DOWNTOWNDALLAS

MAIN STREET

INTERSTATE 30

I-345

FARMERSMARKET

THANKSGIVING COMMERCIAL

CENTER

BAYLORDALLAS ARTS

UPTOWN

DEEPELLUM

WOODALL RODGERS FREEWAY

PROJECT AREA

PROJEC

T CON

TEXTProject StatementWith I-345 at the end of its life cycle and hindering economic develop-ment, it’s time to rethink part of Downtown Dallas. I am proposing the reconnection of the street grid in the elevated highway’s place, creating a series of public outdoor spaces to act as catalysts for a new sustainable mixed-use community.

Project Narrative I-345 is the o�cial name for the 1.4-mile elevated freeway that runs between downtown Dallas, Texas and the neighboring Old East Dallas. It serves as the connection between I-45 and the North Central Expressway (US 75). This freeway is on year 41 of a 40-year lifespan and has already been repaired three times in the past 12 years. The Texas Department of Transportation has o�ered two recommendations: A) either keep repairing the old road or B) rebuild it entirely, at a price likely in the hundreds of millions. There is a third option advocated by the Congress for the New Urbanism and “A New Dallas”, which I am pursuing for my senior thesis project. This is to tear down the freeway and recon-nect the street grid while at the same time reconnecting the people to their city.

The repairing or rebuilding of I-345 is an active issue in the city of Dallas, and funding has yet to be identi�ed while The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is currently $17 billion in debt. The city of Dallas also does not have the money to pay for the rebuilding of the freeway as sprawl has moved its tax base away from the city. So rather than spending millions of public tax dollars to continue this problem by rebuilding the elevated freeway, I am proposing that the city invest in a series of public outdoor spaces along with the rebuilding of the street grid. These two moves would act as a catalyst for the development of a mixed-use community. The city would then generate tax revenue from this development while reducing TxDOT’s maintenance costs and allevi-ating some of its debt by the sale of land.

There are numerous bene�ts to this plan. Money will be reinvest-ed into the city while it receives a new tax base. This would include higher tax revenues from the land surrounding the freeway, as this structure has greatly depressed land values in its vicinity. Citizens get increased housing choices in highly desirable areas with transportation options close to downtown. Investors, developers, and designers will get new opportunities in a prime location for development and pro�t as numerous jobs are created.

Once one looks past the argument as to why the freeway should be removed, the question must be asked, what type of development will take its place? In this design I am looking to establish a mixed-use com-munity employing sustainable technologies, green infrastructure, and multiple transportation options. The hope is to design a community link between the existing neighborhoods of Downtown Dallas and Old East Dallas. The new design will include all of the public open space of this project including the parks, plazas, and streetscape with the building footprints left theoretically for architects to design based on the proposed use.

I 345FARMERSMARKET

DEEPELLUM

BAYLOR

UPTOWN

DALLASCIVIC CENTER

MAIN STREETDISTRICT

THANKSGIVINGCOMMERCIAL

CENTER

DALLAS ARTSDISTRICT

Downtown DistrictsDallas Arts District

Thanksgiving Commercial Center

Farmers Market

Wyly Theatre + One Arts Plaza

Main Street Garden

Farmer’s Market

Street conditions in the Thanksgiving Center

The Dallas Farmers Market district encompasses an area bounded by major roads and freeways on all sides. Despite this the presence of the Farmers Market facility at its center, nearby institutional uses, and several residential developments is evidence of the area’s emerging appeal. Because of the districts surroundings though there are still many vacant areas and has no consistent developmental patterns. This district is envisioned to become Downtown’s �rst true balanced neighborhood with plans for low- and mid-rise housing, just north of the farmer’s market. The Farmers Market District is envisioned to become more of a family oriented neighbor-hood. Development of open space should take into account the possibility of a very young user group with areas for play and family oriented events.

Main Street District

The Dallas Arts district is the nation’s largest contiguous arts-oriented cultural district with a collection of venues for opera, visual art, symphony orchestra and live theatre. The Arts district provides an unparalleled single destination to experience arts-related activities and performances. The district is home to the country’s largest collection of buildings designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects, such as I.M. Pei, Lord Norman Foster, Renzo Piano and Rem Koolhaas. A paver covered streetscape along Flora Street terminating in two plazas ties together the diverse group of landmarks, conveying a uni�ed, contemporary identity. The district is additionally home to many residential and commercial uses. The Park, a deck park which spans over Woodall Rodgers Freeway, links the area to Uptown residences, hotels and o�ce buildings acting as a funnel into this district. In designing a neighboring community to this area it is vital to acknowledge all of its events and attractions. Key links should be made to this district as well as the programming of space to complement the Arts District’s culture.

