Metroplexing

The Bridge to Nowhere Becomes the Bridge to Somewhere

2012-02-01T22:54:00.000-06:00

People jokingly called the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge the bridge to nowhere. Rightfully so. Have you ever been to West Dallas?

West Dallas? Isn't that what we call Irving? It was truly the forgotten land of the metroplex.
Which is why so many people questioned the logic behind building a signature bridge to the land of nowhere.

But the land of nowhere is about to become the land to somewhere. Woodall Rogers emptying onto a Calatrava designed bridge landing into a section of Dallas that is close to downtown and has acres of cheap land. People are taking notice. People with money. People like Phil Romano, whose name has a place of honor atop every Macaroni Grill in America.

A group of brightly painted warehouse that are about to become a row of restuarants

Romano and a group of investors have been preparing for months for the arrival opening of the bridge and all that it will bring. Newcomers to West Dallas are going to see a variety of brightly painted buildings, restaurants, newly planted trees and new parking lot to handle the crowds...

Dozens of trees about to be planted at the edge of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, the new gateway to West Dallas.

and on top of that add a number of Shepard Fairey murals. Fairey, best known for the Obama Hope poster, has been working on the outskirts of downtown for about a week.

Earlier today I did a google search of a Fairey print and found that they were going for thousands of dollars. How much is an original worth painted on the side of a warehouse in West Dallas? Who knows?

The White Rock Lake Spillway After Heavy Rain

2012-01-25T20:09:00.002-06:00

Normally the While Rock Lake Spillway in East Dallas is pretty calm. Water usually laps over the side and meanderers down to the creek.

Quite a different story after 4 inches of rain in 24 hours. I shot this short video this afternoon.

A Surprising View of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge (aka The Big Bent Pole)

2012-01-19T16:18:00.001-06:00

This afternoon, I took a few up close photos of Dallas' new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which is slated for a March 2012 opening. I was able to get a shot standing on the median of the bridge, looking east.
From this vantage point, I got quite a surprise. Unlike most bridges, where the cables hold up the outer portion of the roadway, this bridge is designed with the cables holding up the center.
I put together a few clips in this :30 second video.

Update: A few days after the original video, I got an opportunity to officially walk across the bridge before it opened for traffic. It gave me a chance to capture a unique view point that will be unavailable when cars occupy the lanes.

The Final Days of the KSCS Arlington Studios

2011-12-17T18:23:00.001-06:00

Radio Station 96.3 KSCS moved from Broadcast Hill in Fort Worth, Tx to Arlington in 1994. From 1994 till 2011, the radio station broadcast from studios in Arlington (2221 E. Lamar, Suite 300 to be exact). Originally, the studios were on the 4th floor and the business offices for KSCS were on the third.

When the owners started ESPN Radio 103.3, KSCS built new studios on the third floor. They were perhaps the finest studios of their time. During the 17 years that KSCS occupied the Arlington space, they featured the morning duo of Terry Dorsey and Hawkeye. The morning team often featured live performances from some of country music's biggest names. A stage was built to accommodate the acts and even had a separate mike mixer for the performances. The facility was also large enough to host a studio audience of around 20 people.

Over the years the names of performers who visited Terry and Hawkeye read like a Who's Who of the Country Music and the Texas Music industry. They include Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Brooks and Dunn, Martina, McBride, Travis Tritt, Don Henley, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Pat Green, Robert Earl Keen, The Randy Rogers Band and the Eli Young Band.

The office also featured The Red Room, a seperate perfomance area for hosting the KSCS Private Performance Series. They even had a small TV studio complete with green screen for video production.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fine work of Clay Steely, Roger Helling and Duane Sedge in creating and maintaining the facility.

When KSCS was acquired by Cumulus, the station moved to modern studios in Dallas' Victory Park. This is a video I did depicting the final days of KSCS' Arlington Studios.

The Ruins of the Metroplex - Fort Worth's Meadowbrook Drive In

2011-11-13T17:02:00.001-06:00

One of the few remaining drive in theatre screens in Fort Worth can be seen just north of I-30 on Riverside Drive, east of downtown. The former Meadowbook Drive In has been closed over 30 years, but I have always been intrigued to see if anything other than the screen remains.

On a whim, I decided to stop and do a little snooping. One of my first surprises was the old marquee that was still intact, although in disrepair. The sign was meant to be seen from Riverside Drive, but trees and brush had long since blocked it from the street.

Notice the bicycle on top of the marque

In the late 1980s after the theater closed, it became home to Cowtown BMX. The marquee was repainted and the bike was added to the top. You can till see a faded portion of the BMX repainting job.

While I was walking toward the sign I was approached by Bradley, a homeless gentleman who lives in the woods behind the screen. Bradley went to Fort Worth's Poly High School in the early 70's and remembers going to the Meadowbrook Drive In when it cost $1.50 a carload. He informed me that the motorists once drove underneath the marquee and stopped at a now demolished booth to pay admission.

The grounds are now used as a storage area for dumpsters. The screen remains, and can be seen from I-30. However, trees have since grown quite high in front of it.

Bradley showed me where the concession stand used to be. You can see tile from the old bathrooms in the lower part of the photo.

You have to search for them, but you can still find a few remnants of the speaker posts.

Downtown Fort Worth's New Hidden Subterranean Gem

2011-09-11T21:17:00.000-05:00

This month, Tarrant County College's new downtown Trinity River East Campus opened for the 2011 fall semester. The new campus comes with a lot of public relations baggage; massive cost overruns, design changes, levee problems and civic protests.

At one point during construction, Tarrant County College decided it would be cheaper to buy the Radio Shack Headquarters rather than continue with a plan that included a bridge over the Trinity River to another part of the campus. Even though the bridge and north campus were scrapped, the architect decided to keep the campus mainly below street level. At one point Ed Bass passionately argued for the design to have more interaction at street level and paid for another architect to offer a redesign.
Bass' idea was rejected and the campus was built mostly below street level, even though the river bridge it was to connect to, was no longer needed.

Like a lot of people who have been following the construction soap opera, I had my doubts about this new campus. Especially when looking from the Tarrant County Courthouse, you can see very little of the facility.

Looking north at Belknap Street, this is all that is visible of the campus.

It is a shame that the campus is so hidden from the street, because it really is a gem. Sadly, most people who work in downtown or drive by on Belknap Street will probably never realize the stunning buildings that rest below.

The campus tries to compensate for its subterranean design with an entry plaza on Weatherford Street which includes a waterfall that continues into a stream flowing throughout the campus.

The Waterfall at street level continues through the campus and ends with a second waterfall (below)

As you walk closer to the Trinity River, you begin to realize just how big these buildings are. Since you see very little from the street level, it's hard to imagine that the campus consists of 5 and 6 story buildings

The buildings design takes full advantage of natural light which creates an open and desirable learning environment.

The Allied Health Building features a glassed in concourse and a lecture hall that overlooks the river.

But because of the many levels below the street, the campus needs a variety of staircases, walkways, bridges and elevators that create a Rube Goldberg effect. Lost students wandering around trying to find their classes seem to be a distinct possibility.

One of the myriad of stairs, bridges and elevators that connect the facility.

That being said, the Trinity River East Campus is quite beautiful and is truly a gem in downtown Fort Worth. It's an urban oasis that links downtown to the Trinity River. Sadly, as Ed Bass warned, the subterranean design insures that most people will never know it's there.

The view from Belknap Street looking toward the river.

The contoured cement walkways gives the campus a cozy feel.

The Welcome Center features a coffee shop that opens on street level and overlooks the entry water feature.

Behind This Wall - The Hidden Section of Fort Worth's Water Garden

2011-07-16T17:03:00.002-05:00

What's behind this wall on Lancaster Avenue and why should we tear it down?

In 2001, The Highway Department removed the outdated portion of Interstate 30 over Lancaster Avenue, rebuilding it on the south side of the old T&P Terminal.

The east bound lanes of Lancaster Avenue, in the shadow of the old freeway.

With the removal of the freeway and the acquisition of 4 additional acres of right of way, the city pounced on an opportunity to revitalize Lancaster into a grand avenue. Sidewalks were widened and landscaped. A series of dramatic sculptures adorned the median. Condos and apartments popped up and future developments are actively being pursued.

Lancaster Avenue during the early days of revitalization.

Even though the city worked passionately to remove any sign of the interstate, one relic remained. A wall on the north side of Lancaster between Main and Houston Streets. At one time the wall butted up against the street, keeping what was on the other side separate from the traffic outside.

The wall between Houston and Main on Lancaster Ave.

What I saw when I peeked over the wall.

I decided to climb the small ledge and peek over the wall. Behind it laid one of the few, if only, green spaces in downtown Fort Worth, an overlooked area of the Water Gardens called The Stage. I asked a bicycle cop patrolling the area if many people used this lawn. He replied that a few people come here at lunch, but he couldn't remember any organized activity ever using the lawn or the stage.

