Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Why has it taken so long to finish this building? The building itself is an eyesore, only made worse by the trash in the trees and construction fence that has been up for a very long time. Seriously, Trammell Crow how long can it possibly take to build a sidewalk. You have shown no respect for aesthetics of the Trail. Where are the Friends of the Katy Trail? Are they pushing the developer to get this cleaned up?

I agree. I went on the Katy Trail for the first time in a while this past Saturday, and was surprised to see that there were still construction fences up.

Also, I thought there was supposed to be some restaurants with a large patio that would face the trail and the AAC on the south side of the building, but, when I went there, it didn't seem like there was space for it. Did I simply just miss it, or did those plans change?

Was the whole purpose of the tall stucco towers to show off lighting effects at night? The lighting effects are not very impressive and during the day the towers look awkward and ugly.

DPatel304 wrote:I agree. I went on the Katy Trail for the first time in a while this past Saturday, and was surprised to see that there were still construction fences up.

Also, I thought there was supposed to be some restaurants with a large patio that would face the trail and the AAC on the south side of the building, but, when I went there, it didn't seem like there was space for it. Did I simply just miss it, or did those plans change?

I live here due to an apartment deal I could not pass up after I sold my condo. Definitely NOT renewing my lease. Hardly any work is being done. The pools, rooftop, and restaurant will hopefully exist but are nowhere near being done. I was told the pool would be done before the end of 2016 and paid extra for a pool facing view, but have just had months of a construction pit view where it sits for a week at a time with no work being done. The tower portion move ins have been delayed. If you read reviews, some people put down deposits and have had their move in date pushed back month after month, with no legal recourse. The office staff is nice and admit the problems, but the developer has dropped the ball on a massive scale. On the positive side, I love the interior of my unit and the floorplan, the gym, and easy Katy Trail access. But totally regret this decision.

"an apartment deal I could not pass up"

It's like they say: If it's too good to be true, then there's a catch.

willyk wrote:Was the whole purpose of the tall stucco towers to show off lighting effects at night? The lighting effects are not very impressive and during the day the towers look awkward and ugly.

Anything made stucco is ugly. That's why I hate the material. It makes all these new apartment buildings being built in the city look cheap and poorly made.

Thanks for the insight, but sorry you're having such a horrible experience. It sounds like, once it's all said and done, it could be a pretty cool place to live, but they've definitely dropped the ball up until now.

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

Matt777 wrote:

DPatel304 wrote:I agree. I went on the Katy Trail for the first time in a while this past Saturday, and was surprised to see that there were still construction fences up.

Also, I thought there was supposed to be some restaurants with a large patio that would face the trail and the AAC on the south side of the building, but, when I went there, it didn't seem like there was space for it. Did I simply just miss it, or did those plans change?

I live here due to an apartment deal I could not pass up after I sold my condo. Definitely NOT renewing my lease. Hardly any work is being done. The pools, rooftop, and restaurant will hopefully exist but are nowhere near being done. I was told the pool would be done before the end of 2016 and paid extra for a pool facing view, but have just had months of a construction pit view where it sits for a week at a time with no work being done. The tower portion move ins have been delayed. If you read reviews, some people put down deposits and have had their move in date pushed back month after month, with no legal recourse. The office staff is nice and admit the problems, but the developer has dropped the ball on a massive scale. On the positive side, I love the interior of my unit and the floorplan, the gym, and easy Katy Trail access. But totally regret this decision.

Sounds like it's not even as good as a Hampton Inn

Current view of the pool. Granted, it's a lot further along than when I moved here in October 2016, but the snails pace of construction is very concerning. There will be a waterfall feature along the back stone ledge, and then another waterfall from the pool down to the courtyard level. One the courtyard level, there will be flatscreen TV's, seating areas, a fire pit feature, and grills. The renderings of the final product were very impressive, but they should have been more transparent about their struggle to finish anything around here.

In other news, a very large homeless camp has been growing across the street along the DART tracks overlooking a swampy pit. It's the size of a small village.

That looks like it will be a really nice pool area when they get done. Wonder why they are moving so slow?

View from 15th floor. Little Mexico Village would be such a great spot for a large park.

Wow! The density in that photograph is breathtaking! You're right, that would make a fantastic spot for a park. Or more density. Either way, those garden apartments have to go.

I said in the old forum that my idea would be to replace the adjacent Pike Park with 3-4 highrises (one to replace the public housing, and 2-3 luxury market-rate towers built by private developers). Use the proceeds from selling land to private developers to put a brand new Pike Park which would be adjacent to the Katy Trail. I'd love to see a nature-themed pool as part of the park, like Zilker or Deep Eddy in Austin.

Matt777 wrote:I said in the old forum that my idea would be to replace the adjacent Pike Park with 3-4 highrises (one to replace the public housing, and 2-3 luxury market-rate towers built by private developers). Use the proceeds from selling land to private developers to put a brand new Pike Park which would be adjacent to the Katy Trail. I'd love to see a nature-themed pool as part of the park, like Zilker or Deep Eddy in Austin.

Pike Park is a City of Dallas Landmark, so the chances of it ever changing or going away is pretty slim. The new MODA apartments adjacent to the park underwent a detailed review just because its new wall got somewhat close to the historic staircase. Little Mexico Village could be replaced with something much denser and the Katy Trail could weave through it to Pike Market.

http://dallascityhall.com/departments/s ... -Park.aspx

Probably moving slow because there is a real shortage of construction & landscaping workers in DFW, and the immigration craziness is not helping any either. They may also be waiting for warmer weather to do the landscaping.

