26 replies to this topic

[jefffwd]

I think that the LED boards mentioned below is a cool idea. I also think that the news broadcast idea would work better in Sundance Square than Victory. Who is going to be walking around Victory of a morning? Unless, of course, they are just going to use it as a sports studio.

Victory Park's $450M Second Phase Rapidly Filling Up
By Connie Gore
Last updated: May 11, 2005 08:17am

DALLAS-With the vision for "Victory" on a fast-track to reality, Hillwood yesterday debuted the retail dance card for its $450-million second phase and teased to another round of headline news in 90 days for a $450-million third phase.


Hillwood is holding signed deals or has talks heading into the final round for 154,200 sf of the 175,000 sf of retail space in the under-construction second phase of the 75-acre, mixed-use Victory Park, the genesis for a projected $3-billion-plus build-out. With the $180-million W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences coming out of the ground, retailers are now knocking on Hillwood's door for a piece of the development action, says Elise R. Mikus, Hillwood's vice president of leasing. "We had to go out to retailers before," she says. "Part of the issue initially was is it going to be real."


Retailers and restaurateurs from around the world as well as local entrepreneurs who've carved a niche in the neighborhood plan joined some of the region's most influential players for a power day that began with mid-morning press conference and ended with a nighttime light-show extravaganza on the streets of Dallas.


While toasting the victory, Ross Perot Jr.'s Hillwood team promised more news in 90 days. "We're overwhelmed with the momentum," Jonas Woods, president of Hillwood Capital, tells GlobeSt.com. The next round, he says, will have more details about the third development wave and announce other second-phase tenants for a May 2006 delivery synchronized with the opening of the 251-room W.


Victory, entitled for 12 million sf, will have one million sf of ground-floor retail besides sundry restaurants and nightclubs that have claimed space on several buildings' upper floors. The retail lineup's been as closely watched as the development itself because Hillwood's been courting names not often found outside New York City, Los Angeles and even London. The new kids on Victory's blocks are Kenichi, a 4,000-sf pan-Asian cuisine with locations in Austin and Aspen; Luna De Noche, a 5,000-sf Tex-Mex grill; and Witchcraft, a 2,200-sf specialty sandwich concept by Tom Colicchio, winner of the James Beard Best Chef New York award and creator of the acclaimed restaurant, Craft, with locations in NYC, Las Vegas and a 6,000-sf spot planned for the W. Colicchio also will also operate the W's lobby bar.


Mikus says talks are under way with one of Dallas' television stations to take an end cap as broadcast location. She says the team's also negotiating with two sponsors for the LED boards, which were incorporated to add a Times Square look and feel to the district; a national retailer of men's and women's apparel for 3,000 sf; an NYC home decor operator for roughly 6,000 sf; a florist; 2,500-sf gourmet hamburger eatery; a trio of women's fashion boutiques for 7,000 sf; an another restaurant and bar for 7,500 sf.


"We've been really ferreting out some unique retail," Mikus says. "We've been scouring Miami, Melrose, Soho, London and Toronto." By year's end or first-quarter 2006, the team will start wooing retailers for the 135,000 sf of retail in the third phase. All she'll say at this point is the wish list includes an urban grocer, furniture store and shoe shop.


Mikus says most signed leases have 10-year terms with shared tenant-improvement costs. Rents are quoted at $38 per sf to $45 per sf for retail space, she says. Inked deals are the N9NE Group, getting space for its Las Vegas-famous ghostbar, steakhouse, Nove Italian restaurant and a developing nightclub concept; Victory Tavern; local entrepreneur Ort Varona's LIFT, a 20,000-sf designer mecca with storefronts by J. Lindeberg, Adriano Goldschmied and Global by Ted Baker; Fred Perry; G-Star; Future Sports, also a J. Lindeberg concept; Quicksilver; and Bliss spa taking 5,000 sf on the 16th floor of the W and 1,200 sf in a street-level shop.


