DTD: The National/Thompson Hotel (1401 Elm)

[lakewoodhobo]

I've been wondering if the project was in trouble again because I hadn't noticed any new marble installed in weeks. On my way back from checking out the Discovery District screen I saw that they're working on the last few columns facing Elm.

Tomorrow is the first day of February and the clock is ticking.

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[Cbdallas]

That is looking really nice.

[cowboyeagle05]

The one thing I have been hoping for at minimum is getting the marble back on and the interior emptied out. So even if this attempt fails which would still be a tragedy the building will still be better off overall.

[jetnd87]

Given these guys' level of investment and recent speed of projects in Downtown Dallas, I'm not terribly worried. Maybe that's naive optimism.

[cowboyeagle05]

I agree and this is also a very big project which can swallow any well-meaning developer.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

Tomorrow is the first day of February and the clock is ticking.

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For what exactly?

[itsjrd1964]

Tomorrow is the first day of February and the clock is ticking.

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For what exactly?

Don't they have a certain length of time for the project, per the stipulations of the TIF/City/whoever said so?

[lakewoodhobo]

Tomorrow is the first day of February and the clock is ticking.

Unknown-4.jpeg

For what exactly?

Don't they have a certain length of time for the project, per the stipulations of the TIF/City/whoever said so?

The TIF deadline has moved several times and I assume it could be extended again, but the state and federal tax credits have a hard deadline of 12/31/20 if I’m not mistaken.

[Jay9398]

It's hard to tell from street level but I assure you they have been very very active on this building and I would be surprised if they don't complete the work on or before EOY 2020.

Electrical, plumbing, framing, sheetrock are all complete on almost all units (hotel and apartments). They have started taping off windows and painting at this point. The exterior finish may seem slow but they are definitely moving along full speed on this project.

[Tnexster]

It's hard to tell from street level but I assure you they have been very very active on this building and I would be surprised if they don't complete the work on or before EOY 2020.

Electrical, plumbing, framing, sheetrock are all complete on almost all units (hotel and apartments). They have started taping off windows and painting at this point. The exterior finish may seem slow but they are definitely moving along full speed on this project.

Good to know, thanks. The only spot I have noticed on the marble exterior work that seems unfinished is the north side, near Akard along Pacific. It is incomplete and there is no work being done. Not sure why they would have stopped halfway through.

[Zmitz]

Will this building have the vertical pinstripes lit up? I'm sure I saw one lit up recently - that would be a nice addition to the nighttime skyline.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

Will this building have the vertical pinstripes lit up? I'm sure I saw one lit up recently - that would be a nice addition to the nighttime skyline.

That seems to be the case with some of the recent testing.

[mdg109]

Can't wait to see what kind of retail goes in on the street level.

[Cbdallas]

An urban Target would draw from all of the downtown dwellers to that area.

[itsjrd1964]

Here's a blog article about smaller-format Target stores:
https://blog.bonbrand.com/reinventing-t ... jvL1vRME0M

Also, 2 articles about Walgreens' urban concept stores that should (already) be here IMO, but for some reason, aren't:
https://csnews.com/walgreens-debuts-urb ... cagos-loop
https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/2155397

[DPatel304]

Elm Street will be reduced to two lanes of traffic for two months beginning Monday, February 17, as work progresses on the 1401 Elm Street project. Closures will be between Stone Place and Field Street.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DallasD ... 344211123/

This was posted on Facebook. I know this project has been on and off so many times, so it's always good to see more signs of progress.

[Tnexster]

While I am happy to see that progress is moving along this will be a major issue for Elm. Maybe they will only take it down to two lanes during the day and not rush hour.

[cowboyeagle05]

Well since up the street they have taken away the bus lane to widen sidewalks is this so they can also rebuild a wider sidewalk and do a lane reduction? I would imagine they would need both lanes to fit crews, machinery and tear out the street.

[Warrior2015]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... ew-tenant/

Downtown Dallas Inc will be relocating its offices to this building when it opens later this year. Also the name has been changed to "The National".

