This Northern Heights Home Turns Katy Trail Frontage Into Architecture
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Homes in the Knox neighborhood of Northern Heights don’t trade often, and when they do, they get attention. That’s certainly the case for this David Griffin listing at 3503 Edgewater, and why we’re giving you this bonus edition of the Highlight Home of the Week, sponsored by Lisa Peters, Senior Financial Officer with First Horizon.
Designed by architect Gary Cunningham of Cunningham Architects, this 3,552-square-foot home sits on the Katy Trail with more than 50 feet of wooded frontage. That’s rare on its own. According to Griffin, only eight homes in Northern Heights have full frontage on the Katy Trail, which gives this property the kind of site amenity that many in this part of Dallas wait decades to become available.
The trail is not just nearby, but it’s also the organizing principle of the house. Cunningham sought to use the site like a design brief, orienting the home so the trees, privacy, and changing light are part of the home’s daily architecture. That sounds like design-speak, but really it means the architect thought about what the light would look like in this home for every waking hour of the day — and season of the year.
“There’s window placement on all four sides of the home, which brings morning light and movement of the sun through all the home’s spaces,” Griffin said. “Times of day and seasons do different things to the light, and all of this makes the space feel more alive.”
The home is one of two freestanding residences on this lot, set behind a gate and private driveway off Edgewater. That gives it a level of privacy you wouldn’t typically associate with a bustling part of town like this area between Knox and Fitzhugh.
Northern Heights is a sanctuary of architecturally significant modern townhomes by architects such as Frank Welch, Max Levy, Lionel Morrison, FAR + DANG, and Gary Cunningham — some who have designed homes here and others who have chosen to make their home here.
What matters at 3503 Edgewater is that this is not a spec house wearing contemporary clothes. As Griffin notes, the original owners bought the lot and brought in Cunningham to design a true custom home — one residence for themselves and one for their daughter.
The construction backs that up, with a pier-and-beam foundation, a standing seam metal roof, and an understated consistency of materials throughout. Outside, Griffin notes the use of long-lasting wood siding. Inside, the wide-plank oak floors, rift-cut white oak cabinetry, and marble or terrazzo baths give the home that very specific kind of permanence: quiet materials, used well.
Award-winning landscape architect David Hocker designed the grounds to reflect the nature of the home and strengthen its privacy. From both the street and the trail, the house doesn’t announce itself. It’s like the home slips behind the Katy Trail’s foliage to reveal itself in pieces.
Inside, the layout spans three levels, all accessible by elevator, and it’s organized in a way that makes sense for how people actually live. The first floor is straightforward: an entry, a guest suite with an ensuite bath, and a secondary living area that opens to a garden. It works for guests, but it also gives the house some flexibility.
The second level is where everything opens up. This is the main living space, and it’s oriented to take full advantage of the wooded backdrop. Light filters in from multiple directions, and the scale shifts just enough — taller ceilings, larger windows — to make the connection to the outdoors feel intentional rather than decorative. A balcony that’s more outdoor room than afterthought overlooks the Katy Trail.
A sculptural oak staircase sits at the center of the plan, framed by a vertical ribbed screen that separates the living, dining, and kitchen areas without fully closing anything off. It’s a subtle move, but it keeps the space connected while still giving each area definition.
The kitchen gets the job done at the level you’d expect here: rift-cut white oak cabinets, quartzite countertops, a walk-in pantry, and Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances. It also opens to a balcony set up for grilling, because if you’re going to live in the trees, you might as well cook out there.
Upstairs, the third level is reserved for the private spaces. The primary suite is positioned to capture views of the Katy Trail, with a bath that includes a separate tub and shower along with oak-finished storage and closet space. A third bedroom with its own ensuite bath rounds out the floor.
Cunningham is known for integrating homes into their surroundings, and that shows up here in ways that feel considered rather than forced. Nothing about the house competes with the setting — it works with it.
And that’s really the point. You’re on the Katy Trail, steps from Knox Street, adjacent to Highland Park and Turtle Creek, and yet the house manages to feel removed from all of it.
David Griffin of David Griffin and Co. Realtors has listed 3503 Edgewater for $3.595 million
Open house: 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, May 3.
