Save the Date – DDI Spring Forum

Please mark your calendars for the Downtown Dallas, Inc. Spring Forum. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings will be giving a State of Downtown Address on May 24^th at the Sheraton Hotel. 

He should have plently to say as we continue to celebrate a monumental year for Downtown. As you may recall from our Annual Meeting, 2012 is set to be a big year with the openings of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Belo Garden, The Park and more.

We hope you will join us in the celebration by again “Investing Yourself” in Downtown. How will you “Invest Yourself”? 

Belo Garden is Coming Together

Belo Garden opens this spring and I already like what I see. I drive by it every morning on my way to work and seeing it come together has been such a treat.

As you can see, the sign appeared a couple of weeks ago and I just had to share a recent picture of it!

Opening plans are in the works and we look forward to the opening of another wonderful greenspace in Downtown. Stay tuned!

Many thanks to Thomas Hubaceck with the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department for sharing this picture.

Have You Seen our new Vehicle Wraps?

DDI worked with a local vehicle wrap company to create custom graphic wraps for its 2 pickup trucks, 1 large water truck and fleet of 7 sidewalk/street sweepers. These custom graphics reflect the new DDI brand and reinforce that the Clean Team is a DDI program.

Over the past month, crews removed mistletoe from trees throughout the Downtown. A majority of mistletoe removed was along Young from

Ervay to Houston, Griffin from Ross to Woodall Rodgers and areas throughout the West End. Mistletoe is a type of parasite.  Mistletoe grows on a wide range of host trees and commonly reduces tree growth and can kill them with heavy infestation.

We want to thank the Dallas Citizen Foresters for helping us trim all the trees at Main Street Garden. We will continue to work with these folks and we’re already planning a second pruning event with them in the spring.

Finally, we are working with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department in a citywide effort to keep parks clean. It’s My Park Day will be Saturday, March 31st from 9 a.m. – noon. We’ll plant new ground cover, shrubs & seasonal color at Pegasus Plaza. Please bring your own work gloves. All other tools & supplies will be provided, including bottled water! Volunteers rsvp today: www.facebook.com/events/330796720289106/
http://www.facebook.com/events/330796720289106/

Downtown Dallas Fall 2011 Wrap-up

We’ve been running around like zombies but not because of Halloween. We’ve been working hard to make Downtown FUN! It all started late last month with a new TX/OU tradition thanks to Downtown Dallas, Inc. and Mike Hoque’s DRG Concepts. Football & BBQ – what a winning combination, if we do say so ourselves!

We put a couple of Texas pitmasters up against some Oklahoma pitmasters before the big game. In the end we had Fort Worth’s Cousin’s competing against Leo’s from Oklahoma City and Cousin’s came up victorious, winning the title of Ultimate Pitmaster.

By all accounts, the first-ever Red River Rivalry BBQ Shootout was a tremendous success, bringing over 1500 people downtown for community and good food!

Earlier this month we started the Pegasus Plaza Outdoor Markets and the Fall Movies Series. Today is actually your last chance to enjoy the markets and tomorrow is your last chance to pack a picnic and watch a movie at Main Street Garden.

The Outdoor Markets have been very successful and we want to thank all of the vendors who made it a grand success. We want to especially thank YOU for coming out, spending time with neighbors and supporting these local vendors.  These outdoor markets have created great community and we will hope to explore similar endeavors.

Earlier this week we had our 360 Community Forum and Reception. We began the evening with a quick update on Downtown Dallas 360. You may recall the City approved the plan in April. After the update, attendees were treated to yummy street vending, music, art and cocktails, as we activated Browder Plaza. This temporary urban space is an indication of what’s to come as we complete those “quick wins” laid out in the Downtown Dallas 360 plan.  Whew, what a ride. Again, pardon us if we look like zombies… Fall is almost over!

P.S.  Many thanks to Jaime Clintsman & Dustin Bullard for working day and night to make Downtown FUN!

 

Two Major Downtown Groundbreakings Call for Celebration

Downtown Dallas, Inc., the City of Dallas, Forest City Residential and Hamilton Properties invited the public for a celebration to announce the redevelopment of the Continental Building and Lone Star Gas Lofts. These projects are bringing new vibrancy to this southeastern quadrant of Downtown.

