Only Leppert Could Go to Valencia, or: Now, See, That's an Impressive Calatrava Project

By Robert Wilonsky Thu., Oct. 7 2010 at 6:56 PM

Categories: Biz, City Hall

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Right now, you're probably wondering to yourself: Hey, how's Mayor Tom enjoying his ~~European vacation~~trade mission to Spain and France? Well, from the looks of Chris Heinbaugh's photos and video, he's having a nice time -- especially yesterday, when the mayor and council member Ron Natinsky and the rest o' the gang stopped by the City of Arts and Sciences, a Santiago Calatrava-designed project with which Allen Vaught does not take issue.

On the other side's a lot of video -- mostly sight-seeing stuff, and, man, that is one impressive development. (There's also a clip I like just because the mayor, at a "memorandum of understanding with Valencia" signing ceremony with Valencia's Mayor Rita Barberá at The Most Beautiful City Hall Ever, appears to be starring in an excerpt from a foreign-language short film.) You'll also find a clip in which Heinbaugh asks the mayor for his thoughts after seeing the City of Arts and Sciences. Leppert's brief answer suggests we need to be thinking really long-term when it comes to the Trinity River Corridor Project:

"Well, we're here in Valencia, and we've got a terrific development -- and not just the spectacular buildings, but it's really in a river bed. I think there are great lessons for us in the Trinity. One of those lessons is this has been at work about 40 or 50 years now, but clearly with work, perseverance, you've seen the work they've done here, and you see potentially what we could have in Dallas, and it does bring a lot of excitement."

Jump. It's like looking at someone else's vacay home movies. But better!

MAYOR'S TRADE DELEGATION TOURS CALATRAVA COMPLEX
Meets With Valencia Mayor To Boost Ties

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert said Valencia's collection of buildings by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava are stunning and a testament to perseverance and determination.

"Seeing these powerful structures really show you just what our Trinity River Project could become," said Mayor Leppert.

He and members of his trade delegation toured the City of Arts and Sciences Wednesday in Valencia, Spain, home to Calatrava. The complex of Calatrava structures include a museum, an IMAX theatre, an opera house and a sports venue.

They are part of a decades long urban redevelopment project which created a massive park and trail system in the old riverbed of the Turia River which once ran through the heart of Spain's third largest city. The park system originated as a flood control project after a major flood in 1957. The park and complex took decades to build, and is still being added to today.

Mayor Leppert says that puts the challenges surrounding the Dallas' Trinity River Project into perpective.

"I think there are great lessons for us in the Trinity'" said Mayor Leppert. "One of those lessons is this has been at work about 40 or 50 years now, but clearly with work, perseverance, you've seen the work they've done here and you see potentially what we could have in Dallas, and it does bring a lot of excitement."

Calatrava designed the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge being built over the Trinity River. He is also designing two other bridges over the Trinity, one one at I-30 and the other at I -35.

Following the tour, Mayor Leppert met with Valencia's Mayor Rita Barberá at Valencia's City Hall. During a formal ceremony, the two mayors signed a unique sister city agreement similar to one Dallas already has in place with the larger Valencia regional government.

It will strengthen trade and cultural ties between the Dallas and Valencia, which maintains a regional trade office in Dallas.

Mayor Leppert's trade delegation has been making stops in Spain and France promoting economic development and investment opportunities in Dallas.

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