City Hall Roundup: Dallas Wings Facility, DHA Advances Project

Fall is here, the budget and property tax rate are finalized at Dallas City Hall, and all hell seems to be breaking loose. Might as well distract yourself with a couple of real estate stories from this past week.

New Dallas Wings Practice Facility Breaks Ground

A ceremony was held on Friday to commemorate the groundbreaking of a new practice facility for the Dallas Wings at Joey Georgusis Park in West Oak Cliff.

Spanning 70,700 square feet, the facility will include two basketball courts, a locker room totaling 3,800 square feet, a content studio, more than 4,000 square feet of strength and conditioning space, dining amenities, outdoor training space, media and press accommodations, and a player suite with lifestyle amenities like hair and nail services.

“The players will have the best practice space, treatment and recovery, nutrition, strength and conditioning, and technology elements essential to putting our athletes in the best position to win and for the Wings to become a championship organization,” said Dallas Wings CEO and managing partner Greg Bibb, according to a press release.

Friday’s ceremony was attended by City Manager Kimberly Tolbert and other officials from City Hall, as well as Wings staff and players Arike Ogunbowale and Li Yueru.

“The project is actually bigger than just the brick and the mortar; it will truly be the hub of systematic change,” said Tolbert, commenting on the planned community and youth programming that will be hosted by the facility. “It is where women’s sports, family health and community pride will intersect and come together.”

Renderings of the project, which were reviewed on Tuesday by the city’s Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Sports Recruitment and Retention, were showcased at the event.

Originally, the Wings were going to move into Memorial Auditorium, but delays to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center redevelopment and the upcoming World Cup dashed those plans for the short term. The Dallas City Council opted instead to build the new facility at Joey Georgusis Park, which is situated just south of I-30 and east of N Cockrell Hill Road.

The facility will cost taxpayers $48.6 million, under the $55 million originally estimated.

Dallas Housing Authority Gets the OK for Roseland Housing Renovations

DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas is advancing redevelopment plans for two historic affordable housing communities in Old East Dallas following the approval of a $69.1 million bond reservation.

The Texas Bond Review Board signed off on the project comprising renovations at Roseland Townhomes and Roseland Estates to update 274 units. The renovations will include modernized kitchens and bathrooms, new plumbing and flooring, updated appliances and fixtures, as well as extensive exterior work. Plans also call for infrastructure upgrades, gated vehicle access for improved safety, refreshed landscaping, and enhancements to the community recreation center.

“Innovative financing is key to our ability to maximize available resources while minimizing the financial impact on taxpayers, all while delivering sustainable, high-quality housing that preserves long-term affordability for Central Dallas residents,” said DHA president and CEO Troy Brossard.

“With the BRB’s approval, we now have the means to secure critical financing for the project. DHA will continue to explore additional resources to maximize impact and ensure long-term benefits for the community,” he added.

The renovations are scheduled to finish in 2027. Community services will be maintained on-site.

Located within a High Opportunity Area where the poverty rate is below 20% and AMI sits at above $100,000 per year, the project site’s neighborhood was almost exclusively African American for generations.

“The approval of this bond reservation is critical to our ability to strategically enlist and deploy the resources necessary to responsibly invest in this historic community,” said Betty Culbreath, board chair of DHA. “It lays the initial groundwork necessary for preserving affordability, strengthening connections, and creating opportunities that will benefit residents and the broader neighborhood in the years ahead.”