DISD Administration Building

[dallasite1]

Not sure if our readers are aware of this. The building is undergoing some demolition. I am being told that The main section(front section) will be saved and incorporated with new apartment construction. Native Dallasite and Historian Bob Johnson posted these photos to Facebook. Members I'd keep an eye on the site. The address is 3700 Ross.

[dallasite1]

The structure was built in 1948 with a 2007 addition according to DCAD.

[muncien]

Someone put a posting on another thread (Ross ave?) showing the proposed building. Apartments and garage filling the lot, while saving the existing central building. Looks pretty solid.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

Is there any plans for retail in this project? I would love for the neighborhood to have some walkable storefronts along Ross.

Hopefully they widen out the sidewalks too!

[tamtagon]

Ross, is it the next McKinney Ave? Lower Greenville to Arts District, ridiculous with potential.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

Is there any plans for retail in this project? I would love for the neighborhood to have some walkable storefronts along Ross.

Hopefully they widen out the sidewalks too!

It also connects to the potentially re-vamped Henderson cooridor!

[dallasite1]

here is the link where the the ross ave corridor topic is.viewtopic.php?f=2&t=193&p=9944&hilit=Ross+ave#p9944

[cowboyeagle05]

I believe while Ross was a priority for the city in re-starting housing development like this one the city hasn't been aggressive about sidewalks or any real plan on improving the exploding district. The city seems to just be pulling a McKinney Ave where they are waiting on developers or a neighborhood board/community group to push for changes. City Hall is happy letting developers build what ever they want and call it walk-able on marketing brochures.

[lakewoodhobo]

Plans for former DISD Ross campus show new apartment community
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... -community




The development is called The Academic.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

Its aight. Not feeling the Small Sidewalks tho:/... Some retail would've been nice.

[muncien]

I really don't understand the point of that little sliver of grass that everyone puts between the sidewalk and the street. I get that people want greenery, and I get that having a separation between pedestrians and vehicles is good, but the notoriously narrow strip of grass does nothing to really accomplish this.
The sidewalk should extend all the way to the street, and trees with grates should be placed along the street in all urban settings... particularly where the speed limit does not exceed 35mph. The vertical greenery provided by trees, as well as the physical protections they can provide are far more effective than a poorly watered, heavily trampled strip of grass.
It seems like such an easy thing to correct, yet there appears to be no effort to do so.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

I always wondered what the point of that small piece of grass was for...I don't know what it serves.. shade for Ants?

[The_Overdog]

It looks nice and contrasting in the renderings.

[Tnexster]

Ross needs a streetcar line running into downtown.

[dallasbeatsaustin]

Ross needs a streetcar line running into downtown.

Yes, yes, and yes. Also, the Ross at Peak Thrift store was pack with millennials buying furniture last week.

[Hwulivn]

I really don't understand the point of that little sliver of grass that everyone puts between the sidewalk and the street. I get that people want greenery, and I get that having a separation between pedestrians and vehicles is good, but the notoriously narrow strip of grass does nothing to really accomplish this.
The sidewalk should extend all the way to the street, and trees with grates should be placed along the street in all urban settings... particularly where the speed limit does not exceed 35mph. The vertical greenery provided by trees, as well as the physical protections they can provide are far more effective than a poorly watered, heavily trampled strip of grass.
It seems like such an easy thing to correct, yet there appears to be no effort to do so.

I agree the narrow strip of grass is ALMOST pointless. I believe the strip should be wider and INCLUDE the grated street trees.

[Hwulivn]

It looks nice and contrasting in the renderings.

Looks decently Urban. However, I am so sick of almost everything is Dallas being gray or various shades of brown and tan. Ugh. It’s so dull. I think it was Mark Lamster that noted that this Dallas phenomenon smacks of Russian prisons or something to that effect.

Also, I don’t quite understand the space at the intersection. I understand there is an attempt to engage the pedestrian and the street, but it would’ve been so much better if the building actually engaged this feature as well. We should get so much better site/urban design in this town.

[ArtVandelay]

I’m starting to have my doubts about this project. Looks like work has stopped and the site looks abandoned. The historic structure that remains had huge graffiti tags and lots of broken windows.

I wonder if the can scrap their plans and tear down the building, which would be sad.

[dallaz]

I’m starting to have my doubts about this project. Looks like work has stopped and the site looks abandoned. The historic structure that remains had huge graffiti tags and lots of broken windows.

I wonder if the can scrap their plans and tear down the building, which would be sad.

I’ve noticed that too...but this isn’t the only building that’s been tagged near/on Ross Ave. It seems like someone in the area is going on a tagging spree. I’ve seen multiple buildings with graffiti.

It would be a shame if the plan fell through...