Mikus admits the district is heavily weighted with restaurants, but the strategy is to create "a neighborhood that attracts people 24/7" and set up a broad-based menu so visitors are encouraged to stay, shop and dine in the district. Added incentives include a full wireless territory, granite sidewalks and a valet parking system for all buildings.


Mikus says talks are under way for at least 55,000 sf of the 120,000 sf of office space in the second phase. Title companies, banks, investment bankers, insurance firms and attorneys are negotiating, but no deal has been signed to date.


The six-building second phase, which delivers in May 2006, consists of 600 residential units, 175,000 sf of retail, 120,000 sf of office space, a one-acre park and the W. The three-building third phase will have another 280 apartments and condos, 135,000 sf of retail and 600,000 sf of office space. Hillwood has amassed a powerful roster of partners, including Gatehouse Capital and Hicks Holdings LLC, the teammates for the W, the catalyst for getting the seven-year plan off the drawing board.

[mrowl]

very cool, but I think this is an old image:

[mrowl]

here is a newer pic...

I like the first one more.

[JBB]

I can't wait to see this project completed. The arena will look so much better when it is surrounded by more buildings and more activity.

[safly]

I actually proposed the LED signage idea some 2 years ago to a CChannel executive that I know, for the FW area. Said it was not viable and the CC would fret. I love what it does for Vegas and it would have been nice to be the first to do it in the metroplex. Bass Hall could have used it and placed it near SS or a major highway, oh well.

[cjyoung]

here is a newer pic...

I like the first one more.

I like this one.

The least ol' Ross could do is build us one those glorified barns for all the millions (billions?) that he's made off of AllianceTexas.

[mosteijn]

Sigh.

Another transit oriented, pedestrian friendly, residential laden, entertainment destination for Dallas. How many of those does Fort Worth have? Before you say Sundance Square, it pales in comparison to even downtown Dallas in terms of residential development. So the answer is none. Sad, isn't it?

[mrowl]

huh, just realized this didn't mention Larry Norths gym... wonder if he pulled out?

[Willy1]

Sigh.

Another transit oriented, pedestrian friendly, residential laden, entertainment destination for Dallas. How many of those does Fort Worth have? Before you say Sundance Square, it pales in comparison to even downtown Dallas in terms of residential development. So the answer is none. Sad, isn't it?

I couldn't agree with you more, Johnny. I'm so frustrated by FW's lack of big projects. I think it's cool that we've redeveloped some of our old buildings into loft spaces, but where is all the NEW development? Other than Radio Shack and Pier 1 what has FW really built in DT? And, IMO, both RS and P1 are only mediocre developments when compared to some of the MANY developments breaking ground in Uptown Dallas. Sure, FW is growing faster than any other NTex city... but who cares if all we're going to build is more houses in sprawling outer regions of the city... I want to see some great projects like the AA Center and the newly announced entertainment-hood around it... I think the reason Dallas is called "Big D" is because they do everything big in that city. It has nothing to do with their growth rate or what's going on in the city - like their joke of a city government. FW simply can't compare when it comes to Dallas' fearless "build it and they will come" development mentality... And THAT is why FW has always remained (and always will, unless something big changes) in the shadows of Dallas.

[rantanamo]

don't worry, guys. Even with all the development in Uptown, and now east Dallas and DT is starting to get, we still envy Sundance Square and the Fort Worth Trinity plan. We only hope that Victory, the Main St initiative, West Village and CityLights can reach the Sundance Square level once they get close to buildout, which would still be another 5 years.

[JBB]

The projects in FW aren't happening because, obviously, the market and the demand isn't there. It all takes time.

[mosteijn]

What happened to the demand all of a sudden? The Tower seemed to be a huge success. All 300 or so of those upscale condos were sold, in a market that previously consisted only of low-rise, renovated, and/or rental properties. But, of course, these are the only 300 out of 6 million people that would even consider living in downtown Fort Worth.

