Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/real ... rict-hotel

Looks like we will have something to see soon, as construction will be getting underway on the 14 story hotel. And what Virgin project would be complete without a visit from company icon Richard Branson, riding though on a white horse, accompanied by the current Miss Texas.

This will really draw attention to the Design District, which is great news.

The old guy hanging out with a beauty queen and making a big show of opening a new hotel was:
a) Conrad Hilton
b) Donald Trump
c) Richard Branson
d) All of the above

Lots of work needed in the design district. Lots of crumbling streets and non existent side walks everywhere.

As developments pour in hopefully that changes.

Really need that Turtle Creek ditch turned into something nice, in the same vein as the San Antonio River Walk.

tamtagon wrote:Really need that Turtle Creek ditch turned into something nice, in the same vein as the San Antonio River Walk.

Yes...and to continue the renovation of Riverfront Boulevard into a Complete Street northward all the way to the Market Center. And to connect the Katy Trail to the Trinity Strand. I don't expect to see it in the bond package but it would be a City investment with the potential for a big payback in increased tax base.

As Uptown construction is moving west and engulfing Victory, it appears that capital investment is now willing to jump 35 and continue through the Design District and on to the levee. Dallas would be wise to encourage this trend.

The Trinity Strand Trail is the leading horse here. The goal is to see similar reinvestment as the Katy Trail caused. First, lay the basic concrete and as fundraising builds year after year they will make trail improvements as new landowners and developers right sponsoring checks for events tied to their properties. Katy Trail wasn't as lavish as it is now when it started. Every year they make increasing improvements, additional plazas, safety improvements, landscaping, new access points etc. Stop trying to build the whole lavish experience at the beginning and let the neighborhood evolve the community asset to fit within its context. They will care more and take better care than a project dropped from the sky funded from a pricey bond election based on one urban planner/politicians urban fantasy.

I didn't really want to start a new thread for this, and I didn't see a general Design District thread so I'll leave this here.... Tim Headington is opening 2 restaurant concepts in the DD.

http://dallas.eater.com/2016/12/22/1405 ... headington

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/resta ... -sassetta/

doesnt look like much, unless I got the wrong lot

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

3/19/17

virgin hotel site under construction by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

So is this officially underway?

Looks like it

I went by the site yesterday and didn't see much of a difference.

I did see the hotel went through the Urban Peer Review Panel on 3/24. So I guess it is still making its way through the city? (Updated renderings in the packet)

Look for an announcement mid to late may

I wish this tower was at the very least 30 stories tall... Is there a height limit in this part of town?

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:I wish this tower was at the very least 30 stories tall... Is there a height limit in this part of town?

Maybe it will be 30 stories. But very tiny stories.

6/4/17

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

It's nice to see some activity finally happening here!

There's a new DBJ story behind the paywal about how Dunhil raised $7M in a day. It features a rendering of the hotel that looks a little different from what I've seen before and I'm assuming it's the most updated design (no more brown grass skirt).

I love the signage.

Oh the irony, those who love in the design district are definitely not virgins.

Is there something about the Design District that I'm missing? I'm still shocked we are getting such a high profile hotel here. I definitely see a TON of potential in the design district, but I think we are quite a ways away from realizing that potential. I get the location of the hotel, but it feels like it's 5-10 years too early, unless there are some big things going on in the area that I don't know about.

Don't get me wrong, I'm beyond happy that this happening, and I hope this will help push the neighborhood forward. I love how 'compact' the area feels, and I know there isn't much height, but I really think this area could be wonderful if the streets were made more pedestrian friendly. Not to mention the southern side has direct access to the pedestrian bridge and the Trinity Groves area.

buildingswithlegs wrote:Oh the irony, those who love in the design district are definitely not virgins.

maybe, maybe not:

DPatel304 wrote:Is there something about the Design District that I'm missing? I'm still shocked we are getting such a high profile hotel here. I definitely see a TON of potential in the design district, but I think we are quite a ways away from realizing that potential. I get the location of the hotel, but it feels like it's 5-10 years too early, unless there are some big things going on in the area that I don't know about.

Don't get me wrong, I'm beyond happy that this happening, and I hope this will help push the neighborhood forward. I love how 'compact' the area feels, and I know there isn't much height, but I really think this area could be wonderful if the streets were made more pedestrian friendly. Not to mention the southern side has direct access to the pedestrian bridge and the Trinity Groves area.

You probably have to look at it based on price, location, and ease of redevelopment. Design District is close and has easy access to Highways which is still a big decider for most developers. The Design District has affordable property at this stage in its redevelopment. Uptown is super pricey now and any area that surrounds Uptown tends to be getting development that refused to pay the Uptown price. Most of the land at play here is also owned by one or two companies who are courting development. The city has prepared for this redevelopment and put in place a lot of zoning that makes this stuff a fast rubber stamp process to get dirt turning.

In many parts of town, the land has to be assembled, the city has to be convinced of this or that change, neighborhood associations have to be courted to say yes etc. Here you have fewer land owners, zoning already in place, and no homeowners to convince that this is good for the neighborhood.

Yeah, I guess ease of redevelopment has a lot to do with it. Probably why Bishop Arts is just now getting a hotel, while the Cedars has multiple and the Design District is getting one. Nothing wrong with Design District and Cedars, but I feel like they are still quite a bit behind BAD in terms of being a desirable destination.

Like I said though, I think DD will turn out to be an incredible neighborhood in a decade or so.