[Jbarn]

I certainly hope that we are not about to see a repeat of what has happened in Dallas for decades now; developers come in with grand plans, clear cut huge swaths of urban land, the economy falters, and we are left with vast areas of dead space for years until the next wave of development. Creates real dead zones when we are striving to create density. We have several of these potential dead zones right now.

[DPatel304]

Personally, I'd only consider The Spire and also Smart City to be the only 'huge swaths of urban land' that may or may not be developed this cycle. Everything else would either be an area that is not all that important at the moment, or the land isn't really large enough to negatively effect the surrounding area too much. We all knew this had to happen at some point, and if things are coming to a halt soon, I think we had an amazing run.

[Jbarn]

Personally, I'd only consider The Spire and also Smart City to be the only 'huge swaths of urban land' that may or may not be developed this cycle. Everything else would either be an area that is not all that important at the moment, or the land isn't really large enough to negatively effect the surrounding area too much. We all knew this had to happen at some point, and if things are coming to a halt soon, I think we had an amazing run.

I was also thinking about the old Xerox space on Central;
the old Watel’s restaurant and adjacent spaces; the taco cabana/shoe repair places on Lemmon that were supposed to be a Central Market; the old Albertsons space on Lemmon that was supposed to be a Central Market; the Drever; Valley View Mall; the “Dream” hotel.

[DPatel304]

Oh yes, there are definitely more than what I listed, I guess I just consider them less vital to the re-urbanization of Dallas. Of that list, I'd say the Drever is another project that could end up being a disappointment. The old Albertsons in Uptown is also some prime real estate, but Uptown will be just fine even if that building remains dormant.

Either way, it's still way too premature to be talking about any of this right now. This year has still been very strong, so we'll just have to see how things play out.

[Matt777]

I noticed workers back onsite today doing something on the west side of the property. There was a truck and some sort of equipment being moved on to the site.

[lakewoodhobo]

Finally back on.

Construction finally kicks off on old Dallas ISD campus east of downtown
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... -downtown/

[eburress]

Awesome, thank goodness! This lot has been one of the bigger eyesores along Ross, so it's good it's back on.

[Matt777]

I hadn't been in this area in a while, but last night I drove by and saw that this project has progressed significantly, framed and topped out at 5 stories.

It is called The Academic, developed by Leon Capital.
https://leoncapitalgroup.com/portfolio- ... -academic/

This is great to see after the site sat barren and unsecured for so long.

[eburress]

Yeah, it's really coming along! This and that other new residential project a few blocks north are doing a lot to fill in the gaps along Ross.

[cowboyeagle05]

^Yet sadly the street is really just a speedway between East Dallas and Downtown. I wonder when advocates will push for something more.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

I feel like ross was missed opportunity. More retail could have been implemented in these projects. That would have connected Ross and LG nicely.

[eburress]

^Yet sadly the street is really just a speedway between East Dallas and Downtown. I wonder when advocates will push for something more.

For the most part I agree. There is the pocket that has formed at Hall and Ross in which the social scene rotates (on foot) between Alice, XOXO, Daliah, Toller, and such. People start at one and eventually hit the others. I imagine it's only a matter of time before this extends further north.

[Matt777]

Ross needs huge work. Pretty much a complete rebuilding of the entire road from the West End to East Dallas. A small road diet or streetcar line, better and wider sidewalks, new lighting and trees lining the street. It could be a major transit and pedestrian route if the city tried....

[DPatel304]

Ross needs huge work. Pretty much a complete rebuilding of the entire road from the West End to East Dallas. A small road diet or streetcar line, better and wider sidewalks, new lighting and trees lining the street. It could be a major transit and pedestrian route if the city tried....

Yep, this is what I'd really like to see as well plus some nice bike lanes too. I'm not sure how feasible it all is given that there is only so much space to work with, but one can hope.

[eburress]

There was talk of a Ross Ave streetcar which would run from Downtown up to Lowest Greenville 10-15 years ago. That plus a larger complete streets project would be amazing.

[mdg109]

There are still plenty of empty lots that could fill in and make up for the new developments that don't have any retail or neighborhood services. So, I'm still hopeful. Totally agree on all of the above suggestions. At the very least, wide sidewalks and separated bike lane from DT to LG.

[MC_ScattCat]

There was talk of a Ross Ave streetcar which would run from Downtown up to Lowest Greenville 10-15 years ago. That plus a larger complete streets project would be amazing.

I wish the street car would go from Bishop Arts to West Village and another line from Sylvan 30 to Lowest Grenville. Those two routes would have tons of apartments, bars, offices along these routes.

[eburress]

Completely agree! I've thought the same thing.

[Tnexster]

I've always liked the idea of a Ross Ave line. Technically I guess Ross to Sylvan line could be routed through West End.