Is Dallas "Built Out," or Are City and County Officials' Priorities Completely Out of Whack?

Do your homework folks. 54% of DISD schools are exemplary or recognized. Eight DISD high schools outrank most of the suburban schools based on Newsweek AP and IB rankings.

In East Dallas alone there are four Blue-Ribbon elementary schools.

Check home values in Lakewood and Preston Hollow - they have far exceeded any appreciation in the northern suburbs.

I live downtown, and I have never once been in the tunnels. I don't like the idea of them, and they probably contribute significantly to the lack of street-level activity in the neighborhood.

More than that, however, I don't like the segregation. One of the most important aspects of living and/or working in a city is that it teaches one to interact with people of all races, creeds, socioeconomic backgrounds, etc. When you have one level for the people who work downtown and another for those of us who live there, it breeds a certain us-vs.-them mentality that is unhealthy for our civic identity. The central business district is designed, in theory, to be a place where everybody in the city can come together. When a certain group has the ability to exclude themselves from that idea, it can't be healthy for the city as a whole.

Bottom line, I want more decent bars.

What most discourages me is that our elected representatives get in office and do a 180 turn on us. For instance, Laura Miller campaigned and won on a "liveable city" platform of fix the streets, fix the lights, take care of the parks. And then she went to the dark side after her husbund told her it was "stupid" not to support the big ticket items. Well, I guess selling out the people who voted for her get her a high-paid lobbying job, but the rest of us are still dodging the potholes.

There has been a lot of tear downs of apartment complexes in Dallas the past few years. In Lake Highlands off of Skillman and Walnut Hill, there was a lot of apartments torn down to make room for the Lake Highlands Town Center that has not been built yet. Also the area on between Greenville Ave and Skillman from Northwest Highway to Park Lane has had lots of apartment that have been torn down to make room for the Park Lane Shopping Center. I live near Greenville and University and there have been a lot of tear downs that were going to be redeveloped, but the economy crashed and nothing has been rebuilt. The one thing I can say is that most of the tear downs were low income units that were occupied buy families with young childern. Now more people are moving in are single and married people with no childern. When the economy recovers I believe that more developement with start. At least that's what I see in the Greenville/Lovers area.

Dallas:Last weekend, I met a friend, a lawyer from DC. at Stir Coffee, the spot inside Good 2 Go Taco.The deck was full of people, kids dogs. We had excellent 'direct trade coffee.' My friend said, I love this place, I can't believe how much cooler Dallas is than it used to be. Later that night, Jill and I went to see Singapore Slingers at Kristy Krueger at the Kessler. Of course that morning, I went hiking at Spring Creek Forest, saw hawks and wood ducks.

I get the points about large projects such as designer bridges and convention hotels, and I'd dearly love us to spend more on natural areas and parks, but there's much here in Dallas to enjoy. If you don't see that, you're not paying attention.

I agree with others who say, the problems with education continue to be a real poor mark on our city, and that's getting worse not better.

What discourages me about Dallas is that it is that since the influential people are developers, it is all about building the next big thing, not keeping what we have in good repair. So the streets to the shiny new bridge and hotel are riddled with potholes and lined with broken streetlights. We have shiny new schools that are understaffed and have inadequate resources. We build a new hospital, but don't have the money to keep it in good order. Basically, the government of the city and the county operate like a procession of army ants, eating what's in front of it and leaving devastation in its wake.

Whew love this. I had to move back to Dallas after living in Houston for 14 yrs, if you say H-town sucks, you just dont know. I know Austin is the queen city and I am fucking sick of hearing about it. What I tell people is nobody WANTS to live in Dallas-sometimes you have to. I will say it is easy and cheap here, but my friends in this town are all I have to recommend it. Ive got people coming in town next week, what will we do to show them Dallas? Probably go to Fort Worth.

Who cares? The whole metroplex is a $hithole--burbs included. Leaving it was among the best decisions I've ever made.

There's no bloody way that I'm reading all of these comments. Suffice it to say, however, that I agree with about half of you.

Hey Robert: here's a story idea related to this very topic. Let's find out from Dallas City Hall how many city employees actually live in Dallas. That's the Dallas dirty little secret. I think about 65% of the employees live outside Dallas. The last I heard the city payroll was 13,000 people. More people = more revenue. There are high ranking city administrators who don't even live here in Dallas but in other towns. How pitiful is that?

The ONLY thing that makes Dallas livable is what it is not. It is not OKC. It is not in Western Kansas. It is not Midland. It is not as expensive as the places that people would mostly choose to live, if they could.

We are fooling ourselves if we think Dallas will ever get any better. There is no way it could. The truth hurts, but there it is.

I look around, and I try to understand the people who say they "Love" it here. I wonder where they have been in their lives to make that judgment? And then it hits me.

