Las Colinas/North Irving Development

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WilCo
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 01 Apr 2018 17:18

tamtagon wrote:Las Colinas is in position to be like Addison was 30 years ago-- turning into a destination alternative for the Dallas Night Life. If Irving starts municipal management like it's a world city instead of a rural Texas town, Las Colinas will turn into the third "downtown" in North Texas, but if city government maintains a disposition more recognizable in Grimes County, then Las Colinas will continue to be almost there.


100% this. I've lived in this town most my life and its been controlled by the same political faces that whole time. This was once a town similar to what Coppell or Colleyville is now. But Dallas quickly grew into it, and those days are long gone. However, the voting clout still lies with those who have lived here since long ago when we were a small newly created suburb, really the first suburb of Dallas. They can use some of the older neighborhood charm and having the only high-rise business park in the mid-cities to transform the city into something better. But in my opinion the politics of the area are scared of any radical change or rowdiness that might come with attracting younger residents to Las Colinas. It took a lot of arm twisting to even make Music Factory happen with the alcohol situation, and they called in someone who opened a successful honky-tonk nearly 40 years ago to spearhead the drinking establishments. There are things the city can do to make the area more attractive to the types of places young people will frequent, they chose not to do those things.

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Kelley USA
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 02 Apr 2018 10:21

Stopped by The Music Factory a few times this weekend... I'm going to give Big Beat some time, but considering how much hype and $$ they spent to advertise and promote the grand opening it was disappointing.

Met some friends after work at Highway 61 South for a few drinks. Place was maybe 40% full. Bartender was inattentive. Place smelled good, but we opted not to eat there. Big Beat itself was not that crowded except for Texas Jamhouse. They seemed busy. I was put-off with the whole Big Beat presentation though. It just screams "how much $$ can we make". From the merchandise push carts in the plaza to the excessive amount of extra tables scattered around Jamhouse and Highway 61 for "patio" dining, to the hamburger cart in the plaza, to the beer troughs. It felt dirty and overdone to me! We walked over to Thirsty Lion for dinner and all suddenly felt right again. Good food, great service, clean environment, games on the tv...

I do feel sorry for these bands playing the Texas Lottery Stage in the plaza. I mean there is literally nobody watching. I think parking is a mess for the whole complex. Having a cover charge after 9pm is going to turn people away. When people feel like they're starting to get nickel and dimed it turns people off.

I also walked around a little bit on Saturday afternoon. Felt a little better during the day. Jamhouse still had a nice crowd, and there were maybe 50 or 60 people wandering the plaza area with drinks in-hand and dancing to some DJ that was on the little stage. The whole presentation was still a mess though! I have no idea how this will shake out, but I'm betting they make some changes.

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WilCo
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 02 Apr 2018 10:46

Kelley USA wrote:Stopped by The Music Factory a few times this weekend... I'm going to give Big Beat some time, but considering how much hype and $$ they spent to advertise and promote the grand opening it was disappointing.

Met some friends after work at Highway 61 South for a few drinks. Place was maybe 40% full. Bartender was inattentive. Place smelled good, but we opted not to eat there. Big Beat itself was not that crowded except for Texas Jamhouse. They seemed busy. I was put-off with the whole Big Beat presentation though. It just screams "how much $$ can we make". From the merchandise push carts in the plaza to the excessive amount of extra tables scattered around Jamhouse and Highway 61 for "patio" dining, to the hamburger cart in the plaza, to the beer troughs. It felt dirty and overdone to me! We walked over to Thirsty Lion for dinner and all suddenly felt right again. Good food, great service, clean environment, games on the tv...

I do feel sorry for these bands playing the Texas Lottery Stage in the plaza. I mean there is literally nobody watching. I think parking is a mess for the whole complex. Having a cover charge after 9pm is going to turn people away. When people feel like they're starting to get nickel and dimed it turns people off.

I also walked around a little bit on Saturday afternoon. Felt a little better during the day. Jamhouse still had a nice crowd, and there were maybe 50 or 60 people wandering the plaza area with drinks in-hand and dancing to some DJ that was on the little stage. The whole presentation was still a mess though! I have no idea how this will shake out, but I'm betting they make some changes.


