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.
Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty
Contemporary masterpieces, like 10920 Strait Ln., mix with Old World charmers here.
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If you long to call billionaires, pro athletes, and even our nation's 43rd president your neighbors, then Preston Hollow is the neighborhood for you.
Spanning just six squares miles, and bordered by Northwest Highway on the south, Royal Lane on the north, Hillcrest Road on the east, and Midway Road on the west, Preston Hollow is an enclave for the Dallas elite.
Naturally, it also contains some of the city's most beautiful homes.
"Preston Hollow is known for its sprawling estates, tree-lined streets, gentle hills, and rich history," says real estate agent Oscar Andujo, who has called the area home for the last 15 years.
He's been working in the prestigious neighborhood for even longer though, and delights in showing clients a mix of Old World charmers and modern stunners, many with storied pedigrees.
Oscar offered up a few of his personal favorites about life in Preston Hollow. Here's his guide to the area:
Where to eat & drink
"I love visiting Highland Park Village, especially to eat at Bistro 31," Oscar says. Famous for being the country's shopping center, Highland Park Village boasts several acclaimed restaurants and designer boutiques like Jimmy Choo, Rolex, Valentino, Dior, Fendi, Harry Winston, and Chanel.
Where to play
Oscar is a member of Brookhaven Country Club, and can't recommend it enough. Along with three championship golf courses — for a total of 54 holes — and a world-class driving range (the largest in Texas, in fact), the club features three swimming pools, 68 racquet sport courts, an award-winning fitness center, and three dining options.
"My wife and I enjoy bringing the kids to the club to make memories," Oscar says, noting that there is also a kids club for little ones aged 5 and up.
What to see
NorthPark Center is a mere three miles away, but there's more to discover there than retail and restaurants. The shopping center is filled with museum-quality art from the Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Collection, with additional works on loan from the Nasher Sculpture Center.
Where to live
Properties here are characterized by their expansive lots, sometimes spanning several acres, and an array of architectural styles ranging from classic Mediterranean villas to Tudor manors to contemporary masterpieces.
There are many homes by renowned architects like Edward Durell Stone and Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as two of the most architecturally significant homes in Dallas: the Richard Meier-designed Rachofsky House on Preston Road and the Philip Johnson estate on Strait Lane.
Just down the street is 10920 Strait Ln., a stunning contemporary designed by Mexican architect Mario Salinas and developer Cesar Mendoza of Grupo Menta Inc. The home, known as Magnolia, blends modern architecture with traditional Mexican design, showcasing travertine floors and stone walls, oversized windows for natural light, lush courtyards and open spaces, and handcrafted details.
"The idea of 10920 Strait Ln. is to have something different and unique, rather than the typical black and white stucco that every builder seems to do nowadays," says Andujo. "The developer and the architect wanted it to be unique, and it's an incredible example of contemporary Mexican style."
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Oscar Andujo lives, works, and plays in Preston Hollow. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email oandujo@briggsfreeman.com, or call 469-441-9900. Follow him on Instagram @andujo_oscar.
