Checking in with the Dallas International District
Bobbie’s Airway Grill
Bobbie’s french fries ($8) are hand-cut in-house daily. Read more on page 12. Photography by Kathy Tran.
Compiled by ALYSSA HIGH
ELECTION
In the May 3 election, incumbent Gay Donnell Willis won District 13 with over 65% of the vote. In the District 11 election to replace Jaynie Schultz, Bill Roth (48.3%) and Jeff Kitner (45%) failed to receive more than 50% of the vote. A runoff will be held on June 7.
MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSE FOR SALE:
The Crespi Estate, built in 1938 and located at 5619 Walnut Hill Lane, is currently for sale for $64 million.
The house was originally built for cotton baron Count Pio Crespi and later purchased by former Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, who hired Peter Marino to restore and expand the estate.
THE PROPERTY FEATURES:
• 10 bedrooms
• 12.5 bathrooms
• An Art Deco bar
• Two wine cellars
• A conservatory
• A library imported from France
• A media room
• A 3,000-square-foot primary suite
• A guesthouse
• An entertainment pavilion with a 19-seat theatre
• Three adjacent lots
• A swimming pool
• A spa
• Tennis and bocce ball courts
• Gardens
• Greenhouses
• A creek
• A heliport
THESE STREETS
“Preston Rd has to be the worst road in North America,” one Redditor posted. While this might be hyperbole, and it certainly isn’t the worst in Dallas alone, there is a consensus among Dallasites that Preston Hollow’s roads are bafflingly awful. Maybe because the neighborhood is home to some of the wealthiest residents and most expensive private schools in the state. With money generally comes infrastructure, but not here. With Preston Hollow, money also comes age. And with much of Preston Hollow’s infrastructure aging out, road repaving and replacement are bound to take time.
According to the City of Dallas’ pavement condition database, Preston Hollow’s roads aren’t actually that bad. Outside of residential neighborhoods, few roads are rated as failures. The worst are:
- Residential roads in Windsor Park
-Roads surrounding Hillcrest Memorial Park
-Roads near Benjamin Franklin/ Hillcrest schools
-Meadow Crest Drive
-Roads surrounding Peter Pan Park & Cox Lane Park
-Inwood south of Walnut Hill
For the 2024-2025 capital budget, Mill Run Road, Drexelwood Drive and Strait Lane all received significant funding for the 2025 fiscal year, with over $400,000 allocated for repairs.
St. Cloud Circle was allocated over $1 million, and Boedeker Street/Circle was allocated over $2 million toward resurfacing. 4000-4100 Inwood Road has planned $682,337 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, with over $4 million projected toward the project overall.
If waiting for your road to potentially be on the next bond is too long, you can request a repair (not replacement) of a road on Dallas’ 311 site or app. But if you’re hoping for a repair of your neighborhood, it probably isn’t coming anytime soon. When going to the site to request a repair, the estimated response time is five business days. But the estimated resolution? Sixty business days. So if you put in a request during this magazine’s distribution (June 1), the estimated date the repair would be completed is Aug. 19.
BY THE NUMBERS
ZIP CODES: 75225, 75230, 75251
(We cover parts of 75229, 75220, 75209 as well.)
DEMOGRAPHICS
(Preston Hollow proper, bordered by Royal Lane, Midway Road, Hillcrest Road and Northwest Highway):
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Advocate (c) 2024 is published monthly in print and daily online by Advocate Media - Dallas Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation based in Dallas and first published in 1991. Contents of this print magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements and sponsorships printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject ay editorial, advertising or sponsorship material in print or online. Opinions set forth in Advocate publications are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the Publisher’s viewpoint. More than 180,000 people read Advocate publications in print each month; Advocate online publications receive more than 4 million pageviews monthly. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate print and online publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one print copy per reader. For information about supporting our non-profit mission of providing local news to neighborhood readers, please call 214-5604212 or email aquintero@advocatemag.com.
ABOUT THE COVER
Mural on the Milestone Electric building off Forest Lane. Art by Created Art Co. Photography by Lauren Allen.