Anyways, I thought the problem was with the supply side. Few seem to be willing to tap the market potential, and the city doesn't want to do anything to lure developers (i.e. bring in more downtown workers and build light rail ) The lack of workers, IMO, is a major hurdle facing the residential market on the supply side. Speaking of workers, what happened to those multitude of mid-rise office towers that panel of forcasters said would be sprouting up all over downtown by now? How is Fort Worth going to attract any major employers if there's only what, 240,000 sf TOTAL of uncontiguous office space available downtown?

[Willy1]

don't worry, guys.  Even with all the development in Uptown, and now east Dallas and DT is starting to get, we still envy Sundance Square and the Fort Worth Trinity plan.  We only hope that Victory, the Main St initiative, West Village and CityLights can reach the Sundance Square level once they get close to buildout, which would still be another 5 years.

Yeah, I hear ya... Sundance is great. But it's just one development, so to speak. Plus... Uptown Dallas has more buildings - or will very soon - than DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH. Some of the buildings being built in Uptown are as big as some of FW's major "skyscrapers", if you can call our buildings that. Everyone around here started freaking out when P1 was announced... They're are 20 buildings in Uptown that are the size of P1 or bigger. I think Radio Shack is a pretty cool campus, but it looks like something that should be in Plano... There is nothing "outstanding" about it to me - except maybe the cool fountain and probably the view from inside. Our Trinity River Plan is great - but it's just that at this point... A PLAN. In FW there seems to be a "I'll believe it when I see it" mentality. In Dallas it's more like, "Build it and they will come". Dallas only added 8,000 people in 2004. FW added closer to 22,000... yet all the big cool projects are being built in Dallas. We've built two new buildings and in FW that's "amazing". But in Dallas those two buildings wouldn't even get any attention.... They wouldn't even stand out.

FW needs to step up and build something to attract new companies and more everything to the core city. Uptown Dallas already rivals Downtown Austin in the number and height of the buildings. And, pretty soon Uptown Dallas will be as tall as downtown FW... In fact, City Place would be one of FW's tallest building if it were 30 miles to the west.

Of course, we won't get a chance at a Victory-like project... but ARLINGTON will.

FW - Where the Rest Begins.

[JBB]

Of course, we won't get a chance at a Victory-like project... but ARLINGTON will.

Do you really think people will hoof it across 2 miles of surface lots, past where their own cars are parked, to fill their entertainment needs?

[Willy1]

Of course, we won't get a chance at a Victory-like project... but ARLINGTON will.

Do you really think people will hoof it across 2 miles of surface lots, past where their own cars are parked, to fill their entertainment needs?

YEP... In Dallas they will. Because in Dallas it's all about being at the cool, trendy, places. And, even if locals don't embrace it then the millions of tourist that find their way to Dallas every year will definitely go there. However, anytime there is a event at the AA Center, locals will fill the place up. And, with the upscape retailers they're planning on packing the place with, locals won't be able to get enough of the place. Besides, Dallas is on a mission now. They've lost the Cowboys to Arlington - which should cost Laura Miller her re-election, IMO - and they've slipped to #3 in the State. Dallas is in comeback mode... they have a "rep to protect". In FW, there is a "low expectation" for anything other than family-oriented things; zoo, museums, etc. Until the 90's there wasn't "anything to do in Fort Worth" for young adults. At that time if you wanted some entertainment, other than dinner and a movie, you basically had to go to Dallas because all FW had was local little neighborhood bars. That was the trend for everything - gotta go to Dallas. Big concerts - gotta go to Dallas (Reunion, Cotton Bowl, even The Bronco Bowl). Clubs - gotta go to Dallas (Deep Ellum). Shopping (other than the mall stores) - gotta go to Dallas. A great New Years Eve - gotta go to Dallas. Of course, Sundance Square changed things a bit. It FINALLY brought some night life to FW and things are continuing to improve in FW. But, I contend that some of those old things still exist. Great shopping - still gotta go to Dallas. Ridgmar and Hulen have improved and there are some nice boutique stores in FW. But if you want a full day of power-shopping you still have to go to Dallas... We can't even get an upscale Crate and Barrell. You want to stay in a 5 star hotel - still have to go to Dallas. Want to attend a live professional sporting event (with the exception of Nascar) - you still gotta go to Dallas, or at least leave FW...

