Another reason why the City Design Studio is the coolest

A few of us over here at DDI were treated to a little hint of the following project in a meeting with Brent Brown, David Whitley and the Dallas City Design Studio team earlier this week.  Now it’s official…all you City Hall Plaza haters, rejoice!

In a flash-mob-Oak-Cliff-Better-Blocks- William-Whyte-style initiative called “Living Plaza”, City Hall Plaza will be transformed with a temporary installation on April 27.  We’re all invited to take part from 11:30am – 2:00pm.  To all of you who are screaming for more streetlife, activated spaces and vibrancy Downtown, this is OUR chance to prove the urbanity of Dallas.  Surprises in store, I can assure you…

More info:  http://betterblock.org/2011/04/15/living-plaza-project-april-27th-at-dallas-city-hall-plaza/

~Kourtny

Downtown Dallas Roots for the RANGERS!

Chase Tower Lit up for the RANGERS

After receiving feedback from several Downtown Stakeholders, Downtown Dallas, Inc. will be showing the Rangers game instead of “The Lost Boys” this Saturday night for Films al Fresco at Main Street Garden. The game starts are 5:30 p.m. so get there early. We will continue the programming of the Pooch Parade & Pumpkin Carving Contest as planned at 7 pm., so bring your best dressed pets and carved pumpkins for some cool prizes!

Meanwhile, Downtown Dallas is celebrating the TEXAS Rangers first trip to the World Series and all you have to do is look up! The infamous keyhole in the Chase Tower is going to be lit up in red, every night during the World Series.

Are you having a heard time finding a World Series Edition Texas Rangers T-shirt? Not to worry… National Team Sports has opened an officially licensed World Series Merchandise store in the Bank of America Plaza concourse, across from Starbucks in the old Mail Room Express location.

You can find all of those hot Texas Rangers T-shirts, hats, pennants, car flags, earrings and much more.  New merchandise will be arriving daily.

The store opened earlier this week and will be open throughout the World Series. It will remain open after the World Series, should the Rangers win.

Store Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

CLAW UP - C.C.

Welcome Newly Inducted DDI Board Member Greg Morris!

Greg Morris currently serves as Executive Director & Market Leader at Ernst & Young LLP. He has approximately 27 years of corporate valuation, M&A, corporate finance, financial advisory and valuation consulting experience. Morris has worked in numerous industries including technology, oil & gas, manufacturing, healthcare, and airlines.

He has been directly involved with valuations prepare for mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, due diligence, IPO’s, purchase price allocations, tax, restructuring, bankruptcies and commercial litigation.  Morris has spoken frequently on the subject of corporate valuation and mergers & acquisitions.  In addition, he has testified numerous times in courts of law on matters pertaining to commercial litigation, bankruptcy, estate & gift tax and other areas.

Did you know?

Morris’ favorite Downtown destination is Dakota’s Restaurant.

Morris is passionate about Downtown because it is a reflection of our city to the world.

Morris’ favorite Downtown memory relates to the Jingle Bell 10K Run.  Much of the route was through Downtown and he really enjoyed a different perspective of  Downtown as he ran through the streets.

Morris supports Downtown Dallas, Inc. because it has made, and will continue to make, a difference in the appearance and culture of Downtown Dallas.  It is important to my employer, Ernst & Young LLP, that we have a good understanding of the forces that are shaping Downtown Dallas, as we have a number of employees that residing in the area.

Texas’ Oldest Architect Firm Moving to Downtown Dallas

Downtown Dallas, Inc. Welcomes PageSoutherlandPage

Texas’ Oldest Architect Firm Moves to the Historic Mercantile Building

Dallas, Texas.  PageSoutherlandPage will be relocating to Downtown Dallas by the first part of next year. The architectural and engineering company will occupy 34,000 square feet of the former banking hall on the 1^st and 2^nd floors, including the mezzanine overlooking the 2^nd floor of the historic Mercantile Building.