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YEARS
$5 MILLION LATER
The Plaza at Preston Center is celebrating its diamond anniversary with a multi-million dollar facelift
Story by ALYSSA HIGH
75 YEARS & MILLION LATER
Fifteen years before NorthPark’s corridors filled with luxury brands and Neiman Marcus branched out from Downtown, The Plaza at Preston Center was where Dallas came to shop — and to be seen. Now, 75 years later, the storied retail destination is celebrating a milestone anniversary with a $5 million makeover designed to blend timeless charm with modern appeal.
The upgrades, set to roll out in phases through 2025, represent the largest renovation since the center’s office tower and underground garage were added over a decade ago.
“This project is a celebration of who we are and a recommitment to staying relevant for the next 75 years,” says Mike Geisler, founding principal/managing partner of Venture Commercial Real Estate, which manages the property. “What we’re doing is not a tear-down or a reinvention — it’s a thoughtful enhancement to an already successful place.”
Geisler has been working with The Plaza for over four decades.
“I live three blocks from here,” he says. “My kids went to school around the corner. This place matters deeply to me, not just as a real estate professional but as a neighbor.”
The facade of the property has not been updated since the ’80s, he says. The architecture has stood the test of time, but it’s “a little outdated.”
A sophisticated palette of creams, whites and grays will supplant the tired reds, yellows and beiges, ensuring each tenant’s storefront not only stands out but also harmonizes with the modernized aesthetic.
“The goal is to elevate the visual experience without losing the warmth and approachability people love about The Plaza,” Geisler says. “We’re enhancing what already works.”
On top of painting, embellishments and roof caps will be replaced with cleaner looks and brick pavers on all sidewalks, and trellises will have to be replaced to match. The changes will come in phases, Venture notes, to avoid disrupting the customer experience.
“This isn’t just a place to shop or grab a meal,” says Amanda Throckmorton Welles, a partner at Venture. “It’s where people run into their neighbors, where they’ve been coming for generations. We take that legacy seriously.”
Tenants are carefully chosen. From iconic eateries and fine jewelers to locally owned boutiques and national trendsetters, Venture aims to meet a wide range of tastes while offering experiences that can’t be replicated online.
“We’re not just leasing space,” Geisler says. “We’re building a lifestyle destination. We look for tenants that have a story, a following and a real fit with the neighborhood.”
And the shops all work together to create the neighborhood feel.
Over five years ago, after visiting Tootsies and a few other shops in the Plaza, Trova owner Michelle Bonds’ mother-in-law wanted a glass of wine. Il Bracco wasn’t open yet, and True Food was under construction.
“I thought, man, this shopping center needs a wine bar. And so whenever the time came, I looked here because the traffic’s already there,” she says. “The stars just aligned for here.”
Muchaco or il Bracco sends hungry customers to Trova when the wait is too long or they’re overcapacity. Within the year, there’s a slew of regulars who drop by, and the Trova staff already has their order.
Even Muchaco had to go through Venture’s selection process. When Taco Diner left the Plaza, Muchaco owner Omar Flores and his business partners pitched the concept and provided tastings to win over the team. Six years later, the restaurant is a staple.
Exterior changes aren’t the only shift in the area. New tenants of all kinds are coming in, maintaining the nearly 100% occupancy that the shopping center has enjoyed for decades.
“It’s about creating a space that people feel good being in,” Geisler says. “From the walkability to the landscaping to the storefronts, everything is being done with that goal in mind.”
Soon, The Plaza will be home to Trina Turk, a contemporary fashion boutique with three locations in California and one in Atlanta. Travis Street Hospitality’s Frenchie, boutique Y-OHR and Viva Day Spa are also on the opening agenda for the year.
“The retail world has changed dramatically in the last two decades and even more so in the last five years,” he says. “But places like The Plaza have stayed strong because we evolve with intention.”
“We’re honoring our past by investing in our future. And we’re doing it in a way that reflects who we are — a community-first, locally grounded, and experience-driven destination.”
The shopping center aims to have the facades of all buildings match the likes of Muchacho or il Bracco. Photography courtesy of Venture.
WHO REPRESENTS YOU?
Story by ALYSSA HIGH
In the City of Dallas, council members may come to mind. But behind every council member are topical boards and commissions that advise the council. Volunteer-based positions are appointed by council members for their district, with exceptions for district-only boards. Often we see the same 10 people in our neighborhoods jumping up to volunteer and speak out for their community, but volunteers can only serve on two. So where are the people who represent you?
