Restaurant Makes History
Uncle Uber's spinoff nabs historic building at Dallas Farmers Market
The owners of Uncle Uber's Sammich Shop in Deep Ellum will open a second free-standing restaurant in the Dallas Farmers Market called Green Door Public House. It will occupy the remains of the historic Liberty Bank building.
Built in the late 1800s, Liberty Bank is one of three controversial buildings formerly at the corner of Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Elm Street that were headed for extinction in order to make way for the widening of Cesar Chavez.
Architect Craig Melde intervened and secured some funds. The building was disassembled in late 2013 and moved from its former location to 600 S. Harwood St., behind Ruibal's Nursery.
"Tanya Ragan, who works with Craig, approached us about this historic building. After several months, we came to terms and signed a lease in the fall," says Uncle Uber's co-owner Kathy Crelly. "They preserved the facade and cast-iron pieces they discovered hidden in the walls. The bricks were relocated to the new location and will be reused."
The original plan was for the buildings to be moved whole, but the mortar and brick were deemed to be too weak. So they came up with the idea of documenting and storing the facade brick and "important architectural elements."
The menu at Green Door will include grass-fed burgers, steak, seafood, local beers and hand-crafted cocktails.
In addition to Uncle Uber's, Crelly, her husband Bryan and business partner Ken Rothman have been involved in Rockwell's Neighborhood Grill-Chicago in 2004, Fat Ted's in Deep Ellum in 1997, and the original Uptown Bar & Grill on Fairmount Street in 1995.
The Green Door will open in early summer 2014.