Nickel & dime and way too much going on is exactly how I'd describe it too. Here's a perfect example, what it takes to go to Martini Ranch on a Friday or Saturday night... You park in a garage that is likely almost full, especially if there's a show. You take the elevator down, and better make sure you have your ticket and make sure you remember to get it validated. Oh, but the validation doesn't matter because if you stay longer than 2 hours you're screwed anyways. Forget the parking, you make it to this large gated off area. There an attendant stops you and you have to pay the $12.50 cover just to get in. That's fine, there's some music playing and you want to check out this club. You make it to the front door and there's now a bouncer you have to pass. Whoops, forgot to wear business slacks, a belt, and a button-up shirt today. No entrance for you. If you happen to be wearing all those things on your night out, you're in and get to stand the whole time (no seating unless you're VIP), and buy $7 domestic beers. That's if you're a beer drinker, if you want any liquor you're going to have to sell your first born to afford it. All this happens, you're in, you have beer in hand, at least the place will be popping. Nope, a lot of strange folks and an older crowd await you, with no dancing to be had because the place is nearly empty. Hmm.. I think i'll opt for a $10 uber ride to Happiest Hour in Oak Lawn and enjoy the people watching and expensive drinks there instead. At least I will be surrounded by people my own age.

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muncien
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 03 Apr 2018 09:05

My problem so far... No Happy Hour! I, personally consider a decent Happy Hour as a gateway for introducing people to a new restaurant. Their default prices are definitely steep, but a solid Happy hour offering can introduce people to a product that otherwise wouldn't give it a chance. Since the product itself (the food and entertainment) are both solid (IMO), it makes most sense to offer the bait. Yet, both venues I have been to (Route 61 and Jam house) had NO Happy Hour at that critical time, and directed me to the booths on the pavilion for specials ($5 Bud Light and Hot Dogs... no thanks).
I really do think they can get away with their default prices (due to vast corporate/expense account clientele), but not 100% of the time. They definitely need to offer a decent Happy Hour to compete. Yard House at least seems to have that part down... You can get a KILLER Nachos that feeds like four people for about $6 during HH. Why would I pay the same for just chips and salsa?
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 03 Apr 2018 09:27

This might be a dumb question, and I honestly don't know the answer. But let's say it's after 9pm and me and some friends want to grab a burger at Highway 61 South. Do we have to pay the $12.50 just to go in and eat?

I think Big Beat will be a good destination for business travelers looking for something to do in the evenings, but I don't think it's going to be that big a hit with locals. I feel like people that live in the area would rather walk over to something like Thirsty Lion or YardHouse or Gloria's for a bite to eat and some patio drinking! I do think Jamhouse will be a hot spot for weekend brunch though.

I've said it before, but I do think Water Street has the potential to be more popular with locals due to easier parking, laid back atmosphere and the park setting. Plus having a few dining spots on Lake Carolyn with the fountains will be popular.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 03 Apr 2018 10:41

Kelley USA wrote:This might be a dumb question, and I honestly don't know the answer. But let's say it's after 9pm and me and some friends want to grab a burger at Highway 61 South. Do we have to pay the $12.50 just to go in and eat?

I think Big Beat will be a good destination for business travelers looking for something to do in the evenings, but I don't think it's going to be that big a hit with locals. I feel like people that live in the area would rather walk over to something like Thirsty Lion or YardHouse or Gloria's for a bite to eat and some patio drinking! I do think Jamhouse will be a hot spot for weekend brunch though.

I've said it before, but I do think Water Street has the potential to be more popular with locals due to easier parking, laid back atmosphere and the park setting. Plus having a few dining spots on Lake Carolyn with the fountains will be popular.


Correct, you would have to pay the $12.50 or $10.00 cover after 9 PM to eat there. That's part of their problem, people just get there before 9 PM to eat dinner and then clear out because they've already been there for a while once its starting to get late. I'd say it might be worth it if they contain the cover to weekend nights and get bands who can draw a crowd on those night. Every night a week seems unsustainable.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 03 Apr 2018 10:51

When I went the other day, I received a $10 food coupon, that was good for any of their restaurants when you spend $50 or more (excluding drinks). Perhaps, that is their plan... I don't know. Interestingly enough, they gave it to me prior to the time they started charging cover.
Either way... that still doesn't seam like a solid business plan. It's better to lure as many people in as possible, and then raid their wallets later. Having such a high cover is detrimental to the first half of that equation.
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WilCo
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 03 Apr 2018 11:13

muncien wrote:When I went the other day, I received a $10 food coupon, that was good for any of their restaurants when you spend $50 or more (excluding drinks). Perhaps, that is their plan... I don't know. Interestingly enough, they gave it to me prior to the time they started charging cover.
Either way... that still doesn't seam like a solid business plan. It's better to lure as many people in as possible, and then raid their wallets later. Having such a high cover is detrimental to the first half of that equation.


