Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Will the parking be wrapped by apartments on the Lemmon side, like the previous renders? If all 6 lower floors are now exposed parking on all sides, that's a step back. Yes, 8 floors were exposed before but only on the side facing Eatzi's.

Yes according to the updated info sent by streetlights Lemmon side of the garage will still have units covering the garage.

I would love to see about 20 more of these type of building up and down OakLawn and Lemmon.

cowboyeagle05 wrote:Yes according to the updated info sent by streetlights Lemmon side of the garage will still have units covering the garage.

streetlights-podium.PNG

Good stuff, then. The new brickwork on the facade is pretty cool, especially if they light it up dramatically at night.

I guess we will just have to wait and see what the OLC does. They've been anti-urban pro-suburban in some of their recent actions.

This opening came sooner than I expected. For the longest time, it looked like this development had stalled, and then only about a month or so ago, I actually noticed some work being done. Perhaps they had been working on the interior the majority of the time, and I only noticed when they started exterior work.

Anyway, I'll be out of town this weekend, but hopefully I can pop in on Sunday for a bit when I get back.

I have never heard of this, where is it?

It's built into the old house next to the church. It has a walk-up window with a patio built on the side of the house. I am not sure if they even have an inside portion or if they basically made it into something like a walkup coffee window with patio furniture open to the public.

Oh right, didn't realize no address was included. It's located here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Union ... 96.8082961

Thanks, cowboyeagle05 for the pic. I'm also not sure if this will have an inside portion or not either, and it's interesting that this is right across the street from Mudsmith which is a pretty big space (if you include the attached Pints & Quarts and Centrum lobby area).

DPatel304 wrote:Oh right, didn't realize no address was included. It's located here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Union ... 96.8082961

Thanks, cowboyeagle05 for the pic. I'm also not sure if this will have an inside portion or not either, and it's interesting that this is right across the street from Mudsmith which is a pretty big space (if you include the attached Pints & Quarts and Centrum lobby area).

It should be noted that this coffee shop is ran by a Christian organization. I went to the one on SMU blvd and there were bible classes going on and and bible jokes throughout the place..walls, and on these little pamphlet things etc.
I guess they support LGBTQ based on the rainbow logo.

I don't know if I'd consider them competition for the other coffee shops nearby since they're a non profit ..I believe.. and it's kinda a niche segment they target.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:It should be noted that this coffee shop is ran by a Christian organization. I went to the one on SMU blvd and there were bible classes going on and and bible jokes throughout the place..walls, and on these little pamphlet things etc.
I guess they support LGBTQ based on the rainbow logo.

I don't know if I'd consider them competition for the other coffee shops nearby since they're a non profit ..I believe.. and it's kinda a niche segment they target.

Gotcha. I actually went to the original SMU location a while back, but didn't realize they were Christian run. Their Facebook page does make it seem like they are focusing more on being a community space, rather than just a coffee shop, so that definitely makes sense.

Anyway, this is very close to where I live, so I'm happy to see another addition to the area.

This is run by the Methodist Church on Oak Lawn which is very gay-friendly they masked the Methodist part of their sign after the National Methodist organization voted against new policies that would have made it possible for gay leadership and pastors in the church.

What is the gray and pink space going to be at CS and Reagan?

Useful info

Loved the old Esquire Theater on Oak Lawn, as well as the Wilshire Theater on Mockingbird. Those old great Interstate Theaters were a part of Dallas' fabric. So glad the Lakewood & Inwood Theaters have survived. The Circle still stands on Harry Hines, but is probably unsalvageable. The Forest has become a live music venue.

rono3849 wrote:Loved the old Esquire Theater on Oak Lawn, as well as the Wilshire Theater on Mockingbird. Those old great Interstate Theaters were a part of Dallas' fabric. So glad the Lakewood & Inwood Theaters have survived. The Circle still stands on Harry Hines, but is probably unsalvageable. The Forest has become a live music venue.

What theater is The Circle? Do you mean Stereo Live at Harry Hines and Northwest Hwy? It is an EDM venue. Does very well and I see concerts there regularly.

what's EDM?

^ Electronic dance music

cowboyeagle05 wrote:What theater is The Circle? Do you mean Stereo Live at Harry Hines and Northwest Hwy? It is an EDM venue. Does very well and I see concerts there regularly.

The Duke Dumont concert there last month was awesome

rono3849 wrote:Loved the old Esquire Theater on Oak Lawn, as well as the Wilshire Theater on Mockingbird. Those old great Interstate Theaters were a part of Dallas' fabric. So glad the Lakewood & Inwood Theaters have survived. The Circle still stands on Harry Hines, but is probably unsalvageable. The Forest has become a live music venue.

And The Majestic...

R1070 wrote:What is the gray and pink space going to be at CS and Reagan?

Btw I have been wondering this too. Not sure I can even tell yet looking at the space after they painted the exterior. The florist next door got replaced with a fancy barbershop called the Alterier(https://www.atelierbarber.co/).

