North Dallas: Midtown

[Cbdallas]

Drove by here at lunch down Montfort and noticed new demolition going on at the old Sanger Harris store.

[exelone31]

Drove by here at lunch down Montfort and noticed new demolition going on at the old Sanger Harris store.

Whoa you're right! I work nearby and just spotted it out the window. I wonder what happened? Thank goodness, hopefully it's full speed ahead.

[R1070]

Maybe that article about the Galleria not waiting around on "Midtown" lit a fire under them!

[cowboyeagle05]

Well before it was BECK fighting with the city about the incentives then it was the agreement over the portions of the mall that BECK didn't own. Maybe a court decision was settled or an agreement was finally made over those issues.

[tamtagon]

The general redevelopment initiative for Valley View, Doran Chevrolet etc has been around for about a decade, give or take; I see it kinda like the former Texas Stadium site with a location about as good as it gets, but time and scale just haven't formed a foundation -- and I'm becoming convinced that's simply because we don't know yet what we need for these two. Let them chill for a while longer, okay, don't rush to lock up the land in a contemporary variation of the recently popular mixed use, new urbanist, parking pedestal boiler plate developer's juggernaut. There is something better around the corner.

[exelone31]

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/05/28/city-finally-tired-eyesore-formerly-known-valley-view-center

Welp, this explains why the demolition has re-commenced. So tired of this whole thing.

A few weeks ago, Chhean told Scott Beck, who owns the mall, and Rich Enthoven, who possesses what's left of the old Macy's, to clean up their messes or pay up — $1,000 per violation per day. Long demand letters were sent to both men, ordering them to secure and clean the eyesore that mocks the enormous, pricey piece of real estate at Preston Road and LBJ Freeway. About time.

[exelone31]

Quick update on this one: It looks like ol Beck has wrapped up his annual week of demolition work on this one. I don't see any equipment out by the old Sanger Harris wing. It's "cleaner", but that is a very, VERY relative description. I don't have any pics at the moment, and I'm not sure they'd even be worth posting if I did.

[Tivo_Kenevil]

This project seems like a mess.

[Tnexster]

Beck seems like a joke at this point. Doing much more damage than good.

[exelone31]

I was thinking about this as I drove by on the way to work this morning, but what is the benefit to Beck for sitting on this land? I'm just guessing, but I assume there is no income coming in from this property, and he's got to have some kind of tax bill for it. Compound that with the supposed $1,000 per day fine levied by the city (quoted in the post above).

Is he thinking the city is just going to cave and chip in more incentives?

[Mtrom]

Does anyone know what is going to be built on the east side of the old car dealership lot? Work has been going on in this area for the past week or so.

[exelone31]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2018/03/13/another-project-way-dallas-midtown-district

I believe it's another Mill Creek project per this article. So probably another 5-ish story apartment complex. Not the worst thing, provides density in an area that's on the outside of the "Midtown" area.

Dallas apartment builder Mill Creek Residential Trust has filed building permits with the City of Dallas to construct a 344-unit apartment community at 5327 LBJ Freeway just east of the Galleria.

The planned rental community would be the second major development Mill Creek has done on the former Showcase Chevrolet site at Noel Road and LBJ.

[R1070]

It's good to see that lot being filled in!

[DPatel304]

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... -view-mall

..some new renderings of Midtown.

[R1070]

This rendering looks more realistic although I hate that the signature tower is gone.

They also need to change the name from Midtown. There's already a Midtown Park area.

[Brettoj]

KDC can probably make it happen. Beck is a joke. I will believe it when I see it.

[ContriveDallasite]

Renderings look great, but I agree, we need a developer who can make this happen.

I envision a "Tysons Corner-esque" development doing really well here. It's a shame we can't get DART to work a rail line over the DNT like they have in DC, but I guess Dallas is still a decade or two off from the terms of Density the outer DC suburbs have.

[exelone31]

Agreed on the Midtown name. It seems really dumb to have "Midtown" be north of "Uptown", whether it's this "Midtown" or the Presby/Walnut Hill area "Midtown".

It's strange, I had seen another rendering come out this week as well. Wonder if this is Beck's latest design?

[cowboyeagle05]

This isn't Becks rendering this is the site Sears owns and partnered to get redeveloped. Becks portion surrounds this property. Beck only owns parts of the mall not every department store site. Sears owned its parking and building so SEARs is partnering with developers around the country to redevelop their property into mixed-use villages exactly like what we see here.

Beck is still stuck in the mud on their portion.