   At one time, walling off this area made sense. Lancaster Avenue was a pedestrians nightmare, noisy, dark and filled with the fumes trapped by the overhead freeway. The Water Gardens were designed to be the antithesis to the noise and exhaust.
   But the southern end of downtown has changed immensely sense the Gardens were designed. Not only has the freeway been moved, but apartments, hotels, condos, landscaped sidewalks and a law school are now neighbors with the park. It might be time to examine tearing down the wall on the Lancaster and altering the area.

PROS:

1: The park has entrances on every side but the Lancaster Avenue side. With the freeway gone and the addition of new development, it make sense to open up the remaining side.

2: There is a lack of green space in downtown. One can argue that this space already exists and this wouldn't add any additional space. But this beautiful area is hidden. Even if you're in the Water Gardens, you could easily over look it, being that it is on the other side of a large feature called The Mountain.
   Removing the wall would not only create an inviting public space, it would also create more access to the park.

Most Water Garden visitors never find lawn, unless they follow these steps behind The Mountain

CONS:

1. The Water Gardens were designed by noted architect Phillip Johnson and it would be wrong to alter his original design. An interesting argument but not a valid one. The Water Gardens have already been altered for safety issues. And it had a major alteration when the Convention Center was expanded on the west side, creating a new entrance into the Gardens.

2: Altering the Water Gardens would create added cost to an already stretched city budget. True, the city budget is a bit tight, but the park was created with funds from the Amon Carter Foundation. Plus downtown as TIF funds that can be used for the project. There are ways to acquire funding.

It's a simple project that could yield beautiful results.

The newest entrance to the Water Garden, created after the Convention Center expanded.

The Water Garden's Quiet Pool

The Aerating Pool, which was also altered for safety concerns.

The signature Active Pool.

side

Dallas' Hidden Oasis; aka 'The Redneck Country Club'

2011-07-05T23:02:00.001-05:00

At the end of this overgrown, bumpy road in east Dallas, you'll find the 'Redneck Country Club"

   Let me start by saying that I love to swim. I carry trunks in my car, just in case the opportunity arises, lest I be unprepared. Not having my own swimming pool though leaves me few options.
   I could go to the public pool in Lakewood. But an unaccompanied adult male hanging at the public pool, that looks a little weird.

  Being new to East Dallas, a neighbor suggested I try the 'Redneck Country Club'. The RCC is the nickname given to the Eagles Lodge 3108 which graciously allows their east Dallas neighbors to use their pool for a mere $7.00. The only problem, even though it's really close to the Dallas Arboretum, you'd only find it if you had really good directions.

Follow this obscure road and look for the sign below

When you see this, you know you've found it.

Once you do find it, you may balk at the $7.00 entrance fee. But it's well worth it when you consider that the Eagles Lodge has a liquor license. This is a really big deal in east Dallas, which had been dry for over 50 years. Not only can you buy a beer and lay out by the pool, but you can also buy mixed drinks! And you don't have to show your unicard, like you did at the only other bar in East Dallas, Chili's.

The Oasis of East Dallas

Be prepared for a scene unlike any in Dallas. First, you must walk through the Eagles Lodge Bar to pay and get your adult wrist band. Be prepared to feel as if you walked back to 1971. The photos of past Eagles presidents look down upon you and proudly proclaim that the city's smoking ordinance isn't enforced here.

Out by the pool you'll notice perhaps the most unusual mix of people in Dallas. Families with young kids, retired Eagles Lodge member and tattooed hipsters who found the last place in North Texas to smoke. (warning, there is a lot of smoking here, just like in 1971). But who cares; the weather's hot and the pool and the beer are cold. Come on over and enjoy a swim.

To find the Eagles Lodge, turn east onto Lakeland Drive from Garland Road (across for the Dallas Arboretum). Cross the train tracks and then right on Arturo Road. Take Arturo past the overgrown vacant lots, the home with the horse pen and abandoned house, to the dirt road into the Lodge grounds. Or follow this map. Park anywhere.

For more information on Eagle Lodge 3108, click here

Downtown Fort Worth's Forgotten Gem

2011-06-22T18:41:00.002-05:00

(Note: This Friday I will be participating in Over the Edge, a fundraiser for Downtown Fort Worth Inc. The rehabilitation on this forgotten downtown park is one of the project DFWI is working on. This story was originally published in January 2011)

Can you have a city park designed by a prominent landscape architect and have nobody notice when it closes? The answer is yes, which is easy to understand when you consider that few people have ever noticed that the park even existed. What makes this story so unbelievable is that the park is on a busy downtown corner across the street from the Tarrant County Courthouse.

Heritage Park was opened on the corner of Belknap and Main in downtown Fort Worth to commemorate the founding of the original military post in 1849. The park, designed by noted architect Lawrence Halprin, opened in 1976. It featured numerous water features intermingled with shaded paths and a cantilevered walkway built over the bluff overlooking the Trinity River.

But even though the park was located on a busy intersection, it was one with little foot traffic. Few people noticed Heritage Park. And even fewer noticed in 2007 when the park fell into disrepair and was closed.

It's been three years since the park has closed. But there is little public uproar to reopen the grounds. I contacted the city of Fort Worth and received a reply from Fernando Costa, the Assistant City Manager. He wrote that the city is working with Downtown Fort Worth Inc. to raise funds to repair and upgrade the park. But in the past three years, little has been done. Meanwhile, the park is slowly being taking over by nature.

The cantilevered walkway can still be seen on the bluff above the Trinity, even though the trees have begun to block the view.

The Water Wall behind chain link.

An ironic caption 'The Vision Endures" on the sign outside the park

A Water Wall that includes the map of the original settlement sits behind chain link.

An urban oasis on the other side of the fence.

A diminished view of the park from the Main Street Street Bridge.

The Forgotten Mansions of Fair Park

2011-05-16T23:02:00.003-05:00

   That's right, I said Fair Park.

   Fair Park, as in Corny Dogs, Big Tex and 'Oh my God, is my car going to be here when I get back?"

   Many feel that Fair Park is not the safest part of Dallas. But did you know that some of the most beautiful homes in Dallas are neighbors to the Fair Grounds?

If you take I-45 and exit Martin Luther King Boulevard to get to Fair Park, you might have noticed some rather large older homes on MLK that have been converted to businesses.
This was my first clue to take a left and see if there might be any other large homes in the area. Much to my surprise, I found a hidden gem, the Park Row - South Boulevard Historic District.

These two streets were once home to the most prominent Jewish families in Dallas during the first part of the twentieth century. Anchoring this neighborhood was the Temple Emanu-el at the corner of Harwood and South Blvd. A few blocks away sat Forest Avenue High School, the finest and best equipped high school in the city.

The community was home to some of Dallas' most prominent citizens, like the Sanger Brothers (Sanger - Harris Department Stores) and Linz family (Linz Jewelers). Many of the homes were designed by the most noted architects of the era.

After World War II, the neighborhood declined rapidly. US - 175 was built, splitting Park Row and South Boulevard in two. Temple Emanu-el moved to a new location in North Dallas. One by one, the Jewish families left for Highland Park and North Dallas.

Some of the homes were bought by distinguished members of the black community, others became boarding houses, and some were torn down or simply fell into disrepair.

In the 1970's the city of Dallas designated Park Row - South Boulevard as a historic district. Many of the homes have been restored to their prior elegance. Others have either decayed due to neglect or have simply vanished.

Not all of the homes have been restored. (below) The lonely front steps to no where are the only clue that a house once sat here.

Each year, hundreds of thousands visit Fair Park via I-45 , but few realize that these historic homes are just blocks away from the Cotton Bowl exit. (Sadly, the vacant Neo- Classical Temple Emanu-el was torn down in 1972 when I-45 was built) But there are still a few clues that this once was one of Dallas most exclusive neighborhoods.

The majestic campus of Forest Avenue High School still sits today on Martin Luther King Boulevard, renamed James Madison High. The Linz Mansion on the corner of Ervay and South Boulevard is still there, but operates today as a funeral home and many of the fine homes of Park Row and South Boulevard have survived. Next time you head out to the Fair, take a few minutes to drive through the district and discover a part of Dallas that few State Fair goers have ever seen.

Missing Art of the Metroplex - Where is 'The Wishing Star'?

2011-05-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

This rare photo and caption from the Dallas Times Herald shows a picture of the sculptor and his creation "A Wishing Star". Where is this artwork today? Nobody knows.

In 1956, the 1000 room Statler Hotel opened in downtown Dallas at a cost of $16 Million. For its time, it was the most modern hotel in the world, introducing such futuristic features as elevator music, central TV reception with a set in every room and the first ballroom with a moveable wall that could divide it into smaller sections.

The symbol of this spectacular hotel, featured on all it's literature, was the "Wishing Star" The symbol was paterned after a piece of original artwork by noted sculpture Jose de Rivera. de Rivera was know for his abstract work that can be seen from Washington D.C.'s Mall to the site of the New York World's Fair.

By the 1990's the Statler had gone through numerous less than stellar renovations and a name change. It's glory faded, few people remember that this building was once the toast of Dallas. It's final incarnation, the Grand Hotel, closed in 2001.

