Deep Ellum: Epic ~ Knights of Pythias Temple

[eburress]

Damn that's pretty! LOVE it!

[mdg109]

Street presence on Elm looks pretty good.

[Tnexster]

Wow, much improved!

[R1070]

The base of the crane is in the ground for the residential tower.

[maconahey]

http://www.lrk.com/projects/epic-tower/

[kingpin]

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

[maconahey]

Crane is up for the residential tower

From KDC's webcam:

[joshua.dodd]

This project is making a massively substantial change to the dynamics of the area. It's actually quite amazing.

[R1070]

We will certainly see more highrises and midrises in this area. It's great to see so much development taking place around there.

[tamtagon]

Do y'all remember when City Lights first got any traction and one of the neighborhood associations protested the development partly because it would block the view? Whatever, I guess it wasn't the right time.

I'll be glad if Old East Dallas becomes the widely considered name for this part of town. Google maps puts Henderson/Munger as the border. I'm not sure I ever thought of anything past Peak as Old East Dallas, but whatever, East Dallas is still the best residential location in North Texas, and Old East Dallas is going to roll out and over the next decade like a delicious, healthy snack.

[jrd1964]

Hopefully the area won't get overpriced like Uptown.

[Cbdallas]

I would love to see more of this highrise developement around the urban downtown loop jumping over the highways. Hopefully places like the Cedars and the other side of the Trinity will see more of this in the near future.

[DPatel304]

I would love to see more of this highrise developement around the urban downtown loop jumping over the highways. Hopefully places like the Cedars and the other side of the Trinity will see more of this in the near future.

Yes, indeed. Developments like these make the highways feel less like a barrier. It will take way more than just the Epic, but this one is a good start.

[lakewoodhobo]

It's hard to appreciate how massive this thing really is until you're across the street.

IMG_5767.jpeg

[cowboyeagle05]

It's easy to notice when you are looking down Pacific Downtown. Now when you look in that direction you will see some density compared to before where the skyline basically played keep away from most of the highway loop. I love seeing the skyline jump across the old boundaries.

[Tnexster]

Looked at the webcam today, the office tower looks like it will top out soon, one more floor I think. The residential is just starting on the second floor.

[dallaz]

I’m not sure if the fly through video has been posted yet....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOuP9ZazwcM

[DPatel304]

Thanks, that's the first time I've seen that video.

Most of the retail/restaurants in the video appeared to be made-up and fake, but I did see Jamba Juice and Jimmy John's. Does that mean, at the very least, those two will be coming to The Epic?

Also, still can't get over how lame 'The Epic' sounds, but this is a fantastic development, especially considering the area, so I'll let it slide...

[jrd1964]

It might end up being like some apartments around here... if the complex ever sells to another firm, the buyer might decide to change the name. Like Elm Place, when first acquired for redevelopment the name was changed to The Olympic, then the current bunch from Denver changed it to The Drever. Whoever owns that complex next may not want to keep that name.

I agree that it's a great development, but I hope it adds to Deep Ellum and its scene, and doesn't take away from it.

[eburress]

Thanks, that's the first time I've seen that video.

Most of the retail/restaurants in the video appeared to be made-up and fake, but I did see Jamba Juice and Jimmy John's. Does that mean, at the very least, those two will be coming to The Epic?

Also, still can't get over how lame 'The Epic' sounds, but this is a fantastic development, especially considering the area, so I'll let it slide...

The name is pretty douchey, but given the location, circumstances, and scale of the development, "epic" isn't too far off, so I'll also let it slide. lol

[Cbdallas]

Worst part is that this is such a great train oriented development and the train station will eventually go away with D2 expansion.

[Tnexster]

Epic seems kind of trendy right now.

[ArtVandelay]

Worst part is that this is such a great train oriented development and the train station will eventually go away with D2 expansion.

Don’t worry-since D2 is on hold it will be a while

[maconahey]

Looks like this has topped out

[LongonBigD]

It seems so odd to not see the Temple painted gray.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

It seems so odd to not see the Temple painted gray.

It looks better IMO without the paint

[dallaz]

It seems so odd to not see the Temple painted gray.

It looks better IMO without the paint

Very much so...

With the paint off, I can appreciate the building’s architecture even more.

[cowboyeagle05]

It's one of the few times the developer actually had mostly original brick behind layers of paint. A lot of buildings with similar history had repairs made with non-matching brick and then they simply painted the whole structure or applied stucco making it virtually impossible to restore without a bunch of added labor.

[eburress]

It fits in so much better with the rest of the neighborhood as well, without the paint. In the photo maconahey posted above, you can see how much more cohesive the Deep Ellum appears.

[LongonBigD]

It seems so odd to not see the Temple painted gray.

It looks better IMO without the paint

Agreed. It just looks odd after looking at gray paint for 3 decades that I remember.

[R1070]

I had always wished Deep Ellum would become the place it is now and continues to get better each week. So exciting to see this neighborhood evolve.

[kingpin]

Untitled by Around My City, on Flickr

[ContriveDallasite]

Wow, this one is chugging along. Is this currently the tallest U/C in town?

[Tivo_Kenevil]

Wow, this one is chugging along. Is this currently the tallest U/C in town?

AMLI's is taller.

