Downtown News

Dallas City Council approves major subsidy for new West End Lofts

805 Elm St. in the West End.

Google Maps

The Dallas City Council approved a $49 million incentive package for the development of the West End Lofts Project, a proposed mixed-use, mixed-income, and transit-oriented development project.

The project would take up three parcels within the historic West End: 805 Elm St., 711 Elm St., and 211 N. Austin St., directly south of the West End DART light rail station and directly north of El Centro (Dallas College).

Led by Sycamore Strategies, LLC, the estimated $103.2 million project will include 154 mixed-income apartments comprised of 56 efficiencies, 25 one-bedroom, 69 two-bedroom, and 4 three-bedroom units to be constructed within the historic 805 Elm Street building and in a new 6-story building to be constructed on the existing adjacent surface parking lot.

Of the 154 apartments, 63 (41 percent) will be income-restricted and leased solely to households earning at or below median income.

The project will include residential amenities, ground floor retail/commercial space, the creation of an approximately 25,751-square-foot plaza and promenade, and approximately 140 parking spaces in the historic 711 Elm Street parking garage.

The project’s funding includes $54,224,085 in non-City sources, including equity in the form of low income housing tax credits and historic rehabilitation tax credits.

The City’s incentive package includes an amount not to exceed $28,275,676 in City Center TIF District funding as well as up to $20,724,324 from other economic development funding sources administered by the City’s Office of Economic Development, including general obligation bond proceeds from the economic development/housing propositions in the City’s 2012 and 2024 bond programs.

In a statement, Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said that the project will provide affordable housing and ground floor activation within downtown’s West End Historic District.

Prior to the City Council's December 11 approval of a subsidy for the project, it got a thumbs up from the City Center TIF District Board of Directors, with the added condition that best efforts be made to provide a minimum of two square feet per residential unit for pet relief facilities.

home-for-sale downtown

Renovation news

Dallas Arts Tower downtown to get a re-do and new all-day cafe

Williams New York

Dallas Arts Tower

A downtown Dallas building is receiving a big-dollar renovation: Fortis Property Group has broken ground on a re-do at Dallas Arts Tower, a 55-story office building at 2200 Ross Ave. in the Dallas Arts District that will include updates, valet service, and a new cafe.

According to a release, the multi-million-dollar capital improvement project broke ground in late June, and consists of modernizing building components. Renovations include:

transformation of the main lobby, with new flooring, lighting, furniture, upgraded elevator lobbies, and interiors
new all-day café in the northwest corner of the lobby, offering breakfast, lunch, craft coffee, and bar service during happy hour, with indoor and outdoor seating
new elevator interiors throughout the tower
enhancement of a second-floor mezzanine lounge area with updated flooring, lighting, and furnishings

On the exterior, a new LED lighting package will be installed to enhance the building’s nighttime presence.

Valet parking service will also be introduced in the building’s motor court, as part of the project.

Fortis Property Group Chief Investment Officer Terrence Storey says that the renovations "reflect our vision to offer an elevated, amenity-rich environment in one of Dallas’ most vibrant and walkable neighborhoods."

Stream has served as the exclusive leasing agent for Dallas Arts Tower since 2016, and Executive VP & Partner J.J. Leonard says that the renovation plans have already "sparked tremendous interest" resulting in new leases signed or in progress.

The current renovation follows a 2019 capital improvement plan that introduced a redesigned front plaza, an 8,000-square-foot fitness center, a 150-seat conference facility, and a reimagined Sky Lobby on the 40th floor with conference rooms, executive boardroom, and lounge areas.

downtown openings