Sometime during the numerous failed renovations and ownership changes, the scuplture was removed from it's perch on the second floor garden. The trail quickly got murky as recent owners say that the artwork was gone when they purchased the building. The whereabouts of 'The Wishing Star' are unclear to this day.

In the Spring of 2011, the Statler was purchased and slated for renovation and reopening. The once grand building will regain it's glory as a mid century masterpiece. It's front yard is the newly created Main Street Garden. All that will be missing from this restoration will be the return of it's once majestic symbol.

Read More about the history of The Statler Hotel.

Downtown McKinney - What Took Me So Long?

2011-05-01T18:27:00.006-05:00

I have always been a fan of metroplex downtowns . Mesquite, Plano, Irving and Carrolton have all grown past their humble beginnings as a small town. But if you search, you can find their original downtowns. Some are quaint, some have become home to antique shops and a restuarant or two, but few could be called vibrant.

But vibrant is exactly the word I would choose for downtown McKinney. I am bit embarrassed that I haven't found it before. (It is a pretty for from Fort Worth, where I lived for most of the past many years) But next to downtown Fort Worth, I can't think of another downtown that has this much to offer. I snapped a few pictures Saturday night when I discovered downtown McKinney for the first time.

The old Collin County Courthouse, now home to the McKinney Performing Arts Center

Sauce, one of the many restuarants to offer sidewalk seating

The lobby of the Grand Hotel. Their 2500 Square Foot Ballroom was once the Opera House of McKinney

This block offered 5 restuarants including one that offers live jazz

I love the name of this shop

The Palace Barber Shop. 4 chairs, no waiting.

People of all ages go to downtown McKinney. It happened to be Prom Night for McKinney High School

Square Burger, a hip joint in an Art Deco building across from the courthouse.

Shopping on the Square, at Gray Living, one of many downtown.

Missing Art of the Metroplex - Where Has Calder's Eagle Landed?

2011-03-27T20:49:00.004-06:00

Alexander Calder's Sculpture 'The Eagle' was a downtown Fort Worth fixture for nearly 20 years. Where is it now?

   When the 90 year old Fort Worth National Bank opened its new headquarters on the corner of Fifth and Throckmorton in 1972, they were looking for a piece of public art to make a statement in front of their 30 story glass tower. They commissioned noted artist Alexander Calder who was known for large abstract sculptures and his iconic art form, the mobile. (That's right, the mobile over your baby's crib is an art form created by Calder)

  Calder's creation, one of his last before his passing, was a 39 foot statue titled The Eagle. For 17 years, the Eagle stood guard in downtown Fort Worth and became the city's most recognized piece of public art. But in 1999, the people of Fort Worth learned a hard lesson; there is a difference between public art and public owned art.

  The ownership of The Eagle had actually passed through many hands during its stay in downtown. Fort Worth National Bank was bought out by Bank One, who sold the building and the Calder to a real estate investment company called Loutex. Loutex sold the sculpture to a group of investors, who tried to find a buyer to keep The Eagle here. When that search failed, the investors moved the sculpture out of town. That was the first time many angry Fort Worth citizens realized that this piece of public art was privately owned.

   The first stop was Philadelphia, which was hoping to build a Calder Museum. The investors lent The Eagle to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. When patrons in Philadelphia couldn't come up with the asking price, Seattle stepped forward.

   The Seattle Art Museum with the help of donors Jon and Mary Shirley bought The Eagle for $10 million and made it the centerpiece of their new Olympic Sculpture Garden. After a brief stay in front of the Seattle Museum of Asian Art, The Eagle landed in its new home in 2003.

While the Calder sits majestically i n the shadow of Seattle's Space Needle, one mystery remains. Who were the investors who bought the artwork and moved it out of downtown Fort Worth? That may never be known.

Missing Art of the Metroplex - What Happened to the Hands of God?

2011-03-17T21:14:00.001-06:00

What happened to this man's statue that once adorned the outside of the Dallas Public Library?

Downtown Dallas recently received a bit of excellent news. The 1950's era Statler Hotel, which sits vacant across from the new Main Street Garden, was recently purchased for renovation. The building, which was on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Most Endangered List, will now be renovated, adding another completed piece to the Downtown puzzle.

Part of the sale included the neighboring abandoned building, the mid century modern structure which was once the site of the Dallas Public Library. The library, designed by noted Dallas architect George Dahl was left vacant after the library moved to its current site across from City Hall in 1982.

The old library on the left, the Statler Hotel to the right

When the original library was built in 1956 on the corner of Commerce and Harwood, noted artist Marshall Fredericks was commissioned to supply a sculpture to capture the essence of the new facility. His idea, a boy supported by the hands of God, holding a book and reaching upwards.

   However, the library board was taken aback when the original drawings of the artwork featured a boy in all his pureness. (In other words, naked) The board requested changes, and the boy was redone, shirtless but with pants. (some may say that this was creepy in a new and different way).

   Frederick's massive aluminum sculpture (seen above) adorned the library's outer wall until it closed in 1983. When the facility was moved, the library's director declined to take the Hands to the new library, still embarrassed over the city ordered modifications, feeling that it was a poor compromise of Fredericks original vision.

   The building was sold and the new owners took possession of the artwork. Sadly, the owner defualted on the mortgage and passed ownership of the building and sculpture back to the bank. Then in late 1993, the bank failed. The sculpture and the old library then passed to the FDIC.

   If you walk by the building today, which is located on the southeast side of Main Street Gardens, you can see the giant brackets that once held the Hands of God. A ghostly outline appears where the statue once hung. What happened to the sculpture?

The brackets and the faded outline on the outside of the old library.

In 1993, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation offered the Hands back to the city for a mere $20,000. The city declined the offer, stating that it didn't have the funds to move and maintain the sculpture after the purchase.

Meanwhile, the sculptur, Marshall Fredericks, in his 80's and with his health failing, fearing that the building would be be torn down and the Hands lost forever, asked his namesake museum to purchase the piece. Today, Youth in the Hands of God can be found at the Marshall Fredericks Museum in Saginaw, Michigan along with a variety of other Fredericks pieces. The Hands, seen below, sits safely outside the main gallery.

The sculpture in it's new home in Saginaw , Michigan

The Tunnels of Downtown Dallas - The Worst Idea Ever?

2011-03-09T14:44:00.005-06:00

Most people I've asked don't realize they exist, mainly because you can't see them. Former Mayor Laura Miller calls them the "worst urban planning decision that Dallas has ever made". Many believe that they were the final nail in the coffin that is Downtown Dallas, because they sucked all the business people off the street.

Watch this short video about Downtown Dallas' extensive tunnel system and see if you don't feel the same.

The 100th Year Renaissance of White Rock Lake

2011-02-13T13:40:00.003-06:00

   I ran into my friend Matt Nevitt last night. Matt is the realtor who sold us our house in east Dallas. Having grown up in this neighborhood, I often use him as a source about all things east of White Rock Lake.

   According to Matt and others I've interviewed, east Dallas was pretty hopping in the 1960s. Homes and businesses were relatively new, schools were highly rated. People were flocking to the area to raise their families. It was the Frisco of it's time.

   But according to Matt, back then, White Rock Lake was pretty much an afterthought in east Dallas. Its days of being the area's favorite swimming area had come and passed when the city closed the beach in 1958 and opened a number of segregated pools. Running and biking weren't as popular as they were today. Other than the famous "submarine races" White Rock Lake just wasn't a place to go.

The old pavilion and changing area sat vacant from 1958 to 1981. Today it's know as the Bath House Cultural Center

Things started to change in the 1990s when the city spent 12 million dollars to dredge the lake. They also reconfigured Lawther Drive to make the area more park like and less of a cruising ground. Last year, the city finished a 16 million dollar project to rebuild the century old spillway near the dam. A few weeks ago the city completed the bridges that connect the lake to the new Sante Fe Trail. The investment in the area is paying off for the city in the form of higher property taxes they are collecting as real estate prices near the lake escalates. White Rock Lake is the jewel of east Dallas and has become a catalyst for economic growth.

This year, the lake is celebrating it's 100th year with a series of events. What a perfect time to reflect upon its 100 years past and its magnificent present. Did you know that besides running and cycling, the lake is home to a variety of other activities?

1. White Rock Lake host to two different sailing clubs, the 72 year old Corinthian Sailing Club and the 50 year old White Rock Boat Club.

2. The Lake has become a bird watchers paradise and recently a Bald Eagle has been spotted nesting near the spillway.

3. White Rock Lake is home to an active rowing community. 19 area high schools have students who participate in Crew along with the a variety of rowers who are members at the White Rock Boathouse.

4. White Rock Lake Park is now home to the Dallas Little League, with three new modern fields at Winfrey Point.

5. You can explore the lake via the water in a rented kayak, courtesy of White Rock Paddle Company.

Perhaps this is the perfect time to revisit the city's jewel of the east side. Happy 100th birthday, White Rock Lake.

My Dog Murphy

2011-01-28T20:10:00.002-06:00

I know that this has nothing to do with the Dallas-Fort Worth, but I put this video together just for fun and I thought I would post it.

