Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 12:09**

AT&T will spend $100 million rebuilding its downtown Dallas campus
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/real ... las-campus

Dallas-based telecom giant AT&T plans to spend $100 million revamping its downtown Dallas headquarters. AT&T also will add 500 workers to its 5,800 employees in its buildings on the south side of downtown... The company also wants to close almost three blocks of Akard and Jackson streets to vehicles as part of the new pedestrian plan.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 12:22**

This is really great for downtown.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 12:38**

Very good indeed for downtown... But AT&T Discovery District?? :roll:

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 12:57**

Yeah the sub district name is Very .....corporate.

However, I expect no one outside of At&t to refer to that area as they wish.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 13:00**

Totally cheesy name, but I dig the proposal. I only wish they could extend the Jackson portion eastward to at least Browder plaza to link with what is already existing. But, it appears there is only one workable entrance to the AT&T garage through there, unless they reconfigured for access from Wood.
A had my dog run over at that crosswalk leading to the grocery store many years ago. Cab driver going balz out during night time with no regard to who was in the crosswalk.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 13:05**

Really happy with what I'm seeing. The article says it will be completed sometime in 2019, which is quite a wait, but it'll be worth it.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 13:41**

That's awesome, I don't care what the hell they name it because without AT&T there it would have quickly become the Skid row of Dallas.

As much as we like to diss on the corporate nature of things such as this, this is exactly what downtown needs. A corporate citizen who is willing to invest in the fabric of a city rather than build a corporate campus that would look more or less exactly the same regardless of where they are. Hopefully this can be a catalyst to anchor another relocation for the Perot tower.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 14:25**

This is great news for that side of downtown, even though I had high hopes AT&T would be the large new tenant for the perot skyscraper, i think i'm happier with this result.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 14:38**

Maybe we will see the development of a new residential tower nearby.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 14:47**

clcrash19 wrote:This is great news for that side of downtown, even though I had high hopes AT&T would be the large new tenant for the perot skyscraper, i think i'm happier with this result.

I, too, am really glad they stayed. This side of Downtown needs them a lot more than the Perot site, plus I really hate the trend of companies leaving older buildings in DFW for newer ones. If that trend keeps up, we'll be stuck with a bunch of old buildings that nobody wants, so any older building being used is a good thing.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 15:09**

Already happened though it's what has driven all the 80's building re-dos recently. To compete with Uptown in some form they have seen massive reinvestment to attract new tenants and many have done so successfully. Thanksgiving Tower is even extending the sidewalk to remove the bus lane for a wider sidewalk along Elm. Elm and Commerce are getting narrowed and AT&T is participating on the Commerce side. Let's just hope the work they do to Browder actually activates it this time.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 17:43**

Tnexster wrote:Maybe we will see the development of a new residential tower nearby.

Really, I think this is what we really needed

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 19:34**

The rendering of the plaza area looks awesome. I like the all the seating options, sculptures, shade, mixed retail, etc. Looks like a great place to just hang out.

Posted: **18 Jan 2017 22:42**

The investment is great for Dallas, but I hope the next phase of planning brings more life to the plaza. I'd like to see a huge outdoor feature that says "This is AT&T World Headquarters," like a 50 ft tall holographic display running Time Warner movies 24/7.

Posted: **19 Jan 2017 08:12**

I hope they put some money aside for programing for the plaza-- It looks great and had great potential... but too many of these things get built and never used because no one ever puts any money toward programing.

Posted: **19 Jan 2017 08:13**

I don't want to undercut this deal, but is it okay to close streets like that?

Posted: **19 Jan 2017 08:16**

gshelton91 wrote:I hope they put some money aside for programing for the plaza-- It looks great and had great potential... but too many of these things get built and never used because no one ever puts any money toward programing.

I hope they move some of the Turner broadcast to Dallas, assuming that acquisition is approved, like the basketball!

Posted: **19 Jan 2017 09:10**

I don't want to undercut this deal, but is it okay to close streets like that?

They will have to purchase the land under the street at fair market value but other than that as long as it is approved by the city it's ok.

Posted: **19 Jan 2017 10:00**

The new plaza would be a great location for a subway station on the revamped D2

Posted: **19 Jan 2017 11:35**

The nighttime rendering shows what looks like an LED outline on One AT&T. It would be pretty noticeable on the skyline if that's the plan.

