Dallas Convention

Center

Reunion Tower

and Hyatt

UnionStation

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DealeyPlaza

Founders Square

Park

FerrisPark

LubbenPlaza

Union Station

Convention Center

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Strategy Diagram

Reunion/Union StationFocus Area

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Revised 12-20-10

Reproduced with permission granted by NCTCOG and the City of Dallas, Department of Public Works and Transportation

0 12562.5 500 feet250

Freeway/Ramp

Heavy Rail

DART Rail and Station

Potential DART Rail Alignment and Station

M-Line and Station

M-Line Extension and Station

Concept Desire Line for Streetcars

Focus Area

Park, Plaza or Open Space

Streetcar Boulevard

Key Connection

Primary Retail Area/Activity Node

D O W N T O W N D A L L A S 3 6 0 – A P A T H W A Y T O T H E F U T U R E100

C H A P T E R V | F O C U S A R E A S

Reunion/Union Station Background and Context

Located at the confl uence of the Stemmons, Tom Landry and R.L. Thornton

freeways at the southwest corner of the CBD, the Reunion/Union Station Focus

Area is located south of Union Station and encompasses the former Reunion

Arena site. The district is widely known for its three primary landmarks: Union

Station, Reunion Tower and the Hyatt Regency Dallas hotel. The district contains

the largest contiguous amount of vacant land within the CBD and boasts unparal-

leled visibility and access to all points in the region. In addition to freeway access,

the site is well-situated adjacent to Union Station. Serving as an important transit

hub, the facility accommodates the Trinity River Express (TRE) commuter rail

and DART light rail Red and Blue lines. In addition to the activity at Union Station

and the Reunion Tower/ Hyatt hotel complex, the Reunion district is regarded

as an extension of the convention center district. With the demolition of Reunion

Arena, the area can be repositioned for new, complementary uses that will

enhance the western entrance to the city.

The Opportunity

Establish a Landmark Mixed-Use Offi ce and Residential

District that Connects the Trinity River Corridor to the

Downtown CoreAlthough it has many acres of developable land, the Reunion/Union Station

Focus Area is challenged with topographic changes, two viaducts, and a freeway

interchange that prohibit the site from functioning as a contiguous district. The

DART tracks, in particular, disconnect the area from the rest of Downtown. Due

to the district’s lack of signifi cant historical development, infrastructure is likely

inadequate to support a major increase in intensity and will need to be improved

to make the site competitive for development. Particular challenges will include

installing new water loop lines, connections to the wastewater system, new electri-

cal and gas supplies, and constructing a new stormwater detention structure.

Despite these challenges, the Reunion/Union Station Focus Area holds tremen-

dous potential to create a signature regional destination. The area is envisioned to

be redeveloped into a dynamic regional center for offi ce, residential and visitor-

serving uses. The area should be seen as a new location for corporate headquarters

to allow the CBD to compete for future relocations from suburbs or other cities.

The large development sites, high visibility, and access to transportation make the

site particularly attractive to high-rise corporate and residential towers (which

could have dramatic, iconic architecture at this key entry to Downtown). As the

region’s only true multi-modal transit hub, Union Station would retain its DART,

TRE and Amtrak service while accommodating a station for the future DART “D2”

line. It is also the logical location for Dallas’s primary stop on the state’s proposed

high-speed rail line, solidifying the site’s prominence and transit accessibility in

the future.

The existing vacant land and parking lots provide a blank slate from which to

construct a new development pattern that would tie into the Downtown core and

ensure that the area is not an “island”. While several potential build out scenarios

could take shape, the 360 plan envisions a signifi cant development opportunity

that would come to fruition over many years and would strengthen the prospects

for a future high-speed rail station on the site by capitalizing on its position as the

primary regional transit hub.

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Omni Convention Center Hotel

Dallas Morning NewsDallas Morning News

Omni Convention Center Hotel

UnionStation

Dallas Convention Center

UnionStation

Dallas Convention Center

Planned Trinity River Corridor ImprovementsPlanned Trinity River Corridor Improvements

Capitalize on proximity of Union Station and connections to DART light rail, TRE, Amtrak, and potential future streetcar and high-speed rail

Create strong pedestrian connection to Trinity River Corridor along Reunion

Ensure stop along Houston viaduct streetcar line to serve new development

Create new terraced park and freeway cap to provide open space connection to Trinity River Corridor

Explore future development that is compatible with the Convention Center

Provide transit plaza for potential streetcar stop on Lamar to anchor connection to new development area