When a charter amendment passed last year that allowed the public to sue the City for not complying with laws outlined in the charter, a petition signed by more than 80 neighborhood leaders came forth, demanding that the City remove those who have exceeded their term or be sued. The letter alluded to a number of commissioners fitting this bill without naming many names.
So we did a deep dive into the City’s database of all boards and commissions and their members, seeking to find out how big of a problem this is and why.
WHAT ARE THE RULES TO PLAY?
Council members begin the nomination process during August of every odd year. Nominees:
• Must live in the city for at least six months.
• Must have no serious convictions.
• Must not have pending litigation against the City or a City employee.
• Must not owe any taxes or other obligations to the City.
• Must not be an employee of the City.
• Does not have to live in the district for which they are appointed, unless expressly noted.
• May serve a maximum of four consecutive two-year terms with at least one term elapsed before being on the same board again.
Another notable issue is that 75 commissioners reside in a different district than they serve across district-based boards/ commissions. While this is allowed per the City Charter and residence in or prior knowledge of a district is not required for service, it highlights a problem that we’re all aware of but rarely see evidence of: Residents of several wealthy neighborhoods (like 14, which makes up the majority of those serving in other districts) have a greater voice in City Hall than the rest of us.
Additionally, each districtbased board or commission also holds space for a commissioner nominated by the mayor, who is also required to appoint a chair of the commission from the members appointed. Of these positions, six out of 22 (27%) are vacant, and two are past their term limit.
14 ARE GROUPED MISCELLANEOUS (THEY ARE NOT REINVESTMENT
ZONES OR DISTRICT-BASED BUT ARE TOPICAL OR GEOGRAPHICAL.)
23 ARE DISTRICT-BASED
21 ARE REINVESTMENT ZONES
PRESTON HOLLOW - DISTRICT 11 AND 13
Like most of Dallas’ major neighborhoods, City Council districts exceed the boundaries of what even we consider Preston Hollow. It’s important to acknowledge that, while these numbers are for the totality of Districts 11 and 13, District 11 is a small part of our Preston Hollow coverage area. Our boundaries end at Interstate 635, though District 11 continues north to Keller Springs.
DISTRICT 11
2 VACANCIES (DISABILITIES & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION)
0 COMMISSIONERS SERVING PAST THEIR TERM LIMIT
COMMISSIONERS WHO LIVE IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
COMMISSIONERS FROM D11 ARE SERVING IN OTHER DISTRICTS
DISTRICT 13
0 VACANCIES
0 COMMISSIONERS SERVING PAST THEIR TERM LIMIT
COMMISSIONERS WHO LIVE IN OTHER DISTRICTS
COMMISSIONERS FROM D13 ARE SERVING IN OTHER DISTRICTS
There is ONE REINVESTMENT ZONE in our neighborhood, Zone 20 (Dallas International District a.k.a. the Mall Area Redevelopment Zone). It has no vacancies.
OUT OF 330 POSITIONS IN DISTRICT-BASED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, 44 ARE VACANT / 75 RESIDE IN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT THAN THEY SERVE / 25 ARE AT THE END OF THEIR ALLOWED TERM, UNABLE TO SERVE AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER, AND THEIR SEATS WILL BE UP FOR GRABS / 235 ARE ON CITYWIDE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
HOW CAN THOSE INTERESTED IN FILLING VACANCIES GET INVOLVED?
Explore the City’s boards and commissions webpage to see available positions. Fill out an online application. Introduce yourself to the council member who is set to make the appointments in the fall and keep in communication.
*All data represented in this story was taken from the City of Dallas Boards & Commissions website and, thus, is likely to have errors. Data was pulled on May 5, 2025, and is reflective of information available on the website at that time. Additionally, while we are sure that lots of time and effort go into carefully choosing the boundary lines for City Council districts, to our untrained eyes, it looks like a mis-filled color-by-numbers sheet. Most of the districts exceed our neighborhood and coverage boundaries, so district data is reflective of more than just the neighborhood. I mean, look at District 2. What is that?
