Downtown Monthly: Valuable Real Estate 🅿️

How Parking Spots Became Valuable Real Estate – August 2023

"The curb is no longer just for parking your car," The Dallas Morning News writes this week.

That is at the core of the City's first comprehensive Curb Lane Management Policy, a draft of which is now available for a final round of public feedback through Friday, August 25.

Two years in the works, the plan aims to address our ever-evolving uses of the curb adjacent lanes throughout the Central Business District, and other urban neighborhoods. It is sorely needed to help organize rideshare, motorized scooters, private food delivery, and on-street café seating, among other uses, and to create a simpler framework for private operators to leverage the value of adjacent curb space.

DDI's strategic 360 Plan called for a curb lane management study to better organize the variety of uses and benefits provided by Downtown curb lanes. And DDI has played a key role providing input throughout development of the plan to ensure it reflects the needs of the Downtown community.

The draft policy focuses on a variety of initiatives relating to use of this urban space. Among them:

• Dynamically priced parking to better encourage availability and turnover for Downtown businesses. This allows for real-time user data to be collected and utilized to reflect unique patterns in each area of Downtown.
• A framework to simplify the application and use of both permanent and flexible loading zones and pick-up/drop-off areas for properties and businesses.
• Parking Benefit Districts, allowing organizations like DDI to identify key transportation-related initiatives and utilize a portion of parking revenue to be invested back into the district.
• An updated framework to prioritize uses such as on-street parklets, café seating, bike lanes, and metered parking stalls to assist with decision-making and approvals for individual curb lane uses.

These additional tools will help to better manage this valuable real estate and promote Downtown ground-level businesses throughout the Central Business District. DDI will continue to assist both the City of Dallas and area stakeholders as the new policy is implemented and utilized throughout Downtown.

Consider attending a virtual public meeting on the plan on Tuesday, August 15, at 5:30 p.m. Submit your comments on the policy here.

In Other Downtown News ...

Downtown Dallas, Inc. reopened its Unbranded store for a Summer Pop-Up featuring partners Sweet Tooth Hotel and Realstreetjams. Shop vintage looks and unique boutique items while enjoying art installations and a weekly DJ. See more.

Shared motorized scooters have been back on Dallas streets for more than two months. Downtown is not experiencing nearly as many issues as during the prior iteration of the program, Jennifer Scripps, DDI President & CEO, told the Dallas Observer. 

Six architectural teams competing to design the Dallas Museum of Art expansion have put forth their visions. All would dramatically transform the Dallas Arts District institution, writes Mark Lamster of The Dallas Morning News.

DDI Members In The News

-- The luxury JW Marriott at Dallas Arts District opened its doors at Ross Avenue and Harwood Street, The Dallas Morning News reports. The 15-story hotel features 267 rooms, three restaurants, a fitness center, pool deck, and more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space.

-- The East Quarter neighborhood, developed by DDI member Todd Interests, flourishes as walkable living and work spaces attract Downtown residents, with the population growing 71% in 10 years, writes The Dallas Morning News.

-- Construction is underway on DDI member Mill Creek Residential's Modera St. Paul, a contemporary mixed-use, 333-home apartment community centrally located in one of the most walkable areas in Downtown.

-- Harwood Park, developed by Parks for Downtown Dallas and the City of Dallas Park & Recreation Department, will grace Downtown's East Quarter neighborhood this fall, turning four acres of former parking lots into green space and a community hub, The Dallas Morning News reports

-- A new way to get around is coming to Downtown Dallas. Cruise, a driverless ride-hailing service, will launch in Dallas by the end of the year. Watch Cruise in action on NBC 5 DFW.

*Bold = DDI member organizations

Remembering Architect George Dahl

Downtown Dallas honors his legacy, 36 years after his passing

Legendary architect George Dahl [1894 - 1987] left an indelible mark on Downtown Dallas.

Renowned for his groundbreaking designs, Dahl's portfolio includes iconic landmarks such as the Neiman Marcus building (1927), the Titche–Goettinger building (1929), the former Dallas Morning News building (1949), the Old Dallas Central Library (1955), Dallas Memorial Auditorium (1957), First National Bank Tower (1965), now known as The National and home to DDI, the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse (1971), and many more. Dahl's innovative approach to architecture helped forever shape the city's skyline and urban environment.

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