Will Dallas Inner City Growth, Urban Infill Change Our City for Better Or Worse?

Photo: Nicolas Henderson via Creative Commons

Dallas is experiencing phenomenal inner city growth. Neighborhoods like Oak Cliff, the Trinity River Corridor, Deep Ellum, Ross Avenue, and the Design District are seeing urban infill like never before, showing up in all scales and types.

Robert Meckfessel, FAIA

These changes are remaking the city and opening up new opportunities for residents and businesses alike. But when we look at housing, retail, restaurants, office, and streetscapes, what are the traits that make for good infill and connectivity for these areas?

These are the questions posed for the next Dallas Architecture Forum event, a panel presented in collaboration with Preservation Dallas called Remaking the City.

The event will be moderated by Robert McFessel, FAIA, President of DSGN Associates and past president of leading organizations involved with the quality of the built environment, including the Dallas Architecture Forum, Preservation Dallas, LaReunion TX, and AIA Dallas.

McFessel currently serves on the boards of LaReunion TX, The Trinity Trust, Trinity Commons Foundation, DoCoMoMo U.S., Greater Dallas Planning Council, and the Advisory Board of the Dallas Architecture Forum.

Panelists include:

• Edwin Cabannis: Owner of the Kessler Theater
• Katherine Seale: Chair of the City of Dallas Landmark Commission and Past Director of Preservation Dallas
• Evan Sheets: Senior Urban Designer at Dallas City Design Studio
• Dan Shipley, FAIA: Founder and Principal at Shipley Architects

Remaking the City will likely be a lively discussion among urban developers, preservationists, and designers as they look at the next 50 years of Dallas urban living.

“Moderator Bob Meckfessel will be joined by panelists who are actively engaged in the development of our inner city as stakeholders, designers and representatives of city government. The result will be an engaging and thought-provoking discussion for our attendees,” said Forum Executive Director Nate Eudaly. “The Dallas Architecture Forum is pleased to present this next panel in its 2015-16 series of thought-provoking panel discussions on topics impacting the citizens of Dallas both locally and globally.”

The panel is scheduled for Tuesday, March 8, with an informal reception at 6:15 p.m. and the event at 6:30 p.m. It will be at The Dallas Center for Architecture, 1909 Woodall Rogers Freeway, Suite 100.  It is free and no reservations are needed.

For more information on the Dallas Architecture Forum, or the panel discussion series, visit www.dallasarchitectureforum.org or call 214-764-2406.