[lakewoodhobo]

Todd said the building will start opening in September and October.

“There will be people living in this building in September,” he said. “The goal is to have the hotel open in the fall.

Good to know they’re on track for September move-ins. I imagine they should start pre-leasing in the spring.

Garrett said its office at The National will include a storefront on Pacific Avenue that will serve as an information center for downtown.

I’m not reading this as great news. There’s actually very little room for retail on Pacific, and a downtown welcome center wouldn’t be my first choice here. I get that DDI needed to consolidate since a lot of the Safety Patrol and clean team got moved out of AT&T, but it would’ve been great to see a convenience store facing the platform for people waiting on their train.

I like the new name, however.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

I’m not reading this as great news. There’s actually very little room for retail on Pacific, and a downtown welcome center wouldn’t be my first choice here. I get that DDI needed to consolidate since a lot of the Safety Patrol and clean team got moved out of AT&T, but it would’ve been great to see a convenience store facing the platform for people waiting on their train.

I like the new name, however.

Idk man...to early to make that call for me. Recall that it will also be a hotel. More than likely there will be a hotel lobby in the bottom.. withmaybe a cafe or a bistro as well.

Having DDI off to the side in a small space could work.. I would imagine they won't have a monstrous space in the lobby.

[R1070]

There’s already a 7 Eleven by this building and one at St Paul station.

[Tnexster]

Well, now is the time we should start to hear more about what ends up going in here and it's also a good time with the AT&T plaza opening up, that two big pieces in the middle of downtown opening up within months of each other. With all of the activity around The National every day I expect it will be a hot spot fairly quick.

[cowboyeagle05]

2G2R52VA6FFODDKCGU72PBFJUY.jpg

Oh look another massive valet area or is the developer redoing Akard all the way across to 1505 Elm? I know the city narrowed the street to two lanes and simply painted lines over the previous lanes. Is The National going to take over the leftover space and shift the two functional lanes towards 1505 Elm St?

[Tnexster]

That looks nice and is obviously a recent rendering. Would be nice if Akard actually looked that nice when finished. However, I can see where cars waiting for the valet could pose a problem for cars driving down Akard.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

2G2R52VA6FFODDKCGU72PBFJUY.jpg

Oh look another massive valet area or is the developer redoing Akard all the way across to 1505 Elm? I know the city narrowed the street to two lanes and simply painted lines over the previous lanes. Is The National going to take over the leftover space and shift the two functional lanes towards 1505 Elm St?

Definitely just a rendering of a nice street. There's no room for valet as Dart is right in front of the building. And the side streets are too small to fit a valet.

[lakewoodhobo]

2G2R52VA6FFODDKCGU72PBFJUY.jpg

Oh look another massive valet area or is the developer redoing Akard all the way across to 1505 Elm? I know the city narrowed the street to two lanes and simply painted lines over the previous lanes. Is The National going to take over the leftover space and shift the two functional lanes towards 1505 Elm St?

I wonder if the plan is to expand the sidewalk facing 1505 Elm while also using that building's valet/lobby for the Thompson Hotel. An acquaintance of mine that lives at 1505 said there were big changes coming to 1401 and 1505 Elm.

Screen Shot 2020-02-20 at 11.26.18 AM.jpg

[THRILLHO]

This is one of the projects I'm most excited for. Spruce up the street and sidewalks and this building absolutely could serve as a central hub of pedestrian activity. It's a gem of a building.

[cowboyeagle05]

Maybe that 1505 Elm Penthouse will get leased out by the Thompson Hotel as event space? It's beautiful but needs major work to be functional for anything.

[Tnexster]

From that picture above it looks as if there is more than enough room for two southbound lanes plus a dedicated valet lane for the hotel. What am I missing? Not only that but once that construction fence is lifted that sidewalk is wide.

[cowboyeagle05]

1401-Elm.jpg

Plus look at this rendering also in the D Magazine article. Shows a dip in the sidewalk for a pull-up drop off location on Akard.