“This area of Downtown is becoming a prime destination and these new projects are going to add to the momentum,” said John Crawford, President & CEO, Downtown Dallas, Inc.

With existing assets such as Main Street Garden, the UNT System, the Mercantile on Main (Element), Comerica Bank Tower, Dallas Chop House, Wild Salsa and the soon to be developed Statler Hilton, this southeastern quadrant is one of Downtown’s fastest growing areas.

“We thank everyone at Forest City and Hamilton Properties for investing in Downtown,” said Crawford. “We are grateful

for their continued support in making Downtown a world premiere destination to live, work and play.”

The Continental Building, developed by Forest City will provide 203 apartment homes; 41 apartment homes are

 designated as affordable housing for families earning 80% of Area Median Income.

“We’re excited to begin construction and bring new life to the historic Continental building,” said Jim

Truitt, senior vice president of development, Forest City Texas. “This dynamic residential building will continue the momentum of Downtown Dallas while invigorating a piece of the city’s urban fabric for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.”

The Lone Star Gas Lofts, formerly the Atmos Complex, developed by Hamilton Properties will bring 230 new affordable loft apartments. Mayor Mike Rawlings praised Hamilton Properties, Forest City, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development for bringing new affordable housing Downtown.

“We’ve come a long way,” said Rawlings. “This is all about how government and private enterprise work together.”

The redevelopments also will act as connectors bringing the Main Street District and Farmers Market together.

“This is about knitting our neighborhoods back together again,” said Councilmember Angela Hunt.

Main Street Garden Creates Community Downtown

Main Street Garden will be celebrating its two-year anniversary this fall and we continue to enjoy the added value it brings to Downtown. Earlier this month Main Street Garden hosted two big events: Salutation Nation and the YMCA Healthy Night Out. The park saw some 500 people that day, and not all of them were Downtown residents. In fact, I would venture to say many came from outside of Downtown to participate in these wonderful events.

Salutation Nation is a national event that highlights the health benefits of yoga. Main Street Garden hosted some 200 yogis, as they simultaneously rolled out their yoga mats with other yogis across the country.

They YMCA Healthy Night Out brought some 300 people as they celebrated healthy lifestyles. Families participated in adult & children’s yoga, zumba and more. The YMCA also is hosting the Outdoor Fall Sports Leagues at Main Street Garden. All are welcome, including corporate teams! Individuals or teams can sign up to play Kickball or Wiffle Ball. For more information about playing in the leagues call 972.560.3888 or email bdance@ymcadallas.org .

Come out and see what everyone is talking about including the Dallas Observer, which just named the Lily Pad Café at Main Street Garden the Best Place to Enjoy Downtown. The Observer also recognized the Homegrown Music & Art Festival, which all takes place at Main Street Garden.

DDI Sponsors Park(ing) Day Dallas

PRESS RELEASE 

CONTACT:

C.C. Gonzalez-Kurz

Community Relations Manager

214.744.6646

214.794.2753

gonzalez-kurz@downtowndallas.org

DOWNTOWN DALLAS, INC. SPONSORS INTERNATIONAL PARK(ING) DAY

Dallas, Texas, September 13, 2011 — Downtown Dallas will have dozens of new community spaces this Friday, September 16, as Downtown Dallas, Inc. and others transform parking spaces into temporary “PARK” installations. More than 20 metered parking spaces along Main Street will be temporarily transformed, creating re-envisioned public spaces for Downtown employees, residents and visitors to enjoy.

“It’s all in an effort to create these Quick Wins,” said John Crawford, President & CEO, Downtown Dallas, Inc. “We are working with the Dallas Arts District, Earth Day Dallas and others to help transform these public spaces, allowing the community to experience a more livable, workable, and enjoyable Downtown.”

A series of parking spaces spanning three blocks will be reserved for participants. Organizations, private companies and volunteers will form teams to transform spaces into areas for socializing, networking and some will offer entertainment. These temporary public spaces will come down after a few hours and the space will revert back to metered parking. Teams are encouraged to use sustainable construction materials and partner with local charities to extend the impact beyond the event.

“We’re proud to show support for PARK(ing) Day Dallas by being part of the inaugural event,” said Trammell S. Crow, Earth Day Dallas thought leader. “Like Earth Day Dallas, PARK(ing) Day Dallas is another way to show Americans the importance North Texans place on the environment.”