Posted: **23 Jan 2017 10:18**

Anybody know what's going on with Browder St plaza between AT&T and DP&L? Where the food trucks go is barricaded/fenced off.

Posted: **23 Jan 2017 11:43**

One of the articles states that AT&T is making a door to the street for the new Starbucks they put in that corner. Previously, one could only access it from the inside of the building.

Posted: **23 Jan 2017 15:00**

dukemeredith wrote:One of the articles states that AT&T is making a door to the street for the new Starbucks they put in that corner. Previously, one could only access it from the inside of the building.

Good catch. I remember someone mentioning they would be opening up Starbucks but I figured they would have done it when the plaza was being revamped.

Posted: **02 Mar 2017 16:00**

Does anyone know what happened at CPC today? It looked like some of the plan commissioners seem hell bent on killing this deal. What a shame. No wonder we are losing businesses to Plano, Frisco and Irving at every turn.

Posted: **02 Mar 2017 16:05**

ArtVandelay wrote:Does anyone know what happened at CPC today? It looked like some of the plan commissioners seem hell bent on killing this deal. What a shame. No wonder we are losing businesses to Plano, Frisco and Irving at every turn.

What the hell...why??

Posted: **03 Mar 2017 09:14**

eburress wrote:
ArtVandelay wrote:Does anyone know what happened at CPC today? It looked like some of the plan commissioners seem hell bent on killing this deal. What a shame. No wonder we are losing businesses to Plano, Frisco and Irving at every turn.

What the hell...why??

The majority of the thoroughfare amendments proposed to facilitate the development of the AT&T Discovery district were approved. Changes to Commerce, Jackson and Wood from Ervay to Cesar Chavez were not approved.

Highlights:

-Jackson from Browder to 5 AT&T Plaza and Akard from Jackson to Wood will be closed to create the Discovery District.
-Commerce from Houston to Ervay will be reduced to three lanes
-Jackson from Field to Griffin will become two-way
-Wood from Griffin to Ervay will become two-way

The only Commissioner to vote against the AT&T Discovery District was D2 Commissioner Mark Reives (several commissioners recused themselves from the public hearing due to conflicts).

It's interesting Mr. Reives was against the proposal because when he was fighting to stop Pie Tap from opening on Henderson Ave he said he "strongly believed in neighborhood self determination." The AT&T Discovery District plan was overwhelmingly supported by the downtown neighborhood.

It now goes to a full council vote for ordinance adoption.

Posted: **03 Mar 2017 09:33**

So, 2 ATT Plaza... that's a giant parking garage, right. Can the structure hold a 1,000 foot addition?

Posted: **03 Mar 2017 11:52**

ATT.png

AT&T Discovery District Plan

Posted: **03 Mar 2017 12:04**

tamtagon wrote:So, 2 ATT Plaza... that's a giant parking garage, right. Can the structure hold a 1,000 foot addition?

I think you are referring to 5 ATT. But why do you ask?

Posted: **03 Mar 2017 12:22**

Tucy wrote:
tamtagon wrote:So, 2 ATT Plaza... that's a giant parking garage, right. Can the structure hold a 1,000 foot addition?

I think you are referring to 5 ATT. But why do you ask?

What do they do in 2 ATT, I guess it's not a garage, is that where all the switching happens or the fiber connects?

Asking because what if ATT needs to expand.

Posted: **03 Mar 2017 14:49**

I think they have proven they don't want or need every employee on this campus. They just continue to optimize the location of employees between Downtown and suburban office buildings like the one they occupy on I-30 in Oak Cliff. I have long abandoned that they would expand by building a new tower or buy more property downtown. I'm sure they would just increase lease space outside of Downtown. Even they don't want to put their entire basket in one spot considering how much property they already own in Downtown.

I think think it would have been better for them to buy the old federal building now a data center and incorporate that into their campus plans but that's been sold and renovated again by a new data center company so I don't expect it to get flipped anytime soon.

Posted: **12 Apr 2017 17:56**

Dallas to close, shrink and make streets two-way to keep AT&T downtown
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/att ... t-downtown
Robert Wilonsky, City Columnist

AT&T made the call in October to keep its headquarters in downtown Dallas by spending $100 million on its revamped campus.
But the decision to stay in the city rather than flee to the suburbs was contingent upon several major requests, chief among them the significant alteration of some major downtown streets for a so-called "Discovery District" filled with shops, restaurants and other pedestrian-friendly amenities.
On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council agreed to give the communications company what it wants, including the closure of two streets, the narrowing of another and the conversion of two others to two-way traffic around AT&T's headquarters at Akard and Commerce streets.