Add that to the parking situation where free parking is only good for two hours and a night out there starts to become real expensive. No way this place attracts repeat customers from around the area. The bartender at Highway 61 seemed upset with the business so far, its been slow overall. Looking at how much money they spent on everything, they're going to be in the red for a while. Billy Bob has had several failed ventures that ended up shutting down and declaring bankruptcy, and in fact had to sell Billy Bob's way back when due to cash flow issues. My concern is if this fails and the development as a whole is a disappointment, it will fall on Las Colinas not being a place retail options are viable. When in reality I think this was a miscalculation by our mayor and city council nearly 10 years ago that could have potentially very bad ripple effects. Only 25% of our workers under the age of 29 live within a 10 miles radius of Las Colinas. The majority are willing to commute from Uptown and other parts of Dallas. Compare that to nearly 50% for Addison and Plano. Any way you slice it, I think the reason is becoming obvious. That's a lot of lost opportunity, in my opinion.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 10 Apr 2018 10:51

A few new updates:
Alamo Drafthouse will open May 1st, way behind original schedule, but better late than never -- http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/enter ... c-factory/

This hasn't been announced yet, but the folks at Nosh & Bottle told me they are hoping for an April 16th opening date.

State Fare Kitchen, Cork & Pig, and Go Fish Poke are all making progress on their interior construction. Cork & Pig is probably the furthest along. They have finally opened up Water Street to the Lake Carolyn walk way. You can now walk up to where the Londoner will be located. There is a permit up and the concrete has been poured, but no interior build-out has begun yet. There is a note on the permit about a hold for city zoning meeting or something to that regard. They do not have the larger liquor license permit sign up yet which is odd.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 10 Apr 2018 12:46

Here is a pic of the Pioneer Natural Resources campus. This was taken today from the future DART Carpenter Ranch station site.
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 12 Apr 2018 09:39

A few notes today...

Torchy's Tacos Las Colians now appears on their website. Still no idea when they might open, but progress has been made! https://torchystacos.com/location/las-colinas/

Also, the site plan for Shops of Las Colinas was updated in the past few days. Now we all know this really means nothing considering the development was supposed to open Summer 2016. Maybe one of these days it'll actually break ground! But it does still show Market Street, Chuy's, Lazy Dog, Hopdoddy, MiDici Pizza, Luna Grill. Two of the newer additions to the site plan are PF Chang's and Frost Bank.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 12 Apr 2018 12:24

Gave Big Beat another try last night. Hate to beat a dead horse, but there's no way they are going to be able to sustain the current concert schedule. This has to be a marketing technique until they get up-and-running before they tone it down to maybe 2-3 concerts a week. Last night there were maybe 10-15 people to see a pretty well-known local artist who normally plays for 100+. Its not like the restaurants were anywhere near capacity either. Yet they paid the main stage band, the blues band at highway 61, and 2 DJs.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 12 Apr 2018 12:49

I think the exposure from Alamo Draft House will help significantly. That will easily bring in crowds that otherwise wouldn't know about Big Beat. They were also working hard yesterday (I walked thru at lunch time) to build out those two outdoor bars that interact with the main stage. Texans love to drink outside, so I think that'll help.
There is also the grand opening for Toyota Music Factory this weekend. I don't think it'll have the same effect as Alamo, but it'll certainly help. By design, I only go when there isn't a big even going on, so I'm not really sure if this place gets more action on those nights. For me... the prices are still the biggest draw back.
For lunch I find myself going to Top Round more often... I dig that place.
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 12 Apr 2018 12:55

muncien wrote:I think the exposure from Alamo Draft House will help significantly. That will easily bring in crowds that otherwise wouldn't know about Big Beat. They were also working hard yesterday (I walked thru at lunch time) to build out those two outdoor bars that interact with the main stage. Texans love to drink outside, so I think that'll help.
There is also the grand opening for Toyota Music Factory this weekend. I don't think it'll have the same effect as Alamo, but it'll certainly help. By design, I only go when there isn't a big even going on, so I'm not really sure if this place gets more action on those nights. For me... the prices are still the biggest draw back.
For lunch I find myself going to Top Round more often... I dig that place.