The Ruins of the Metroplex - Super Bowl Edition

2011-01-20T21:09:00.003-06:00

   I decided to take a drive around Cowboys Stadium this morning and see the preparations for the upcoming Super Bowl. Some say the facility resembles a futuristic spaceship that landed in the middle of Arlington. A space age building that replaced an aging suburban neighborhood.

  I took a few moments to appraise the other development that has sprung up in the area since the ribbon was cut at the stadium. To be frank, more has closed than has opened. Other than a new wing restaurant in an old strip center, I can't see anything new that has opened since the Cowboys moved to Arlington.

   Instead of sparking development, one could easily argue that the exact opposite has happened. A drive along Division Street just south of the Stadium is a stark reminder that the millions of people who stream into Cowboys Stadium aren't sticking around long after the games. An abandoned Putt Putt, deserted businesses, seedy motels and vacant lots tell a sad story. If these properties weren't redeveloped in time for the world's biggest sporting event, they probably have a very grim future.

Nothing illustrates this point as well as the Eastern Star Home. The once majestic facility which was built in the country in 1924, now sits in the shadow of the stadium. The 30 acre property, which was once home to widows and retirees in the female masonic-like order, is empty behind chain link and barbed wire at the end of a crumbling driveway.

The home in its heyday and how it looks today.

At one time, investors envisioned redeveloping the home into a hotel and conference center. But as I said before, if it hasn't happened by Super Bowl Sunday, will it ever happen?

The Eastern Star Home, which is on Preservation Texas' Most Endangered Building List, serves a sobering lesson on the promise of redevelopment that is promised with new stadiums. Though one could argue that the Super Bowl would have never come to Arlington with out Cowboys Stadium, a drive around the area adds another chapter to the story.

Fort Worth's Forgotten Park

2011-01-16T16:07:00.005-06:00

The cantilevered walkway can still be seen on the bluff above the Trinity, even though the trees have begun to block the view.

The Water Wall behind chain link.

An ironic caption 'The Vision Endures" on the sign outside the park

A Water Wall that includes the map of the original settlement sits behind chain link.

An urban oasis on the other side of the fence.

A diminished view of the park from the Main Street Street Bridge.

Heritage Park on North Main Street at the top of the Trinity River Bridge
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An Update - Fort Worth Finds a Waterfall

2011-01-09T16:28:00.004-06:00

   Last year I wrote about the city of Fort Worth finding a waterfall on a piece of land it was given from the old Carswell Air Force Base. The fact that this waterfall existed and nobody in the city knew about it, is itself quite a story.

  As you may remember, the city built a trail complete with bridges to the site. Unfortunately, finding the trailhead proved to be a bit of a challenge. There was no sign marking the trail and no parking lot either. Though I gave directions to the unmarked trail, it was still a difficult to find. The city promised to finish the trailhead by the summer of 2010

Recently I visited the waterfall to see the finished area. I was disappointed to find that little has changed. This temporary sign does mark the site but the parking lot has yet to be constructed.

Still, it's worth a visit to this recently discovered natural wonder. It's a short 5 minute walk from the proposed parking area and the trail continues on and connects to the Trinity Trails. It's been a rather dry winter and the falls and somewhat low, but it's still a spectacular find for the people of Fort Worth.

Directions to the Fort Worth Waterfall trailhead, just outside the main gate to Carswell JRB Naval Air Station.

Read to original post, on how the city discovered this waterfall.

"Pretty Paper" - Willie Nelson's Christmas Tribute to a Fort Worth Man

2010-12-19T13:03:00.002-06:00

   One of my favorite Christmas songs is Willie Nelson's Pretty Paper. It wasn't until a few years ago that I learned the inspiration for the song was a handicapped man from Fort Worth.

   Willie Nelson wrote the song after seeing a legless man outside Leonard's Department Store in downtown Fort Worthin the early 1960s. The man was a downtown fixture and could often be seen pulling himself down the sidewalks on his hands. He sold pencils outside the department store and during Christmas he also sold pretty paper and ribbons to wrap presents.

   The opening lines from the song was the man's sales pitch during the Christmas season.

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue

Wrap your presents to your darling from you

The song was written in the early 60's and first became a hit for Roy Orbison. Willie later recorded it himself in 1964.

See the video of 'Pretty Paper'

The Ruins of the Metroplex - Fort Worth's Tandy Center Subway

2010-11-28T17:53:00.004-06:00

A 1960's Post Card of the Leonard Subway (later the Tandy Center Subway)

Recently, Downtown Fort Worth unveiled a modern streetcar display, a prelude to a future that someday might include a sleek and efficient way to travel to and from downtown. For a moment, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia. Didn't we already have this?

For nearly 40 years, Fort Worth was home to the world's only privately owned subway. Born in 1963, it was built to connect Leonard's Department Store with its parking lots on the outskirts of downtown. It was later used to serve the Tandy Center, a downtown mall and corporate headquarters for the Tandy Corporation (Now Radio Shack). It took its last passengers into downtown in 2002.

Last week, I set out to see if I could find any remains of the Tandy Center Subway and if I could find the entrance to the tunnel leading into downtown.

This sign still sits at the end of one of the decaying parking lots.

Unfortunately, it's no longer visible from Forest Park Boulevard because of overgrowth.

There were once four stops before the final downtown destination. The Yellow Stop still stands today.

A mattress in the old Red Stop suggest that is being used for some other purpose.

A simple but important warning from days gone by.

Leaving the yellow station, the remains of the power grid overhead.

The path of the Subway before it hit the downtown tunnel.

The modern confines of Radio Shack Headquarters today. Using Google Earth Time Line I was able to determine the tunnel entrance is buried near the foot of the building on the left.

A tree grows on the path to the rail barn.

Remains of the tracks leading to the rail barn and service yard.

Learn more about the Tandy Center Subway by visiting the Leonard's Department Store Museum

A great website for more on the Tandy Center Subway

A Great Day Trip - A Train Ride to Small Town America (for only $4) Can You Guess Where I Went?

2010-11-18T21:30:00.012-06:00

I recently took a day trip via the train to one of the most charming towns in North Texas. A perfect excursion for antique shoppers, history buffs or just anyone who wants to spend a day in Mayberry USA. I bet you've heard of this town but didn't know about the train that stops in its downtown. Peruse the photos and try to guess where in Texas I am.

This is one of the oldest train stations in the state. Stop in and get a historic walking guide to the city.

The original High School dates back to the 1920's

The High School Auditorium was built during the depression by the WPA

The spectacular lobby of the depression era auditorium

This home in the Historic District had a seven sided porch.

I love the native landscaping of this restored home.

A friendly neighbor who let me take his picture and told me the history of his 100 year old house.

The homes in the Historic District or just a few steps west of the rail station and downtown.

The view from across the street from the Train Station. I love the brick streets. Have you figured out what town this is?

The Filmore Pub in Downtown. A local favorite.

The original home of the Oddfellows Lodge, in the 1930s it was 'modernized' to look like a art deco structure.

A new business opens up in the 100 year old town.

The George Building is 110 years old and houses a really cool Pizza Place with a Rooftop Lounge, a very hip surprise.

Notice the new loft apartments that were recently built. This community's downtown continues to thrive.

Just east of Downtown is the Old Town District. One of the town's more prominent residents.

The Carpenter House Bed and Breakfast in the Old Town District.

May I suggest lunch at Jorg's Cafe Vienna. The owner, Jorg, is from Austria and his food is both authentic and delicious.

Jorg met his American wife and moved with her back to her native Texas. Quite a surprise to find a little piece of Austria in this humble town. Where am I????

The Masonic Lodge is one of the oldest in Texas and still in use.

Have you figured out where I am?

Scroll Down for the Answer

Did you guess

Plano?

Didn't know that Plano had a downtown? You're probably not alone. Downtown Plano is over 100 years old and has buildings that date back to the days when it was a small farming community, north of Dallas. In 1960, Plano only had 3600 residents. By 1970, the number grew to 17,000. Today, it has over a quarter million people.

And the $4.00 round trip train ride? The was the Dart's Red Line from Mockingbird Station to the Downtown Plano stop.

To find Downtown Plano take the 15th Street exit (Exit 29) off US 75 and head east.

Click Here to find out more about Historic Downtown Plano

My Night at The Bridge

2010-11-09T23:05:00.005-06:00

   If you drove by The Bridge, you might think it was a modern office complex or possibly loft apartments. You first guess probably wouldn't be that this modern building is a one of a kind, homeless assistance campus.

  Some might argue that "homeless assistance campus" is a fancy word for shelter. I would argue that you probably don't know much about the Bridge. Built in 1988, The Bridge is a non-profit facility run by the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. A combined effort of numerous charities and government agencies, The Bridge's goal is to end chronic homelessness in Dallas by 2014. I now believe it's a doable goal.

   The Bridge is a warm, clean and safe place where the homeless can wash clothes, take a shower, get a meal, get mail, get counseling for drug or alcohol addiction, visit a clinic, get help from a mental health professional, search for a job, store their possessions or visit with the Veterans Administration, the Social Security office, or Legal Aid. A homeless assistance campus. Guest (as they are referred to by The Bridge staff) are treated with respect and compassion.

