Neighborhood Details

 

 

The Park Cities is composed of two separate municipalities and six square miles in size. These cities-within-the-city offer a small and very affluent community within 10 minutes of downtown Dallas. Separate fire, police and schools are but a few of the unique features of these communities. Because of these amenities, many families seek out this area of Dallas to raise their children. The highly acclaimed Highland Park Independent School District is consistently ranked as one of the most highly respected in the country. Drive through the quiet, plush streets and you will see kids of all ages outside enjoying large front lawns and numerous parks in this ideal community. Careful, thoughtful zoning and city planning make this area some of Dallas’ most coveted real estate.

Highland Park Village, the first retail shopping center in the United States, is a landmark feature of the area with its Mediterranean architecture designed by Fooshee & Check, and houses the city’s most exclusive boutiques. Snider Plaza opened in University Park in 1927. Nearby NorthPark Center, developed by well-known Dallasite Raymond D. Nasher, has remained on the cutting edge of the retail shopping experience since 1965.

The Park Cities is also home to the Southern Methodist University campus. From well-respected theatre and dance programs and the artistic treasures of the on-campus museum, to thought-provoking lecture series and university sporting events, SMU offers many activities to the community.

Noted Dallas architects, who designed many of the churches and public buildings, also designed some of the significant homes in the Park Cities. In the 1920s, Hal Thomason designed the eclectic period mansions, which still exist on Armstrong, Bordeaux and Lakeside, and Anton Korn left his mark with many of the classical homes along Beverly Drive and Turtle Creek Boulevard. Mark Lemmon, credited with Highland Park United Methodist Church, Highland Park Presbyterian Church and Perkins Chapel, was a champion of historic styles, and architects like Richard Drummond Davis and Robbie Fusch still build many of these grand homes today. For spare modern architecture, individuals have turned to Howard R. Meyer, Bud Oglesby, Lionel Morrison and Max Levy. Lots are going for increasingly higher prices as builders keep reinterpreting the styles and features of homes to meet the needs of today’s homeowner.

Nearby Areas:
Just north and northwest of the Park Cities are the neighborhoods that make up Bluffview, which include Devonshire, Briarwood and Greenway Parks. Downtown Dallas is a short drive down the Tollway, and Oak Lawn, Turtle Creek and Uptown are just south along Preston Road. Love Field Airport is due west, and North Dallas/Preston Hollow is just on the other side of Northwest Highway.

The Uptown area as we know it has existed for less than 20 years, incorporating new high rises with elegant Victorian homes, like those on State and Thomas streets. The State-Thomas area was revived by architects, interior designers and antique dealers in the 1970s.

Uptown is one of the most pedestrian-friendly areas in Dallas. It is largely “new urbanist” in scope; the majority of facilities considered “Uptown institutions” are relatively new and were created in line with the more recent urbanist urban planning movement. The district is one of the most dense in the city and features a wide variety of establishments, including office buildings,

residential towers, apartment complexes, retail centers, nightlife strips and hotels. This mixed-use development practice lends itself to a very urban lifestyle, which makes Uptown very popular with younger professionals.

Along with the historic State-Thomas neighborhood, Uptown is also home to winding, yet very walkable McKinney Avenue. The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority’s historic streetcars travel along the street in line with traffic. You’ll find West Village along McKinney as you’re traveling north toward the Knox/Henderson area. A walkable shopping and design district, it opened in 2001 and is now an established pet and pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

The Knox/Henderson area, which straddles Central Expressway, is famous for its long list of restaurants, bars and shops, some of which remain in their original structures. On the west side (Knox), which borders Highland Park, bigger names such as Crate & Barrel, Apple and Weir’s are mixed in with smaller, upscale boutique stores. The always-popular Katy Trail crosses directly across Knox street. Running east, Henderson features a more eclectic mix of attractions, from antique and resale shops to smaller, obscure eateries. The area as a whole is very popular with young professionals and families.

With construction of the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the 68-acre Arts District of Downtown, Dallas became the only city in the world that has four buildings within one contiguous block designed by four separate and distinguished Pritzker Architecture Prize winners. Also known as the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, it includes four venues (Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, City Performance Hall, Annette Strauss Square) and an urban park (Elaine D. and Charles A. Sammons Park) that unifies each facility. Other notable and popular facilities nearby include the Dallas Museum of Art, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, One Arts Plaza and the Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Art.