Alamo will definitely help but keep in mind we will soon not even be the only Alamo in the mid-cities. North Richland Hills is also getting one (which doesn't make much sense to me). Lake Highlands has one now, and they are quickly expanding.

As a side note, are the amount of bright billboard they have around the area really necessary? They are really distracting to both the band and the audience during the shows. I realize they make money on advertising with these, but it seems like overkill. There is now a huge one above the Alamo as well as in Big Beat.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 12 Apr 2018 12:57

Yea, honestly this type of concept wouldn't even work in Uptown or Plano. I give them credit for being bold and wanting to really turn this into a place of 24-7 music but it's not realistic. This would work in New Orleans, New York and maybe Nashville but that's about it. The success of this type of concept would be very reliable on tourist / business traveler dollars, and while Las Colinas is a very pretty place to live it's not a tourist destination.

As someone that lives within walking distance to the Music Factory, I just don't have a high desire to walk down and eat and listen to live music all the time. Me and some buddies may stop in every other weekend to grab a bite and I may fly by on Saturday or Sunday for lunch, but we still like to head to Legacy West and Southlake and Deep Ellum and Uptown to eat and hang out too.

I also think they tried to go too upscale with their concepts and they've made a mockery of what should have been a very clean nice plaza area. The plaza is a cluttered disaster! Tables and hot dog carts and 2 massive bars under construction that take up about 30% of the plaza space (1 of those bars would have been enough). I went to Texas JamHouse for brunch on Sunday and sat at the bar. Service was great and the food was really good, but I paid $24+ for an omelet, biscuit and sweet tea. Geez!!

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby TXGunLover » 12 Apr 2018 13:01

Yep. It's always about demographics, and the area doesn't support it any more than Victory Plaza did in Dallas.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 12 Apr 2018 13:41

TXGunLover wrote:Yep. It's always about demographics, and the area doesn't support it any more than Victory Plaza did in Dallas.


Yeah I think people overestimate the demographics of the area. We really don't even come to close to immediate Addison area for population density in Urban Center. While MacArthur is very dense, those apartments are now aged and the residents do not have the most disposable income (this is objectively true, not opinion). Same goes for South Irving and the immediate bordering Dallas area, which is either flood plains or lower income areas. The demographics this establishment is seeking lives in Las Colinas proper (again, not a ton of people), Coppell, or Northeast Tarrant County and beyond. That's a pretty far drive for the latter group.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby cowboyeagle05 » 12 Apr 2018 13:45

Not to mention Las Colinas is not known as a destination for more than office and residential so that's an expensive mountain to climb. I have never lived on that side but I certainly have never been invited by friends who live there to come out. It's always them coming into the city so we will see. Lord knows I am not going up there just like I won't be headed to Legacy any time soon either.
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 12 Apr 2018 13:52

cowboyeagle05 wrote:Not to mention Las Colinas is not known as a destination for more than office and residential so that's an expensive mountain to climb. I have never lived on that side but I certainly have never been invited by friends who live there to come out. It's always them coming into the city so we will see. Lord knows I am not going up there just like I won't be headed to Legacy any time soon either.


People point to Legacy sometimes as a model, and I don't understand that either. I've driven around there on a random Sunday and aside from some people going to the stores at West Legacy and that new Legacy Hall that area is dead on the weekends too. Both areas gave up on being more than an office park area a while back when they designed them. Not to mention, being in suburbs is not he most conducive atmosphere to a true work-live-play environment, as much as some are trying now.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby TXGunLover » 12 Apr 2018 13:56

You have a very different population make up, both behaviorally and income-wise in the Frisco/Plano area.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 12 Apr 2018 14:11

Are all of those beer and snack carts supposed to be permanent fixtures? Or, are they just part of an opening timeframe? They are pretty tacky and kinda contradict the vibe of the surrounding establishments.
As time goes on, they should dial back on those carts (or completely remove them), and run more specials from the concept restaurants, and the new plaza bars. There are some experienced people involved with Big Beat and I suspect they have some tricks up their sleeves. I wouldn't bet against them just yet...
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WilCo
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 12 Apr 2018 15:00

muncien wrote:Are all of those beer and snack carts supposed to be permanent fixtures? Or, are they just part of an opening timeframe? They are pretty tacky and kinda contradict the vibe of the surrounding establishments.
As time goes on, they should dial back on those carts (or completely remove them), and run more specials from the concept restaurants, and the new plaza bars. There are some experienced people involved with Big Beat and I suspect they have some tricks up their sleeves. I wouldn't bet against them just yet...


