[ High dollar condo/townhomes mixed with rentals can work, but the concept tends to work better in cities with really high density urban
neighborhoods.

The gamble here was if there is a market for such expensive condos in FW at all. In cities like you described, of course there's a market. In a city like Fort Worth (and Dallas) it's doubtful. At the prices VDL was asking, most buyers can not only afford a condo downtown, but they can also afford a single family home in Fort Worth's best urban neighborhoods, most of which are a stone's throw from DTFW. In this part of the country, where condo's are still a niche development, unless you get the right kind of buyer, at the right sale price, single-family homes usually win out. I love downtown living, but give me a million bucks and tell me to choose DTFW or Monticello, Mistletoe Heights, Westover, Park Hill, Berkley, Arlington Heights, etc., I know which one I would choose, especially when I could easily drive to DTFW whenever I wanted to.

Also, a very good point was made by eastfwther about VDL targeting the wrong buyer. I couldn't agree more. I know 4 people living in DTFW right now, 3 rent;1 owns. None of them work downtown, yet they all wanted to live there. Those who have rented have done so for years, and the one that owns a place in T&P rented for years also. Those are the possible buyers that would make the most sense to target. The buyer of the T&P unit purchased his place for around 160K if I remember correctly. One other person I know lived downtown for years too and ended up buying a home south of downtown in Fairmount. VDL was simply too ambitious and went after the wrong buyers,and I agree that even in a good economy, those units would not have sold at that price.

I am amazed at the number of people renting these days. Like the nice apartments (Townhouses included) along Samuels.

Maybe some of these renters would buy downtown, maybe even right down the street at VDL, if they were not expected to pay almost a million dollars for a condo. Sorry, but even in a good economy, VDL was greatly overpriced. The fact that none sold doesn't surprise me one bit.

According to the Star Telegram, VDL is leasing units. Not a single unit has sold.

http://www.star-tele...-more-real.html

My spouse walked by Villa De Leon this AM and passed by Mr. Struhs. She stopped, they exchanged pleasantries, and she asked him how things were going. He told her that VDL was for sale, not just the individual units, but the entire building. She thinks he was serious, but he didn't disclose a price. It's probably not the best time to be in the high-end condo business in Fort Worth.

Most of the problems with VDL have pretty much been covered in the last few posts, but
with some reconfiguring, this place would make a cool boutique hotel.

Jeez Louise!!! I've never wished for a fire so much in my life.

I came to Fort Worth on Saturday and noticed the "new?" LaQuinta off Eastchase looked like it was closed and a construction crew seemed to be stripping it from the inside. Anyone know what's going on. That place isn't very old.


(Had a great time in FW, but didn't have time to check out the new development on W7th like I had plannned. Maybe next time!!)

The Dallas skyline is getting another new addition. Against all logic, imo, the 42 story Museum Tower condo building breaks ground in the Arts Disctrict today.

The Plano Angelika should have been in FW anyway!!! I heard it doesn't do nearly the business the Dallas theater does. FWIW, The old Inwood theater in Dallas used to be an arhouse theater, but now shows mainstream fair now that Magnolia is in West Village. I do hope this theater keeps its word and screens more "old" classic movies, something that you rarely see around here. I remember an old arthouse theater in LA when I was a teenager that showed a full day of the Three Stooges!!! When will you ever see that again??

Was it just me (and several other people) or was the food lacking this year? Everything else was great though.

I have never lived in Fairmount, but lived in Ryan Place years ago. I have friends in Fairmount now and they love it, and I love visiting them. They have had two car breakins though, but the neighborhood is far from unsafe. It think Fairmount is simply FW's coolest neighborhood, especially now that Magnolia has really taken off. And gotta agree with FWology, it's a shame how that part of 8th has developed....so much potential squandered.

Report: RadioShack considering sale, Best Buy merger 10:22 AM CT
10:25 AM CDT on Friday, March 26, 2010

By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News
mhalkias@dallasnews.com

Is the Shack throwing in the towel?

According to a report in the New York Post, Fort Worth-based RadioShack Corp. is considering a possible sale of the company for as much as $3 billion. The newspaper cited unidentified people close to the situation and also said RadioShack is reviewing a merger with Best Buy Co.

“As a matter of policy, we do not comment on market rumors,” said Wendy Dominguez, RadioShack spokeswoman. Best Buy officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

RadioShack shares have been rising all year and in morning trading hit a new 52-week high of $23.91. The stock price is up more than 70 percent from a year ago as chief executive officer Jim Day has cut costs, added new mobile carriers and new private label merchandise, beefed up marketing and stockpiled cash.

Best Buy has developed its own version of a small, RadioShack-size store and has been rolling them out since last year.

Best Buy Mobile departments have been added inside the big box retailer’s stores. It’s also a fast growing, free-standing chain.