[exelone31]

Yep, that's what gives me a bit more hope about these renderings compared to what Beck has put out there.

[Tucy]

This isn't Becks rendering this is the site Sears owns and partnered to get redeveloped. Becks portion surrounds this property. Beck only owns parts of the mall not every department store site. Sears owned its parking and building so SEARs is partnering with developers around the
country to redevelop their property into mixed-use villages exactly like what we see here.

Beck is still stuck in the mud on their portion.

Minor correction: Sears does not own the property. It is owned by Seritage, an independent, publicly-traded REIT. (Sears sold a bunch of its real estate to Seritage (which was formed for that purpose) three years ago.

[cowboyeagle05]

Minor correction: Sears does not own the property. It is owned by Seritage, an independent, publicly-traded REIT. (Sears sold a bunch of its real estate to Seritage (which was formed for that purpose) three years ago.

Thanks for the clarification do you know if they have similar ambitions for any other Sears locations in DFW.

[dallaz]

Dallas finally sues Valley View Center over the mess it is


https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm ... enter-mess

The first story I wrote about the big plan from Jeff Beck and sons Scott and Jarrod Beck to redo Valley View Center ran on April 23, 2012. Crews had just started to widen what would become the so-called LBJ Express in front of the North Dallas mall of my childhood. The first Avengers movie was still weeks from being released. And Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee for president.

That's the piece in which the Becks promised that Valley View Center would one day be demolished and replaced by ... let me check my notes ... oh, yes, "1.5 million square feet of retail storefronts, restaurants, residential units, office towers and even a high-rise hotel with condo towers," along with a giant park. Scott Beck talked about building "an urban village" upon the ashes of the dead mall. And Mayor Mike Rawlings saw, in the not-too-far-off future, "an important linkage in the redevelopment extending west to the tollway."

More than six years later, though, the mall still stands -- a rotten, cracked husk topped by an AMC theater now showing 1977's Smokey and the Bandit for $3.99, for those in the mood to remember when. I, for one, am now grateful for Valley View's continued existence -- my son is learning to drive in the same sprawling parking lot where I took my first left turn.

But nearby residents are fed-up with the bombed-out eyesore; the city, too.

On Wednesday Dallas City Hall took the extraordinary step of suing the owners of Valley View Mall -- TX Dallas Midtown LP, the Becks' long-ago proposed rebranding for the site at Preston Road and LBJ. Extraordinary, because not so long ago the city and the Becks were partners in the redevelopment.

The city worked with the Becks to rezone their 430 acres, holding numerous town halls and countless meetings to flesh out an area master plan. The city lined up $36 million in tax incentives to redevelop the property. And the city included in its 2017 bond program $6 million in matching funds for a Midtown Park that I am starting to believe I will never see in my lifetime.

And now the city is claiming, in papers filed in Dallas County court this week, that Valley View is a giant code violation. There are, the city says, businesses operating with certificate of occupancy. The building is full of "collapse hazards." And the air-conditioning doesn't always work.

Same goes the fire suppression system, which the city says it wants to inspect but hasn't been able to. A city attorney said Wednesday the mall was recently under fire watch, meaning personnel from Dallas Fire-Rescue had to be onsite to detect what the city calls "early signs of unwanted fire" should one break out. The Becks were responsible for covering that cost.

"The fact we haven't been able to get in there and conduct a complete inspection is troublesome, because we need access to do that," said Chhunny Chhean, the executive assistant city attorney who filed the suit. "If the first responders have to go out there, they need to know what they will encounter."

Former council member Angela Hunt, the attorney repping the ghost of Valley View, didn't return messages asking for comment. Beck said Thursday he had no comment.

Chhean's also going after the old Sanger-Harris or Macy's or however you remember that pile of half-demolished rubble attached to Valley View. Because of "sharp protrusions" and "high weeds" and "accumulating waste" that can "emit noxious or offensive odors." That part of the mall is owned by EF Properties, which happens to be involved in litigation with the Becks over -- yeah, I know, the irony -- a hole the demolition company put in Valley View when they started to tear down the old Macy's last year.

"EF Properties pulled another demo permit," Chhean said, "and let it expire without finishing."

I asked EF's owmer Rich Enthoven for a comment, too, and haven't heard back.

Which I kind of understand, because at this point, what's left to say? And what's left to believe? This mall was supposed to be gone years ago. But it's not. The first phase of Midtown was supposed to open next year. But it won't. The Midtown Park, presented to Park Board two Septembers ago, is still just another rendering that might as well be a fairy tail.