My point is this. FW has made some steps in the right direction and has become a better place over the last 20 years. However, it's still WAY behind Dallas in terms of what the city has to offer. Here is a good measuring stick. I graduated from Texas Tech in Lubbock. Tech's enrollement is made up of about 60% students from DFW, so a lot of my college friends were from North Dallas/Richardson/Plano. When I met new people at Tech, which was a daily occurance, and I told them where I was from they always referred to FW as "Fort Worthless". And, a lot of them had never even been to FW. These are people who grew up in DALLAS -- and they'd never been to FW! You ask any 22 year old in FW - they have ALL been to Dallas. What does that say about how FW lags behind Dallas in terms of things to do?

So, I've done all this ranting and some would think I want FW to be more like Dallas. Not true. I love FW. However, I'm concerned that FW is the fastest growing big city in the nation, and what is the result of all that growth going to be? Are we going to use that momentum to play catch-up, or are we just going to build 50,000 new houses a year and continue to sprawl all the way out to OK City? I would hate to see FW end up being a city of 900,000 and only have Sundance Square and Alliance Airport to brag about in terms of "new development". It just seems to me that a city growing the way FW is growing... there should be tons of new development being announced. In Dallas, they announce ANOTHER 25 story residential building in Uptown and no one even notices. In Fort Worth, they'd stop the presses. What's wrong with that picture? Why is it that the scale of things in Dallas just seem so much bigger than in FW?

Okay... I'm done. LOL

[mrowl]

Of course, we won't get a chance at a Victory-like project... but ARLINGTON will.

Do you really think people will hoof it across 2 miles of surface lots, past where their own cars are parked, to fill their entertainment needs?

they do already... but it will only be about a half mile in arlington.

[rantanamo]

JBB is probably referring to the map that came out. The development area was basically between the south parking lots at Ameriquest and the east parking of the new stadium. I hope something cool comes out of it, but it will be very remote if it does. Those are some serious lots around that place.

One of the things about Uptown(and now downtown and east Dallas) is that they had to grow the way they are if new product was to reach downtown or north. Land is scarce and expensive so the only way to justify the costs are to build up. Considering the huge pool of wealthy people and young educated professionals in Dallas, the only way to keep them in Dallas is to either do the Lake Forest, Los Arboles, Hillcrest Downs thing(Large masterplanned mansion communities) or go for a new, cool urban chic sort of thing to lure both. Interestingly enough, places like Plano, Carrollton and Las Colinas see this too, thus you get Eastside Village, Austin Ranch, Addison Circle or the new Las Colinas urban plan. That's because they directly compete with Dallas proper for the same workforce. I think its the same reason you see this in places like Atlanta and L.A. now moreso than Houston so far. They along with Dallas are landlocked, and its the only way to compete. Especially when places like Chicago and New York exists with hyper urban experiences. Fort Worth simply has another way to compete for these workers right now. One can get a big new house in Fort Worth proper without tearing down an existing house and live in a neighborhood they percieve as safe for them. Can't do that in Dallas unless you live in far south Dallas along I-20 or you have the patience to wait for Lake Highland to tear down apartments. So Dallas is forced to zone the way they zone and look for the developers to build at least new urbanist. That's why the Trinity and downtown are so important. Inner city Dallas is pretty much the only way the city can grow its tax rolls. Same with any landlocked city.

[safly]

But if you want a full day of power-shopping you still have to go to Dallas... We can't even get an upscale Crate and Barrell. You want to stay in a 5 star hotel - still have to go to Dallas.