As Downtown’s historic heart of commerce, the Main Street District remains the geographic center and primary gathering space for a large, expansive city core. Core destinations include numerous shopping destinations, restaurants and hotels. This area is home to such landmarks as the Majestic Theater, Bank of America Plaza and Thanksgiving Tower, and Main Street Garden. The new design district should act as a bridge from Old East Dallas into this city core. I streetcar line is a possible solution to bring more people from the surrounding communities of Dallas into this city core to activate even more commercial activities and enliven the area further.

In large part Downtown Dallas owes its visual identity to the skyline established in the Thanksgiving Commercial Center district. The many skyscrapers built in this district helped de�ne the image of modern Dallas as a national center for energy and �nance. To the detriment of the district’s street life, most of the structures were built with internalized retail and services, leaving the building frontages bare and inactive. Wide streets and several large surface parking lots add to the feeling of disconnection for pedestrians in this district. The Thanksgiving Commercial Center district is undergoing a transition from what is essentially an o�ce park in the city, to a more vibrant, mixed-use activity center. It is important to keep this shift in mind and tie in the new district to the Thanksgiving Commercial Center at the street level to accommodate greater pedestrian, bicycle and transit mobility and comfort.

1/2 MILE

AN

ALYSIS

Surrounding Districts

The Baylor district is located just northeast of downtown Dallas. At its center is the Baylor University Medical Center, with residential developments such as Bryan Place and several non-pro�t organizations rounding o� the district. Baylor marks a stark contrast with areas inside Dallas’s freeway loop with its historic residential platting and land uses. Baylor is envisioned to remain an institutional-based district as the Medical Center has plans for expansion neighborhood investment supported by a range of professional and family-oriented housing. This is a community that could use quality public outdoor amenities as much as anyone. Looking to create an area to funnel Baylor District residents into downtown Dallas for leisure, shopping, and recreation is a key goal for this project.

Bayl

or U

nive

rsity

Med

ical

Cen

ter

Dee

p El

lum

nig

ht s

pot

Baylor

Deep Ellum Deep Ellum is one of Dallas’s oldest areas boasting a storied past and a unique atmosphere. The many bars, nightclubs, restaurants, performance venues, art galleries and creative o�ce uses together form a vibrant enter-tainment destination. Deep Ellum’s historic buildings, small blocks and tight street grid create an authentic urban neighborhood. Develop around Deep Ellum should look to continue and preserve its unique character. This district presents many distinct possibilities for the development of public open space.

1/2 MILE

Underutilized Land

Design Implications• There is a large amount of underutilized land surrounding the freeway in Downtown Dallas. Surface parking makes up a large chunk of this area. There is also large areas of vacant land adjacent to and under I-345.

• Although parking is needed within the city all of the surface parking is putting valuable land to waste presenting very little value to the city. These open tracts present an opportunity for infill to create a more cohesive urban environment. With the removal of the freeway more economic investment will flow into the area as surface parking will become buildings, parking structures, or public open space.

1/2 MILE

AN

ALYSIS

Figure-GroundWith elevated freeway I-345 Without elevated freeway I-345 Elevated freeway I-345 creates a divide in the city, its removal leaves an open void.The new development within the project area will work to stitch the community surrounding this void back together, reuniting Old East Dallas with Downtown.

1/2 MILE

I-345

STUDY AREA BOUNDARY

HISTORIC SITE

PROJECT AREA BOUNDARY

PARK

OFFICE

RESIDENTIAL

MIXED-USE OFFICE/RESIDENTIAL

HOTEL

ENTERTAINMENT

INSTITUTIONAL

RELIGIOUS

RETAIL

HEAVY COMMERCIAL

BUILDING INVENTORY / LANDUSE

Study Area = 994 acresProject Area = 263 acres

There are many factors to account for within the study area. To understand such a large area within a complex urban system it is necessary to categorize areas where possible.