Experienced, but not necessarily the best track record. Check this out for an interesting read: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/irving/ ... as-colinas.
Billy Bob and team have had multiple failed ventures. While Billy Bob's is successful now, he had to sell due to cash flow issues. His most successful establishment is Cat's Meow in New Orleans. Which, it'd be pretty hard not to succeed there given its location.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 12 Apr 2018 17:08

I always thought it was a mistake by ARK to not only lease them 6 spots, but to give them virtually full control of the Plaza. If you remember, some of the original concepts were going to be an Irish style Pub and a place akin to Hook, Line & Sinker. I get that they're really trying to create a destination, but I think the whole closing off the Plaza, live music and allowing you to take drinks from place to place should be reserved for Thursday - Saturday night only (maybe even just Fri - Sat).

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby jrd1964 » 13 Apr 2018 06:37

WilCo wrote:As a side note, are the amount of bright billboard they have around the area really necessary? They are really distracting to both the band and the audience during the shows. I realize they make money on advertising with these, but it seems like overkill. There is now a huge one above the Alamo as well as in Big Beat.


It's tough to see past the brightness if you are driving at night on 114 also. I'm surprised there hasn't been complaints. It's not quite as bad as that one sign south of Empire Central on I-35E - Stemmons (that one will put your eyes out!), but it's close.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 13 Apr 2018 10:47

One other major factor that I failed to mention that will drastically improve the level of activity here is the two hotels that are under construction (Westin and Texican). You can't underestimate the power of expense accounts. Much of the foot traffic I have observed is coming from the Marriott down the street. These folks don't care about happy hour specials, and parking challenges won't matter when you can walk from your hotel.
I think the Convention Center Hotel opening was originally supposed to coincide pretty closely with the Music Factory before the initial developer bailed. But once both of those hotels open, they will have plenty of the type of clientele this place was built for. Hopefully they can iron out some wrinkles, and hold onto their hats until then.
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 13 Apr 2018 12:06

Anyone going to the Grand Opening festivities this weekend? I'm going to see Brad Paisley tonight and then me and some buddies are heading over Saturday to grab lunch, listen to some music and bar hop.

I also think part of the success of the Music Factory will depend on what happens with the still empty NorthShore lots. Additional residential, office buildings and even some additional retail will only help. Hope we see something started sooner rather than later.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 13 Apr 2018 13:42

Kelley USA wrote:Anyone going to the Grand Opening festivities this weekend? I'm going to see Brad Paisley tonight and then me and some buddies are heading over Saturday to grab lunch, listen to some music and bar hop.

I also think part of the success of the Music Factory will depend on what happens with the still empty NorthShore lots. Additional residential, office buildings and even some additional retail will only help. Hope we see something started sooner rather than later.


It's likely I'll be over there sometime this evening... although not for the concert. The only Brad Paisley song I know is from the Nationwide commercial... and technically, I think Payton Manning wrote it. So, I guess that makes it a 'cover'...? :lol:
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 17 Apr 2018 13:08

We went out to Grimaldi's on Saturday night and walked around a bit. Grimaldi's is still having some new restaurant pains with the servers. They have gotten our orders wrong there several times. The Music Factory area was very busy on Saturday night, but there was also a concert. No opinion on this one way or the other, but the people watching and mix of very different styles of music between the music factory and big beat band was very interesting. Music Factory had a smooth R&B concert while Big Beat had a zydeco band playing. Definitely interesting. Looks like Big Beat has not begun enforcing any covers, the security people were just there to scan people with their wands. It looked busier Saturday but it was because they were using the small stage instead of the main one.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby TNWE » 19 Apr 2018 09:08

muncien wrote:I think the exposure from Alamo Draft House will help significantly. That will easily bring in crowds that otherwise wouldn't know about Big Beat. They were also working hard yesterday (I walked thru at lunch time) to build out those two outdoor bars that interact with the main stage. Texans love to drink outside, so I think that'll help.
There is also the grand opening for Toyota Music Factory this weekend. I don't think it'll have the same effect as Alamo, but it'll certainly help. By design, I only go when there isn't a big even going on, so I'm not really sure if this place gets more action on those nights. For me... the prices are still the biggest draw back.
For lunch I find myself going to Top Round more often... I dig that place.