   Yesterday, I spent the night at The Bridge. I was a guest on the men's transitional housing floor.

A cubicle on the transitional floor at The Bridge

   My small cubicle included a cot, a locker and a chair. Despite it's spartan setting, the transitional housing floor is warm, safe and clean. Three precious commodities for men and women who were living on the street a few months ago. To move up to this floor is a privilege and the guests who live their must also work at The Bridge to pay the rent.

   I've come to know quite a few of those who live there, as we are training together for a 5K run this Saturday. If you met my new friends, especially when they are in their top notch donated running gear, you'd think they were just another runner enjoying the city park. I know them as Freddie, Steve, Melvin, Kenneth, Sonja and Raymond. I know where they've come from.
   I know how hard they've worked to get where they are now. And I'm confident they will take that last step across The Bridge. Their goal is to join the 89% of those who have moved from The Bridge into permanent housing and are still there 2 years later.

   I believe it is a doable goal.

Join us Saturday for our 5K Run or 2 Mile Walk to Help the Homeless

Find out more about The Bridge

The Ruins of the Metroplex - Part 1

2010-11-02T20:56:00.003-06:00

A Detroit Mansion from the Gilded Age slowly decays

I've always been fascinated by a website called The Ruins of Detroit. The city, which was once so beautiful, it was dubbed the "Paris of the West" began to lose both industry and population in the 1960's. Over the course of the next 50 years, over one million people moved either to the suburbs or out of the region entirely. Entire neighborhoods have been abandoned, some even reverted to prairie. Skyscrapers, hotels, churches sit empty and deteriorate all over the city

I've wondered about similar fate here in the metroplex. The decay of old Dallas is well documented. But what about other areas. We build newer and newer suburbs in far reaching cities like Allen and McKinney. What happened to the first wave of suburbia?

Though not nearly as extensive or devastating as Detroit, there are pockets of abandonment, so called modern day ruins. Buildings that haven't necessarily outlived their usefulness, they just happen to be built in a part of town that is no longer in fashion.

A Downtown Detroit Movie Palace falls apart.

The Once Proud Michigan Central Terminal sits abandoned. Imagine if a new form of transportation was invented and DFW Airport was abandoned

The Ruins of the Metroplex - Garland Shopping Center

I first noticed this beautiful mid-century sign at the intersection of Garland Road and Miller on my way to old Downtown Garland. It's vast parking lot offer clues that it once served a bustling suburb that was romanced by the automobile.

The only sign of life left is this lonely mailbox which sits in the middle of the development. A few weeks ago during the premier episode of the new show LONE STAR, I noticed the sign in the background. This empty mid century shopping plaza was being used as the set for a couple of grifters. A odd second life, for a once modern complex. (Ironically, the TV series was cancelled after 2 episodes)

Side note: Though the shopping center is left to decay, the neighborhood of mid century ranch homes are in surprisingly excellent condition.

Remnants of tile flooring from a row a buildings

I found the remains of a gas station. Here is where the pumps once sat.

The Ruins of Detroit

Map to Garland Shopping Center

The Day The Davis Cup Came to A Dallas City Park

2010-10-30T22:41:00.002-05:00

   The year was 1965. Tennis' premier international event, the Davis Cup was scheduled to hold the semifinals in Dallas. Usually an event of this magnitude would be help at a first class arena or a top notch country club. In fact, several local country clubs did offer to host the event

   With one important caveat.

   Their clubhouse facilities could not be used by Arthur Ashe, the first African-American to be named to the Davis Cup team. The organizers of the event did not see this as a viable request.

   Stepping up to save the day, the city of Dallas. The city had just opened up a 20 court facility in East Dallas at Samuell -Grand Park. The city offered to resurface Courts One and Two into one center court and build temporary stands to accommodate the crowds. On July 31, 1965, a city park in East Dallas, hosted one of the world's premier sporting events.

   Samuell - Grand Park Today: When I first moved to East Dallas, I was excited to find the twenty court facility so close to my home. I stopped by multiple times only to find the pro shop locked and twenty well preserved vacant courts. I called the number posted on the door several times but never received a reply.
   A few months ago, I started to see signs of life, including a new sign advertised a website. I searched the web to find that the city has allowed the Midcourt Tennis Academy to run the facility. The center is now home to new leagues, clinics and classes.
   The city has also passed a bond package and a new club house is planned. It's a mere $2.50 per player to rent a court. Ask for Court 1. Arthur Ashe once played there.

A Little Taste of Hawaii, Right here in the Metroplex

2010-08-01T12:26:00.003-05:00

The people of Hawaii love Spam. And when I say "love", I really mean "love". For some reason, Hawaiians see Spam as a delicacy.

So it was no surprise to me when I walked into the L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Plano to find Spam prominently on the menu. SpamBurger, Spam & Eggs, Spam Musubi and Spam Saimin.

   Now do yo believe me, Hawaiians love Spam.

   What really surprises me is that a Hawaiian institution like L&L is located here, and that it took me so long to find it. Imagine if you lived in Hawaii for 10 years and then all of a sudden you discover there is a Whataburger located in Honolulu.

   If Spam isn't your thing, don't worry. They stay plenty kine onolicious Hawaian kau kau. (translation: There are plenty of other delicious Hawaiian dishes)
   I would recommend the Kailua pork or the Pork Lau Lau. Both are served with the traditional Hawaiian plate lunch accouterments: A scoop of sticky rice and macaroni salad. The menu does allow for substituting an extra scoop of rice rather than the mac salad.

   For the unadventurous there are a variety of other options from Shrimp, Mahi Mahi, Barbeque Chicken and Burgers. I suggest you stick with the regular size plates, the Aloha size is way too much food.

I do suggest you skip the standard soft drink and try one of the many Hawaiian Sun punches and nectars. Imported directly from Hawaii, these are very hard to find on the mainland. Passion Fruit / Guava Nectar is one of my favorites.

L&L is located in far north Plano just south of Highway 121 and the Ikea store. And if you travel to New York, apparently there's one there also.

For More Info on L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

Go Back In Time - At The Dairyette

2010-06-21T22:38:00.003-05:00

"It's like a heart attack made of wood, but it's delicious"

A quote from my daughter Meranda

In 1956, Ed and Andy Prikryl opened The Dairyette in East Dallas. 50 plus years later, not much has changed. They still offer car hop service. They still make hand made shakes, malts, burgers and fries. And they still make their own root beer in the big barrel. (The female carhops complain that only the guys are allowed to make the root beer, another example of things that haven't changed.)

My daughter discovered the Dairyette during her freshman year at Bishop Lynch High School, which sits across the street. After school, the place is packed with uniformed students. But the Dairyette, which is opened till ten, draws a very diverse crowd throughout the day.

The Dairyette offers service at your car, but you'd be missing part of the experience if you don't go inside. The interior, a celebration of wood and vinyl, hasn't changed since it opened. The aroma of greasy burgers immediately assaults your senses. It is quite possible that you might be smelling the first burger ever cooked.

A east Dallas icon, the Dairyette is located at 9785 Ferguson Road, just around the corner from Fonzie's garage.

The Forgotten Grave of Rube Waddell

2010-05-22T09:35:00.009-05:00

(Note: Pardon me for the departure from stories about Dallas - Fort Worth, but my friends know I have a deep affinity for San Antonio. If I ever get around to publishing a third edition of San Antonio Uncovered, this story will definitely be added)

On Block 5, Lot 182, Space 2 of the Mission Burial Park South in San Antonio, sits the rather impressive grave of George Edward "Rube" Waddell. Buried in 1914, the grave site doesn't get many visitors. Few in San Antonio remember him and even know he is buried here. If it wasn't for the generosity of baseball legend Connie Mack who paid for the monument, Rube Waddell would have remained interned in a unmarked paupers grave.

Who is Rube Waddell? Perhaps the greatest left handed pitcher to ever play baseball.

   Rube Waddell played in the major leagues from 1897 - 1910. Some of his more amazing statistics:

- A lifetime ERA of 2.16
- A career total of 50 shutouts
- 4 20 win seasons
- Set record for strikeouts in a season (349)
- Only pitcher to win 10 games in one month (July 1902, Philadelphia Athletics)
- First pitcher to strike out the side with 9 consecutive pitches
- A career total of 2316 strike outs, 193 wins and 261 complete games.
- Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946

   More importantly, Rube Waddell was arguably the first celebrity in the fledgling endeavor known as professional baseball. Rube Wadell biographer Alan Howard Levy noted:
   "He was among the game's first real drawing cards, among its first honest-to-goodness celebrities, and the first player to have teams of newspaper reporters following him, and the first to have a mass following of idol-worshiping kids yelling out his nickname like he was their buddy."

   Many say that the upstart American League would not have survived had it not been for the draw of Rube Waddell. But is was not his blazing fastball and terrific curve that earned him the endearment of fans. Rather it was his eccentric behavior the also brought the nickname "Rube."