Beck used to blame the city for zoning hold-ups. Enthoven blamed Beck. Then Beck sued Enthoven. And the city, which already sent clean-up-or-else demand letters to the Becks and EF back in May, is blaming everyone. Again.

This whole thing is an accursed mess -- "a substantial danger," too, in the words of Chhunny Chhean, "because the temporary fencing out there will not keep a determined person out of there." It's also a promise broken, hope squandered.

The lawsuits, city council member Lee Kleinman said Wednesday, "are a good step toward getting a resolution over there and moving that mall towards demolition and redevelopment."

He said there haven't been substantial talks about the mall's fate in months. And those that did take place, with the mayor and other parties, weren't "fruitful." Well, yeah.

Said Kleinman, with the shrug of exasperation, "I am disappointed."

Valley View is not a dead mall. Because Valley View cannot be killed.

[cowboyeagle05]

Valley View is the Undead Mall

368473_5_.jpg

[whit5125]

Good, took the City Damn long enough, like seriously I get government moves slow but it seems like Dallas is always a year or so behind when action should be taken.

Hopefully the city beats the shit out of Beck for this in court and is able to simply take the property away from them and sell to owners who can finish the demo and get off their ass.

Even if this leads to a half assed suburban development, which I know is horrible, It is still better than what is there now.

[cowboyeagle05]

Sam's Club?

[I45Tex]

HA

[Tnexster]

Redbird really will be done before this. Amazing

[Warrior2015]

This dosent look good

https://www.google.com/amp/s/dfw.cbsloc ... suits/amp/

[cowboyeagle05]

Nothing new just the local news summarizing what we already knew which is lawsuits are in the middle of the process and until someone either gives up or the court makes a ruling not much is going to happen.

[Cbdallas]

Went to the Galleria a couple of weekends ago on a Saturday only because I was nearby and thought lets check it out needed a few things. Wow how sad the mighty has fallen. Store fronts closed across several sections. Hardly anyone there felt like I was at an outlet mall. Maybe they can convert the two top floors into living with center open area as amenities like athletic club rock climbing zip lining bowling. I don't know but it was sad to see this former beauty so run down.

[Waldozer]

Cant remember the last time I went to galleria, must have been when I was a kid. I don’t make a habit of going into malls, in general. If I can’t get it online, I don’t want it.

[R1070]

The Galleria needs to do something to repurpose some of that space to draw in crowds.

[eburress]

Went to the Galleria a couple of weekends ago on a Saturday only because I was nearby and thought lets check it out needed a few things. Wow how sad the mighty has fallen. Store fronts closed across several sections. Hardly anyone there felt like I was at an outlet mall. Maybe they can convert the two top floors into living with center open area as amenities like athletic club rock climbing zip lining bowling. I don't know but it was sad to see this former beauty so run down.

I haven't been to the Galleria in 10-15 years, which is around the time they did that "big" renovation. Maybe it's time for another, or more likely, maybe it's time for something more drastic.

[Tnexster]

Went to the Galleria a couple of weekends ago on a Saturday only because I was nearby and thought lets check it out needed a few things. Wow how sad the mighty has fallen. Store fronts closed across several sections. Hardly anyone there felt like I was at an outlet mall. Maybe they can convert the two top floors into living with center open area as amenities like athletic club rock climbing zip lining bowling. I don't know but it was sad to see this former beauty so run down.

I haven't been to the Galleria in 10-15 years, which is around the time they did that "big" renovation. Maybe it's time for another, or more likely, maybe it's time for something more drastic.

This day and age it might be too big and might need to be totally rethought. Hard to believe there used to be three malls so close together, now it's just one and the one appears to be losing steam.

[Matt777]

I like the Galleria because it's feels more convenient and quick than a trip to Northpark. It's honestly not in as bad of shape as some people here seem to think. I've also not seen many vacant storefronts. A few, but not many. I don't spend thousands or even hundreds on each garment I buy, so I appreciate the realistic selection at Galleria. It could definitely use some freshening and new surfaces to keep up with the times but I like the overall design and it seems like it's still popular. The garages are always filled nearly to the brim on weekends, but it's still somehow easy to find an opening.

[R1070]

I just think there needs to be more destination retail there and it would be fine. The first floor has the most vacant space. The other floors are pretty full.

[Thymant]

I like the Galleria because it's feels more convenient and quick than a trip to Northpark. It's honestly not in as bad of shape as some people here seem to think. I've also not seen many vacant storefronts. A few, but not many. I don't spend thousands or even hundreds on each garment I buy, so I appreciate the realistic selection at Galleria. It could definitely use some freshening and new surfaces to keep up with the times but I like the overall design and it seems like it's still popular. The garages are always filled nearly to the brim on weekends, but it's still somehow easy to find an opening.