And we can't even get a CB2 store (Crate and Barrel 2). Better yet, Anthroplogie set-up shop in Willow Bend Mall (never anyone there?). And we always talk to the management and try to get them out here in FW, and they say that FW does not have the clientele or density. They must be scared of our Western Culture? Both shops would have been a perfect fit in DTFW. This is how sad it is here folks. Anthropologie is going to setup shop in BIRMINGHAM! BIRMINGHAM? As in Bubba Gump ALABAMA! Come on FW get it together here. build build build.

And how come when Willy1 and Rantanamo (Bay) gets online biting my old material, you guys give them a good solid discussion. But when I try to regulate, you all go "bleepin" MAD DAWG on me. What is up with the inconsistency here folks? for real though.

I totally agree with Willy 1 and Ratanamo, probably because I said it before. Hmmm.

The whole Walk across Arlington deal will be fixed . You will be shuttled. Know someone who spoke with HKS about it, they seemed very optimistic with the retail and entertainment being brought in. Can't wait. Awesome plan on the MM presentation. What you saw in the news is just a 5 second glitch that does not give it justice.

[mosteijn]

I don't buy the "Dallas is landlocked" argument. Sure, Dallas may not have the power to annex any more land, but by no means is land "scarce" (all that open space on I-20 is built up, uh huh). IMO, intown Dallas urban development can be traced to 3 things: light rail, job growth, and Dallas elitism. Dallas wouldn't be experiencing anywhere near as much inner city growth had it not been for the forward thinkers who built the first light rail lines. Those light rail lines have allowed elite Dallasites who percieve Dallas as built out (since the only Dallas that exits to them is N. Dallas) to get luxury condos with easy access to their high-paying jobs in Downtown and Uptown Dallas. That job market is also feuling the fire under people who live in other parts of the metroplex who want an easier commute to work, whether it be by rail or by car. That's just my take on it.

Willy, I have a bunch of female friends that loooooove shopping (and have families who can pay for it, to boot) and are also frustrated with having to go to Dallas to get anything decent. There's wealth here, and even more people who love to shop (not necessarily buy), so where are the upscale retailers? Maybe when Berry St. and W. 7th really get going, we'll start to see some nice stores.

[rantanamo]

I'm as big of a light rail advocate as any, but light rail has only been a factor where it stops. It doesn't explain Bryan Places, State-Thomases or Knox Parks of the world. All with no stops, and all are the biggest concentrations of urban housing so far to the point that they will build out first. What it looks like the light rail will lead to are Toronto type nodes, which IMO, is a wonderful thing. This is what the Mockingbird Station(don't get mad when you see the plans for the next addition), West Village, Park Lane Place, Victory type developments are. Buildings like the Ritz-Carlton or The Ashton would be built with or without rail because the land prices are simply in the stratosphere, and the demand is there. That is known from how quickly the towers fill up in Turtle Creek no matter the price. Instead the rail stations get you the added retail and entertainment. It adds the livability to inner-city instead of things being either or as they would have been.

I agree with what you are saying about elite Dallasites(though a lot of the builders aren't even Dallasites) and how Dallas is percieved as built out. If that is the hard perception of developers, then it is built out and will be built up and more densely. Recent announcements of large employment centers in south Dallas will change the south Dallas housing market though. Its already happening, just not at the rate it is in north Fort Worth.

If you're wondering why Dallas gets so many luxury retailers, I have two words for you: Platinum Corridor. Consider within a mile of the corridor, you have probably have a million people with household incomes of over $150,000-$200,000. Consider the neighborhoods you would pass through just in that corridor from Downtown Dallas: Victory, Lo-Mac, Turtle Creek, Highland Park, University Park, Preston Hollow, Prestonwood, Preston Trails, Bent Tree, Kings Gate, Willow Bend, Glen Eagles, Stonebriar, and up to Starwood. All are million dollar home communities of various types. Even the not as wealthy neighborhoods around them are filled with $300,000-$700,000 McMansions and condos. Consider the elite Fortune 500 companies, 4 and 5 star hotels and A+ office space in this corridor. There is a reason it is called the Platinum Corridor. If you have that much "Dallas Elitism" in such an area, there is a reason to put in lots of upscale shopping. There is also a reason to put in high priced condos etc, in this same area. There are people there that can afford this kind of thing, and in big numbers. Of course there are other wealthy areas in the metroplex, but that sheer concentration in one corridor is just not matched anywhere else in the state.

