Marina News

New restaurant park on the waterfront joins lakeside marina in Rowlett

Outdoor dining is trending up.

Courtesy rendering

A new waterfront restaurant project is coming to Lake Ray Hubbard. Called Baywalk, it will be part of Sapphire Bay, a $1 billion mixed-use development on the Sapphire Bay Peninsula, which is enviably surrounded by two miles of shoreline and serves as the gateway to the city of Rowlett.

The district includes Sapphire Bay Marina, which comprises 17 dock houses, including 10 new builds and seven that have been refurbished, with boat rentals and sales, and a fuel system said to be state-of-the-art.

According to a release, Baywalk will feature a variety of dining options, loads of outdoor seating, entertainment areas, and festive string lights. Outdoor dining is definitely trending up.

"Baywalk will be minutes from many DFW neighborhoods and will provide family options, appealing to locals and young adults as well as our local boaters/sailors and water sports enthusiasts who want a fun, lake lakefront experience with a one-of-a-kind boardwalk frontage and waterfront views," says Randy Stone, a partner at Omniplan architects. "This will enable them to unwind in a casual environment with friends and family which is exactly what consumers and restaurateurs are both seeking in today's environment."

The project will also benefit from a $150 million project by TxDOT that will extend outer roads along I-30 from Bass Pro to Sapphire Bay, and the construction of a new Sapphire Bay overpass that will include on-the-water driving lanes, walk & bike trails, and a pedestrian & biking crossover bridge connecting the North and South peninsulas.

A hotel by Hyatt called The Sapphire Bay Resort & Conference Center that's part of a public-private partnership with the City of Rowlett is already in the works. Located on the Sapphire Bay Peninsula, it will have more than 500 rooms, suites, and villas each with waterfront views overlooking Lake Ray Hubbard, as well as a full-service spa, fitness center, six pools, tropical gardens, and a seven-acre manmade Sapphire Bay Lagoon. It's anticipated to open in fall 2023.

Also coming: The Fountains at Sapphire Bay, which will feature nightly performances of choreographed water effects and animated lighting designed by the team of Martin Brinkerhoff and Associates, whose credits include creating spectacles for the Walt Disney Company.

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Apartment News

Dallas City Council approves ForwardDallas plan on future development

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After three years of debate, the Dallas City Council voted 11-4 in favor of ForwardDallas, an update to its 2006 comprehensive land use plan, which will decide how and where the City of Dallas should grow over the coming decades.

The plan was built around Environmental Justice and Sustainability, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Connectivity, Housing Choice and Access, Economic Development and Revitalization, Community and Urban Design.

ForwardDallas was originally adopted in 2006. Since then, Dallas has undergone unprecedented growth. By reimagining how the City uses its land, it has identified new opportunities to design spaces that offer equitable access to resources, reinforce the strengths of our communities, and foster continued growth as a thriving, accessible city for all.

Today’s vote follows nearly three years of stakeholder feedback, including more than 200 in-person events, and more than 70 virtual events. The ForwardDallas 2.0 website has had more than 25,000 visits and 1,600 web map comments. The first full draft of the plan was published for public review in September 2023. The Dallas City Council Economic Development Committee, City Plan Commission (CPC), and the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Committee (CLUP) provided guidance to the plan’s evolution and final approval for the City Council to consider.

The council took hours to vote, addin numerous amendments along the way.

Voting in favor were Chad West, Zarin Gracey, Adam Bazaldua, Jaime Resendez, Jaynie Schultz, Tennell Atkins, Kathy Stewart, Paula Blackmon, Omar Narvaez, Gay Donnell Willis, and Paul Ridley. Voting against were Carolyn King Arnold, Cara Mendelsohn, Jesse Moreno, and Mayor Eric Johnson.

“ForwardDallas 2.0 is a collaborative effort that could not have been achieved without the hard work of City of Dallas staff, elected and appointed officials, and our many residents who participated through feedback,” said Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins, who also serves as the Chair of the Economic Development Committee. “This critical and much needed update creates a path forward for our City while addressing decades long, systemic land use issues. It considers the City’s future growth, provides protection for existing neighborhoods, and addresses head on historic environmental and social inequities.”

“This journey began with the goal of developing a strategic roadmap to support Dallas’ growth and social vibrancy while preserving the quality of life for all. We appreciate Chair Atkin’s leadership, the support of the City Council, the City Plan Commission, Comprehensive Land Use Plan Committee and our residents for the feedback and guidance they have provided over the last three years,” said Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert. “We look forward to implementing ForwardDallas 2.0, reporting out on it and being held accountable for its progress. Finally, I want to thank our City of Dallas team who championed this effort. Their level of engagement to ensure every voice was heard is a testament to their unwavering dedication to our City and delivering Service First, Now!”

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