Dallas is full of people who are here becuase they HAVE to be, not becuase they WANT to be.

They have to be here to make a livingThey have to be here to be near family

Have you ever told anyone you live in Dallas, and had the response be:Oh - cool!Oh - You are so lucky!

NO way!

DFW has some HUGE problems in this regards!

Take a poll of the high school seniors, even in the rich burbs. How many of them want to go off to college (umm - yahhh - no Universities in the area attracting top notch talent that will stay) and come back here?

You will be shocked.

AND here is the real kick in the ass. The real amazing irony. The real "oh shit" moment for all of you.

Just take a look at the big money people in Dallas. You know how many of them live here all year around??

Fucking NONE!

They have houses in Aspen, or LaJolla. They have apartments in NYC.

Need more proof? Just read Candace Evens blog about 2nd homes, pointed at the very people who are supposedly investing in the city! It's just more proof that once someone gets a little money, they a bailing the fuck out!

So it is true that DFW is attracting people and creating jobs,at least in the burbs,. But I can assure you, these people HATE IT HERE. And given a chance to bail out, they will. Just like the rich folks in HP do.

Dallas people, do not confuse the forces of the supply and demand with actual attractiveness.

Dallas is actually the ugly girl/boy with no personality that you date until something better comes along

We Dallas-residents are self-haters. I've lived in the City for 25 years and it's far better than it ever has been. I have two kids getting an excellent education at DISD. The schools are perfectly safe, adequately funded and everyone we've met at the schools is competent, skilled, and involved (yes, really). There are things in the City that could be better and we must always debate priorities,--but I have never, ever, even for a moment, considered moving to a suburb. And I never will.

Damn, Big “D”? I thought we had something going. I have written how great Dallas is in the numbers of people arriving here on a daily basis. At one point it was, I believe, and this is not a quote, but around 750 people daily. That was not inspired by the amount of people leaving Dallas at the time from what I recall. Either way, it’s a great number, trust me. That was 4 years ago when I was writing about a home building company. I even had input that the Dallas economy was so great by the fact that there are so many cranes in downtown Dallas as well. I have always considered Robert Wilonsky, the author of this blog, a pretty reliable source with most articles that he writes and his blog is considered pretty decent insight for normal conservative business types like myself, that care how I impact my community as well as the concerns of my own families well being. I had stated years ago on a flight to a builders convention with some relatives, that to buy real estate in Oak Cliff, would be great due to the Trinity River Project. Yes, absolutely at the time, but has Dallas become the “business” in the fact that they are a city to keep marching on, and things will get better? Are we really taking into account what is going on around the country, the world and beyond. After all, we have had a mayor, who now wants to be a Senator. Maybe he has been working on other things rather than the responsibility of as many families that are in the great city of Dallas. Maybe, it’s not just about you and yours, Tom. Maybe all the people in politics should start what they finish once in office so that we can get a whole broad perspective of start-almost middle-middle-almost end-and end. Then we can evaluate you and yours.The reason to expand and to add things that are desireable is if you have that kind of development and to retain folks. Austin, San Antonio, and an even larger rise in the Fort Worth population, has made Dallas’ a true question mark of, “Why are we still building up?” Is it because we are just staying on schedule?Also, the perspective given by the professor at SMU is probably one of the more “lame” statements I have heard recently. He must have found some similarities elsewhere and reinstated and applied that. Way to go SMU. There are some very resilient people that love their surroundings whether that being race, mountains, lakes, or restaurants and bars that are worth their cultural feel, as well as going to see classical arts like Romeo and Juliet at the Winspear Opera House for Valentine’s Day, and falling asleep in each others arms without having to drive too far from the opera house to home. If there is too much emphasis on glam instead of education in Dallas this article has some insight. Education makes a society stronger and the lack of this in a culture is such a disappointment. I want my own children to go to public school, but with new news I really am thinking differently. I’m glad I am able to see different things coming up in my life and I have the ability to process without a knee jerk reaction, but just a digestive thought instead. This is my personal take as a father. As a business man I think that it would be wise for every city, county and state to do some tight forensic accounting, to find what it is that we truly need to cut and what it is that we absolutely want to promote. This article has stirred various things for me. I have a lot of interest in real estate, civil service and the growth of a city, (especially architecturally) and I identify with this article in all of those senses. Oh, and by the way. Richardson is a great suburb of Dallas. You can take your Plano, Frisco, Allen and the rest of that all you want. Good luck. I know those unimaginative areas very well. Eh! Peace and Love, Peace and Love.