Posted: **12 Apr 2017 18:29**

My only disagreement with this project is the plan to add a Browder street one way lane where Urban Markets previous patio was located alongside the ramp that current travels north to underground parking.

Posted: **12 Apr 2017 21:58**

I think they have proven they don't want or need every employee on this campus.

That is quite true. They actually just had a building built in south Plano and will be closing and consolidating employees currently in multiple buildings in the Richardson Telecom corridor into that building. There was some idle speculation that some of the Richardson employees would be moving to downtown that has now been clarified.

Posted: **26 May 2017 22:03**

Photo-2017-05-26-22-01-37_FC9322F5-3E0E-439B-A4DE-C6EB9B69C030.JPG

AT&T experimenting with LEDs.

Click the picture if you want to see the photo upright... strange forum bug...

Posted: **31 May 2017 08:08**

Noticed these lights on my side as well. Hard to see, this was taken around 7 last night. Interested to see what comes of this.

IMG_0577.JPG

Posted: **31 May 2017 08:23**

This Discover District project is gonna be done piecemeal you can tell. Things will progress when we see it progress. I doubt there will be much info put to the public since AT&T got its approvals from the city. If we are lucky they will launch an informational website with more info so as they release news about parts of it the press releases have somewhere else to call home beyond the corporate Press Room part of their website.

Posted: **14 Jun 2017 18:43**

The new Starbucks entrance and additional seating at Browder look pretty good.

FullSizeRender 32.jpg

Posted: **15 Jun 2017 09:02**

ya know i live across the street and there was no signage up saying this was a starbucks. I wonder if i can walk in, or if i have to be part of the at&t gang.

Posted: **15 Jun 2017 09:32**

I imagine they will install a sign at some point. They may need to have gotten city approval and didn't have it yet. Definitely an improvement in many ways. Let's hope this helps incite more Browder Plaza retail development. The DP&L building and the green space that is mostly a dog urine soaked corner should get some more appropriate development attention. There is so much potential there but it was purely held back by AT&T holding on to their fortress-like ways. Now that they want a better campus life they can open things up more. The problem will always be about parking for other retailers/restaurants if they want Browder to truly blossom.

Posted: **15 Jun 2017 09:46**

I still wish the Jackson street conversion to pedestrian only was extended all the way to Browder plaza (or DP&L garage entrance). AT&T plans already show building a garage entrance from Wood (currently a loading dock I believe) and that reduces the need for the Jackson garage entrance.

Posted: **15 Jun 2017 11:00**

Spice in the city - restaurant inside DP&L - finally got Commerce St signage this week. Should help increase their customer base.

Posted: **31 Jul 2017 20:43**

AT&T seeking diversity in bidders on $100M redevelopment in downtown Dallas

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news ... -100m.html

Posted: **12 Nov 2017 18:27**

They were doing a pretty decent light show on Whitacre Tower early Sunday morning, testing the new lights. No one will ever confuse it with the Omni or Reunion Tower, but the effects are closer to BOA than it is to One Arts.

Posted: **14 Dec 2017 19:38**

The lights on the Whitacre Tower is on tonight. The lighting is definitely similar to the BOA Plaza.

Posted: **15 Dec 2017 15:06**

Sorry, for the incrediblely horrible pictures. I got a few shaky pics coming from 30 towards Downtown. I also noticed what looked like to be LED floodlights over hanging the very top of the building. I think they are going to llliumate the front of the building where the AT&T logo is facing.

Posted: **19 Dec 2017 13:12**

AT&T plans to light up Dallas' skyline with new HQ display

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... hq-display

Posted: **19 Dec 2017 16:18**

There is a lot of blue in the skyline lately. Hunt, Thanksgiving, Lincoln Plaza, whatever the Omni is doing, and now ATT. Also all those blue lights on top of the streetlights around the new bridges. It's especially noticeable from the air.

Posted: **19 Dec 2017 16:50**

The blue works with so many of our sports teams featuring similar colors.

Posted: **19 Dec 2017 23:08**

I figured that red, yellow and green are out for public safety reasons, which leaves blue.

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