Recently, the city of Dallas invested $160 million of public funds in downtown Dallas for residential development, which attracted an additional $650 million of private investment. Redeveloped Main Street, with its influx of restaurants, hotels and converted residential space, has helped attract customers that Deep Ellum and the West End had since lost. The newer Main Street Garden offers nice-sized green space residents have come to demand in recent years. Fall 2012 will also see the completion of a new $110 million urban deck park over Woodall Rodgers Freeway to create a physically seamless Uptown/Downtown district. The new 5.2 acre urban park, simply called “The Park”, will further strengthen the existing synergy between the Uptown real estate market and the booming development occurring in the Downtown Dallas Arts District which together help further the continuing growth and redevelopment of Downtown Dallas.

Downtown is also home to the massive Dallas Convention Center and recently constructed Omni Dallas Convention Center hotel, which is a new, somewhat controversial member to the Dallas skyline. The nearby JFK memorial still attracts many visitors every year.

Victory Park, considered the “Times Square” of Dallas, is a 75-acre master-planned development and is most notably home to the American Airlines Center and the W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences. This area also features some of the most luxurious and contemporary high-rise residences in Dallas. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is scheduled to open in early 2013. Other notable tenants include the House of Blues, as well as local television and radio stations. Victory Park also serves as corporate headquarters for several international firms.

Nearby Areas:
Oak Lawn/Turtle Creek essentially turn into Uptown. The Park Cities are directly north, and Lakewood is easily accessible from Downtown.

The appeal of Oak Lawn has long been its social and cultural diversity. This area thrives with a combination of residential and commercial development, including neighborhoods of Tudor cottages, 1920s luxury apartments, historic hotels, and off-beat eccentric retail enclaves.

Historic stone bridges, gorgeous manmade waterfalls and lush greenery surround clandestine residences in the Turtle Creek area. Neighboring Oak Lawn and in close proximity to the Katy Trail and West Village, winding Turtle Creek is known for its exclusive high-rise condos, including The Vendome, The Mayfair, The Claridge, and residences at the five-star Mansion on Turtle Creek hotel.

Northern Hills encompasses a small, yet lavish neighborhood within walking distance of Knox/Henderson, seamlessy bordering Highland Park. Developed by the McNeny brothers, who developed the “M” Streets, they required brick or hollow tile homes built in one of the fashionable eclectic styles of the period: Spanish Colonial, Tudor, Georgian and Mediterranean. The Northern Hills Neighborhood Association has established itself as a conservation district.

Within the very heart of Oak Lawn is Perry Heights, a small, serene residential neighborhood. This exclusive real estate gem has ideal location and amenities, with parks and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Nearby Areas:
Oak Lawn, along with Turtle Creek, is bordered by Highland Park and Knox Street to the north. Uptown and Central Expressway are to the east, and IH-35 divides it on the south side from the Design District along lower Oak Lawn.

Bluffview is the closest estate neighborhood to the Park Cities and Uptown/Downtown, as well as North Dallas/Preston Hollow. Situated between Lovers Lane and Northwest Highway, and just west of the Dallas North Tollway, residents typically enjoy easy commutes for work and play. Bluffview is also close to the private school corridor, which includes: Hockaday, St. Mark’s, Episcopal School of Dallas, Greenhill, Jesuit, and Ursuline.

The development of Bluffview began when John P. Stevens purchased 215 acres of dairy farmland. Stevens, also the developer of Oak Cliff’s Stevens Park, transformed the large farm into one-acre lots for homes. Named for the 60-foot rock bluff overlooking Bachman Creek, Bluffview officially began development in 1924. The essence of the farm remains in its winding streets.

From the 1920s to the 1940s, homes popped up on the bluff. Other notable architects include names like David Williams, well known for his “common green” concept, evident in Bluffview’s large lots and trees, rolling hills, and quiet, serene settings. Notable architects like  Charles Dilbeck and O’Neil Ford were among the first to shape the area.

Residents enjoy spending time at Inwood Village, where they have access to fine restaurants, retail shops, and the historical Inwood Theatre and Lounge. This community is friendly and engaged. Many green spaces, such as Bluffview Park, are popular gathering areas for families and dog owners alike. Historical Lovers Lane is lined with specialty shops and eateries. Celebration Restaurant is famous for its farmer’s market on Saturdays.

Greenway Parks is an area known for its large traditional homes designed by architects such as O’Neil Ford, Howard Meyer and Charles Dilbeck. Built in 1927, it was the first pedestrian-oriented community in Dallas and was designed in the “English commons” tradition of clustering houses around a series of open private parkways. Homeowners in this area enjoy nearby shopping and dining along Lovers Lane and at Inwood Village.