Zephyrs closed and sits dormant for now as well.

I noticed a crane being put up on Friday just to the south of Oak Lawn west of Cedar Springs, what building is that?

^Toll Brothers project

Has anyone seen any information on the Total Wine development at Congress and Oak Lawn? They've begun digging at the site, and they are digging far enough down that it almost looks like an underground parking garage is being built. But last I heard there were no plans for that.

I think the big hole with the crane bounded by Welborn, Congress, Brown and Hood streets just south of Oaklawn Ave is the contruction site for a 22-story apartment or condo tower. If I’m not mistaken there isn’t any renderings out yet,

JDumont146 wrote:Has anyone seen any information on the Total Wine development at Congress and Oak Lawn? They've begun digging at the site, and they are digging far enough down that it almost looks like an underground parking garage is being built. But last I heard there were no plans for that.

I wondered that too.

JDumont146 wrote:Has anyone seen any information on the Total Wine development at Congress and Oak Lawn? They've begun digging at the site, and they are digging far enough down that it almost looks like an underground parking garage is being built. But last I heard there were no plans for that.

So the OLC didn't want Total Wine to have a parking lot. They wanted the building to face the street to improve walkability. Not sure, but I think you're right. Underground parking

They put the building at the corner last I saw and the parking lot to the rear so I doubt they are building a parking garage for only a Total Wine. They even added some architectural interest to try to make the corner of the building with no door look better than the CVS in the West Village did.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:

JDumont146 wrote:Has anyone seen any information on the Total Wine development at Congress and Oak Lawn? They've begun digging at the site, and they are digging far enough down that it almost looks like an underground parking garage is being built. But last I heard there were no plans for that.

So the OLC didn't want Total Wine to have a parking lot. They wanted the building to face the street to improve walkability. Not sure, but I think you're right. Underground parking

As much as I would like to see underground parking for the Total Wine, it just didn't look like it was in the plans at all. Maybe it's for basement storage or cellar? Or just some sort of deep dig for utilities? It's only on the very front part of the lot.

The last design Total Wine brought before the Oak Lawn Committee was a building at Oaklawn and Congress corner with the doors facing a parking lot to the rear so I would assume there are a lot of utilities that are out of date in that area until we hear differently. With Starbucks also building across the street the city may be working with the developer to get some stuff done for the wider area which is likely to keep renovating.

Yeah they've already re-filled the holes and seem to have unearthed some piping. I'm sure it was just utilities. Bummer!

Oak Lawn Getting 10 Pride-Themed Crosswalks

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dal ... s-11696136

Not sure I understand the diagonal crosswalk shown in the rendering. Is that really going to be installed?

This is a great idea. Not only will they add charm to the city, they will add value to the city by being a tourist/instagram spot. Think Abbey records beatles record. The rest of the city should consider something like this. Victory park should add MAVS/STARS themed crossings.

OrangeMike wrote:Oak Lawn Getting 10 Pride-Themed Crosswalks

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dal ... s-11696136

Not sure I understand the diagonal crosswalk shown in the rendering. Is that really going to be installed?

It's already like that. Throckmorton is crooked at the intersection with Cedar Springs, so the corners are not laid out in a perfect square.

So excited about the rainbow crosswalk and the rainbow lit celebratory arches. Glad Dallas is doing this!

Does anyone know what a map area of actual Oak Lawn looks like. Lately I keep seeing the news report crime and shootings in the "Oak Lawn neighborhood" but they are happening west of the tollway and more towards the Love Field area. They just seem to be looping all of this area into Oak Lawn. Does Oak Lawn exist west of the tollway?

Cbdallas wrote:Does anyone know what a map area of actual Oak Lawn looks like. Lately I keep seeing the news report crime and shootings in the "Oak Lawn neighborhood" but they are happening west of the tollway and more towards the Love Field area. They just seem to be looping all of this area into Oak Lawn. Does Oak Lawn exist west of the tollway?

I've also heard of that area referred to as Oak Lawn as well, and I'm not sure if that is correct. Google defines the space as being in between the two highways:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oak+L ... 96.8029993

Star-studded trio opens fun new cocktail lounge on Dallas' Cedar Springs
They're at 3900 Cedar Springs Rd., in the space that was previously Peasant Pizzeria. They've transformed the space into an open-concept lounge with plush seating and a black bar top dusted in glitter. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a small patio along the side of the building.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/resta ... r-springs/

Glad this space didn't remain vacant for too long. I was surprised Peasant Pizzeria didn't last though, as I thought it was pretty good.

Matt777 wrote:

OrangeMike wrote:Oak Lawn Getting 10 Pride-Themed Crosswalks

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dal ... s-11696136

Not sure I understand the diagonal crosswalk shown in the rendering. Is that really going to be installed?

It's already like that. Throckmorton is crooked at the intersection with Cedar Springs, so the corners are not laid out in a perfect square.

Thanks for explaining that. I knew Throckmorton had a dog leg there but the countless times I've crossed the street at that intersection I never paid attention to how sharp the angles were on the crosswalks.