PARK(ing) Day is an internationally recognized event celebrated annually with the mission to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat. Started in San Francisco in 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement: PARK(ing) Day 2010 included more than 850 “PARK” installations in more than 180 cities in 30 countries on six continents.

For more information:

http://www.downtowndallas.org

http://www.parkingdaydallas.org

http://www.parkingday.org

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Downtown Dallas, Inc. Receives Top Honors from International Downtown Association

DDI wins IDA Merit Award for Downtown Dallas 360 Plan & the Retail Activation Strategy 

Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI) is being honored by the International Downtown Association (IDA) after receiving a Merit Award for its work on the Downtown Dallas 360 Plan and the Main Street District Retail Activation Strategy. 

Every year IDA Achievement Awards features innovative best practices projects from Downtown Associations around the world. These projects are creative, diverse and present the best and brightest in leadership, public space and economic development. 

“It’s wonderful news and well deserved based on the time, effort and results we are already seeing with 360,” said John F. Crawford, DDI President & CEO. “This is the perfect example of what can occur through public/private partnerships.” 

DDI collaborated with the City of Dallas to create Downtown Dallas 360. This strategic, action –oriented development plan addresses public spaces, transit and transit oriented development, a long-term parking strategy, creating housing for all income levels, adding retail to the city’s core and making stronger physical connections between Downtown’s fifteen Districts. The plan focuses in large part on how Downtown should look and function in the future, and specifically how to get there. 

DDI will be honored next month at an award’s ceremony at this year’s IDA Annual Conference and Tradeshow to be held in Charlotte, NC.  DDI has won IDA awards in years past in Community Development for the Universities Center at Dallas; Business and Economic Development for the original Main Street District Retail Plan; and Marketing for the Where’s Your D Spot Marketing Campaign.

DDI’s Newest Addition Doesn’t Mind Getting His Hands Dirty

Dustin Bullard was selected as the Cityscape and Urban Design Manager for Downtown Dallas, Inc. in March 2011. The first position of its kind within the organization, it combines both Dustin’s efforts and his passion concerning Downtown’s revitalization, which he has been actively engaged in since 2004.

Prior to his appointment, Bullard served as a Landscape Architect with La Terra Studio, a downtown-based design firm. Within this role, he actively engaged with his clients in order to successfully execute designs from his drawing board to their ribbon cutting. Primarily tasked with the design of municipal parks and public spaces, he quickly learned the importance of balanced budgets, forward thinking and the formation of relationships with clients along with construction and park staff members.

As Cityscape and Urban Design Manager, Dustin is tasked with the active cleanliness, maintenance and improvement of Downtown’s public spaces.

An active member of the Downtown Resident’s Council for the last six years, Bullard has advocated for the requests of his neighbors; recently, he lobbied for the implementation of a litter and waste public campaign to help improve their space. In addition, Dustin served on two input committees, starting in 2010, to establish the Downtown Dallas 360 Plan and Main Street Retail Activation Strategy. The experience gave Dustin an understanding and familiarity that will help him settle into his new position.

Dustin graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor degree of Landscape Architecture from Texas Tech University in 2004, where he also served as Student Chapter President of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

A Message from the CEO: Quick Wins and Bold Ideas will Shape the Future of Downtown Dallas

Members, supporters and friends of Downtown Dallas, Inc.,

What was presented to this year’s sold out, record breaking crowd at our Annual Meeting on Februrary 16 was Downtown Dallas 360 – a roadmap for the next phase of Downtown revitalization, shaped with Quick Wins and Bold Ideas.  However, before we were given this glimpse into the future, I spent some time looking at the state of Downtown today, and reflecting on the last decade’s worth of momentum in our city’s core.

Close your eyes and imagine Downtown just ten years ago.  Our first adaptive re-use residential projects were just opening.  Our city center residential population was just beginning to climb into the thousands.  Nodes like Stone Street Garden were emerging.  Planning efforts such as the Parks Master Plan, the CBD Transportation Plan and the Inside the Loop Committee initiatives were just commencing.  It was a time, similar today, full of vision, strategy and promise.