If you believe the state's economy will suffer only half the devastation identified by recent sky-is-falling commentaries attributed to proposed Trump Border Tax, then the available construction & landscaping work force should adequately handle whats left of regional development.

Are they not giving you a discount on rent because of the pool? A pool is a key amenity and with warm weather right around the corner I would be pretty upset if I was paying for a pool I couldn't use.

hum, I'm wondering about paths to Katy Trail from that party pool; whatever prominence Goat Hill once carried may have been architecturally ruined, but this amenity might be popular for bunches of people.

JohnMcKee wrote:Are they not giving you a discount on rent because of the pool? A pool is a key amenity and with warm weather right around the corner I would be pretty upset if I was paying for a pool I couldn't use.

The leases include a "construction addendum" which I believe bar you from seeking damages. When I signed in September 2016, they told me the pool would be done before the end of 2016 and that seemed entirely possible at the time considering the concrete shell was already up. So I had no problem signing it. Never would I have guessed that they would just let it sit there for months on end with hardly work being done. Everything they did was legal-ish (verbal completion date promise, not written), but very misleading and frankly ridiculous. I think I heard that people started moving into this building March 2016 so they have gone a year with no completed pool.

tamtagon wrote:hum, I'm wondering about paths to Katy Trail from that party pool; whatever prominence Goat Hill once carried may have been architecturally ruined, but this amenity might be popular for bunches of people.

The pool is on the other side of the building from the Katy Trail. You would have to go through a key fob gate, key fob door, through the building, then another key fob access point to the pool. Not too easy for a non-resident to access, thankfully.

Matt777 wrote:

JohnMcKee wrote:Are they not giving you a discount on rent because of the pool? A pool is a key amenity and with warm weather right around the corner I would be pretty upset if I was paying for a pool I couldn't use.

The leases include a "construction addendum" which I believe bar you from seeking damages. When I signed in September 2016, they told me the pool would be done before the end of 2016 and that seemed entirely possible at the time considering the concrete shell was already up. So I had no problem signing it. Never would I have guessed that they would just let it sit there for months on end with hardly work being done. Everything they did was legal-ish (verbal completion date promise, not written), but very misleading and frankly ridiculous. I think I heard that people started moving into this building March 2016 so they have gone a year with no completed pool.

Hmm. I guess it is not the same with a pool but at my last apartment I moved in before construction finished and there was a major delay with the gym and they ended up paying for gym memberships for anyone that complained. I don't remember an addendum for construction but this was over a decade ago so it wouldn't surprise me if I signed one.

The rooftop is finally open. It has a small dipping pool, seating areas, fire pit. The view is very nice.

what a view!

kingpin wrote:what a view!

THATS what the high walls are for.. got it

great space!

Looks awesome!

Matt777 wrote:The rooftop is finally open. It has a small dipping pool, seating areas, fire pit. The view is very nice.

Very nice view. Can you imagine if Little Mexico was a park from that first pic? It would be our small version of Central Park surrounded with towers of unobstructed parkland.

dollaztx wrote:

Matt777 wrote:The rooftop is finally open. It has a small dipping pool, seating areas, fire pit. The view is very nice.

Very nice view. Can you imagine if Little Mexico was a park from that first pic? It would be our small version of Central Park surrounded with towers of unobstructed parkland.

There is already lots of parkland nearby and we have Kylde Warren for mini Central Park. You even have a easily connected pedestrian and bike trail to connect it all. What we don't have enough of is affordable housing in Dallas.

Reverchon Park is one block away, connected by a trail....

Cough *cough *... turns head to the trinity...

cowboyeagle05 wrote:

dollaztx wrote:

Matt777 wrote:The rooftop is finally open. It has a small dipping pool, seating areas, fire pit. The view is very nice.

Very nice view. Can you imagine if Little Mexico was a park from that first pic? It would be our small version of Central Park surrounded with towers of unobstructed parkland.

There is already lots of parkland nearby and we have Kylde Warren for mini Central Park. You even have a easily connected pedestrian and bike trail to connect it all. What we don't have enough of is affordable housing in Dallas.

Good luck finding your affordable housing in a high demand market.
Au contraire, just a few miles south of the Trinity you'll find affordable housing in a not so nice area.

joshua.dodd wrote:

cowboyeagle05 wrote:

dollaztx wrote:
Very nice view. Can you imagine if Little Mexico was a park from that first pic? It would be our small version of Central Park surrounded with towers of unobstructed parkland.

There is already lots of parkland nearby and we have Kylde Warren for mini Central Park. You even have a easily connected pedestrian and bike trail to connect it all. What we don't have enough of is affordable housing in Dallas.

Good luck finding your affordable housing in a high demand market.
Au contraire, just a few miles south of the Trinity you'll find affordable housing in a not so nice area.

I always get a little sad/jealous when I see people bemoan the lack of affordable housing in Dallas. Guess what Low Income housing in San Francisco costs.. $1600/mo for a 2br.

Has any of the retail here opened? I've noticed the sign up for "Local Tap and Table" for a few months now, but can't find much info about it online. It has a facebook page that was established in April 2019 but it hasn't been updated since. Did it fall through?

homeworld1031tx wrote:Has any of the retail here opened? I've noticed the sign up for "Local Tap and Table" for a few months now, but can't find much info about it online. It has a facebook page that was established in April 2019 but it hasn't been updated since. Did it fall through?

It must have... I tried to see if it was open one evening and it was completely dark... and that Local Tap sign has been up there forever..