Enhance sidewalks along viaducts to strengthen pedestrian connections between Omni Hotel and new development

Establish strong connections within development to encourage pedestrian circulation and support walkable blocks

Redevelop former Reunion site and parking lots with mid- and high-rise mixed-use development rising to Houston/Jefferson viaduct level

Ensure design of new Jefferson viaduct connections to Memorial Drive support long-term development and urban design goals of the site

Create opportunity for new decked development over I-30 to strengthen connection to Lamar and South Side District

Retain existing frontage roads to provide access to grade-level streets and parking structures for new development

Provide connection through new deck park over rail tracks to connect Hyatt Hotel/Reunion Tower, existing parking garage and new development to Convention Center and Omni Hotel

Integrate new promenade and central park as prominent organizing features for new development

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TOD PotentialReunion/Union StationFocus Area

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Revised 11-29-10

Reproduced with permission granted by NCTCOG and the City of Dallas, Department of Public Works and Transportation

Future Development Site

Existing DART Light-Rail and Station

Potential DART Light-Rail

Potential Streetcar and Station

Park or Open Space

Transit Plaza

Key Connection

Major Street

Minor Street

See cross-section on page 98A

TOD PotentialReunion/Union StationFocus Area

Future Development Site

Existing DART Light-Rail and Station

Potential DART Light-Rail

Potential Streetcar and Station

Park or Open Space

Transit Plaza

Key Connection

Major Street

Minor Street

See cross-section on page 98A

D O W N T O W N D A L L A S 3 6 0 – A P A T H W A Y T O T H E F U T U R E102

C H A P T E R V | F O C U S A R E A S

In this scenario parking garages, access streets and service/loading areas would be

built on the vacant land and form the foundations for new buildings at the level of

the existing Houston and Jefferson viaducts. Atop the parking garages and service/

access facilities, new buildings, parks, and pedestrian connections would be inte-

grated with the viaducts and the primary development level of Downtown, where

the Belo properties, Union Station, and Convention Center are built. New develop-

ment parcels would ideally be “carved out” as small urban blocks to discourage

large, superblock development patterns that could turn their backs to the rest of

Downtown. Building footprints should similarly refl ect the smaller block sizes and

should respond to the views available, with high-rises located farther west, taking

advantage of Trinity River and Downtown views. Lower-rise buildings should

provide a transition and protect views to the north.

A pedestrian promenade would follow alongside a new street that would connect

Lamar on the east to Reunion Boulevard on the north, rising over the DART

tracks and serving as the primary circulation feature on top of the parking decks.

A new central park would be an organizing feature, around which the new street

would provide comfortable pedestrian and limited vehicular access for new

developments.

While the new deck-level street would have on-street parking, entrances to parking

garages should be minimized to encourage daily users to utilize surface-level

access streets which connect to the freeway frontage roads. Buildings that front

onto the viaducts or new streets, parks or pedestrian passages should have primary

public entrances and active ground fl oors with retail and restaurants. Passages

should be landscaped and animated with transparent windows, art, pocket retail or

kiosks, and additional building entrances.

A core feature of the concept is its ability to bridge the divide between Downtown

and the Trinity River Corridor. Between the Jefferson and Houston viaducts, a

new deck park would traverse the Tom Landry Freeway, stepping down to meet

Riverfront Boulevard, where enhanced connections into the levees would provide

access to the Trinity River. Key sources of funding for these costly improvements

will include the valuable development rights and tax increment associated with

the commercial and residential development program, which may need to focus

on higher-end, luxury housing to maximize the land’s value and funding capac-

ity. While an ambitious plan, opportunities exist to shape the redevelopment of

this area due to current land ownership. However, to achieve implementation, the

sale or other transfer of the former Reunion Arena site to the private development

community is critical.

New development, level with the Houston and Jefferson viaducts, should be built atop service roadways and parking structures like in Denver’s new Union Station redevelopment.

Trinity River Corridor

Levee SouthMarket Street

Tom Landry Freeway

(I-30/35E)

DARTTracks

Riverfront Boulevard

FrontageRoad

SurfaceAccessStreet

SurfaceAccessStreet

Houston Street Viaduct

Deck park over DART tracks

New developments step back at passagesPark steps

down to meet Riverfront Boulevard

Frontage road provides access to parking and other grade-level streets

Deck-level streets provide visitor access and parking

A

A cross-section shows how a deck park would rise from Riverfront Boulevard over I-30 to meet the Houston viaduct level, where new buildings built over parking structures would create a new destination.