There are so many great places to live in Dallas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.
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Named for the rocky bluff overlooking Bachman Creek, Bluffview is known for its heavily treed, hilly topography and mix of architecture styles.
Bluffview is bounded by Northwest Highway to the north, Inwood Road to the east, Lovers Lane to the south, and Midway Road to the west. “There is simply nowhere else like it in Dallas,” say real estate partners LeeLee Gioia and Anne Goyer.
Gioia has lived in Bluffview for more than three decades, drawn to its laidback vibe, multitude of mature trees, winding streets with no sidewalks, and proximity to downtown, schools, restaurants, shopping, and more.
Goyer, a longtime resident until recently, returns often for walks and visits with family and friends. And as a co-founder of one of the neighborhood’s most popular stores, Saint Bernard, she has loved having Bluffview in her "backyard" for many years.
"There are many long-term residents who remember Bluffview as being in the country," Gioia says. "Originally, it was home to a large dairy farm. Now, it’s in the center of town with everything close by. But it's so bucolic and peaceful, you'd never know."
Goyer and Gioia offered up a few of their personal favorites about life in Bluffview. Here's their guide to the area:
Where to eat & drink
"I have two favorites: Rise has the best souffles you will ever taste and a super wine list, and it's cozy and romantic too. Lovers Seafood & Market has the freshest fish and the best cocktails," Gioia says. "Both are small and have great al fresco dining options, tiny fun bar areas, and their staffs are wonderful. If you want good Tex -Mex, try Odelay’s wonderful patio or Rafa’s, a fave of many.”
Where to play
"Bluffview Park is the perfect combination of a children's playground, spacious playing fields, and treed picnic areas," she says. "Neighbors convene, parents host birthday parties, and I am there with dogs and/or children and friends multiple times a week."
And it just so happens that the best independent bookstore in the city, Interabang Books, is just a stone's throw away.
What to see
"The Dallas Arts District is at your fingertips; it's less than 15 minutes on the Tollway," says Gioia. "From the Dallas Museum of Art — where Anne and I were docents for more than 25 years — the Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Crow Museum of Asian Art to the Meyerson Symphony Center, the Wyly Theatre, and the Winspear Opera House, there is no excuse not to go!"
Where to live
"Bluffview is home to an eclectic mix of architecture styles," Gioia says. "Some houses were designed by well-known architects from past and present, such as Charles Dilbeck, O'Neil Ford, John Astin Perkins, Lake Flato, Bodron/Fruit, Bill Booziotis, Bud Oglesby, and so many more."
"They all seem to reflect Bluffview’s diverse residents — there are so many interesting business leaders, political leaders, and just fascinating Dallas citizens who live here. Sometimes I wish the walls could talk and tell tales of the conversations and events that these homes once hosted."
Goyer points out that a number of the neighborhood's original homes have been remodeled or replaced entirely, many by the architects named above.
"Many of the homes have thrived through multiple generations, developing a unique patina," she says. "They all blend together to create the special melting pot that is Bluffview."
One such home is 4831 Shadywood Ln., a significant sale of Gioia and Goyer’s. Sited on 1.229 rolling, wooded acres with little creeks in front and back, this exquisitely restored 1947 home could be described as "quintessentially Bluffview."
The home has hosted numerous dignitaries over the years, and counts several civic and business leaders among its owners. In fact, the concept for DFW International Airport was developed and discussed among city leaders in the home when it was owned by former Dallas Mayor J. Erik Jonsson.
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LeeLee Gioia lives, works, and plays in Bluffview. Anne Goyer works and plays in Bluffview after many years of living there. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email lgioia@briggsfreeman.com or call 214-616-1791, and email agoyer@briggsfreeman.com or call 214-457-0417.
Agents LeeLee Gioia and Anne Goyer
The Preserve in Frisco, soon to be covered with homes.The Preserve