DALLAS — Maybe you've noticed new LCD advertising screens going up in downtown Dallas. It's just the start of a much bigger transformation now under way.
The downtown district boasts 250 bars, restaurants and lounges, 150 places to shop, and a residential population that has doubled in the past five years.
John Crawford, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc. says suburban life is giving way to the city. "In terms of the mindset, it's live, work, and play urban environment," he said.
"As a part of activating and animating, certainly technology, graphics, art, lights — that's all a part of it," added Kourtny Garrett, spokeswoman for Downtown Dallas Inc.
It includes super-size advertising graphics on buildings, along with special laser-like lighting to highlight street corners.
"You will have in this building more hotel rooms, more meeting space and ground-floor retail," Garrett said during a tour of downtown."
And that means fewer empty buildings, thanks to one investor who purchased most of the vacant property on one downtown street.
"It has, frankly, escalated everything we've wanted to do for a good while, and put things in quick motion to make sure they happen," Crawford said.
Neiman Marcus is stepping up, too. Senior management at the landmark downtown department store is opening up its Rolodex to encourage people that now is the time to move to Dallas as this futuristic vision is in place, and in motion.
"As goes downtown so goes Dallas," Crawford said. "It is that important."
E-mail sslater@wfaa.com
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