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The End of the West End Marketplace


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NOTE: not to be confused with the greater West End Historical District in general. This is just the specific mall located in the area.

http://www.dallasobserver.com/blogs/?p=740

Seems to me like they might try to incorporate some of the principles behind Bayou Place phase II in bringing in office space, though residential might work if handled properly.

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In its day, West End was pretty cool. I celebrated New Year's there in 86 and 87. The outdoor concerts were good, too. Not only did I see Van Halen in 91, but my brother and I saw Black Oak Arkansas singing My Jim Dandy there once...and the chicks were everywhere! Who'd a thunk chicks dig BOA? :lol:

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Hopefully something better will replace the mall. To me, it's a golden opportunity to put something more functional there. Something that will keep residents and visitors, alike, in that area 24-7.

I agree. The only concern with residential that I'd have is that Victory is nearby as a prominent contender for new housing plus there's a new midrise complex a couple of blocks over that's still marketing units. Residential very well could happen, it just may take a little bit more time to jump into the fray while the Victory/Uptown residential market reaches maturation and the other residential conversions in DT Dallas start filling up space.

It's a shame for me, personally, because I've never set foot inside the actual mall. I've visited the River Center in San Antonio and wanted to eventually step inside the West End Marketplace.

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I am not surprised that the Marketplace is dead -- it has been on life support for several years now. I do remember visiting a more vibrant West End Marketplace during my first visit to Dallas (from Houston) in the early 90's - it was nice, but even then seemed to be harking to a different era (1980's).

I think the current changes in the West End are good for downtown Dallas. It can transform from a marginal tourist destination to a true urban neighborhood. New "tourist" areas are quickly developing in the Victory Park and Uptown areas (albeit, perhaps somewhat elitist).

The traditional downtown tourist areas, such as West End and Deep Ellum, can evolve into true urban neighborhoods - location and property values will prevent decline. These stronger urban neighborhoods around downtown will only help to strengthen the core of the city.

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my brother and I saw Black Oak Arkansas singing My Jim Dandy there once
I saw Black Oak Arkansas and Grand Funk at the Sam Houston Coliseum in the early 70s. I am certain that my deafness is directly attributable to that concert! :wacko:
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West End started declining several years ago.......

The Dallas Business Journal agrees. Is Downtown Dallas on the upswing or decline? DBJ says "BOTH". So the end of Westend can not be pined on the Victory project. Its a great project but shows DT Dallas as last years report on Channal 8 said is at the tipping point. It could go either way. But im feeling DT Dallas is on the upswing.

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  • 3 months later...

Was or is the five-clubs-in-one establishment by Dallas Alley part of that and now closed as well?

I've had some cool memories of hanging out there in the late 80s-early 90s when I visited my bro up in Big D.

-Some drunken nights at the dueling pianos in Alley Cats...'twas fun and cheesy.

-A female Dallas PD officer told me to take off my silly pinhole glasses when I accidentally bumped into someone. I did not comply, I merely nodded and kept walking.

-I snuck in a Coors Lite down into the Arcade and some employee actually caught me with it...took it ("Sorry, I know we don't sell Coors Lite") and told me to "get" a Coors instead.

-In '93 just before the Oilers-Chiefs playoff game...I saw some Packers fans in town for their team's game against the Cowgirls and yelled to them, "Oilers Number One!" Then other folks said, "Yeah, go Oilers!" I had the indignity of watching the Oilers blow that 10-0 lead against Kansas City on a Dallas NBC affiliate while there for the weekend.

I've not been in interior Dallas in some number of years and it's sorrowful about the closure.

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