[ContriveDallasite]

Wow, this one is chugging along. Is this currently the tallest U/C in town?

AMLI's is taller.

Meant as in it's current state, but thanks. Looking forward to seeing the residential component shoot up along side.

[R1070]

Hmmm I think the office building in Harwood and/or the Union development are currently taller.

[cowboyeagle05]

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas-city-council/2018/06/13/history-made-dallas-agrees-2-million-tax-break-needed-turn-deep-ellum-landmark-hotel

History made as Dallas agrees to $2 million tax break needed to turn Deep Ellum landmark into a hotel

...For the first time in city history, the City Council decided a bare patch of land qualifies for tax incentives meant to preserve historic buildings...

...The Pittman's developers, Vine Street Ventures and boutique-hotel builders Archtower, told the council they need the $2 million to cover gaps in their financing — that without the incentives, they would not be able to restore the Pythian Temple.

Jeff Cohen, who heads Vine Street, told the council Wednesday that once the temple is restored and the addition is constructed, the Pittman may well be "one of the most expensive hotels ever developed in Dallas."...

"If it is true the city of Dallas has historically done a bad job of preserving its history, it has done a particularly bad job of preserving its African-American history," said downtown council member Philip Kingston. "We're really making a change, and this project is a symbol of that change."

[cowboyeagle05]

I think whats interesting is pull back and look at the bigger picture here with the Epic. The Hotel will be the smallest product here. The Office building being the medium size compared to a soaring residential tower. The sheer fact that residential has the largest building on site is a change for Downtown. We all know what is happening with the economies related to all three of those types of products not to mention it's not like the Hotel would be the biggest here. Just that Residential is coming on board here just as strong as the office component so far south. Uptown is not far away of course but the progress that has made residential a draw for this far downtown is nice to see.

[tamtagon]

One trend that's about time to resurface is single purpose buildings. The big mixed use complex like Epic has been popular for close to a generation so just to be different the more single minded development will have a marketing opportunity to set itself apart... and in East Dallas, particularly Deep Ellum this may work very well.

[Tnexster]

They started glassing in the tower today or very recently.

[Warrior2015]

They started glassing in the tower today or very recently.

This area will be perfect for the hotel guests once the hotel opens. The guests can literally walk outside and be near all of the action and then stumble back to their rooms drunk without getting into a car.Not many areas you can do this in the big d proper. Congrats Epic, you re going to be a game changer not only for this hood, but for this city !

[Hannibal Lecter]

They started glassing in the tower today or very recently.

Over a week ago.

[dallaz]

It looks like they were testing lights on the building as well.

[Cord1936]

Landmark Deep Ellum hotel will fly Kimpton flag
By Steve Brown, Dallas Morning News, 06-20-18

The new Deep Ellum hotel being built in the historic Knights of Pythias building will be operated by Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.
...
Full article: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2018/06/20/landmark-deep-ellum-hotel-will-fly-kimpton-flag

[Hannibal Lecter]

I've never been a fan of the new office tower. It's design and scale are totally inappropriate for the neighborhood.

But the lights they're testing are beyond belief -- and I don't mean in a good way. They are so bright that with just one floor lit it's borderline uncomfortable to look at them from a half mile away. God knows what it's going to be like when they're all lit at once. And imagine what it's going to be like for the drivers on the highway just a couple hundred yards away.

Hopefully this a temporary situation while they're testing, and they'll turn them down later. But if not I can see a major uproar.

(For the record, I love most of the LED lights on the rest of the buildings downtown. It's just this one building that's gone off the scale.)

[tamtagon]

I've never been a fan of the new office tower. It's design and scale are totally inappropriate for the neighborhood.

I empathize with this, but the neighborhood is changing, Epic is the new scale.

[DPatel304]

I've never been a fan of the new office tower. It's design and scale are totally inappropriate for the neighborhood.

I consider this to be more a part of the CBD than Deep Ellum. Sounds a bit silly at the moment, but it's only a matter of time before the other side of I-345 is lined with tall towers, and with the Epic being right up against I-345 it will feel more like an extension of the CBD.

As long as we don't get anything like the Epic in the heart of Deep Ellum, I'm okay with these developments on the east side.

[Tnexster]

I've never been a fan of the new office tower. It's design and scale are totally inappropriate for the neighborhood.

But the lights they're testing are beyond belief -- and I don't mean in a good way. They are so bright that with just one floor lit it's borderline uncomfortable to look at them from a half mile away. God knows what it's going to be like when they're all lit at once. And imagine what it's going to be like for the drivers on the highway just a couple hundred yards away.

Hopefully this a temporary situation while they're testing, and they'll turn them down later. But if not I can see a major uproar.

(For the record, I love most of the LED lights on the rest of the buildings downtown. It's just this one building that's gone off the scale.)

If they are LED's are in a testing phase can we assume they can be turned down when the tower is complete? Seems early to be testing them.

[jrd1964]

I've seen 3 strips of LEDs on during the day. It does seem odd and early to have a light show installed long before the rest of the building is done. I guess they want attention? Kinda hard not to get attention with a construction project with any height to it, on a spot of land that didn't have this kind of complex on it before now. Hopefully the display, especially the brightness level, is just temporary.

[Hannibal Lecter]

Last night it was significantly dimmer.

Crossing fingers...