Don’t Be One Dimensional

Where Did The Magic Go?

We spent the weekend in Downtown Dallas for my daughter’s volleyball tournament. When we travel, I try to stay in the heart of the downtown. Admittedly, my preferred experience, is one of a smaller town with a population that can support a vibrate downtown and provide some variety, but the buildings are still of human proportion. While clearly, Downtown Dallas does not meet this description, there are pockets of it’s downtown that does. Particularly the Historic West End District. It has such a wonderful concentration of beautiful brick historic buildings with large beam construction that typify what I imagine when I think of the “perfect” historic building.

Over 15 years ago, my husband and I had a magical experience in the West End District. We walked hand in hand, with warm twinkle lights draping the outdoor eating areas as we explored the retail rich bustling streets. We took a carriage ride through the neighborhood, admiring the beauty and soaking up the vibe. Looking back, it was truly magically and I totally took the entire experience for granted. I was ignorant to the planning and effort that went into creating such an atmosphere.

On this trip, we walked the streets of West End, which was mostly inhabited by the homeless, a couple of icons, such as Wild Bill’s Western Wear & Spaghetti Warehouse, and a hand full of shops that appeared to be struggling to hang on.

That Doesn’t Seem So Scary

Being pestered by our kids to ride scooters, we decided to hop a scooter and head east to explore the murals of Deep Ellum. Fifteen to twenty years ago, you would not have been advised to cross I-45 and explore the “unsafe” areas of the east side, and with such a perfect setting in the West End District, why would you? Man, has time flipped these neighborhoods. Deep Ellum is full of life, outdoor markets, retailers, restaurants and outdoor spaces being enjoyed by people of all walks of life. Elm Street is lined with mostly single and two story buildings with painted brick and “modern/retro” created finishes. It was clean and lively but in stark contrast to the beautiful historic buildings that are hard to rival in the West End District.

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Can We Stop The Cycle?

Rehabilitating a neighborhood and recreating a place people want to be is like getting a freight train moving. There is much work in the beginning to get things headed in the right direction. Much of the work is indiscernible by the uniformed visitor. But, as the small and numerous catalysts start to build, the momentum takes over and it is hard to stop.

Much like the engine(s) of a freight train. It takes a lot of power as it struggles to move the train, but it builds and begins moving a little faster, and then a little faster, and then a little faster. Once the community has amassed a powerful level of momentum, the uniformed visitor often takes it for granted, just as I did all those years ago. Those that work so hard to get to this point are able to enjoy the success as their vision becomes a reality.

Newcomers sweep in to reap the benefits of the vision and hard work of the early day founders of the movement. Often evidenced by popular franchises and chains coming in able to pay premium prices for prime locations. Many of the founders sell out and fade in to the background. It could be because they are finally able to cash out on all the struggles and hard work of the early years, or that “it just isn’t the place they created any more” and the friction drives them out.

Drunk On Success

Regardless of the reason, the train is moving and the momentum is at its peak, but in the background, the community is becoming one dimensional and we are all too drunk on success to notice. From here, it is only a matter of time until the cycle is fulfilled and the inevitable downtown approaches. New restaurants, clubs and shops become popular and pop up in different parts of town. The one dimensional nature of the community hits it hard. What happen to the underlying culture? The artist are gone, the scrappy entrepreneurs have moved on, and the dynamic vibrant community is lost.

If you were to bring the community leaders together at the peak and ask what the vision is, I suspect you would be greeted with some variation of “keep doing what we are doing”. The vision is gone and preventative defense has set it. The community is on its way to being one dimensional. The blinders are on and the once popular community, no longer has the grit or the sense of urgency to make changes to stay on top. The reality is, people are fickle and trends are ever changing. Without intentionally engaging and developing an evolving vision, the inevitable downturn will engulf even the most thriving community.

Being back in the West End District admiring all of the beautiful historic buildings served as a strong reminder that it is not the buildings that give a town it’s soul, but the the people in and around them.

Written by Katie Neason

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