Rendering via Kent
Big things are underway in the Big D. Or are they? It’s been over a decade now that the Dallas Midtown project was announced. The ambitious, multibillion-dollar development promised a transformation of the former Valley View Mall into the “downtown of North Dallas” with a walkable district including a Central Park-style park, residences, retail, and a host of other attractions. But where does the project stand today?
Rendering via Kent Valley View is gone, Midtown is when?
The Valley View Center first opened in August 1973, operating as a retail hub in North Dallas well into the ’80s. Despite major openings over the years, the mall had ultimately experienced a decline since the ’90s, losing anchor tenants until it eventually shuttered in January 2022. In May 2023, the mall was demolished.
Its demolition marked an opportunity for Beck Ventures, who had first announced the Dallas Midtown project over 10 years prior. At a press conference in May 2023, Beck announced the launch the first phase of Dallas Midtown, which would include a mixed-use complex with 275 luxury condos and around 26,000 feet of retail space.
The project has since faced obstacles, setbacks, and other lags in its progress. This past spring, the three entities owning the property – Beck, Seritage Growth Properties, and Life Time Inc. – combined their properties into one large, 110-acre package as a single offering. The move could reshape the future of the project entirely, depending on which developer steps up to take the reins.
City Hall Approves Park Area
Despite ambiguity over the property’s ownership, the City of Dallas approved a benchmark purchase for the project: an 80,000-square-foot strip center adjacent to the property to be designated for a 20-acre central park, a key component of the project.
Rendering via Kent Midtown or Dallas International District
By May 2023, there was a discrepancy over the name and scope of the project with competing branding between the 440-acre “Dallas International District” and Valley View-specific area “Dallas Midtown” as reported by D Magazine.
As it stands, Dallas Midtown is no longer a standalone neighborhood but instead under the umbrella of the Dallas International District. The latter invovlves a 450-acre master plan encompassing Dallas Midtown as well as the Galleria and surrounding corridors.
Among the plans for the Dallas International District are the 20-acre central park, a vertical STEAM school, mixed-use subdistricts, as well as a future DART Knoll Trail Silver Line station.
What’s to come
The future of Dallas Midtown is still up in the air. The site is cleared, phase one is in motion, and City Hall is showing commitment. But until the sale of the property is finalized and a new developer takes charge, progress may continue in fits and starts.