I went to the soft opening for the Alamo on Monday and it was, well, a soft opening. The management seemed more concerned with coaching customers on the "Alamo Experience" (no phones, no talking, etc) while the waitstaff was struggling to get basic things like water and drinks out in a timely fashion. Our waiter checked our tickets, then disappeared for an hour. F&B itself was good, and they put a pretty hefty discount on for all the trouble.

Hope they get that ironed out quickly so new customers coming to music factory don't sour on the concept.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby flyswatter » 19 Apr 2018 09:18

TNWE wrote:I went to the soft opening for the Alamo on Monday and it was, well, a soft opening.


Monday was the absolute first day of operation for them, so I bet they were a bit frazzled. I've been to multiple Drafthouse locations and they are pretty consistent, so I feel pretty good that they will be fully ready to go after a few weeks under their belt.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 19 Apr 2018 09:36

Well I can report that service has improved from Monday night then... Went to Alamo Drafthouse last night. One of the VP's came in before the show to talk about the company and asked everyone to be patient as the staff was still training. Had a guy come over and explain the process to me and took my drink order right away. Food was delivered quickly (it was really good too) and the rest of my experience was pretty flawless. They were offering tickets for $5.41 and all food and drinks were 25% off during training (except alcohol).

The place itself is really nice as you would expect! I was in the largest theatre. Had a really great sound system! I love that I can just walk over to see a movie, but there are a few cons in my book. For dine-in theatres I prefer to have my own tray table. The way this theatre is configured you basically share a little table with your neighbor. Not bad if it's someone you know, but a total stranger might get a bit awkward. Also, the chairs only lean back about 6". Nice leather chairs which is a plus! I still prefer the full recliners at AMC Village on the Parkway, or AMC Grapevine Mills or MovieHouse Eatery.

All in all I really enjoyed it! I will be spending gobs of cash at this place no doubt!

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby vman » 20 Apr 2018 06:50

flyswatter wrote:
TNWE wrote:I went to the soft opening for the Alamo on Monday and it was, well, a soft opening.


Monday was the absolute first day of operation for them, so I bet they were a bit frazzled. I've been to multiple Drafthouse locations and they are pretty consistent, so I feel pretty good that they will be fully ready to go after a few weeks under their belt.

A neighbor went Wednesday night and said the service was pretty good. However, he only ordered popcorn and a root beer float, so nothing had to be cooked.

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Waldozer
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Waldozer » 20 Apr 2018 23:17

The Drafthouse is a dream come true. Went three times this week. Only had to park in the parking garage once. Service was mostly great. One time I got bbq sauce with my fish and chips instead of ketchup. Another time they brought the wrong food. Still, I’ve been to soft openings at a couple of the other locations and that’s normal. Doesn’t matter; had Drafthouse.

The one thing that does concern me is parking in the garage is costly. Others have complained here already but I’ll add our story to the mix: Thursday night we got there fifteen minutes early and had to park in the busy garage. We got our ticket and went into the Drafthouse. When I asked the concierge there about validating our ticket they gave us a different piece of paper. This validation paper said on it “full validation.” But when we tried to leave the garage three hours later, that proved to be false. On top of that, because I scanned the validation paper first and the original ticket second, the system invalidated the validation paper and said it had already been used. Had to sit there and wait for the online tech support person to let us out. She let us know the proper order in which to scan and that we only get two hours validation.

No person who goes to the Drafthouse is only going to be there for two hours. And I am not going to pay for parking when I only live two miles down the road. I’ll bike.

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Kelley USA
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 22 Apr 2018 22:34

I guess I'm lucky that I live close enough that I can walk... I know it's only a few dollars to park (assuming you get 2 hours free) but it just smacks of greed to be honest!

