Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Columbus Realty, which built the apartments at Plano’s $3 billion Legacy West development and other successful Dallas-Fort Worth projects, has joined with the owners of a 47-acre site on the Trinity River.

The 505 Riverfront Boulevard property sits at the foot of the iconic Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and is one of the city’s largest riverfront development sites.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:Cool story bro. Lemme know when y'all start movin' dirt.

Construction has started on 535 apartments in a five-story building, Shaw said in an email. Dallas architect GFF designed the project.

eburress wrote:I like it! I hope those units facing the freeway have some pretty good noise insulation though.

IcedCowboyCoffee wrote:

eburress wrote:I like it! I hope those units facing the freeway have some pretty good noise insulation though.

Well I'm guessing the entire freeway facing side is just a lengthy parking garage. Probably looks awful from the freeway That's alright though, only a problem when we address the freeway problem itself in the distant future. For now I'm just glad to see so many units.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:So what's the deal with rest of 505 Riverfront project. There's 42 acres left ... More Plano style 5 story apartment wraps?

R1070 wrote:what a waste of great views... this would be a great highrise location.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:So what's the deal with rest of 505 Riverfront project. There's 42 acres left... More Plano-style 5-story apartment wraps?

willyk wrote:Great project, but the article says Columbus was attracted to the site because of the planned Trinity River Park. Did I miss the memo? I have not heard of any efforts to make that happen in the near term.

Tnexster wrote:Still a lot of room for high rises.

vman wrote:

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:So what's the deal with rest of 505 Riverfront project. There's 42 acres left... More Plano-style 5-story apartment wraps?

It's hard to call these "Plano-style" apartments when this design is all over "urban" Dallas.
It's a shame though because this area should be high-rise residential.

kingkong34 wrote:

willyk wrote:Great project, but the article says Columbus was attracted to the site because of the planned Trinity River Park. Did I miss the memo? I have not heard of any efforts to make that happen in the near term.

That's a good point, let's hope it spurs on some actual construction of the park. It's been sitting for too long.

Tnexster wrote:When did Dallas vote on this? 1998? I don't know if we will ever see this finished.

eburress wrote:Back to the building, I like how it has actual sidewalks sans those stupid grass strips. That's an improvement over most Dallas projects in and of itself.

IcedCowboyCoffee wrote:Finally getting something anything

And all the cynicism surrounding the trinity park is rightly earned, but I still hope something can materialize. There's no more risk of the toll road, and the USACE will keep Dallas's worst ostentatious design impulses in check. I just want to see a more natural and inviting pedestrian access for entering the levees and I think the overlook parks are a good idea. It's everything between the levees we shouldn't bother messing with. Just plant some native blackland prairie grasses and wildflowers and let it rewild to the extent that flood management allows us.

cowboyeagle05 wrote:There is no reason to at this point. Moving the jail complex would require them to find a new location in a community that won't fight it. You put it in an area like South Dallas and you end up starting a fight about systemic racism. You try to put it more north Dallas and Karen will have the entire PTA armed and ready for the fight. For now, they honestly have no reason to move the county jail and court buildings.

mdg109 wrote:So, if the detention centers/courts stay, then are we just stuck with bail bond, liquor stores, and cheap attorneys scattered around this section?

R1070 wrote:what a waste of great views... this would be a great highrise location.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:

cowboyeagle05 wrote:There is no reason to at this point. Moving the jail complex would require them to find a new location in a community that won't fight it. You put it in an area like South Dallas and you end up starting a fight about systemic racism. You try to put it more north Dallas and Karen will have the entire PTA armed and ready for the fight. For now, they honestly have no reason to move the county jail and court buildings.

Ppl can complain where to put a municipal building. But they can't stop it.

cowboyeagle05 wrote:

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:

cowboyeagle05 wrote:There is no reason to at this point. Moving the jail complex would require them to find a new location in a community that won't fight it. You put it in an area like South Dallas and you end up starting a fight about systemic racism. You try to put it more north Dallas and Karen will have the entire PTA armed and ready for the fight. For now, they honestly have no reason to move the county jail and court buildings.

Ppl can complain where to put a municipal building. But they can't stop it.

This is county-level stuff but yes people can complain and projects get canceled all the time. Hell, even the Trinity River Tollway finally died after decades of complaints, exhaustion, and boredom with the topic. The South Dallas Inland Port/Hub was held up by a certain South Dallas commissioner because he claimed it needed more studies to determine its viability. There are always ways to paint projects to the listening public to get them canceled or delayed indefinitely.

I do think there are spots where it could go honestly if it made sense one day but I do not think that is the primary reason at this point developers haven't touched these properties. These sites have decades of issues not related to the county jail that also weigh on the viability of this site. Fighting homeowners in Bishop Arts to put up 300+ apartments is an easier and preferable direction for developers right now. Eventually, things will rise above those issues as Trinity Groves and Bishop Arts/OakCliff Gateway become too busy and the Design District also applies further pressure towards the south of Riverfront Dr. then these properties will get the attention they deserve.

Tnexster wrote:Hundreds of apartments planned on Trinity River site west of downtown Dallas
The $75 million rental community is the second phase of a major project on Riverfront Boulevard.

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... wn-dallas/

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:So the site will be on 110 Continental St. I think that's the plot by Jack n the Box.

IcedCowboyCoffee wrote:

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:So the site will be on 110 Continental St. I think that's the plot by Jack n the Box.

Yes I believe this is correct.

riverfront.jpg
The entire site is massive. Where phase one in green is complete, phase two is likely the blue section next to it with direct access to the pedestrian bridge. I don't think we've heard any concrete details about anything breaking ground on the other side of the highway yet, just that they plan to eventually have a mixed-use development there.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:

IcedCowboyCoffee wrote:

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:So the site will be on 110 Continental St. I think that's the plot by Jack n the Box.

Yes I believe this is correct.

riverfront.jpg
The entire site is massive. Where phase one in green is complete, phase two is likely the blue section next to it with direct access to the pedestrian bridge. I don't think we've heard any concrete details about anything breaking ground on the other side of the highway yet, just that they plan to eventually have a mixed-use development there.

Is the other bigger plot by the courthouse even owned by the developers? I'm not sure it tbh ... I remember years ago it was owned by another group who had grandiose ideas for the site.

That entire site could become an entirely insulated community; it's that big!

Would love to see 4-5 stories mixed use apartments go up in that large plot.