   Often described as having the emotional and intellectual maturity of a child, Rube Waddell was a constant source of grief for his managers, but a favorite of the fans.
   Between pitching performances, he would often disappear for days and be found playing in pick up games with neighborhood children. Once he disappeared from spring training in Jacksonville and found later leading a parade.
   Opposing players often distracted him with shiny objects and puppies, which was said to put him in a trance like state while on the mound,
   He was so bad with his money, that once year the Philadelphia Athletics paid him in one dollar bills to keep him from spending it too fast.
   He had a fascination with fires and often would be found assisting local firefighters.
   Many feel that he probably suffered from a social disorder, autism or some other mental disorder that were not diagnosed in the early part of the 20th century.

   In 1911, Rube Waddell caught pneumonia after helping a town stave off flood waters from a nearby icy river. He never recovered and in 1913 was sent to San Antonio to live with his sister and later to a sanatorium to recover and regain his strength (It's often falsely reported that he was sent to a mental institution.) In 1914 Rube Waddell passed away and was buried in a unmarked grave. Connie Mack and his business partner Ben Shibe paid to have Rube buried with an impressive monument, just like they paid to have him cared for at the sanatorium.

   Today in south San Antonio sits the grave of perhaps the greatest southpaw to ever play the game. Upon his passing, Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson noted:

   "Rube Waddell had more sheer pitching ability than any man I ever saw. That doesn't say he was the greatest pitcher, by a good deal. Rube had defects of character that prevented him from using his talents to the best effect. He is dead and gone, so there is no need for me to enlarge on his weaknesses. They were well enough known. I would prefer to dwell on his strong points. And he had plenty."

The Faded Queen of Swiss Avenue

2010-05-10T20:05:00.010-05:00

Sunday, my wife and I visited the Swiss Avenue Tour of Homes. Arguably the most beautiful street in Dallas, most of these 1920 era mansions have been beautifully restored to their early grandeur. One however, continues to slowly decay. The only thing sadder than the fading glory of 4949 Swiss Avenue, is the story of its last resident.

4949 Swiss Avenue was built in 1918 when Swiss Avenue was the showcase for Dallas elite. The Caruth family bought the home in 1922. (The Caruths once owned all the land north on Mockingbird to what is now Forest Hill. They donated the land to build the SMU Campus).

In 1949, when Swiss Avenue was losing many of its prominent families and many homes were becoming boarding houses, the Caruth's sold the home to John Logan. Logan's daughter Mary Ellen was a fashion model of such stunning beauty that Life Magazine once named her "The Most Beautiful Woman in America". She was the model for the Art Deco statue that appear outside the Hall of State in Fair Park.

Mary Ellen Logan, later Mary Ellen Bendtsen outlived most of her family and her husband. By 1985, she was the only person living in the giant home. As she got older and her income shrank, Mary Ellen closed off more of the house. Living on just $800 a month, the widow lived in just a few small rooms and heated the home with the oven, which was constantly on during the winter months. A three car garage behind the home caught fire and was never repaired. Plaster was falling from the walls. A post was installed on the front porch to keep it from collapsing. Unable to afford a washing machine, she took her clothes to her daughters home to be laundered. Her daughter desperately wanted her mom to move from the fading mansion, but Mary Ellen would not hear of it. Her home was her identity, often telling people she met that she was the woman of 4949 Swiss Avenue.

Two of the few people who visited the lonely widow in her aging home were a couple of unscrupulous antiques dealers. The family was never comfortable with the two young men who had a history of befriending other elderly couples and often seeking their financial assistance. The family's suspisions were validated when the pair and got Mary Ellen to change her will a few days before her passing in 2005.

Prior to her passing, she had lived alone in the house for 20 years, Unable to afford repairs, the house like her health continued to deteriorate. After her death, it sat empty for years while the court tried to decide who were the rightful heirs to the mansion, the family or the two young men.

Five years since Mary Ellen Bendtsen's passing, the home is still vacant. I was lucky enough to walk through the mansion during the Tour of Homes. The 7400 square foot home, listing for sale at $795,000, is in need of tremendous repair and updating. The windows have been replaced by plywood to keep out the vandals who have stripped the home of its antique features. The garage roof is in danger of collapsing. The faded star of Swiss Avenue sits alone, waiting for someone to once again restore her tremendous beauty.

Google Maps to 4949 Swiss Avenue

The Story of Swiss Avenue, Dallas' Most Beautiful Street

Swiss Avenue was the brainchild of Robert Munger, who conceived the neighborhood in 1905 as part of his Munger Place development. In its day, Swiss Avenue was the most elite address in Dallas. By the 1920's, Swiss Avenue stretched to just west of White Rock Lake.

After World War II, Dallas begin to grow to the north and many of the original families sold their East Dallas mansions. A post war housing shortage caused many of the mansions to be split into boarding houses. Nearby mansions on Gaston Avenue were being torn down for modern apartments. Unable to compete with the sleek new apartments, many of the families that owned the Swiss Avenue mansions / boarding houses sought to sell their homes to developers.

A bitter fight among homeowners was won by preservationists. The street became the city's first historic district in 1973. However, by then the surrounding neighborhoods were in serious decline. The once sleek apartments on Gaston Avenue were in disrepair. Junius Hieghts and Munger Place also suffered from neglect. Swiss Avenue's mansions were being restored, but the street had become an elegant island in the middle of urban decay.

Slowly, the surrounding area began to turn around. The Munger Place and Junius Heights neighborhoods are now designated historic districts and property values have climbed significantly. Area apartments are being restored to the former glory. The influence of Swiss Avenue has spread throughout the area.

Recently a mansion at 4519 Gaston that had been empty for 30 years was purchased and is being restored, further proof that Swiss Avenue is continuing to spread its magic.

My Trip to Cooper's BBQ (Finally)

2010-04-28T23:20:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I finally got a chance to visit Cooper's Old Time Pit BBQ, the famous LLano, Texas outpost that has opened up a location in the Fort Worth Stockyards across from Billy Bob's. Some, including Texas Monthly and President Bush (who legend says placed to go orders to be delivered to Washington) say this is the best barbeque in Texas.

Realizing that choosing the best BBQ is subjective, I decline to place any joint at the top of the list. That being said, it is definitely on the list. It's an amazing meat experience. ("Amazing Meat Experience" is a copyrighted phrase of Hawkeye inc)

The Meat Experience starts the moment you walk off the street into the Meat Room. Before you even realize you are in the restaurant, the pit master has taken your meat order, cut it and plopped it on a plastic tray.

Cooper's is known for the big pork chop (pictured below). Be warned. I ordered one and before I knew it, a pound and half chop which cost me $17.39 was plopped and I was sent to the next room to have my chop weighed, wrapped and and replopped.

If you desire sides (as if a pound and a half of meat isn't enough) they'll sell potato salad and coleslaw for $2.50. However, big pots of free beans are placed around the restaurant for you to plop on your tray. Don't expect a plate, just a sheet a butcher paper to line your tray, (oddly, it's given to you after your meat has already been placed on the tray. The whole experience is a bit overwheling for a first time visiter, but the meat is a slice of heaven. I'll visit again, but next time I probably will order a little less.

Cooper's Website

The Owner of Neiman-Marcus Told Her To Live Here.

2010-03-28T09:19:00.005-06:00

   I had lunch recently at a taco joint (aptly titled The Taco Joint) that recently opened up on Gaston Ave. and Peak Street, in the urban no man's land between Lakewood and Deep Ellum. Across the street sat the Hotel Adler. The window unit air conditioners and the bars on the door reveal a few subtle clues that this may not be the nicest hotel in Dallas.

   "I used to live in that building." The unsolicited comment came from a well dressed elderly woman who sat next to my wife and me at the lunch counter.
   "I had just graduated from college in Denver and I was hired to work at Neiman-Marcus. I asked Mr. Marcus where a single woman in Dallas should live and he suggested the Hotel Adler"
   "What year was that" my wife asked?
   "It was in the 50's. This was such a great neighborhood back then. There were movie theaters, little shops, a street car line leading into downtown. At the other end of Gaston, you had big mansions just like on Swiss Avenue. Old money. Cotton Money. The oil people, they all lived in Highland Park. That was new money, this was old money"

   Lakewood is still home to impressive, well tended homes. But Gaston Avenue, which runs parallel to Swiss Avenue and its stately mansions, has become a fascinating mismatch of restored mansions and mid century apartments. Some of the apartments have been renovated and updated. Others, often next to 70 year old mansions, look dangerous and poorly kept.

   New business is slowly coming back to Gaston. Old homes are being bought and restored. Some of the apartments are being replaced or restored. No master city plan. No grand scheme. Just a city breathing new life into an old neighborhood.

   "I still keep a home here in Dallas, though I mainly live in San Francisco," the woman added. "How long have you two lived here?"

Google Map to the Adler Hotel and The Taco Joint

You Need to Check Out this Piece of Public Art

2010-03-06T17:46:00.002-06:00

   First, a bit of disclosure. I often don't get public art. If it looks like something I could have made (albeit with the use of a crane), I'm not that interested in it.

