This Week's Hot Headlines

Spectacular homes and worst bar in Uptown top 5 most popular stories this week

Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and there's a lot we all probably missed. But we're looking out for you, kid. Here are the most popular stories from this past week:

1. Step inside the most architecturally exceptional residences in Dallas. Those homes in your dreams? They do exist — and they are probably on the seventh annual AIA Dallas Tour of Homes, the only local home tour curated by architects. Spread out from Kessler Park to East Dallas, the houses represent a variety of styles. The public is invited to take self-guided tour of these architectural stunners November 2-3.

2. An admittedly one-sided diatribe against the worst bar in Uptown Dallas. Staff writer (and Uptown resident) Jonathan Rienstra rails against Concrete Cowboy. "People stand in line for 30 minutes to join the tightly packed herd of shiny shirt-wearing and scantily clad reality show extras slowly rotating around the bar, hoping to find an opening so they can buy a $10 watered-down well drink served in a plastic cup," he writes.

3. Move over, In-N-Out: Shake Shack is coming to Texas. Former Californians may have rejoiced when In-N-Out arrived in the Lone Star State, but now it's time for New Yorkers to celebrate. Shake Shack, the lunchtime destination of Manhattanites for nearly a decade, is coming to Texas. First stop: Austin.

4. The FLUENT founder on opportunity, Dallas hustle and where the magic is. There are people who are known as connectors: Their Rolodexes can launch a thousand ships, relationships and businesses with a single flick of the wrist. Jackson (one name only, please) is undoubtedly one of those individuals.

5. Dallas Cowboys rookie J.J. Wilcox proves he's ready to start at safety. The Dallas Cowboys gambled on youth at safety when they released veteran Will Allen last month. They hoped that their rookie, J.J. Wilcox, was ready to be the Cowboys’ strong safety of right now rather than the future. With an impressive performance against Philadelphia, Wilcox proved he was up to the task.

The AIA Dallas Home Tour takes you inside the most architecturally significant houses in Dallas.

Photo by Craig Kuhner

The AIA Dallas Home Tour takes you inside the most architecturally significant houses in Dallas.

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Park News

Dallas acquires 30-year-old amusement park for $13 million

Adventure Landing

An amusement park in Far North Dallas was purchased by the City of Dallas to be developed into a community park. The Dallas City Council voted during its December 11 meeting to buy Adventure Landing, a 30-year-old amusement park at 17717 Coit Rd. for the sum of $13.7 million with a goal to keep the park in business.

The 13.5-acre property has been an entertainment venue for the past 30 years, with mini golf, batting cages, soccer fields, and arcade games.

The previous owner, the Hildebrand family, previously turned down much bigger offers from developers because they wanted the buyer to carry on their mission and keep the park a park.

The Park and Recreation Department will operate the soccer fields, and Adventure Landing will manage all other facilities until a future park is constructed.

In November, the Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved the land acquisition item and recommended approval to the City Council.

“With the cost of land in the north Dallas area increasing in value, we are fortunate to secure this property to make sure residents have access to green spaces and new recreational amenities,” says Dallas Park and Recreation Board President Arun Agarwal in a statement. “Acquiring land in certain fully developed areas of the City for park purposes is exceedingly difficult, and this acquisition represents a unique opportunity for us as a city.”

A release says there aren't many parks in the area, and the closest parks are Preston Ridge Trail to the west, Twin Lakes Park to the south, and the Cotton Belt Trail, which is currently in the works.

“This acquisition represents far more than the purchase of land – it symbolizes a pivotal investment in addressing a critical need within a community with the fewest parks in the entire city," says District 12 Park and Recreation Board Member Lane Conner in a statement. "By creating this new park, we are taking a transformative step toward providing every resident, no matter their neighborhood, with access to exceptional green spaces."

Adventure Landing will keep the same name and management team under the new ownership.

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