Hotel placement is mainly tied to the demand for that type of room in that area. I assume this hotel would be popular with the designers, buyers, resellers, and all other various types of people involved in the high end furniture and fashion purchasing industry that drives the economy of the Design District and Lower Stemmons. Add to that the proximity to the Medical District, Love Field, and Downtown/Uptown business interests and there is probably a good market for luxury hotel room consumers.

I think Design District has 2 things that make it desirable to investors.

A) proximity to VP,DT,Uptown.

B) Direct access to the Falsely promised Grand Trinity River Park ( now named after some Rich guy named Harold).

I have wonder though, if I own land directly near the river or near large Marge... Do I really want a Toll Road there (You literally have 35 right there already).. or do I want direct / unblocked views and access to the river....

Isn't it here simply because Dunhill owns most of the DD and its partners have the financial clout to get it done? No developer in their right mind would buy an isolated development tract here, and no bank would finance it, on an If You Build It theory. But as Dunhill's flagship for the redevelopment of the rest of the DD it makes more sense.

7/11/2017

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

Thanks for the pictures. Glad to finally see some movement here!

Construction on the new Virgin Dallas Hotel is slated for completion in 2019.

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news ... j=78792631

No new information here, but some new (I believe) renderings.

9/29/17
Untitled by Around My City, on FlickrUntitled by Around My City, on Untitled by Around My City, on Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

11/8/2017

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr
Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

From last Friday

I wonder what we can do to get more street life in the Design District. The question is cliche in Dallas, I know, since it's been asked about so many neighborhoods throughout the city. I guess maybe it's by comparison to these now much more active 'hoods that the DD appears like such a ghost town.

eburress wrote:I wonder what we can do to get more street life in the Design District. The question is cliche in Dallas, I know, since it's been asked about so many neighborhoods throughout the city. I guess maybe it's by comparison to these now much more active 'hoods that the DD appears like such a ghost town.

The Design District is such a vast space and the street grid is not conducive to pedestrian exploration, but I wonder if a smaller street like Levee St could be turned into a pedestrian corridor. It seems to have the right scale for something like this.

Side note: The Alexan Riveredge apartments are hideous and a huge missed opportunity for balconies facing the Trinity River and Levee St. And while much prettier, I don't think the Virgin Hotel will do anything for street life in the DD.

lakewoodhobo wrote:

eburress wrote:I wonder what we can do to get more street life in the Design District. The question is cliche in Dallas, I know, since it's been asked about so many neighborhoods throughout the city. I guess maybe it's by comparison to these now much more active 'hoods that the DD appears like such a ghost town.

The Design District is such a vast space and the street grid is not conducive to pedestrian exploration, but I wonder if a smaller street like Levee St could be turned into a pedestrian corridor. It seems to have the right scale for something like this.

Side note: The Alexan Riveredge apartments are hideous and a huge missed opportunity for balconies facing the Trinity River and Levee St. And while much prettier, I don't think the Virgin Hotel will do anything for street life in the DD.

I think there is some huge potential in the Design District, but we are still in the early stages of the neighborhoods redevelopment. I think the problem right now is there isn't enough dense development, and, in addition, there is plenty of surface parking everywhere, which doesn't really encourage anyone to walk. Luckily we aren't talking about huge massive surface parking lots (like you see in the suburbs), so perhaps a lot of these could be re-purposed into other things, patio space, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and/or additional greenery.

I agree with you about Levee street. I'm not sure how likely it is, but if those power lines could be buried/moved, then you could potentially have a direct connection to the Pedestrian bridge from Levee street and some of the buildings that face the Trinity River could be turned into restaurants or something that take advantage of the view. In addition to all of this, the Turtle Creek has potential too, if it was cleaned up and used as a nice walking trail with restaurants facing it. These aren't small projects, and, it wouldn't make sense to do a lot of this until the Design District has more activity, but I do think there is a ton of potential in this area.

Hi-Line and Oak Lawn have great streetscape designs. I think Slocum and Dragon could be designed better with actual sidewalks, street lamps, planters, etc. to make it look like more of a complete street scene.

I agree with you about Levee street. I'm not sure how likely it is, but if those power lines could be buried/moved, then you could potentially have a direct connection to the Pedestrian bridge from Levee street and some of the buildings that face the Trinity River could be turned into restaurants or something that take advantage of the view. In addition to all of this, the Turtle Creek has potential too, if it was cleaned up and used as a nice walking trail with restaurants facing it. These aren't small projects, and, it wouldn't make sense to do a lot of this until the Design District has more activity, but I do think there is a ton of potential in this area.

I think you all are underestimating the height and size of the levee, that side of the Alexan Riveredge only gives you a view of the levee and the warehouses before it, along with part of West Dallas in the distance. Only a high rise would be tall enough to clear the levee and give you a view of the river, which is also the reason there is no real value in adding balconies on that portion of the building.

The Virgin Hotel however is likely to bring some pedestrian action because this will bring some travelers without vehicles and with direct access to popular restaurants across the street and a bowling alley right down the street.

You have to have people in a place before you can have people walking around it. DD doesn't have very many people.

Urban Design Peer Review committee presentation:
http://dallascityhall.com/departments/p ... mittal.pdf

You can see this starting to peek up into the DD skyline now, would be nice if the other proposed towers started to come out of the ground.

Thanks for the pictures! It's exciting to see this one finally gain some height!

So excited for this hotel! I might just book a night for fun once they open.. even though i live 15 min away.