Spent a few different nights down around the Music Factory. Been having a good time! Pretty impressed with the C Bar and Martini Ranch at Big Beat. Been twice now and it was pretty packed both nights. This past Saturday night the Ranch had a good crowd and the DJ was awesome. I'll also say that Highway 61 is consistently busy. Usually a wait to get in for a table. We also went to Texas Jamhouse Saturday night to grab a slice of cake at the bar and it was DEAD. Maybe only 3 or 4 tables. We had just come from Thirsty Lion that was pretty full so people were definitely out and about. The thing that still seems to be an issue is getting people to show up for concerts in the plaza area. They've added 16 tv's in the 2 big permanent bars outside so maybe once they get it finished it'll be more attractive to people. There was a really great band playing the plaza when we left the Ranch Saturday night around midnight. Maybe 20 people were watching. They're currently in the process of putting up some awnings at Jamhouse, C-Bar and Martini Ranch. I think those will be nice additions. And we should start seeing neon signage going up in the next week or so for all of the Big Beat concepts. I think that will be very helpful and add to the overall appeal of the development!

On another note, signs have been replaced at the Shops of Las Colinas development. If you drive by they now have the Market Street logo on the sign with an opening date of Fall 2019. So maybe a little progress is being made!

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muncien
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 23 Apr 2018 09:52

Drafthouse - Totally agree with all the comments. Sound is great, food is great (buffalo cauliflower… drool), but parking is a total drag. I showed up well early for my movie, hung out at the bar, and drug my feet when leaving, and the clock at the garage showed 4 hours and six mins. THat meant I had to pay the 5-6 hour range and only had two hour validation. :(


Big Beat - I can't wait for the two outside bars to open. I dig the TV's, but man those bar tables are high. lol. Also, I appreciate shade, but that huge awning they have is obnoxious and takes away from the architectural elements of the plaza. How long do they plan on keeping that up? And, isn't there an approved plan for a permanent structure that is more aesthetically pleasing? I'd love to see some movement on that, and loose the 'street carnival' feel of the existing 'tent'.
"He doesn't know how to use the three seashells..."

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flyswatter
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby flyswatter » 23 Apr 2018 09:56

I hope Drafthouse can come up with a deal with the parking company to get longer validation. I can't remember the last time I was in and out of a theater in two hours. Why go there when you can go down the street to NW Highway/35 and park for free at Studio Movie Grill?

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WilCo
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 23 Apr 2018 17:22

flyswatter wrote:I hope Drafthouse can come up with a deal with the parking company to get longer validation. I can't remember the last time I was in and out of a theater in two hours. Why go there when you can go down the street to NW Highway/35 and park for free at Studio Movie Grill?


I can name quite a few reasons I’d rather go to this Alamo than the SMG on NW highway and would pay parking to do so. Don’t think I’ve been there without them getting my order wrong. Legitimately worried my car will get robbed every time I park far from the entrance. That whole development has been known for property crime. Quite a few homeless will also wander that way from Bachman area later at night. It’s also just further away and a pain to get to at times.

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ignition
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby ignition » 24 Apr 2018 17:04

Y'all know you can park for free behind Jinbeh and walk to the Music Factory, right? There's about 100 parking spots ripe for the picking there.

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Waldozer
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Waldozer » 24 Apr 2018 18:50

Thanks for the tip. I hope they make the monorail go out to music factory. That would help a lot for those on the other side of the lake.

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jeffbrown2002
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby jeffbrown2002 » 24 Apr 2018 19:40

Waldozer wrote:Thanks for the tip. I hope they make the monorail go out to music factory. That would help a lot for those on the other side of the lake.


Supposedly there are plans to do just that:

APT Expansion Slide 1.png

APT Expansion Slide 2.png


It's anyone's guess as to whether those plans come to fruition or not. It's a shame the Las Colinas APT is so underutilized and seen as an afterthought as it really is a unique transit asset (I think there are only 4 or so similar non-airport people movers in the US) that few other cites have. Hopefully this changes in the near future with all the new development in the area.
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WilCo
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby WilCo » 25 Apr 2018 08:29

In other news, it appears Smoothie King is moving their national headquarters from New Orleans area to "Irving," I would assume Las Colinas but the article doesn't specify where. Not sure how many work in their headquarters but obviously a pretty big company.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/ ... allas.html

I was actually in New Orleans over the weekend and I can see why they struggle to keep businesses there. Great city to visit, not so much to live. While many complain Dallas has developed too much, leaving their past behind, New Orleans is a great example of the exact opposite. Lots of character, not a lot of high-paying jobs.

