R1070 wrote:People at work were raving about how Deep Ellum is the hot place in town and that Uptown is cooling down.
Such and easy observation, but I don't think the sentiment is quite accurate to the natural function, disposition of each part of town. Uptown does appear to be cooling down, but that's after overheating for some time. Deep Ellum is heating up after a chilly hibernation.
Uptown will settle down a bit and big crowds wont be as numerous, but the party
will carry on; the Deep Ellum history of ups and downs has been tied to the inexpensive warehouse(y) component of the area. The big area with small, slowly increasing population has pieced together a community but as we see today the next decade will bring a dramatic residential increase mitigating future ebb and flow. The physical core of old buildings -- the setting -- is generally protected under single ownership and will grow in popularity eclipsing the heydays before the turn of the century.
There's no guarantee Deep Ellum will not be overwhelmed by a scene that is Uptown buttoned up, stocked by fops and fashion plates simpering in finery, but the whole reason Deep Ellum exists as a destination is because people want a scene that's attended and directed by the hip, groovy, dope, cool, grungy, edgy, tattooed whatever. This is a scene can be just as pretentious as any other with a different look. The two scenes go together but need some space.