Downtown Park News
New West End Square park in downtown Dallas schemes giant swings for adults
UPDATE 1-2-2020: The parking lot has been closed so that construction can begin.
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A parks group has unveiled a peek at its newest park project in downtown Dallas' West End.
Called West End Square, it's a public park that'll take over what is currently a parking lot, encompassing a block between Record, Corbin, and Market streets, with The Spaghetti Warehouse building on the north and Ellen's Southern Kitchen on the south.
The park is one of four downtown Dallas parks being coordinated by Parks For Downtown Dallas, a nonprofit group established by the Belo Foundation.
The other three are Pacific Plaza, Carpenter Park, and Harwood Park.
The new renderings, released on July 8, show an urban park space filled with grassy and wildflower areas, co-working spaces, big wooden swings, tables, benches, and huge outdoor fans.
An "Innovation Arcade" section of the park is designed to accommodate "plug and play" installations, such as temporary art and technology exhibits.
The entire square will be Wi-Fi-enabled and include an outdoor workroom, allowing nearby workers to host business meetings at tables beneath a shaded canopy.
Amy Meadows, president of Parks for Downtown Dallas, says in a statement that they plan to break ground on West End Square in early 2020, and their goal is to build all four parks by year-end 2022.
"We have a deep-seated belief in the power of parks and are pleased to partner with the City of Dallas to implement the 2013 Downtown Parks Master Plan and change the landscape of Downtown," Meadows says.
Heading the design is an accomplished architect of urban parks: Isabel Castilla, principal designer for James Corner Field Operations, which was selected to reimagine the parking lot.
Castilla's previous projects include a section of New York City's High Line and Miami's 10-mile Underline linear park, currently being built.
The parks are being built via a public-private partnership with the City of Dallas; Parks for Downtown Dallas is working with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department and its director, Willis Winters, in developing the plans.
The organization has committed $45 million to the project, and Dallas voters approved a contribution of $35 million with the passage of the 2017 bond program. The John W. Carpenter III family and The Decherd Foundation have pledged a total of $5 million.
The group calls West End Square an "extraordinary opportunity to create a cutting-edge, vibrant public space within the historic context of the West End."
Nearby, the West End Arches were recently illuminated, courtesy of Dallas Innovation Alliance, which installed programmable LEDs. The gateway connects Victory Park to the West End.