East Dock is an Exciting New Adaptive Reuse Project in East Oak Cliff From Proxy Properties

One of the most exciting aspects of historic preservation is adaptive reuse. It is the process of preserving a structure built for one purpose and using it for a new purpose. It’s smart, economically and environmentally sound. We are excited to have a guest post today from award-winning architect Alicia Quintans about the exciting new East Dock project.

By Alicia Quintans, AIA

East Dock is a unique adaptive-use project being developed in East Oak Cliff by Proxy Properties LLC. It’s located at 900 E. Clarendon, within the original farming community of Hord’s Ridge, settled in the early 1800s along Cedar Creek. The Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe railroad was chartered in 1873, adjacent to the east side of the property, and the location has been used as an industrial site since the 1890s. 

Architect Jay Firsching did the historic research for this project and relayed a bit of it for us.

“In the early 1900s, Cliff Ice and Cold Storage was founded by J.O. Jones, who gave Joe Thomas his first job at the ice company,” Firsching said. “Joe became the head of Soulthand and created 7-Eleven. So it is the genesis of that company.”

Guiberson Corporation purchased the property around 1942 and added metal warehouse buildings for their aircraft engine and parts factory, leaving the current remaining 62,000-square-foot footprint as outlined on the 1951 Sanborn map. DART developed the light rail system along the railway route in the mid-1990s, and the Red Line now passes behind the site.

Just steps from the Dallas Zoo, DART Zoo Station, Tenth Street Historic District, and the future Southern Gateway Park, the location is ideal for a mix of uses to complement these assets and to serve the surrounding neighborhoods.

AJ Ramler and his Proxy Properties team see the potential of East Oak Cliff and purchased this property after successfully renovating and restoring a nearby Dallas Landmark, Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, rebranded as Oak Cliff Assembly. The former church, completed in 1942, is now an arts and theatre space with active offices and co-work studios. Proxy has tapped into the surrounding neighborhood for talent and tenants while creating a community gathering destination.

Redesigning existing buildings to serve new functions, often referred to as “adaptive reuse,” helps preserve the historical and social fabric of the place, while creating new opportunities.

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Since the Fall of 2022, Ramler and a small team of consultants have been quietly working on visions and strategies to repurpose the concrete, masonry, and steel warehouse buildings, which are in good condition but have been vacant for years.

Vast interior spaces will be divided into a variety of sizes to offer 30,000 square feet of storefront retail and/or studio space. Target tenants include fitness and wellness, maker spaces, artists, small retail, coffee roasters, a climbing gym inside the ice vault, possibly a restaurant with a patio and greenspace overlooking Cedar Creek, and obviously ice cream or shaved ice. Flexible warehouses, showrooms, and studios are planned for the remaining buildings fronting the rail.

Repurposing includes the existing large-growth trees, shrubs and native pollinator plants, which will be incorporated into the landscaping for the property. The park-like setting along the creek’s edge will be open for community gatherings and complimentary uses. A visionary goal is that the project will serve as a central neighborhood business hub for East Oak Cliff and could be an example for future development along this corridor.

Design development plans have passed an energy efficiency audit, and the project is on track for Property-Assisted Clean Energy (PACE) financing. The project team presented to the City of Dallas Urban Design Peer Review Panel in April. It will seek funding to assist with public spaces, infrastructure, and site amenities. Annilee Waterman 3D modeled and rendered the visuals, creating the ice vault murals with assistance from AI. 

Since the buildings have an interesting history, architect Firsching is preparing applications for State and Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit. The first phase of construction should begin later this year, and the redevelopment promises to contribute to the economic growth and prosperity of East Oak Cliff, District 4, and the southern section of Dallas.

It takes a village when it comes to historic preservation and adaptive reuse. The project team for East Dock includes the following: 

• Owner: Proxy Properties, LLC, AJ Ramler
• Architect: JQAQ Atelier, LLC, Alicia Quintans, AIA
• Landscape Design: Tennant Street Studio
• MEP Consultant: Conquest Engineering
• Contractor: Elyse Build, David Cervantes
• Visualization: Annilee B. Waterman
• Historic Consultant: HRTC Services, Jay Firsching
• Branding: Pink Porch Productions

You can Follow the exciting progress of East Dock on Instagram.