Yeah most people walking from Hunky's corner to JR's don't even walk in the crosswalk because of the angle.

So I noticed I couple of days ago that there is something called “Maple Street Food Hall” being built into a vacant buliding on maple ave next to Ojeda’s restaurant. I noticed early in the year they had bulldozed a building or 2 next to the vacant site and built a large surface lot.

Thymant wrote:So I noticed I couple of days ago that there is something called “Maple Street Food Hall” being built into a vacant buliding on maple ave next to Ojeda’s restaurant. I noticed early in the year they had bulldozed a building or 2 next to the vacant site and built a large surface lot.

Hopefully there are additional plans for maple avenue in addition to this. I drove through there today and it is a virtual wasteland. Hundreds of acres of emptiness surrounded by chain link fences. It used to be a fairly vibrant street until someone bought it all up in the last year or two and bulldozed all the existing businesses. Hopefully it doesn’t sit for years waiting for someone to come in and build.

I guess the Melrose expansion is a dead deal and that open land and ratty fence is forever.

Cbdallas wrote:I guess the Melrose expansion is a dead deal and that open land and ratty fence is forever.

It's still snaking its way through City Plan Commission with amendments to the development and landscape plans. This was approved last month and will go to City Council next:

The applicant proposes a remodel to finish out the interior shell of an existing hotel
building [Warwick Melrose Hotel]. This proposed amendment will retain the original
footprint and height. The packed parking space count will be revised to comply with
packed parking standards – no changes to parking lot striping will be made. Packed
parking is off-street parking which is governed by a set of dimensional standards to
allow for maximal parking when an attendant is used; e.g. valet parking.

Screen Shot 2019-08-05 at 6.57.49 PM.jpg

Again, such a shame that the 32-ft hotel addition faces Dickason and not Cedar Springs.

They probably didn't want their pool to be right next to the firetruck sirens coming and going and the new fence and landscape should at least be better than the way it is today. Would love it flipped but I'll take any improvements at this point. Just get it going already.

Newest version of Eatzi's tower is shorter. More details here: https://candysdirt.com/2019/08/07/five- ... tee-part-1

Here's a new posting by Candy's Dirt about the latest OLC meeting regarding the proposed Streetlights apartment building at the corner of Oak Lawn and Lemmon.

It seems to confirm many of the points I was trying to explain to TNWE and some NIMBYs on the "Take Back Oak Lawn" facebook group about traffic patterns, and what would happen if we deny the height variance the developer is seeking.

The traffic study showed that this building would actually REDUCE automobile trips in comparison to what is there now (a very high traffic gas station and a very high traffic Pizza hut with full automobile delivery service). A key point, it would reduce traffic especially in the evening commute hours.

Additionally, if the NIMBYs get the height variance struck down, the new proposal is to shorten the building but keep the exact same number of units, resulting in a larger, stubbier, imposing, thicker building. The developer would have to bump out the building and create a "wing," which they did not have in the new renderings. However, I think this means that Eatzi's would be toast because where else could the new wing go?

So, as I predicted, the misguided and unnecessary NIMBYism from those opposed to this project is on the path to give us a less attractive structure and destroy one of our neighborhood's most established and beloved institutions, Eatzi's. Or, if they win and get the project cancelled, then we get an unattractive traffic monster to stay (also wasn't an innocent person shot in their car here a few years ago?).

As I said before, I'm very pro-resident rights when it comes to fighting a development that detriments a neighborhood, changes its character, destroys history, and so on. This development is none of that, is attractive, secures BY DEED RESTRICTION the building that hosts our beloved Eatzi's, adds housing without destroying any housing, clears an eyesore from a very prominent corner, and is in the spirit of the mid-rises that have been going up in this area since the early 1900's (Argyle and Warwick Melrose).

The opposition needs to TAKE ALL THE SEATS.





Source: https://candysdirt.com/2019/08/07/five- ... ee-part-1/

Don't worry about Eatzi's (you had me worried at first). The new version of the building's design fits within the footprint of the original. From the article: "...instead, the “T-shaped” building gets a bump-out into a modified “C-shape.” If there were a wing which extended in Eatzi's direction, it would be visible in that front rendering.

eburress wrote:Don't worry about Eatzi's (you had me worried at first). The new version of the building's design fits within the footprint of the original. From the article: "...instead, the “T-shaped” building gets a bump-out into a modified “C-shape.” If there were a wing which extended in Eatzi's direction, it would be visible in that front rendering.

I'm trying to imagine, but regardless it sounds like the result would either be a stubbier building with less changes in setback than the original proposal, less amenity space, or an encroachment on the land where Eatzi's sits now. Either way, it results in a less attractive building than the higher and more slender original proposal. Dallas has enough big, blocky buildings.

I like taller.

Yeah, I would prefer the taller version. I am more concerned with the idea of burying more of the parking. Give them the height if they put a few more levels of parking below grade so the buildings butt is less of a huge badonkadonk.