($23)
The Moroccan salad
contains rotisserie chicken, dates, herbs, roasted carrots, pistachios and French feta. The crispy oyster starter ($22) features crispy oysters served with flower street vinaigrette and lemon.
a handful of tradition
The recipe for Bobbie’s Airway Grill comes with family recipes, neighborhood history
Story by ALYSSA HIGH | Photography by KATHY TRAN
A GRANDMOTHER’S RECIPES are sacred. Maybe they live in a bound journal, on a stack of notecards, or just in her head, a phone call away.
A sprinkle of this. A handful of that.
They aren’t easily duplicated. That was Robert Quick’s challenge when he opened Bobbie’s Airway Grill, a restaurant named after his mother and inspired by the recipes that shaped his childhood table.
“The convivial nature of dining was a big deal in our family,” Quick says. “(Bobbie) is an excellent cook.”
Several of the recipes come from her repertoire — or, as Quick says, were “stolen with permission.” Like the Bobbie’s Caesar, with little gem lettuce, crispy oysters, house-made croutons and Reggiano ($21) or the orzo salad, with roasted veggies, feta and herbs ($9).
Other recipes come from his wife’s side of the family, like the old-school horseradish-pimento “The Oaks Dip” served with Fritos Scoops – nonnegotiable, according to his in-laws.
“The Oaks Dip on this menu is actually my wife’s family’s recipe that they allowed me to use. It’s a very old recipe from my motherin-law’s childhood of this horseradish, pimento dip,” Quick says. “We serve it alongside Fritos Scoops because that’s what her family demanded we serve it with.”
Sure, some of the menu items’ callbacks are a little niche. Guests have questioned ingredients like the Fritos Scoops before. But “there’s a tradition that we’re honoring,” Quick says. “It’s also a perfect chip for that particular dip.”
With family recipes come challenges. The carrot cake — Bobbie’s recipe — reportedly calls for three handfuls of shredded carrots. But a “Bobbie handful” isn’t a standard measure and not easily replicable for the masses.
“I had her weigh out 20 handfuls of carrots and then average them all out to get her handful of carrots,” he says. “We’re a very meticulously operated company. … There’s a lot of honor and pride in being inspired by those recipes and trying to be faithful to them.”
Originally a Californian, Quick moved to Texas to attend Southern Methodist University, where he met his wife. After graduating with degrees in psychology and business, he attended the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley and later joined Hillstone Restaurant Group.
But a promise to his in-laws — lifelong Preston Hollow residents — brought him back to Dallas. Even Bobbie, now 73, relocated to the neighborhood.
In 2019, Quick opened Il Bracco. And when Dougherty’s Airway Pharmacy closed in 2021 after over 50 years, Quick saw an opportunity to preserve a piece of local history and build something personal.
The old pharmacy, a midcentury made of 1940s milled steel, displayed neon signs that were a staple for generations. Now-grandparents recall coming to the soda fountain. Quick aimed to honor that legacy.
“The structure of this building is beautiful,” he says. “All of the old federal neon signs were gorgeous. There are obviously some
Bobbie’s carrot cake recipe comes from Bobbie herself. You can order a slice or the whole cake ($70), complete with cream cheese frosting.
restrictions on some of the RX signatures … but we worked faithfully with the landlord to try to incorporate some of those marks into our name.”
The original Airway sign hangs above the open kitchen, restored by one of the few neon craftsmen left in Dallas.
“We spent a small fortune restoring it. Preston Hollow has very much a pride in its past, and we wanted to make sure we did not look like or behave like some outside force coming in,” Quick says. “One guest hugged me because his first job was as a bag boy here. He said, ‘This is so cool. I can’t imagine that you guys put a breath of fresh life into this building.’”
That reverence for history runs throughout the space. The interiors balance bold blue hues with clean lines, carpeted floors, and original art curated by Quick and his wife, pieces that nod to Dallas’s deep art-collecting roots.
“My wife and I are the owners of all of the art in all of our restau rants, very much (a nod) to the pedigree that Dallas art collections typically have,” he says. “Dallas has an incredible art collection history, and we wanted to celebrate that with some of the pieces in this restaurant as well.”
The menu is a careful balance between Bobbie’s recipes, notes from Quick’s in-laws, Dallas diner staples and, unapologetically, a bit of California seeping in.