“As the current Texas Society of Architects (TSA) Firm of the Year, PageSoutherlandPage is looking forward to being connected with the city at its roots and be an active part of the rejuvenation of downtown; we are excited to move downtown to an urban environment and create a sustainable office space in a circa 1940’s building that has a rich history in the City of Dallas,” says Mattia J. Flabiano III, AIA, Principal at PageSoutherlandPage. “The move will allow us to design a LEED Gold office space that will be an incubator for new ideas in a collaborative atmosphere.”

“PageSoutherlandPage’s relocation creates a high-profile presence in an iconic property in the heart of Downtown, which is yet another testament to the value of a Downtown address” says John F. Crawford, President & CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc. “We are thrilled to welcome an architectural firm of this caliber to the Downtown community.”

“The building is ideal for a company that wants to embrace the history yet transform the space to the contemporary needs of today’s work place,” says Jim Truitt, Vice President of Forest City Enterprises, Inc. “We are very pleased that PageSoutherlandPage saw the potential in the space and will soon join the ever increasing population of tenants and residents in Downtown Dallas.”

“This is a classic adaptive reuse because you have an old bank lobby that’s going to be revitalized by a national architectural firm,” says Matt Heidelbaugh, Senior Director of Cushman & Wakefield of Texas. “PageSoutherlandPage is a great addition to the building and neighborhood.”

Matt Heidelbaugh and Billy Gannon with Cushman and Wakefield represented PageSoutherlandPage; Jack Gosnell with Urban Commercial Realty represented Forest City Enterprises, Inc.

###

About PageSoutherlandPage

Founded in 1898 by two brothers in Austin, PageSoutherlandPage is the oldest architectural and interior design practice in Texas and one of the oldest in the United States.  Engineering services were added in 1942, which made PageSoutherlandPage one of the country’s first design firms to provide architectural and engineering services.

PageSoutherlandPage is one of the nation’s most enduring and prolific architecture and engineering practices. The firm has more than 430 employees at offices in Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Washington D.C., Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Doha, Kuwait, and London, providing architecture, interior design, consulting and engineering services.  PageSoutherlandPage is focused on designing healthcare, corporate interiors, science and technology, and public facilities as well as academic and urban housing projects.

PageSoutherlandPage has grown into an award-winning full service architectural and engineering firm that is recognized both nationally and internationally for project delivery and design excellence with over 200 design awards in the last decade.  Most recently, PageSoutherlandPage was awarded the prestigious Texas Society of Architects 2009 Architecture Firm Award. For more information visit www.pspaec.com

About Mercantile Building

Built in 1943, the 31-story iconic skyscraper features Moderne styling from the Art Deco era. It was designed by Walter W. Ahlschlager and christened as the Mercantile Bank Building. The Merc was the only skyscraper completed in the country during World War II. It was once Dallas’ tallest building but sat empty for over a decade before Forest City Enterprises, Inc. took on the challenge of restoration and revitalization. Today, the Merc serves as the cornerstone of the Mercantile Place on Main Street development and has become instrumental in helping establish a vibrant residential presence in downtown.

About Downtown Dallas, Inc.

Downtown Dallas, Inc. is the principle advocate, champion and steward of Downtown, affecting change by developing strategies, setting targets and mobilizing resources that:

• Stimulate a vibrant and sustainable Downtown environment
• Improve infrastructure
• Enhance economic competitiveness
• Create a culturally inclusive urban center
• Position the area as a global destination

For more information visit www.downtowndallas.org or www.yourDspot.com.

Riverfront/Woodall Rodgers access closures and detours

Beginning July 14 access to/from Riverfront and Woodall Rodgers will be limited due to the construction of the Woodall Rodgers extension.  The text of the press release from the Texas Department of Transportation and the city of Dallas follows:

Construction Closes Parts of a Major Central Dallas Intersection

Woodall Rodgers at Riverfront Boulevard closed until mid-to late 2011

DALLAS – Beginning July 14, 2010 major connections to and from Woodall Rodgers Freeway and Riverfront Boulevard will be closed for construction activities associated with the Texas Department of Transportation’s Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and the ongoing Woodall Rodgers Extension project. The closures, which will last approximately 15 months, affect several major connections at the intersection. They are as follows:

• Westbound Woodall Rodgers Fwy. traffic exiting to Riverfront Blvd. will no longer be able to directly access either direction of Riverfront Blvd.
• Southbound Riverfront Blvd. traffic will no longer be able to directly access eastbound Woodall Rodgers Fwy.