Now open your eyes to the reality that exists today, to the community that has been built in Downtown Dallas.  More than 2 billion dollars has been invested in the heart of our city.  We have witnessed the residential population grow in the Central Business District to over 7,000.  Throughout all of Downtown we have more than 35,000 people living. Our employment population holds strong at 135,000, and we continue to be the largest workforce in North Texas.  Kicking off in 2007 with announcements by 7-Eleven and Comerica Bank, followed by AT&T in 2008, we’ve seen more than 60 companies relocate back to the city center, absorbing more than 2 and a half million square feet of space.

Landmark projects with decades of promise are now complete or underway.  The AT&T Performing Arts Center brought us one step closer to completing the Dallas Arts District master plan.  Woodall Rodgers Park now shows visible signs of progress with beams stretched across the canyon freeway.  The first Calatrava bridge is complete, changing the Dallas skyline forever, and the Omni Dallas Convention Center hotel is within just a year of opening, putting Dallas back on the map as a top tier convention destination.  And the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, a spectacular showcase, is well underway.

Residents, employees and visitors relax and recreate at Main Street Garden.  Belo Garden is under construction.  First Baptist Church of Dallas is in the midst of a $130 million renovation. The Dallas Arts District drew more than one million visitors last year.  Have you visited Main Street on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night lately?  The District is buzzing with traffic with people from close and afar visiting our restaurants and entertainment destinations.  And we’ve recently hosted three major national sporting events – the NBA All Star Weekend, the World Series and Super Bowl XLV.  Though the games were played miles away, the spotlight was shining on the Downtown skyline.

DART opened its Green Line in 2010, making it now the largest light rail system in the U.S. And MATA is extending – already underway is the Arts District extension, with funding secured for future expansion to Federal – ultimately connecting Uptown, the Arts District and the Main Street District.

Educational opportunities are increasing Downtown.  With more than 30 schools of varying levels, some of our prized facilities include the University of North Texas System and the Universities Center at Dallas; El Centro Community College and their School of Nursing and Allied Health in the West End.  Booker T. Washington High School continues to turn out record numbers – in 2010 more than $12 million worth of scholarships were awarded to their students.  The Pegasus School for the Liberal Arts and Sciences continues to be ranked by US News and World Report as one of the top ten high schools in the nation, and last year we welcomed Laureate Prep charter school to the West End, a prestigious Uplift Education program.

Indeed, there is much to celebrate as we look back at accomplishments over the decade and Downtown Dallas, Inc. is committed to remaining aggressive and continuing with resolute focus on the betterment of the area.

It is with this commitment that we come to Downtown Dallas 360.

Downtown Dallas 360 has been a full year in the making.  Built by workgroups of property and business owners; large corporations and small businesses; real estate and transportation experts; residents and other community organizations – 360 is a true culmination of what Dallas wants to see Downtown, and how we can all work together to achieve these goals.

360 is also a prime example of a public-private partnership.  The City of Dallas’ vision served as the catalyst for the project, and since the launch we have worked hand in hand.  I’d like to particularly thank Theresa O’Donnell, Peer Chacko and Karl Zavitkovsky with the City of Dallas, and Kourtny Garrett and Jim Wood with the DDI TEAM for their leadership and guidance of the plan’s creation.  Literally, every city department and DART have been involved, along with the outstanding leadership of the Downtown Dallas 360 Steering Committee.  Our City Council, Mayor and City Manager have been instrumental in providing the support and guidance needed from the public sector to bring such an ambitious city-changing project to fruition.

360 is arguably the most important project for Downtown going forward.  The Plan will guide future investment, development strategies and the activation of our streets in a tangible way for years to come.  It will bring together the vision of the public, private and community sectors under one common goal – to fuel the creation of a 21^st century Downtown Dallas.

The future is bright.  All of the statistics, economic and quality of life indicators bode well for Dallas.  According to the Dallas Federal Reserve, Texas is rising above the national average in payroll employment growth, we sit well below the national average in unemployment, construction contract values showed growth at the end of 2010, home sales are beginning to rise, and Texas exports are raising while the rest of the nation experiences declines.  With over-regulation and increasing taxes to our north, east and west, the market is funneling toward Texas, and even more so toward Dallas…and Downtown.

With Quick Wins and Bold Ideas, Downtown Dallas 360, along with the daily stewardship of the Downtown environment by our organization, we will move into the next year (and next decade!) with strategic, thoughtful development.  Our ultimate vision will continue to develop into reality – a thriving, vibrant and sustainable Downtown Dallas.

As goes Downtown, so goes Dallas!

John Crawford