I concur, I've never noticed the Galleria struggling in the manner that some of the post above make it appear and I usually frequent this mall 2-3 times a year and yes this mall gets packed especially during the holidays.

[exelone31]

Yeah, my office is connected to the Galleria, so I pop over there for Starbucks somewhat frequently, it's in pretty good shape IMO. There are still pretty high end retailers there like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Michael Kors, etc.

There have been a few stores that have left recently, but none of the activity I've seen there fills me with the same sense of weird depression as a place like Collin Creek Mall.

[NdoorTX]

Yeah, my office is connected to the Galleria, so I pop over there for Starbucks somewhat frequently, it's in pretty good shape IMO. There are still pretty high end retailers there like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Michael Kors, etc.

There have been a few stores that have left recently, but none of the activity I've seen there fills me with the same sense of weird depression as a place like Collin Creek Mall.

It's definitely fallen down the rankings of the high-end pecking order, but the mall is doing fine. It seems like if it's not the newest or most high end brand, our frequent NP commentators here think it's the next Valley View.
(I wonder if they actually shop at the brands they covet so much) Trademark is in the midst of re-programming the mall and I do hope they are more creative with the tenants as well as being open to add other uses like Willow Bend has. The advantage Galleria has is that Midtown has hit some serious road block and this gives UBS and Trademark the ability to act offensively. I do say that the current in- home leasing team has to go. If they couldn't make use of Simon's vast reach and resources, then they were in need of a shake up and re-invigoration.

[exelone31]

I am happy to report that the 2nd Annual Scott Beck Single Day of Demolition is underway!

Come one, come all and feast your eyes as one intrepid construction worker uses the world's smallest hammer and chisel to take down this once-great retail destination.

After the festivities, help yourself to food and beverages at any of the number of great destinations that have been attracted to this area as a result of Mr. Beck's enterprising vision, such as...........

[itsjrd1964]

Driverless vehicles are being considered for the Midtown area, as well as a people-mover system being backed by NCTCOG. Sounds like a bit of cart-before-the-horse, but maybe I'll be wrong.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transpo ... evelopment

[tanzoak]

Driverless vehicles are being considered for the Midtown area, as well as a people-mover system being backed by NCTCOG. Sounds like a bit of cart-before-the-horse, but maybe I'll be wrong.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transpo ... evelopment

I love how much ink was spilled for what's essentially a campus shuttle for a project that has yet to get off the ground.

Why are they even considering putting public money into a totally internal shuttle (much less a freaking monorail)? If they were really serious about mode shift/vehicle trip reduction, they'd provide real transit by boosting the frequencies of the 486 and 488 routes (now operating at, I kid you not, 30+ min peak headways lol). Instead, there's some bogus hand-waving about how "rail has to stay on the tracks, and buses can only do so much" from the DART CEO himself jfc.

With the focus on the shuttle, it seems like they think congestion from internal trips is the major issue, but the site isn't even that large, and internal trips should be dealt with using design, regardless (i.e. putting retail/food integrated into the residential and office components and making everything pedestrian-friendly). The only reason internal shuttles are needed is for large campuses where there's lots of office-to-office travel (like medical districts). Otherwise, people typically eat at the lunch places near their office, and the residential-to-office travel in these projects is in practice very small. External trips are the real traffic generators, and that is addressed by providing realistic alternatives to driving.

I still can't get over the DART CEO quote. His #1 priority should be to provide a viable connection between Midtown and the nearby rail stations/Addison transfer center, but instead he's crapping on the concept of transit. That's literally your one job, dude.

[cowboyeagle05]

They also mentioned demo of the mall is in progress and last I heard all court cases still had everything frozen until the spring.

[exelone31]

They also mentioned demo of the mall is in progress and last I heard all court cases still had everything frozen until the spring.

I work nearby and have seen sporadic demo work on the former Macy's side. I'll take the transit stuff with a big grain of salt. Hoping some of the other non-Beck developers involved are able to get their pieces rolling soon.

[muncien]

This is just silly. It's an 80's ish solution to a new problem. The electric scooters are already fulfilling this type of need, and can do so without any city/DART contribution (or 'obstruction'). Instead, they should remain focused on some sort of BRT up the Inwood corridor to connect to the future Addison Cotton Belt stop. Heck, they can make those buses automated if they want.