Nearby Areas:
University Park is within walking distance from Lovers Lane; Downtown Dallas is a short drive down the Tollway. Love Field Airport borders Bluffview to the west, and North Dallas/Preston Hollow is just on the other side of Northwest Highway.

The area known as Lakewood formed about a decade after the creation of White Rock Lake in 1910. Developers bought the 184 acres to build up the area, and famous Dallas architects like Charles Dilbeck, O’Neil Ford, Arch Swank, David Williams, and Donald Barthelme soon flocked there. Styles featured Craftsman, Prairie Four Squares, Tudors, Spanish and Mediterranean Eclectic and Early Ranch homes, many of native Austin stone. These diverse architectural designs, preserved with the help of numerous historic and conservation districts, give Lakewood the unique feel it has today.

Lakewood is considered a more serene part of town, partly due to its proximity to White  Rock Lake and the surrounding area. White Rock Lake is a mecca for outdoor activities with its 9.2-mile hike and bike trail, yachting clubs, and the verdant expanse of the Dallas Arboretum. The arboretum offers year-round activities, concerts and other events. Historic Lakewood Theater shows classic films and hosts many contemporary musical and comedy events, surrounded by an entire neighborhood of trendy restaurants and shopping venues.

Originally named Greenland Hills in the 1920s, this area just east of Central Expressway and just south of Mockingbird came to be known the M-Streets due to the number of major and minor streets beginning with “M”. Most homes here represent the Tudor architectural style. As a conservation district, all new construction and exterior remodeling must adhere to the conservation guidelines. This has resulted in original details, such as stained glass windows, arches and hardwood floors, being preserved.

With close proximity to Southern Methodist University and the many businesses located downtown and along Central Expressway, this area is popular with students and other university personnel, as well as young professionals and families. Lower Greenville is a historical hot spot for restaurants, bars and shops. Mockingbird Station, the first true light rail, multi-modal, transit-oriented retail development of its kind built in the United States, has the highest density population within three miles of any mass transit station in Texas. Residents enjoy shops, restaurants and the Angelika Theater there.

Vickery Place is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Dallas, filled with Prairie, Craftsman and Tudor Bungalows, and established pecan trees. The Vickery Place subdivision was created out of the survey of three farms in 1911. The Dallas City Council unanimously approved the Vickery Place Conservation District in 2006, as a result of a concerted community effort to halt the destruction of historic homes and the construction of larger builder houses inappropriate for the neighborhood.

The Casa Linda area, at Buckner Boulevard and Garland Road on the east side of the lake, continues to offer wonderful living opportunities and exceptional values as does the Buckner Terrace neighborhood with its enormous trees and architecturally appealing mid-century modern homes.

Nearby Areas

Central Expressway is the closest thoroughfare, providing access to Downtown as well as the northern suburbs. The Park Cities, Turtle Creek and Uptown are just on the west side of the highway.

Plano’s population was 269,776 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth most populous city in the state of Texas.  The city is home to many corporate headquarters:Alliance Data, Cinemark Theatres, Dell Services, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Ericsson, Frito-Lay, HP Enterprise Services, Huawei, J. C. Penney, Pizza Hut,Rent-A-Center, Traxxas, and Siemens PLM Software.

Plano schools consistently score among the highest in the nation.  In 2008 Forbes.com selected Plano, University Park and Highland Park as the three “Top Suburbs To Live Well” of Dallas.  The Annual Plano Ballon Festival and the Plano International Festival are two of the city’s premiere cultural and entertainment events.

Over the years, the neighborhoods north of Northwest Highway have become known as Preston Hollow. It’s the area of the city known for grand estate homes, large shade trees and winding roads. Dallas’ finest architects have left – and continue to leave – their mark here with sprawling ranch houses, elegant chateaus, and Texas regionalist designs. The North Dallas Tollway intersects the area from Midway road to the west, Central Expressway to the east and Forest Lane to the north, and provides easy access to downtown as well as far north Dallas.

Many families are drawn here because of nearby elite private schools, including Hockaday, St. Mark’s, Episcopal School of Dallas, Greenhill, Jesuit, and Ursuline. Retail anchors such as NorthPark Center, Preston Center, Preston Royal Village, and The Galleria offer numerous shopping, dining and entertainment options. There are also several country clubs in the area.

With close proximity to the Park Cities, Dallas Love Field Airport, and far north Dallas, this area is highly desirable and appeals to younger and older families alike.