“Our tuna burger, if you close your eyes, tastes like just about the best fish taco you’ve ever had,” Quick says. “And the Turf Club is named after the Turf Club at the track at Del Mar, which I grew up going to.”
Bobbie’s Airway Grill’s version is curated with mathematical precision.
“The problem with a club sandwich is that it’s too much bread and it ends up being dry and unwieldy.”
A problem Quick has solved by baking a brioche bun, cutting each slice to 3/16 of an inch so that the cumulative total is nearly equal to two slices of bread. The bottom layer gets mustard, pickle and Swiss, “a top five sandwich in its own right.” The top is a BLT.
“We have this really neat-structured sandwich that’s a big sandwich but doesn’t feel like too much. The bread has sweetness and (there’s) acid in the mustard and a BLT and all of these wonderful things that play with one another,” he says. “I think it is one of the best sandwiches in Dallas.”
Quick is aware that Bobbie’s is not a cheap restaurant: Upscale isn’t cheap. Even so, the most expensive item is a $59 steak and salads range from $14-30.
“I hope that our guests feel as if, when they leave our restaurant, they got more than they paid for. The Moroccan salad is $23. That is an expensive salad by any metric. However, if you tried to make the Moroccan at home, it would take you three days and probably $100 worth of ingredients. When you pay $23 for this incredibly nourishing, complex, well-made salad, you should feel like you got away with something.”
Two years after opening, the reception from family and guests has made the journey worth it.
“They’re proud that we’re able to apply the consistency to family recipes while also having it still feel homemade,” he says. “There’s a balance in mathematical precision and trying to keep these recipes feel as if grandma’s hand is still there.”
Even if it means measuring out a “handful” to the gram.
Bobbie’s Airway Grill, 5959 Royal Lane, 214.272.8754, bobbiesrestaurant.com
Renderings of the park were drawn up after months of input from the community, including requests like seating at the playground and a pollinator garden.
How the City’s partnership with area nonprofits is T iers lieu. The French have a word dedicated to the phrase, referred
THE PARK
The overgrown city-owned lot was chosen for the Dallas Greening Initiative, a joint effort by the City of Dallas and Trust for Public Land. The initiative
owned land and turning it into parks in order to get all Dallas residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park or trail. According to a report, 3,446 people would fit this metric after the park is
The City of Dallas acquired the land in 2006 with plans to build the Park Forest Branch Library. Two decades later, funding shortfalls have
That’s where Trust for Public Land (TPL) comes in. Funded by American Rescue Plan Act funds secured by the donations from entities like Lyda Hill Philanthropies and The Meadows
“We were so excited about High Vista because it’s a partnership with a library site,” TPL Texas State Director Molly Morgan says. “If I think about two things that just make sense together for children, families and the public, it’s parks and
After selecting and approving the location, the next step was
Pop-up parks, design workshops, community feedback sessions and online surveys took place for over a year. Renderings were drawn up, featuring a walking loop trail, playground area, butterfly garden, picnic area and native
“We try to have a park party feel. … It takes it from a piece of paper into something we can visualize together, and gets people really excited,” Morgan says. “Our team at TPL, communication is our passion. It’s what we do. We love working with
Every Greening Initiative park is different, as different as the community itself, and neighborhood residents indicated support for a family-friendly space. Play areas for children. Shaded seating for adults. Educational landscaping. Each piece of the park is intended to complement the library that will join the property.
And keeping in mind the future library is a key part of the park’s plans.
“We identified an area of the site that we could carve out now to get the community that green space they’ve requested,” Morgan says. “It serves that park gap without limiting the library’s future needs.”
“If I think about two things that just make sense together for children, families and the public, it’s parks and libraries.”
The park’s construction is slated to begin later this year, with an estimated completion timeline of 12 to 18 months.
“It takes it from a piece of paper into something that we can visualize together,” Morgan says. “And that gets people really excited.”
THE LIBRARY
The current Park Forest Branch Library, built in 1971, is outdated, not able to comply with ADA regulations and was deemed inadequate two decades ago.
The 2024 bond allocated funds for the construction of the new Park Forest Branch Library on the land off Marsh Lane and High Vista Drive. And the City has begun to engage in community outreach efforts to discuss what they’d like to see in a new build. There is no established timeline on the project yet, and the park is planned to be completed long in advance.