Annotation 2020-02-22 101734.jpg

[Tnexster]

For the first time I have noticed some lighting on a couple of the floors that appears to be recessed lighting. Internal progress?

[soco]

I live across the street from this building and can see into the units. Interior finish out is well underway on the hotel rooms and apartments.

[Tnexster]

I live across the street from this building and can see into the units. Interior finish out is well underway on the hotel rooms and apartments.

Great, thanks for the update.

[Thymant]

Had notice 2 stripes whole stripes were fully lit up the other morning. It looked really nice can’t wait to see them all!

[Warrior2015]

Quite a bit of activity at the street level today 4/23/2020 at 1401 elm. Couldn't tell if activity was going on inside.

[dallaz]

^^^ The marble looks fantastic...

[Warrior2015]

^^^ The marble looks fantastic...

It really does.

[clcrash19]

Wow that looks great! I was wondering about that building

[soco]

Quite a bit of activity at the street level today 4/23/2020 at 1401 elm. Couldn't tell if activity was going on inside.

My new 'office' is directly across the street from this building and daily I can see crews working on the interior, on the mechanical/structural systems on the amenity deck, and on the ground performing utility work. There have also been crews repairing the light covers on the vertical exterior lights. Various bands of the vertical lights have also been on lately.

[cowboyeagle05]

The good thing is this project is so massive that the 6 ft rule isn't really a problem.

[Tnexster]

How's that Elm street work progressing?

[cowboyeagle05]

People on the downtown resident council are still arguing about the curb they poured at Akard and Elm. Apparently the new curb went all the way into the turn lane. Some took to the complaint that the city is stupid they can't even pour a curb right, even though this would be a contractor for the developer, not the city itself...

I argued that they are moving the turn lane and shifting the lanes over most likely since Akard turns into a two way and has had all that extra space on one side. Now the newly poured curb was removed this week and they are continuing to chide the city over its mistake online. Again it would be the developer aka private contractor, not the city making such a mistake. I have a feeling the curb will return where it was poured recently with some minor adjustments. With the Thompson Hotel appearing to have a valet pick up and drop off on this side I wouldn't be surprised to see the city eliminate that extra space from the previous lane closure on Akard shift over the lanes and when and if Akard goes two way north of Elm it will be one lane with no turn lane.

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downtown-dallas-curb.jpg

[LBK2013]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... -schedule/

Downtown Dallas’ largest skyscraper project is still on schedule
Pandemic hasn’t put the brakes on First National Bank tower project.

At downtown Dallas’ largest development — the $450 million redo of the First National Bank tower — no one’s waiting around for the end of the pandemic.

Work crews are still hustling to finish reconstruction of the 52-story Elm Street skyscraper by later this year.

Developer Shawn Todd said the more than 1 million-square-foot landmark tower will reopen starting in September and October.

“The first big mile marker we have seen is all the marble has been reapplied to the building, and it’s spectacular,” Todd said. “Shipping it overseas, having it restored and putting it back exactly where it was before was a big multimillion-piece jigsaw puzzle.”

[Tnexster]

Looks like the Elm Street work is done, can't wait to see how it all looks.

[cowboyeagle05]

Hows' that turn lane from Akard onto Elm.

[mdg109]

A couple of close-up shots:

[mdg109]

These sidewalks are huge.

[eburress]

They are indeed! I wonder if there's some intent for there to be cafes with seating spreading out onto the sidewalks. There's definitely room for it!

[cowboyeagle05]

Its cause the city gave them the lane from Elm they have been taking away from the entire downtown stretch of Elm to narrow the street. Thanksgiving Tower used some of their's for delivery parking. The Cambria Hotel also took the lane and added in some space. ALTO211 redid their sidewalk to stretch out into the former bus lane as well. Anything new/renovation along Elm on this side has to widen the sidewalks and absorb that former bus lane. 1700 Pacific is one of the standouts cause they still don't have a renovation project planned even though they are suffering occupancy wise.