Detour signage will be put into place on July 13 with the full closure going into effect on July 14.  Maps depicting signed detour routes for the prohibited movements are attached.  TxDOT and the City of Dallas are encouraging motorists to seek alternate routes.  Riverfront Blvd. will remain open during construction, but will be reduced to two lanes in each direction for the duration of the projects.  Northbound Riverfront Blvd. access to eastbound Woodall Rodgers Fwy. will remain open.

The closures are part of the $47.5 million Woodall Rodgers Extension Project, which is being built in conjunction with the $69.7 million Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge over the Trinity River. Both projects are scheduled to be complete by mid-to late 2011.

For more information about the project please visit www.txdot.gov,  www.dallascityhall.com or http://www.trinityrivercorridor.org.

Southbound Riverfront To Woodall Rodgers Detour Routing

Woodall Rodgers To Riverfront Blvd Detour Routing

~Jim

For those of us who still play with Legos…

Yes, we’re about to promote that you head north – briefly! – this weekend…

Today “Local Landmarks in Legos” opens at Northpark - a collection of downtown’s most recognizable landmarks reconstructed, yes, with those little tiny blocks of imagination.  Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for kids, with proceeds benefiting East Dallas Community Schools.  The exhibit runs through August 1.  Check it out on level two between Neimans and Nordstrom.

 

                   

~Kourtny

DDI Clean Team

Did you know that each month in 2010, the Downtown Dallas, Inc. Clean Team has removed 100 cubic yards of litter from the streets and sidewalks of Downtown?



And, there is more.  See the entire Clean Team June year-to-date report.  Clean Team 2010_06 YTD

Happenings…

Greetings DDI followers!

We’ve been running full throttle here at the Downtown Dallas, Inc. world headquarters for the last several weeks, so let’s dive right into the updates…

Downtown Dallas 360

Consultants MIG returned to Dallas for “Meeting Window 7″ at the end of May, presenting Downtown Dallas 360 progress to multiple working groups and the steering committee.  At the same time, we  launched the Downtown Parking Strategy (approved by Council in April) with particular focus from MIG sub-consultant Kimley-Horn.  At www.downtowndallas360.com you will find a post of the master presentation used at these meetings, with a recap summary to be posted shortly.   But a few of my personal take-aways:

• BE BOLD!  (or “Don’t be timid” to steal a quote from my urban hero, Brent Brown)  In contrast to previous sessions when feedback was consistently based on setting “realistic” goals and prioritizing – the tone seemed to shift, stressing that the creation of 360 is our opportunity to aim high.  Perhaps an indicator that the frugality of the last 24 months  is shifting?  Do I dare say we are becoming more hopeful?  The specific reference in this case was discussion regarding potential deck parks over I-30, ala The Park (Woodall Rodgers Park).  Can we fund and sustain another project like Woodall?  Tell me what you think.  (As a Cedars resident, personally, I say yes!  The connection is critical…)
• Tunnels, tunnels, tunnels.  Yes, friends – start those comments now!  Obviously, this is a consistent question that we here at DDI field daily.  But today, we find the time is right to examine innovative solutions of repurposing (bike parking?  storage?  fiber optic paths?) and incentivizing tunnel dwellers to emerge .
• Parks.  We love our greenspace and there is no denying what Main Street Garden has done for the Main Street District.  But with greenspace comes management, maintenance and programming  (see below for the Main Street Garden updates), begging the question – could Downtown become “over parked” with current plans?  Should we look at a better mix of the typology of our greenspaces (see this part of the presentation on the 360 site), creating more usable, neighborhood places?  Envision pocketparks, playgrounds, basketball courts, more space dedicated to our canines, etc…
• Gateways.  We’ve all seen the designs of overpass treatments with dramatic lighting, artwork and better pedestrian connections – all great things.  But I love, love, love this idea – a skatepark around Good Latimer, seaming together the east end of the Main Street District (Harwood Historic District area) with Deep Ellum.  Already in the works over yonder is “Pillar Park”, more artwork and lighting in the already uber-cool DE Art Park.

