A True East Village Modernist From Alan Kagan And Josh Nimmo

Ten years ago, Alan Kagan and Josh Nimmo were on the cutting edge of what would become an explosion of development in East Dallas. It was an exciting time for architects and developers, and this East Village Modernist they designed set the tone.

For those of you who are not familiar with the area, it’s a few blocks from Target Cityplace, between Central Expressway and Live Oak. In mere minutes, you can be downtown or at Baylor University Medical Center. 

This area was what I’d call dodgy for a very long time. However, in the 1980s, Fox and Jacobs determined we were all ready for inner-city living and developed Bryan Place, a concept that was light years ahead of its time. When a developer has that kind of confidence, and it works, it draws interest.

Alan Kagan was one of those who saw the potential of the area. Kagan spent thirty years designing and building modern homes in Dallas before moving to Santa Fe, and he made a large impact in the East Village. His signature style of clean lines, simplicity, open spaces, natural light, and responsible materials set the pace at a time when this was far from the norm.

It’s not surprising that many of his projects were featured on the AIA Dallas Tour of Homes. Kagan was a maverick, bringing us innovative homes in Urban Reserve on Vanguard Way and completely changing the landscape in the East Village area with his Dwellings projects at Haskell Ave., Deere St., Annex Ave., and Munger Ave. He teamed up with the uber-talented architect Joshua Nimmo, whom he even tapped to design his own house when he lived in Dallas. 

If you are a regular reader, you’ll be familiar with Nimmo from his design of the glass house on Ricks Circle and his new modernist properties, The Outcrop, at the brilliant Diane Cheatham’s latest development, Urban Commons.

This backstory is so you will know just how important an opportunity it is to have 2300 Annex Ave. hit the market. It is quite exciting to have a home of this provenance available that has never been listed publicly before.

“It’s a great representation of true modernism.” Ebby Halliday’s listing agent, Brandon Fleeman, said. “It was thoughtfully designed with glass running the length of the facade that is only two-and-a-half feet tall, so you get all this light but maximum privacy. Then, in the back, you have light through floor-to-ceiling doors.”

The East Village Modernist, by design, lives large because of the minimalist aesthetic and 10-foot ceilings, and the privacy factor is substantial. “It has a cool incognito vibe,” Fleeman said. And, after all, don’t we want to be in the heart of the city yet relatively unseen? It’s the perfect combination!

Fleeman has this East Village Modernist at 2300 Annex Ave. available for $800,000.