenGroup

That probably wouldn't be for another 7 years, which is the normal lease period of tenancy for commercial properties.

BigD5349

I drove by today and noticed that they added the concrete steps at the corner of Pearl & McKinney. I was surprised that they did implement it, even tho it is only a baby step.

TheCDAllenGroup

I am glad they did too. They make a somewhat more comfortable place to sit while I wait for the bus in the morning.

1999McKinneyAve

The past two times I've eaten at Grotto (a Friday and a Saturday night), the restaurant was less than half full. Some friends have had bad experiences there too. Any word on how the retailers are doing there?

Boredkid

....

banking214

I have always had good experiences at Grotto. Granted, I have only visited the Dallas location twice now. I used to eat at the River Oaks location in Houston when I lived there and it was always excellent.

I think Uptown Plaza is disgusting. Why would developers build a strip center on McKinney? I would have expected this in Plano or Frisco, but not Uptown. On top of it, you build a parking garage, yet still have a massive parking lot on the surface. Hopefully this eyesore sinks into the garage.

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St-T

I too have had good experiences at Grotto. And, I have gone during the week and the restaurant had good crowds.

Tnekster

^Ate there for lunch once and thought it was good and the restaurant was busy.

Mballar

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Lakewooder

Neither cars nor pedestrians!

St-T

Check out Shafer's website: http://www.shaferproperty.com/

LOL

Kelley USA

I think that happened to them once before...

berryhill

That really made me laugh. Even Turkish extremists can't stand Uptown Plaza I guess.

Uptown72

I guess they already fixed it. What happened to the land behind this building? Is it going to get developed?

Also, I heard that Shafer is selling his mixed-use deal at Central/Knox. True?

30kmillionaire

Grotto closed.

Kelley USA

Yes, not surprised it closed.... I'm just not sure Dallas is the right market for this type of Italian (see also Bice, Il Mulino)... The early rumor is that it might be replaced with a Morton's!

clipper

What!? No CVS?!

Uptown72

As strange as it may sound, I don't think there is enough surface parking for a CVS! A steakhouse would be sweet!!!

downtownguy25

Kinda close to the downtown location on elm

FoUTASportscaster

The one at Main & Akard has no surface parking.

Tnekster

Too bad, I liked Grotto. They seemed busy at the lunch hour but I guess it wasn't enough.

Kelley USA

I think they might be looking to move from that location... An earlier rumor and a rendering had them looking at Mockingbird Station in the new phase too... But who knows- all rumor at this point!

FoUTASportscaster

I doubt it, the managers have told me revenue has already exceeded 5 year projections for the Main/Akard location. As for the 1001 Ross location, I can't say.

msutton

what "kind of italian" was Grotto?

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cowboyeagle05

FoUTASportscaster I think they are talking about Grotto moving to Mockingbird not CVS moving away from Main/Akard downtown.

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Uptown72

Yes, the Morton's would be a relocation from the West End. I think they have been looking to move out of the West End since about the late-1990's. I can't imagine that the astronomical change in rent here would be a good thing for them, but hey, it's high-end steaks and right across from the Ritz.

FoUTASportscaster

Ah, that would make more sense.

aygriffith

The atmosphere a Mortons in West End is phenominal. I think its unfortunate that they will loose much of the interesting private atmosphere that was due to the location. I will agree that its odd getting into with the stairwair in the middle of the lobby of the building's ground floor lobby. Not that a stairway is odd, but the fact it looks like a fire escape from the basement. They should have put a more dramatic stairway in or done a hydraulic elevator like Dakota's.

Uptown72

Maybe they will go subterranean at their new Morton's location. Walk in the double doors and go downstairs. There is already underground parking. They could saw a hole out of the floor and take over some space down there, darken it up.....bingo - it would be like deja vu all over again. New Uptown location, same old West End feel!

elmstreetdallas

Do you have confirmation that Morton's is leaving the West End?