Ha ~ yes, that's why people aren't moving to Dallas ~ it's because we don't have enough parks, designer bridges or "starchitectual" monuments. Yes, that's exactly it. I've got a great idea; let's build a HUGE chrome park... over the highway.. yes, that will fix EVERYTHING & finally make people move to downtown! (Still the same guys running this game right?) (we should make them all listen to Supertramp and meander around the streets of what was Deep Ellum, an artist community.. who sucked out the feelin'? :( ~ :) I've never seen a city attempt to turn itself into some freakish revertion of something comparable to suburban life.. after watching this rennovation and forced high-dollar 'rejuvanation' of its core, at this point, Dallas' continual conversion and myopically tenacious, "head-to-a-100-year-old-brick-wall-without-alteration," "Built-it-and-they-will-be-impressed-and-come" hit-after-hit new-money, new-city quick cheap decor still lacks totally in overall presentation, cohesion, charm and cultural appeal . Now days, I just shake my head cuz it's just comical (until the whitties get pissy and start spouting off at minorities and poor people like a bunch of rednecks.. then it gets kinda real and not so much fun anymore) sad examples of lack of democracy, creativity, and especially lack of a sincere broad-minded and very considerate & entertaining connection with its own people, assets, talent and culture- the innate jewels that make up its own unique culture in it's present state. I have no doubt (against some odds & for some unknown reason) that people would and will still move to downtown, especially with new rail options in place and mobile connectivity on the rise. People move to downtown for 3 reasons: work, entertainment-factor or "citylife", or cost-of-living. In some cases, downtown can actually be found to be more affordable than living in uptown. Depends on the market that quarter ~ The greatest, most progressive, fun-loving and sustainable cities are the ones that EMBRACE DIVERSITY, it's own indigineous diversity, rather than trying to keep the kids quiet, the bums off the street and the piss off the atm machines. Well, a thriving inner-city is next to just overall demand. Certainly no companies have relocated to downtown to be able to have much affect on vacancy. I've lived here 7 years now and I've always felt like Dallas was a jewel, you just had to digg deep and find what you were looking for (being sure to give back to the community in your own way:) I've had experiences here that I have to admit were next to none.. but I always felt like overall the movement of the people here is awkward & disjointed in many aspects, calous often, and as far as an overall theme that WORKS to build progressively and draw attention and residents into downtown. The idea/end result or direction comes across to me often as a conditioned "rich bitch's night out" feeling ultimately at best. I've read many other bloggers with the same sentiments towards Dallas over and over and over; I come away feeling as empty as the 100 year old vacant brick stories that whisper to be put to best use. A city with it's back against itself- certainly coming across as impersonal many times, forcing, building, giving a chosen few's best effort at perpetuating an overall culture absent of promoting & building each other up, you know, like good communities do... I can't tell you how many times I've been downtown and not only do you have to search for a decent place to... do anything, sit, shop, date, dance, hear music.. anything.. not only is the entertainment factor very, very low generally speaking - very low - but I find that many times when I go out, I hardly ever even meet any new people. I guess I've been living here long enough to where I just got used to it. The solitude I experience when 'out' in public in Dallas is not the norm in some other cities I've visited or lived in. Why go out if not to meet new people? I don't know; you tell me Dallas~ (or you can stay there in your circle & I'll stay over here in mine;)

Dallas has just made that lasting impression with me. Dallas is brilliant and attractive with world-wide appeal, but the fierceness of the last half century has been smoothered or diluted completely by new money cheap decor, dumb & constraining quick legislation that inhibits Dallasites and raises the overall cost of living in downtown, and just general lack of direction, appeal, connection, proper exploitation, promotion and marketing. It seems like leadership is continually focused on "sales" and setting up quick images or reflections of some lofty, totally unrepresented downtown Dallas 'lifestyle' that just isn't there & isn't being researched, fostered or funded, so this article really made me laugh. "Oh, we never though about 'geography'.. oh well, let's keep spending $ and building residential!" It's not working. The "quick-sale" of new apartment & residential ideas does not equate "insta-culture".. sorry investors (like they care:)

Funny thing is the crime rate downtown is actually decent. Yes, sadly, Dallas is just that lame, but if you throw a bad party..nobody will come. If you arrest, fine and/or ticket everyone who comes to your party, they probably will leave. Oh, and if everyone's wearing jeans or those stupid dresses that fit like trash bags, it's not becoming. Ah, the entertainment factor. There is wonderful music everywhere yet somehow Dallas still clings to the old ballad with very little fresh ever going into the main stream. The inner-city who attracts those who enjoy fast life and quick appeal, large populations and diverse cultural assortments. When people consider moving to inner-city for cultural reasons, it seems they might be searching for some muse or source of inspiration from living in the middle of it.

I don't feel like many of the new parks and sculptures and other "city bling" that has been the recent trend and installations has carried over into making any area seem more exclusive (with the acception of the Art District I guess), and please no more chrome- it's hot as the Dickens in Dallas like 70% of the time, and chrome is kind of heat-condusive so...