• The Dallas Arts District is home to many forms of entertainment and tourist attractions mostly associated with the visual and performing arts. It does have some residential buildings, with more planned for construction.

• Just south of the Arts District is Thanksgiving Commercial Center comprised of many office skyscrapers. There are also hotels, large church facilities and an assortment of parking garages in this area. Many of the Commercial Center’s office buildings are connected by a tunnel/sky-walk pedestrian network. This has left the streets in this area quite desolate and devoid of life. Although it is a current priority of Dallas to change this occurrence.

•The area west of I-345 along Main Street towards downtown is much more diverse in character. Here the buildings are an assortment of uses with o�ce, residential, retail, and restaurants creating a more balanced urban equation. Unfortunately closer to the interstate this situation unravels resulting in disconnected blocks with many abandoned buildings and lots.

• At the far south of the study area is the attraction of the Dallas Farmer’s Market, surrounded by a fairly large residential community. Much of the area was very recently abandoned poverty stricken but is now on the road to becoming a family-oriented community within Dallas’ Downtown.

•The neighborhood of Deep Ellum is comprised of a tight street grid lined with many old storefront buildings creating a unique character. This area is home to many restaurants, bars, and night spots. Most of the existing buildings are 2-3 stories presenting an opportunity for o�ce and residential lofts in this area to create a more balanced neighborhood.

• The Baylor Medical Center is a large employment draw with close to 5,000 employees.

• Bryan Place apartments and townhomes is the main component of a huge area of dense residential development just outside of Downtown Dallas.

The desire is to successfully link these areas and all the small areas in between into a more cohesive whole to create a healthier community. Trips between two of these areas through the project area should be enjoyable, safe, and e�cient. The existing Klyde Warren Park creates an attraction and bridge between the Uptown area and Downtown Dallas. The Uptown District is experiencing an economic boom and is the current direction of growth from Downtown Dallas with much of the recent development in the city being centered there. The same set of circumstances could come true for Old East Dallas given the right conditions. Those conditions are the ones that a new design for this area should look to create.

DESIGN IMPLICATIONS

FARMERS MARKET

MAIN STREET GARDEN

COMERICA BANKTOWER

NIEMAN MARCUS

PATRIOT TOWER

PLAZA OF THEAMERICAS

CHASETOWER

TRAMMELCROW

DALLASMUSEUMOF ART

KLYDEWARREN

PARK

NASHERSCULPTURE

CENTER

MUSEUMTOWER

MEYERSON SYMPHONY

CENTER

AT&TPERFORMING ARTS

THEATER

WYLY THEATER

BELOMANSION

ONE ARTSPLAZA

THE ICON AT ROSS

EXALLREC CENTER

MARQUIS ON GASTONAPARTMENTS

LATINOCULTURAL

CENTER

LIVE OAK LOFTS

SCOTTISH RITEMUSEUM

WILSONBUILDING

REPUBLIC CENTER

MOSAIC

MAJESTICTHEATER

LIGHT RAIL

BUS TERMINAL

RESTAURANT/BARARTS DISTRICTATTRACTIONS

THANKSGIVINGCOMMERCIAL CENTER

BRYAN PLACERESIDENTIAL

BAYLOR UNIVERSITYMEDICAL CENTER

DEEP ELLUMMIXED-USE + STOREFRONT BUILDINGS

CITY SERVICECENTER

FARMERS MARKETTOWNHOMES + APARTMENTS

EXALL PARK

WILSON BLOCKHISTORIC DISTRICT

Legend

1 MILE

AN

ALYSIS

Hydrology / Topography

390 FT

• Mill Creek was originally a stream draining to the Trinity River. In the 1920’s it was enclosed in underground pipes to convey the 5-year storm event. In a 100-year event approximately 3,800 properties are impacted by one foot or more of �ooding in the Mill Creek and Peaks Branch (not shown) �ood zones due to inadequate pipe systems. A levee protects downtown Dallas from Trinity River �ooding. Drainage from the former Mill Creek watershed is conveyed to the levee and pumped over at Able Station. There are currently plans to add drainage tunnels to the drainage system. • In the proposed design district it is imperative that green space deal with stormwater at multiple levels to lessen the burden on Dallas’ infrastructure. Water treatment, in�ltration, and storage for use should be present in the design proposal. In a climate such as that of Dallas it is important to give the resource of water proper attention.

Elevation

Design Implications