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Another Downtown Revitalization Effort, But Different


by Alan Melson 10 Dec 2008 11:27 AM

Re:Vision Dallas is the latest public effort to revitalize a portion of Dallas’ central business district – in this case, a square block just south of Dallas City Hall that is currently occupied by a parking lot.  Although the project has had community input, however, it’s actually a competition put on by a San Francisco-based […]
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Re:Vision Dallas is the latest public effort to revitalize a portion of Dallas’ central business district – in this case, a square block just south of Dallas City Hall that is currently occupied by a parking lot.  Although the project has had community input, however, it’s actually a competition put on by a San Francisco-based organization.

That group, the Urban Re:Vision initiative, is putting on a series of similar competitions elsewhere that promote innovation, adaptive reuse and sustainability.  Their overarching description:

“Re:Vision is a diverse group of people focused on changing the urban landscape by re-imagining all the components that make up a city block. From energy to transportation to commerce to community, we believe that by finding innovative, healthy and sustainable ideas to help revitalize one urban block, we can create a blueprint for better cities everywhere.”

Public releases about the competition say the designs ultimately chosen for the Dallas project will ultimately be given life via the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation.

After the jump, check out a “photodocumentary” video the group put together featuring dozens of local residents.

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COMMENTS

  • Two problems that will have to be surmounted.
    Dallas doesn’t like to do anything civic unless it helps some rich guy. If it helps all Dallas, it won’t go nowhere.
    Also Dallas loves to drive – though there is a growing minority that knows better. To revitalize Downtown we need to get rid of the cars. Nothing destroys a neighborhood or a block more than streets with cars. Note all the dead zones around Downtown. When we built the major highways to downtown they dissected neighborhoods and destroyed them. We now have a downtown that is an oasis surrounded by run down parts of town The highways have helped downtown, but destroyed many of the neighborhoods surrounding it. Overall nothing supports development of a city more than getting rid of the cars and getting out and walking.