   In Fort Worth, at the intersection of 7th and University, there is a piece of public art that never ceases to amaze me. It sits in front of the new Post Office. Four silver post, each bent towards downtown.

   I remember when these four posts were straight. Ten years ago, these posts supported a billboard. But when the F2 tornado of 2000 swept thru the westside and headed toward downtown, it tore the billboard off and forever twisted the four posts.

   During the clean up, nobody bothered to remove the posts. As a then resident of the westside, we grew fond of Mother Nature's piece. When a new post office was proposed for the intersection, it was decided that posts should remain on the plaza front the station.

   Today, the four post sit as a reminder of of the awesome power of nature. For myself, that makes it definitely the most intriguing piece of public art in the metroplex. .

Fort Worth Finds A Waterfall

2010-01-10T14:35:00.009-06:00

   One might wonder how this waterfall could lay undiscovered for so many years, right in the middle of Fort Worth.

   The waterfall was actually part of Carswell Air Force Base until 1998. When the Base closed, the facility was divided between the new Naval Reserve Base and the city of Westworth Village. Most of the land that went to Westworth Village has been used for housing and shopping (such as new Walmart and Lowe's on Alta Mere). About one tenth of the public parcel, coincidentally the part with the waterfall. was left in its natural state.

   Even after the land became public, few people knew of the falls, mainly due to the fact that access to it was very difficult. Basically, you had to trespass on private land, or walk thru Farmer's Branch Creek to find it. One person who did find it was George Shannon, former president of the Tarrant Regional Water District. Shannon was aware of the waterfall for years and wanted to open access to the public. The Water District spent over $250,000 extending the Trinity Trail to the waterfall. Before that the TRWD spent almost ten years on an erosion control project to preserve the falls.

   The trail has been open for a number of weeks, but few people have seen or even know about the falls. That mainly is due to the lack of parking or signage at the trailhead. That will be added later this year.

TO FIND THE WATERFALL:
   The easiest way to access the waterfall is from Pumphrey Drive off 183 (Pumphrey Drive is more commonly know as the road to the Carswell Front Gate). Turn on to Pumphrey off White Settlement Road or Alta Mere and head toward the Carswell Front Gate. On the left side of Pumphrey are a few vacant lots. Look for one that has a 'No Dumping' sign. This is where the parking lot will eventually be built.
   At the far edge of the lot, you will see a new footbridge and the beginning of the trail. It is about a ten minute walk to the waterfall. You'll actually approach the waterfall from the top, so you pass it before you actually see it.

Google Map to Trailhead

My Day At Cowboys Stadium

2010-01-03T21:18:00.002-06:00

Today, I experienced my first Cowboy game at Jerry's new stadium. I'd been to the venue for George Strait but haven't had the opportunity to see a game there.

Here are a few of my impressions.

I paid $30 dollars to park at a Jack in the Box a mile away. There were 35 spots that they were using for Cowboys parking. The Jack in the Box owner made $1050 today just on parking. That's $8400 for the 8 Cowboy regular season games. And that was the cheapest parking we could find.

During the game, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppart was shown on the Jumbotron. My friend commented that he was "the mayor of the city that lost the Cowboys". I've heard this a lot. I thought Irving lost the Cowboys.

Jerry Jones has taken game presentation to another level. Jumbotrons, Video Ribbon Boards, Cheerleaders, Pole Dancers, Clubs, Suites, Party Pass Levels, Water Fountains. Oh yeah, there was a great football game also.

Jerry wants you to stay in your section. If you are supposed to sit in section 300, don't be wandering over to another section. Not even in the concourse. If your bathroom is to crowded, tuff. Wait it out. If you have a party pass, than please stay in your designated area, even if you can't see the game. Or if you really have to pee.

If you haven't been to a game at the new Stadium, it is a whole new ballgame. (Note: Tickets can be very expensive)

Dallas - Home to the Wild Parrots?

2009-11-29T21:11:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago I was driving home and noticed a parrot flying in my neighborhood. Like any other person, I thought, "Wow, a parrot, flying around my neighborhood." I felt a bit saddened that somebody's pet had escaped and probably wouldn't survive in the wild for long.

A week later, I saw 2 more parrots. I started to think there might be more than just a few escaped parrots flying around East Dallas. After a little research, I discovered that White Rock Lake is home to a rather large parakeet colony. (Another thing I learned, parakeets are a type of parrots.)

Apparently, a few escaped parakeets found a home on a electrical substation that generates enough heat to make their nest warm enough to live year round. A couple of escaped parakeets became a colony over the course of many years. I drove around the White Rock area and found the substation behind the dam about 200 yards southwest of the old pumphouse. The best time to spot the parrots is at dusk, when they return to their giant nests. It's quite a site, to see the colony of South American birds return home each night. Hats of to TU Electric which decided to leaved the parrots undisturbed after East Dallas neighbors voiced theire desire to leave the colony intact.

I mentioned this discovery one morning on our radio show and received reports of similar colonies on electrical substations in Irving and Everman.

(Click on photo for a larger image. You can spot the nests at the top of the support tower)

I never would have imagined that in the year since moving to East Dallas, I would have spotted parrots flying around my neighborhood. I add them to my list that includes foxes, hawks, coyotes and Gary Cogill.

In Defense of 32,000 Frog Fans

2009-11-01T18:03:00.006-06:00

This has been an exciting season for the TCU Horned Frog Football Squad. The November 2nd edition of the USA has the Purple and White ranked as the nation's 4th best team.

However, this past few weeks has been a interesting one for TCU fans and the city of Fort Worth. On October 17th, Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote a column suggesting that the Frogs deserved larger crowds to witness this special season. Earlier this week, Head Coach Gary Patterson spent part of his weekly press conference imploring more fans to fill Amon Carter Stadium.

I agree. I would like to see the stadium packed for all home games. It would be great on so many levels.

But Saturday when the Versus broadcasters and the studio hosts mocked the city of Fort Worth for not supporting the Horned Frogs while showing an empty section of Amon Carter Stadium, I had to throw a penalty flag.

The one thing that is never mentioned is that TCU is a really small school, one of the smallest in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. There are only 8,000 students. Compare that to the University of Texas and A&M which have nearly 50,000 students. Texas Tech has over 30,000 students. Those schools churn out thousands of alumni every year. And any college Athletic Director will tell you that alumni buy the bulk of season tickets.

Texas is averaging 101,000 fans per game. That's about twice the size of their student body. Texas A&M averages 82,000. That's not even twice the size of their student body. TCU is averaging 32,000. That's 4 times their student body. Name another Division 1 school that draws 4 times their student body. (Answer: Notre Dame)

Boise State has been mentioned in this debate as a small school that sells out at home and gives their team a home field advantage. But Boise State's stadium only holds 33,000. Basically, they are drawing the same as TCU. Plus they have an enrollment of 18,000.

Here in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. Can you name another team that averages more fans per game than the Frogs? There is only one, The Cowboys. The Frogs average attendance is higher than the Rangers, Mavericks and the Stars.

Still, it would be great if the Frogs could draw 5 1/2 times their student body and fill 44,000 seats in Amon Carter Stadium, even when they play Mountain West Conference teams and their small cadre of traveling fans. Or at the very least, have the tailgators come into the stadium for the start of the game.

Read Jennifer Floyd Engel's column on the Frogs

My Apologies to the City of Dallas - I Was Wrong.

2009-10-21T13:25:00.007-05:00

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to the city of Dallas. I mocked you, when you spent $50 million to update the Cotton Bowl. Joining the masses, I derided you for putting curtains on a sinking battleship. I laughed at what I perceived as a tremendous waste of money.

But hindsight is 20/20. And I was wrong. $50 million dollars was an incredible investment.

Consider that the Texas - OU game this past weekend brought an estimated $30 million impact on the Dallas economy. When you multiply that by eight, (Starting in 2008, the two schools have agreed to continue to their State Fair tradition until the year 2015) that means your $50 million dollar investment brings over $240 million to the city. Not to mention the economic impact from the future Texas Tech - Baylor Game, the new January first bowl game and the Grambling - Prairie View game.

Of course, the Texas-OU game is the 800 pound gorilla. Move this game, and the Cotton Bowl would never recover. Both Texas and Oklahoma have a love affair with Fair Park, a love affair that has a lot more to do with money than tradition. A recent article in the Dallas Morning News pointed out that both schools make more money from this one game at the Cotton Bowl, than they would if they were to have the game alternate between their home stadiums. The 90,000 plus seats (with out having to sell any low price tickets to students) makes for one big fat $10 million paycheck every year.

When the city decided to spend $50 million on the Cotton Bowl, its only other options were let it continue to deteriorate and lose the Texas-OU game, or tear it down. If you took the stadium out of the middle of Fair Park, can you honestly think of anything that you could build that would generate over $240 million in economic impact. Basically, the city of Dallas got a very serviceable 90,000 seat stadium for $50 million. That's pretty cheap, especially when you consider that Jerry Jones spent 20 times that on his stadium.