[tamtagon]

Of course there are other wealthy areas in the metroplex, but that sheer concentration in one corridor is just not matched anywhere else in the state.

word

Uptown Dallas continues to grow and eventually may support the largest concentration of wealth in the state. Without a the delay from a dramatic economic slow down, by the end of the decade, the warehouse district south of I-35 (Trinity Meadows) will begin conversion into a mix of retail, residential and office space bridging the gap between Uptown and Dallas' Trinity River Park - the affluence of this new neighborhood will at least match what's building up in LoMac. City management is the luckiest, ever! with this one - the Trinity River Park is a natural and socially agreeable neutral zone between super rich neighborhoods and... well, everything else and will limit nasty neighborhood transition conflicts.

It's too bad the jail occupies such a great location.

Dallas' CBD office market will finally be able to expand as urban highrise residential demand floods the area with a much larger population of white collar workers. It's fortunate timing (2007 - 2012-ish) that the residential population of Central Dallas is growing and that two new DART lines will open to help offset the commuter barriers as Project Pegasus ties-up the CBD highway interchanges for five years.

Fort Worth benefits because Dallas will have more honey to attract the elitism. Already one of the best in the Metroplex, I continue to believe that the area from the Cultural District to downtown Fort Worth will become comparablly urban to Uptown Dallas - but much more welcoming, folksy, and provide a highly regarded alternative. A rail connection from the Cultural District to downtown (with the symbiotic pedestrial friendly TOD) is needed to activate and solidify the infrastructure with longevity and higher quality of life (through transportation alternatives).

[cjyoung]

The projects in FW aren't happening because, obviously, the market and the demand isn't there.  It all takes time.

Same old excuse.

Those projects have to pull folks from the same areas that a Fort Worth project would have to draw from. Fort Worth needs to step up.

[cjyoung]

FW - Where the Rest Begins.

[cjyoung]

Of course, we won't get a chance at a Victory-like project... but ARLINGTON will.

Do you really think people will hoof it across 2 miles of surface lots, past where their own cars are parked, to fill their entertainment needs?

YEP... In Dallas they will. Because in Dallas it's all about being at the cool, trendy, places. And, even if locals don't embrace it then the millions of tourist that find their way to Dallas every year will definitely go there. However, anytime there is a event at the AA Center, locals will fill the place up. And, with the upscape retailers they're planning on packing the place with, locals won't be able to get enough of the place. Besides, Dallas is on a mission now. They've lost the Cowboys to Arlington - which should cost Laura Miller her re-election, IMO - and they've slipped to #3 in the State. Dallas is in comeback mode... they have a "rep to protect". In FW, there is a "low expectation" for anything other than family-oriented things; zoo, museums, etc. Until the 90's there wasn't "anything to do in Fort Worth" for young adults. At that time if you wanted some entertainment, other than dinner and a movie, you basically had to go to Dallas because all FW had was local little neighborhood bars. That was the trend for everything - gotta go to Dallas. Big concerts - gotta go to Dallas (Reunion, Cotton Bowl, even The Bronco Bowl). Clubs - gotta go to Dallas (Deep Ellum). Shopping (other than the mall stores) - gotta go to Dallas. A great New Years Eve - gotta go to Dallas. Of course, Sundance Square changed things a bit. It FINALLY brought some night life to FW and things are continuing to improve in FW. But, I contend that some of those old things still exist. Great shopping - still gotta go to Dallas. Ridgmar and Hulen have improved and there are some nice boutique stores in FW. But if you want a full day of power-shopping you still have to go to Dallas... We can't even get an upscale Crate and Barrell. You want to stay in a 5 star hotel - still have to go to Dallas. Want to attend a live professional sporting event (with the exception of Nascar) - you still gotta go to Dallas, or at least leave FW...