“People were really excited about having a place that could complement the library,” Morgan says. “A usable outside space to enjoy nature.”
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VDALLAS
HAS PROGRESS STALLED FOR GOOD?
What is happening with the Dallas International District?
Story by ALYSSA HIGH
VALLEY VIEW MALL. THE GALLERIA DISTRICT. MIDTOWN. THE DALLAS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
A FIRE HAZARD. A CONCRETE WASTELAND. A GHOST TOWN. UNTAPPED POTENTIAL.
There’s no shortage of names for the 450-acre stretch bordered by Preston Road, Spring Valley Road, the Dallas North Tollway and Interstate 635. But what there is a shortage of, after more than a decade of planning, is a timeline for completion.
Once envisioned as a vibrant cultural and commercial hub, the Dallas International District today remains mostly a collection of unrealized dreams and partially finished projects. While significant progress has been made in some areas, others are much slower to provide a timeline or visible progress.
FROM PROMISE TO PARKING LOT
The ’60s and early ’70s was a renaissance of shopping centers. The post-war baby boom brought mass migration to the suburbs, which needed town centers aside from downtown areas. Preston Forest Shopping Center opened in 1960. Medallion Center in 1963. NorthPark Center in 1965. Oak Cliff’s RedBird Mall opened in 1975.
But the story of the Dallas International District begins in 1973 with the opening of Valley View Center. Nine years later, Galleria Dallas arrived just next door, bringing a newer shopping experience with major retailers and an indoor ice rink.
The Galleria’s recognizable brand, abundance of activities and regular updates from mall ownership juxtaposed with Valley View Center (formerly Valley View Mall), which changed ownership half a dozen times. The Galleria thrived. Valley View eventually withered, closing its doors in 2015.
That same year, the City of Dallas launched the Valley View-Galle -
LYNDON B JOHNSON FWY
ria Area Plan and designated a tax increment finance (TIF) district to incentivize redevelopment. The area’s challenges were laid bare in the plan: outdated commercial properties, unusable parking lots, high vacancy rates, and no parks or green space.
To combat these issues, the city proposed a bold vision — an 18-acre central park, a walkable street grid, and nine mixed-use “subdistricts” with housing, offices, retail and entertainment.
Among the planned zones were the Midtown Center Core — a pedestrian-friendly dining and retail center — and Midtown Green, which would bring mid- and high-rise residential buildings around the new park. The Peterson Lane extension would connect to Preston Road, and a signature tower was anticipated at the LBJ Gateway.
The idea was ambitious — and even community-centered, a rarity in major development plans. But nearly a decade later, despite progress in some areas, the Valley View Mall site remains stalled.
THE MALL IS GONE — SO WHAT’S LEFT?
In 2023, the long-abandoned Valley View Mall building was finally torn down — but not before a fire injured several Dallas firefighters. The site is now an empty lot. Developers cite multiple ownerships and say they’re waiting for more commitment from the City of Dallas. City officials, in turn, have been slow to provide meaningful funding.
One tangible sign of progress is the nearly completed Montfort Drive reconstruction. The project aims to improve walkability and bike access, a key component of the original plan. And in March, the City acquired a park parcel.
The district has also been named a regional transportation innovation zone, winning a $10 million grant to plan an automated transit system. But there are no concrete plans or visuals for what that system will be or when it might launch.
“INTERNATIONAL” IN NAME — AND A BIT IN PRACTICE
In an effort to live up to its new name, the City of Dallas purchased the Prism Center, which now hosts the European American Chamber of Commerce, the French Trade Office and other international groups. The space is also home to occasional pop-up events such as Europe Day and night markets.
Why “international” to begin with? The development was intended to serve the diverse population surrounding the area, with only 31% identifying as white, 21% two or more races and 31% ‘other’ races, based on available census data.
But outside of the Prism Center, the international vision is sparse. Other than about half a dozen Mexican or Latin restaurants, international doesn’t seem to frame the area itself either.
The park remains unbuilt. Few of the planned subdistricts have taken form.
WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOL?
One of the more unique pieces of the plan was a vertical STEAM school — the only one in the area — with a public library shared between the City of Dallas and Dallas ISD. It was supposed to open in 2025. But choice school applications for the 2025–2026 school year have already closed, and no school in the Valley View-Galleria area is listed.