Speaking of Jerry Jones, he is salivating at the possibility of stealing this game away from the city of Dallas. But asks most Texas-OU fans, and they are firmly against moving the contest to Arlington. Taking this game away from the friendly confines of the State Fair would be like traveling to Chicago to watch the Cubs play in a mall parking lot. Jerry World may have the world's biggest TV screen, but it also is surrounded by acres of $75 asphalt parking spots. Not much of an atmosphere, unless of course, you are lucky enough to be in a luxury box surrounded by Roger Staubach, Cher and a Jonas Brother.

Somehow, the aging Cotton Bowl and it's South Dallas surroundings transform itself once a year into an iconic revenue producing venue that blows Jerry's state of the art palace out of the water.

In 1971, the city of Irving spent $35 million on a state of the art venue called Texas Stadium. I drove by that yesterday for one final look before they tear it down. If I told Tex Schramm that his iconic hole in the roof wouldn't outlast the Cotton Bowl, I'm sure he would have laughed. Look who is laughing now.

Read the Dallas Morning News article on the economic impact of the Texas - OU game.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/101709dnsporedriver.221e179cd.html

Cool Thing Hits Dallas - And Nobody Notices

2009-10-02T19:45:00.006-05:00

It seems to me, as a new citizen of this humble burg, that people of Dallas love to point out their local government's dysfunction. Even when something good happens, people would rather complain about having to drive to Arlington to watch the Cowboys.

Case in point. This past spring, Dallas opened it's 8th Sprayground in my neighborhood. I must commend city hall for such a simple and cost effective way to cool off in the summer. It's basically a playground consisting of a variety of child friendly fountains. Since the fountains are on timers and there is no need for a staff, it cost very little to run them.

I must admit that I probably wouldn't have known about the one in my neighborhood if it hadn't been built right behind my daughter's school. Sadly, none of the people on my block knew about the Sprayground. At a recent neighborhood birthday party for a 2 year old, not a single person had heard of the park, even though it had been open the entire summer and everybody had kids.

How can something this great fly so low under the radar?

I must also commend the city for it's effective graffiti control program. A few weeks ago, someone decided to spray paint the most ridiculously offensive statement across the Sprayground's pump house. I guess they misunderstood intention behind the word 'Sprayground'. Fortunately, for the younger set who couldn't comprehend the vulgarities, they also painted a rather graphic picture complete with giant body parts.

In a matter of days, the playground Picasso had his work erased. The official city website has a place to report graffiti problems. It took two minutes of my time to report the problem.

I just wanted to take a moment and point out that there a lot of good things that the City of Dallas accomplishes. Next time you're driving to Arlington to catch the Cowboys, slow down a bit. You might be missing something cool.

Locations of Spraygrounds http://www.dallasparks.org/Downloads/Spraygrounds.pdf

What Happened to the Rocket Car?

2009-09-21T18:39:00.004-05:00

I drove through my old Fort Worth neighborhood today. I must admit, I was a bit envious. The area between downtown and the Cultural District is in the final stages of a dramatic redevelopment. Soon, a Movie Tavern, restaurants, and cool loft apartments will open, making the West 7th corridor once of the most vibrant parts of Fort Worth.

Yet, I feel an odd sense of loss.

For the twenty years I lived on the westside, this vital link between the city's two biggest attractions featured nothing more than a handful of used car lots and old fast food outlets. Included in that mix was one rather shabby outlet called Aardvark Used Cars and Rental. I honestly don't think in twenty years I ever saw anybody ever shopping at the Aardvark. Why would they? The Aardvark had less than 5 cars on the lot.

But the Aardvark did posses one very special vehicle. The Rocket Car.

The Rocket Car looked like some threadbare handyman's attempt to break the world speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. For twenty years, the Rocket Car sat in the lot of Aardvark. Alone. Abandoned.

Can I be the only one who wondered what ever happened to the Rocket Car?

If we made four bent billboard post into a piece of artwork at the new post office, couldn't we have done the same for the Rocket Car?

If I had a chance three years ago to sit down with Roger Staubach, the developer of this new neighborhood, I would have offered him one suggestion. "Believe me, you're going to want that Rocket Car"

(photos courtesy of FortWortholgy.com)

Anybody for a dip in White Rock Lake?

2009-09-14T19:06:00.004-05:00

Recently, Fred Lockhart received a $300 ticket for 'wading' in White Rock Lake. Well, that's what was written on the ticket. Actually, he was floating in an inner tube and fishing.

Mr. Lockhart says if he is ticketed, then so should every kayaker and boater who must get a foot wet to push off from White Rock shore. That's a pretty good point.

Here's my question. Why can't we wade in White Rock Lake? Furthermore, why can't we swim in White Rock Lake?

I can already hear a chorus of 'Yuck'. But before you dismiss this as a ridiculous musing, consider a few points.

White Rock Lake was built as a reservoir for the city of Dallas in 1910. Until the late 1950s, the lake was a popular swimming hole. The first art deco building in the Southwest was constructed in 1930 complete with locker rooms, concession stands and a sandy beach to accommodate swimmers.

That building still stands today as the Bath House Cultural Center off Buckner.

In 1958, the city suffered a drought and needed the lake again as a water supply. Swimming officially ended in September 2, 1958. After 1958, the city of Dallas focused more on building segregated neighborhood swimming pools rather than re-opening the beach.

During the next three decades, the lake slowly fell into disrepair until it became a teenage cruising spot. In the 90's, the city spent $12 million to clean up the lake, including a two year dredging project. Today, few would argue that it wasn't money well spent. White Rock Lake has become a true gem to this city. The neighborhoods surround the lake have seen their home values skyrocket, thus increasing the property tax revenues.

With this in mind, I recently took a trek out to the restored bathhouse. Since the dredging, one could argue that the lake is as clean as Lake Lewisville or Grapevine Lake. Could we once again have a beach in the middle of Dallas? Could White Rock Lake be resurrected as an urban oasis? Could it be as popular as Austin's Barton Springs?

These are questions I pondered as I looked out at the old swimming dock that still floats in the lake. As I contemplated dipping my toe in the water and making a civic statement, I saw a water snake swim by.

Never mind.

My biggest surprise since moving to Dallas

2009-09-01T09:09:00.002-05:00

When I moved to Fort Worth in 1988, Cowtown was rather sleepy. I think the last napping panther had just been swept from the streets. I lived on the west side of town just off Camp Bowie Boulevard, which offered one dumpy grocery store and a Chili's. Fort Worth was boring. We used to lament that there were only 4 place to eat out in Fort Worth. If you wanted to some excitement, you had to make the long trek to Dallas.
About 1995, things started to change. Sundance Square started to take off. Movie theaters, bars, bookstores, restaurants and Bass Hall all opened downtown within a couple of years. All of sudden Fort Worth was a fun place to live. By the year 2009, even the shabby 7Th Street corridor was finally being redone after years of being home to used car lots and an abandoned McDonalds. Fort Worth was becoming an incredible great city. (They are even planning streetcars to connect downtown and the museums
So when I moved to Dallas, there was a bit of remorse that I was leaving when Fort Worth was at the top of it's game.
But hey, I was moving to Dallas. If you are bored in Dallas, it's your own fault.
Except if you live where I live. I think I may have moved to Yawn Town.
I live on the east side of White Rock Lake.
The White Rock Lake area is perhaps the most picturesque part of Dallas. But when people talk about the White Rock area, most are referring to the western side. Lakewood. Lower Greenville. The M Streets.
Have you ever been to the east side of the lake? Equally beautiful. Old growth trees. The Arboretum. Gigantic lots. Great neighborhoods. And a Chili's. That's about it.
Don't get me wrong, I love my home and the half acre lot it sits on in the passed over part of Dallas.
But can someone tell the Shannon Wynne and Phil Romano that the east side of White Rock Lake has tons of potential customers that would love to spend some money for a good time.
In the mean time, you can find me enjoying a drink at Chili's. With my Unicard.

Metroplexing - A Comparison of Life in Dallas vs Fort Worth

2009-08-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

My name is Hawkeye. I am a morning DJ on 96.3 KSCS. For the past many years I lived in Fort Worth. I loved living in Fort Worth. I made some incredible friends, lived in a beautiful neighborhood and became a member of the community.

But in November of 2008, I got married to my lovely wife Madelyn. And because I work in Arlington and my wife works in Dallas, we found it more conducive to a good family life to move to Dallas.

I realized that I was in an unique position to compare life in Dallas vs life in Fort Worth. Of the 5 million people who call North Texas home, very few can actually say that the have lived in both Fort Worth proper and Dallas proper. I am probably also one of the few people who subscribe to both the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Dallas Morning News.

Before I start, a few items of disclosure.

I am the son of a career military man. We moved quite a bit growing up. Whenever we moved to a new city, the first year was always very difficult. That is why I purposely waited a year before starting this blog.

While growing up, I always longed to live in one place. The longest I have ever lived anywhere is 20 years in Fort Worth.

I have a 15 year old stepdaughter who attends Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas. So we are committed to staying here at least until her graduation.

Enough for now. My next post: My biggest shock after moving to Dallas.