My point is this. FW has made some steps in the right direction and has become a better place over the last 20 years. However, it's still WAY behind Dallas in terms of what the city has to offer. Here is a good measuring stick. I graduated from Texas Tech in Lubbock. Tech's enrollement is made up of about 60% students from DFW, so a lot of my college friends were from North Dallas/Richardson/Plano. When I met new people at Tech, which was a daily occurance, and I told them where I was from they always referred to FW as "Fort Worthless". And, a lot of them had never even been to FW. These are people who grew up in DALLAS -- and they'd never been to FW! You ask any 22 year old in FW - they have ALL been to Dallas. What does that say about how FW lags behind Dallas in terms of things to do?

So, I've done all this ranting and some would think I want FW to be more like Dallas. Not true. I love FW. However, I'm concerned that FW is the fastest growing big city in the nation, and what is the result of all that growth going to be? Are we going to use that momentum to play catch-up, or are we just going to build 50,000 new houses a year and continue to sprawl all the way out to OK City? I would hate to see FW end up being a city of 900,000 and only have Sundance Square and Alliance Airport to brag about in terms of "new development". It just seems to me that a city growing the way FW is growing... there should be tons of new development being announced. In Dallas, they announce ANOTHER 25 story residential building in Uptown and no one even notices. In Fort Worth, they'd stop the presses. What's wrong with that picture? Why is it that the scale of things in Dallas just seem so much bigger than in FW?

Okay... I'm done. LOL

Bravo.

[cjyoung]

Of course there are other wealthy areas in the metroplex, but that sheer concentration in one corridor is just not matched anywhere else in the state.

word

Uptown Dallas continues to grow and eventually may support the largest concentration of wealth in the state. Without a the delay from a dramatic economic slow down, by the end of the decade, the warehouse district south of I-35 (Trinity Meadows) will begin conversion into a mix of retail, residential and office space bridging the gap between Uptown and Dallas' Trinity River Park - the affluence of this new neighborhood will at least match what's building up in LoMac. City management is the luckiest, ever! with this one - the Trinity River Park is a natural and socially agreeable neutral zone between super rich neighborhoods and... well, everything else and will limit nasty neighborhood transition conflicts.

It's too bad the jail occupies such a great location.

Dallas' CBD office market will finally be able to expand as urban highrise residential demand floods the area with a much larger population of white collar workers. It's fortunate timing (2007 - 2012-ish) that the residential population of Central Dallas is growing and that two new DART lines will open to help offset the commuter barriers as Project Pegasus ties-up the CBD highway interchanges for five years.

Fort Worth benefits because Dallas will have more honey to attract the elitism. Already one of the best in the Metroplex, I continue to believe that the area from the Cultural District to downtown Fort Worth will become comparablly urban to Uptown Dallas - but much more welcoming, folksy, and provide a highly regarded alternative. A rail connection from the Cultural District to downtown (with the symbiotic pedestrial friendly TOD) is needed to activate and solidify the infrastructure with longevity and higher quality of life (through transportation alternatives).

Makes since...I hope it plays out that way.

[safly]

I've been talkin up that 7th street corridor for years. Makes sense and it has a much simpler connection for TrV or downtown SS. Plus the downtown views are killer.

Word.

[RD Milhollin]

The 7th Street corridor might appear more desirable to potential residents if there was a pickup station for the DFW airport express bus that leaves from the park-and-ride lot just east of downtown. Business people who work in Fort Worth but need to travel often could benefit greatly by not having to drag the car along to the 'port. Given the amount of land just to the west of Downtown, it seems likely that a fairly large concentration of population could reside there, especially if the streetfront was intelligently developed (urban comforts, open spaces, etc.) Of course, a streetcar or light rail system woulod be the ultimate best transportation system for the area, and for Ft.Worth in the long run, but an express bus might be a great starter.

Pup