Many, many more big ideas have emerged, but we have much to get to in this one little post, so I’ll leave you to check out the 360 site for more.

Main Street Garden - the scoop.

• Yes, we have discovered that the stainless steel in the Tot Lot is too hot!  Ever sat on a black leather car seat?  In August?  In Texas? In Shorts??  Well, we certainly want to ensure every aspect of the park is 110% useable, so we’re working closely with the Park & Rec department to come up with a solution, quickly.  In the interim, parents, please mind the caution signs going up this week.
• The Lily Pad is poised to open – just any minute now!  A complicated permitting process is being addressed as we speak, so you’ll soon be able to grab your multi-grain muffin and coffee on the way to the office.
• PLAY at the Park.  We went out yesterday with the Downtown YMCA folks and tested out kick ball, frisbee and volleyball for upcoming field days and sports leagues (who says this job isn’t fun?).  Dates to be announced soon.
• Vandalism reports.  Yes, unfortunately some no-gooder attempted to break in to one of the restrooms.  In all seriousness, however, the matter was quickly addressed by the Dallas Police Department and Downtown Safety Patrol and camera footage is being reviewed to identify the suspect.  Patrols from both forces have been increased.

Another destination for your morning buzz..
Mercantile Coffee House is set to open at The Merc at the end of this month – featuring Intelligentsia Coffee and Yogen Fruz frozen yogurt.

Some new faces at DDI
Meet C.C. Gonzalez-Kurz, Community Relations Manager and Shawn Corcoran, Interactive Developer/Designer.  They have swallowed the kool-aid and are now part of the DDI team.  Know ‘em, love ‘em.  Bio’s, obligatory headshots and interviews coming soon…

And one last sidenote for all of you passionate urbanites – I highly recommend picking up this month’s edition of Dwell, which is focused on “Megacities”.  It also includes great articles about urban parks, interesting freeway interventions and demographic forecasts that continue to bode well for downtown growth.

~Kourtny

Downtown Public Safety Update

Downtown Dallas Inc. has completed negotiations with four Downtown liquor and convenience stores to prohibit the sale of “high alcohol content beer and wine” to the homeless. Alcohol related crime was reduced 27% in the City Center in the first quarter 2010. We anticipate a reduction in alcohol related crimes in the DART West End Station area in the second quarter. The Safety Patrol conducts weekly inspections at four Liquor Stores to ensure they are in compliance with the agreement*.

The Homeward Bound program reunited 66 homeless persons with family in the first quarter of 2010. 484 homeless persons have been reunited with family since Downtown Dallas Inc. started the program in 2008.

-Martin

*Agrement with liquor stores to stop selling high alcohol content beer and wine and a 32oz size limit on beers.

CityWalk at Akard

The red carpet was certainly laid out for the opening of Downtown’s newest residential project, City Walk at Akard, both for Dallas-ites in a celebration held on March 26, and for a visit from music mogul Jon Bon Jovi earlier this month.

CityWalk, a project unlike any in the country, is a mixed-use development of retail (7-Eleven opening soon), office and affordable as well as market-rate housing.  It sits in a formerly vacant 15-story office building with 200 units that range from $350 to $912/month.

Jon Bon Jovi’s visit was motivated by his own nonprofit, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, which has built 250 affordable housing units in Philadelphia.  During Jovi’s time in Dallas, he visited with John Greenan, executive director of the Central Dallas Community Development Corp., and Larry James, president and CEO of Central Dallas Ministries, the two organizations responsible for the CityWalk project.