Thursday, Best Buy said it’s planning to open 75 to 100 small stores, primarily Best Buy Mobile stores, in the U.S. this year.

Last year it opened dozens of the 1,000- to 1,200-square-foot stores in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Boston. Various incarnations of the stores were in testing for almost three years in six other cities, including New York and Minneapolis, where the No. 1 U.S. consumer electronics chain is headquartered.

It started its mobile phone push by forming a joint venture in 2007 with Britain's Carphone Warehouse, which uses a similar concept. Best Buy acquired a 50 percent stake in the U.K. retailer in 2008.

Thursday, Best Buy reported fiscal fourth-quarter profits increased a better-than-expected 37 percent as strong sales of notebook computers and TVs. Best Buy is gaining market share organically. It’s also benefitted from Circuit City going out of business early last year.

Other options for RadioShack could include a massive share buyback or even a strategic acquisition of its own, funded by its $900 million war chest, a Wall Street banker told the New York Post.

RadioShack has more than 6,000 stores.

Last month, it reported higher sales of cell phones and coverage plans drove fourth-quarter profit up 26 percent. The better-than-expected results included a 4.7 percent increase in revenue to $1.37 billion.

In the fourth quarter, RadioShack added T-Mobile to the list of carriers consumers can pick in its stores, and it also said sales were higher for Sprint Nextel cell plans and for prepaid phones and airtime. It also got a boost from its Mexican division.

Sales at stores open at least a year rose 6 percent during the quarter.

For the year, RadioShack's profit rose 8 percent to $205 million and revenue rose 1 percent to $4.28 billion.

Private equity firms are flush with cash and as retailers recover from the recession with better-than-expected results, speculation about potential deals are accelerating. A few weeks ago, Apollo Management was rumored to be looking at RadioShack, but sources knocked down that rumor.

I'm not: It seems Fort Worth is very status quo. I've never seen such passive taxpayers as those in FW and Tarrant Co. I said years ago, that if the TCC campus disaster was in any other city it would have been national news. Dallasites yell about everything, FWorthonians seem to yell about nothing... surely there's a happy medium. If what you say is true (and I'm sure it is), it is simply appalling!!

^^^
Agreed. I've never been to a stock show in my life...but try to make it to Main St. every year. It's one of the best festivals in the country, IMO.

I have to question the inclusion of "Rips" in the name of a texmex joint.

Anyone eaten here yet?? Thinking of trying it next weekend. Whatcha think?? Vance can do no wrong, IMO.

Most of the disdain for the new Lourve entrance was mostly because most felt it didn't match the original structure. It's now iconic because it is, matching or not, a gorgeous peice of architecture. TCC is just a disaster.

I've seen him in Dallas before. I think one of the news stations might have done a story about him.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I ate at Joe T's twice shortly after I moved to DFW a little over ten years ago. The second time was worst than the first. I've never been back and will never go back. Simply horrible!!

My favorite place for mexican food in Fort Worth (and second in all of DFW next to Tejano's in Oak Cliff) is Benito's on Magnolia...the best beef enchilladas on the planet!!! Also love Los Vaqueros.

As far as chain joints go: I will shamefully admit, I will ocassionally put on my ballcap, dark sunglasses, and fake mustache, and dine at On the Border.

I think this was a good test run (for Dallas and Arlington) for the Superbowl. Fort Worth will see activity from the Superbowl because there are related activities in the city. I did get out to a few events and eastfwther is right...the city was a madhouse. I didn't make it to the Galleria (Heard Lebron had an even there and it was crazy packed), but Npark on saturday was busier than I've ever seen it at Xmas. Most everyplace nightspot downtown was closed for private events, and Lower Greenville was insane.

My only complaint was, instead of the cold snap, I wish we would have had unseasonably warm weather. You never know here.

Terrific photos. My boss lives in this building and I've always wondered what his views were like. Those views are spectacular and Dallas looks really dense. And you're right, that part of the city is screaming for light rail. Great job as always.

Brian, I've never been a fan of the FW skyline, but you make it really look good. You take awesome pictures!!! The last one with the Firestone Apts, The Tower, and church is just beautiful. Excellent work.

Jeez, who thought of that?

This place looks great!! In regards to Movie Tavern, I really don't mind the concept, but the food at the locations I've been to, leaves much to be desired. I've always found it a little below Chili's. I will try this one soon though. It's definitely the best looking Movie Tavern (or Studio Movie Grill) I've ever seen.

Yes, the (original new) Tarrant County College Campus.

I've been very impressed with Kevin's blog and visit it often. It's informative, well layed out, and just nicely done. I don't agree with him about everything either, but I will give credit where it's due. He has one of the nicest urban/city blogs I"ve ever seen and it really keep me up on going ons in FW. I'm even going to buy one of his T-shirts!! I wasn't aware he was gone from this forum. I do still see him on the DFW forum.