ETA: It appears this is actually Cypress Waters, not Las Colinas.

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muncien
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 25 Apr 2018 09:08

muncien wrote:Big Beat - I can't wait for the two outside bars to open. I dig the TV's, but man those bar tables are high. lol. Also, I appreciate shade, but that huge awning they have is obnoxious and takes away from the architectural elements of the plaza. How long do they plan on keeping that up? And, isn't there an approved plan for a permanent structure that is more aesthetically pleasing? I'd love to see some movement on that, and loose the 'street carnival' feel of the existing 'tent'.


As if they were reading this forum... They decided to remove the obnoxious circus tent yesterday. ;)
"He doesn't know how to use the three seashells..."

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Kelley USA
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 25 Apr 2018 09:17

Yes, the tent was just temporary! They have a permanent canopy that they'll be constructing. It's supposed to be retractable so that they can "uncover" the plaza when the weather is nice or at night, and then "cover" the plaza area when the sun is overhead, raining etc... It's going to be a pretty big structure. When you look up into the canopy it's going to look like a gigantic Texas Flag. Pretty cool!

Also someone mentioned above about parking down at Jinbeh... I also wonder how long it'll be until people start parking down at Water Street for free. Grab dinner at Water Street and then walk over to catch a movie or enjoy some music. It's only a 5-7 minute walk. Super short!

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby tamtagon » 25 Apr 2018 09:49

Kelley USA wrote:I also wonder how long it'll be until people start parking down at Water Street for free. Grab dinner at Water Street and then walk over to catch a movie or enjoy some music. It's only a 5-7 minute walk. Super short!


The more enjoyable the walk, the more people will do it -- then either Water Street starts charging for parking or the Music Factory Etc figures out how only to charge parking for special event visits.

Las Colinas could become very sophisticated.

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Waldozer
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Waldozer » 25 Apr 2018 11:53

Seems like it’s taking forever to repave the street in front of Jinbeh. I feel like the part of Las Colinas Blvd in front of music factory took shorter. Could be my imagination.

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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 25 Apr 2018 14:07

Waldozer wrote:Seems like it’s taking forever to repave the street in front of Jinbeh. I feel like the part of Las Colinas Blvd in front of music factory took shorter. Could be my imagination.


They had to replace and relocate all the sewer lines... I think the water lines needed to move as well. Such a mess. Glad I drive a jeep now.
"He doesn't know how to use the three seashells..."

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ignition
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby ignition » 25 Apr 2018 14:33

Waldozer wrote:Seems like it’s taking forever to repave the street in front of Jinbeh. I feel like the part of Las Colinas Blvd in front of music factory took shorter. Could be my imagination.


The south side took just as long for the segment west of O'Connor. The south side of Las Colinas Blvd. up and down has the bulk of the water lines, hence why it takes longer. The north side should take about a month or two less time to resurface. I'm thinking they'll be finished with the entire run by August.

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Kelley USA
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 26 Apr 2018 14:38

I was curious what Sambuca had cooking up with their Music Factory concepts... As far as I can tell they have to start any construction. But came across this gem on their website. We have Kitchen 101, The Rayleigh Underground and The Violet Room. Keep scrolling down to see additional renderings. Call me impressed! You're welcome : )

https://www.rayleighunderground.com/

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muncien
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby muncien » 26 Apr 2018 15:01

Kelley USA wrote:I was curious what Sambuca had cooking up with their Music Factory concepts... As far as I can tell they have to start any construction. But came across this gem on their website. We have Kitchen 101, The Rayleigh Underground and The Violet Room. Keep scrolling down to see additional renderings. Call me impressed! You're welcome : )

https://www.rayleighunderground.com/


Where is this supposed to be? Is this the back side of the Pavillion? Opposite the back of the plaza stage? I had no idea we would get something like this there...
"He doesn't know how to use the three seashells..."

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Kelley USA
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Re: Las Colinas/North Irving Development

Postby Kelley USA » 26 Apr 2018 15:16

Yes, so this is basically under the lawn of the Pavilion. It's about 10K sq ft. This is way more impressive than Big Beat if you ask me. Now let's just see if it actually gets built. Looks like a very expensive build-out!