Seems like no one is encompassing enough to 'pull it off,' but I have to admit, I still hold a light for Dallas & DFW is still not a hot city metroplex, but rather just the capital of East & West Texas;) The city of Dallas is like that innocent girl you dated in high school ~ that sweet hispanic transvestite who wanted to run for homecoming queen:) (I still love the idea of outlining Dalllas' skyline with the colors of the rainbow.. I think that 'might' draw some int'l attention:) and I think the green building is positioned correctly I believe for this to happen.. haha~ and, well, statistically speaking.. Dallas is a pretty gay city. just sayin' ~

The truth can now be told !

Dallas actually Grew by XXX,XXX.This went unnoticed because of the 250,000 Anti Census folks who threw away the forms and to this day are refusing to answer the door.

All I have to say is that I don't want to ever see another City of Dallas corporate city limits map that shows it snaking its way south into Ellis County (like they had in the 90s), and if by "over the county line" they mean annexing their boundaries past Dallas County, I just hope I'm the mayor of Palmer (position I'm running for currently) so I can stand up against it. The 90s maps that I saw showed Dallas' city limits filtering on the eastern swath of I-45 towards Ennis.

Do you mean to tell me that leaky levees, Calatrava Bridges, Convention Center Hotel, 14 Brand Spankin' new Walmart stores, etc. are not things that would convince people to move their families to Dallas? Wow, I'm shocked!

If you are over the ago of thirty and have a family and move to the area, a few things are constant. 1. You probably work off of the North Dallas Tollway, Frisco, or Plano. 2. Because a new home in these suburbs is cheap, the roads are awesome, the crime is low and the schools are ridiculously better you probably live in Frisco, Allen, or Grapevine. Dallas has become a joke.

"We're bringing a lot of business in" so encapsulates Republican policy.

Yes, Texas is fabulous place to do business. Dallas is apparently such an attractive place to do business that Tom was able to move Turner Construction and all one of their executives here to do business. Dallas will gladly hand you all sorts of tax breaks to do business here. Here's a free iPhone company that isn't considering moving to Dallas, that's how great Dallas is for business, we give you free iPhones just because you are a big business, that's how much we like businesses in Dallas.

I don't doubt Tom did everything possible to make Dallas great for business, my question is, what did he do to make Dallas great for it's citizens because those people employed by said business have no obligation to live in Dallas.

I understand that a city like Dallas needs to be friendly to big business but it shouldn't always be at the expense of the quality of life of the citizens of the city and that is the approach Tom has taken here.

The saddest part is the current crop of mayoral candidates all grew up in the era of the typewriter, not the personal computer. Until the Dallas Citizens' Council realizes that Dallas needs a face that represents a new, young, vibrant city, no one is going to take us seriously.

@TimCov: We also bought land near Austin, but I'm not ready to leave. There are an abundance of second home properties in Austin and west of Austin towards Fredericksburg -- they may become full time residences. (Hence the inspiration for my new blog.) The quality of life is excellent. I'm working on a piece for New Geography/Forbes.com on the fantastic growth of Marble Falls. I think sometimes we in Dallas don't look elsewhere for inspiration. This census should be a wake-up call.

You people don't get it. Dallas exists to serve the needs of HP/UP. That's why we have Arts Districts (places for billionaires to put their names on buildings and mingle with one another), Deck Parks (cause who wants to drive over a moat of a freeway to get to the Arts District, much better to have some trees), Convention Center Hotels (so the billionaires have someplace to buy muni bonds, guaranteed to be paid back with Dallas tax dollars) and Calatrava Bridges (even though none of the HP/UP crowd will ever cross it, if it ever connects to either side, cause why in the world would they want to go to West Dallas?). On the plus side, these projects also allow for land speculators to make huge profits.

Add my wife and to the list of people who will be leaving Dallas county. We've grown sick of the idiotic politicians who are re-elected after making fools of themselves and making the county look like a bottomless pit of ignorance.

We are saving up our money, and will be moving to the Austin area. At least Austin has some great natural scenery.

Check out this story on the top 20 most miserable cities in the USA: http://www.secondshelters.com/...Thank God Dallas not one of them, yet. We have issues, yet we have so much potential. @Erik -- isn't what you are describing just a natural cycle? I think downtown Dallas has a long ways to go; downtown Fort Worth has always had a better lay-out and infrastructure thanks to the Bass Bros. We are catching up with our arts district/park etc. But that's catching up. And just because you have a district with a high Latino population doesn't mean it has to fail. Latinos have large, close-knit families and want their children to succeed. One friend I know actually sent her daughter back to South America for high school because of the negative influence of the gangs etc in Irving. (They were pushing her 14 year old daughter to smoke and lose her virginity.) So those suburbs are not all perfection. I think we need more private and parochial schools around the area. You gt some great private schools south of the Trinity, watch what happens.