“The timing is more likely to be (20)26 or (the 20)26 school year,” District 11 Council member Jaynie Schultz says.
WHERE THINGS STAND NOW
Today, the district includes the Galleria Dallas Mall, the AC Hotel Dallas, a Target, fast food chains, diverse restaurants, dozens of apartment complexes, strip malls and the Prism Center. And, of course, a vast lot where Valley View Mall once stood.
After more than a decade, the Dallas International District has held night markets, broken some sidewalks for better walkways and torn down a mall. That’s about it.
Schultz has been one of, if not the, largest supporter of this project for years. But she’s not seeking a second term, and for now, we aren’t sure who will replace her.
“Throughout my tenure as council member for District 11, I have seen this project go from being an ambitious concept to being a reality in progress. With the recent City Council approval of the Montfort parcel for the Central Park, the near completion of the reconstruction of Montfort Road, the secured 2024 bond funds for economic development, two new apartment buildings, future road improvements to Montfort by the City of Addison, and the support of my constituents and the residents themselves, the Dallas International District is on a trajectory of steady progress, and this will continue for years beyond my time in office. The Dallas International District is a visionary project which will give Dallas an opportunity to compete with the northern suburbs for large development and international investment in a place designed to create a sense of community, where everyone from all incomes and backgrounds can flourish. The people of Dallas deserve this, and I am proud to have ensured a better future for the city, which has given so much to me,” Schultz says.
A runoff will take place on June 7 between Jeff Kitner and Bill Roth, who have quite opposing views. Roth opposes additional multifamily housing. Kitner says multifamily housing in some areas is appropriate.
“The International District is our best opportunity for redevelopment and growing the tax base in District 11 and will be high priority for me as the council member. I am pleased that in 2024 the voters approved $20 million for park land acquisition funding in this area, and the city’s acquisition of park land will help serve as a catalyst for private development in the area,” Kitner says. “Because of my work on the City’s Park and Recreation Board, I am particularly excited about this park-oriented development. We have seen tremendous success with park-oriented development before in the district at Hillcrest Village Green Park, and this project will be at a much larger scale. Additionally, it was good to see that the different property owners of the old Valley View mall area site are coming together to sell to one master developer, and I look forward to working with the new purchaser once the property is sold.”
Bill Roth did not respond to a request for comment.
The Valley View site is for sale, though an announcement of a purchase has not yet been made. Representatives of the sale did not respond to a request for comment.
With a lack of news on the remaining, albeit key, pieces of the project, everyone in and around District 11 is asking the same question:
What is happening with the Dallas International District?
More importantly, will the big dreams of a development made for its residents actually completed at all?
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST ART GALLERY
WINNER - PRESTON ART
BEST DANCE COMPANY
WINNER - PRESTON HOLLOW DANCE
BEST EVENT VENUE
WINNER - COOPER HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTER
BEST INDOOR ACTIVITY
WINNER - FRONTIERS OF FLIGHT MUSEUM
BEST LIBRARY
WINNER - PRESTON ROYAL BRANCH LIBRARY
BEST LIVE MUSIC
WINNER - WOODBINE BAR
BEST MEMBERS-ONLY CLUB
WINNER - 55 SEVENTY PRIVATE WINE CLUB
BEST PARK
WINNER - COFFEE PARK
BEST PLACE FOR DOGS
WINNER - NORTHAVEN TRAIL (TIE)
WINNER - PRESTON HOLLOW PARK (TIE)
BEST RECREATION CENTER
WINNER - JCC OF DALLAS
BEST SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS
WINNER - KIDS GARDEN CLUB
BEST THEATER
WINNER - AMC NORTHPARK 15
www.AaronKendallConstruction.com
Food and Drink winners will be featured in our August issue. To nominate your favorite business in the remaining categories (shopping) for our Best Of 2025 competition, email aquintero@ advocatemag.com
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CITY VIEW ANTIQUE MALL
SUMMER HAS ARRIVED, and our 65 vendors are searching the countryside near and far to bring beautiful antiques, art, and collectibles to our venue! Stop by soon to see all their finds, and don’t forget to mark your calendar for our Big 4th of July Sale!
