Karl Zavitkovsky

How Much "Public Financial Contribution" Sylvan Thirty Needs to Be "Feasible"

​The council's Economic Development Committee's being briefed this morning on two projects familiar to the Friends of Unfair Park -- Wynne/Jackson's redo of the old Dallas High School downtown, which we'll get to shortly, and Sylvan Thirty, which is first up.The reason the latter's on the agenda, ... More >>

Developers Intend to Turn Old Dallas High School Into a Residential Development

​As we noted earlier in the week, the council's Economic Development Committee will be briefed Monday concerning plans for the old Dallas High School downtown. So too, turns out, will the Landmark Commission: The freshly posted agenda for Monday's 1 p.m. meeting reveals that developer Wynne/Jackso ... More >>

Dallas City Hall Wants to Create Nonprofit to Help Uplift Education Sell Bonds for Expansion

​Speaking of Uplift Education and its planned expansion into Deep Ellum ...There's an intriguing item that just appeared on the Dallas City Council's consent addendum for next week's meeting, posted here. According to the doc, the city wants to create a nonprofit called the City of Dallas Educatio ... More >>

At Last, a Firm Figure as Fort Worth Ave. TIF District Considers Giving Sylvan Thirty a Boost

​While we await our recap from a raucous Ross Ave. last night, let's begin with this bit of ... well, not sure it's breaking news, not exactly. Because, after all, we've known for months now that Sylvan Thirty -- the long-proposed, much-talked-if-not-shouted-about mixed-use development on the site ... More >>

Turk Who Was Going to Redo 1401 Elm Now Has Big Plans For the Very Big 500 S. Ervay

​This morning I called Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the city's Office of Economic Development, about something more or less related when he mentioned the "Turkish Trump." Say what now? Ah -- turns out, he thought we wrote this piece about Mike Sarimsakci, the developer who came to the city with big p ... More >>

City Hall: No, This Is Not Project Wall-E, Where the "E" Does Stand for "Environment"

Gary Liss​This morning, a Friend of Unfair Park sent me this press release, which, on the surface at least, appears to reveal the mystery behind that real estate deal known only as "Project Wall-E" the council chatted about behind closed doors two months ago. The release is a bit inscrutable but ... More >>

A Video That Actually Sells Dallas, In This Case to Foreign Investors. Y'all Come Now, Y'Hear?

​In recent days we've seen a video in which the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau sells the city to conventioneers and tourists, and a short film in which the Dallas Citizens Council sells the city to ... um, the citizens council? But after the jump, here's a real, honest-to-God pitch -- a fre ... More >>

City Hopes $13 Mil in HUD Block Grants Will Jumpstart Lake Highlands Town Center

​For those wondering whatever become of the stagnating Lake Highlands Town Center, a ray of hope appears on the council's Economic Development Committee's agenda for Monday: "Community Development Block Grant Section 108 Guaranteed Loan Application for the Lake Highlands Town Center." I'll post th ... More >>

Dallas Development Fund Looks at Sylvan Thirty, Will Consider Funding It In New Year

Sylvan Thirty, the planned mixed-use development for Fort Worth Avenue in West Dallas, has received more attention than any development project in recent memory -- especially given the fact it's nothing but a barren patch of land where once sat at motor hotel. The $47-million project, still closer t ... More >>

Date Set, Sort of, For "Project Wall-E" Bow

​I had to call Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the city's Office of Economic Development, about something that turned out to be nothing this morning. (Well, if you must know, I wondered if "The Collective" referred to here is just "The Orleans at La Reunion" by a new name, and it is.) But while I had hi ... More >>

City's Working on a Real Estate Deal Called "Project Wall-E." Top Secret, Exec Session Stuff.

​There's a curious item posted on the city council's Economic Development Committee's agenda for Monday morning: "Project Wall-E." And that's all it says, save for the fact it will be discussed entirely behind closed doors in executive session. The reason: "to deliberate the purchase, exchange, le ... More >>

Inland Port, Executive Airport Land on Council's Radar During Talk of Economic Development

​Before the council's Economic Development Committee got 'round to talking about Dallas's employment figures -- and it was a brief briefing -- familiar Unfair Park figure Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the Office of Economic Development, gave the council an hour-long-plus overview of what his office of ... More >>

New Owner of 1401 Elm Reassures Council Committee That He Will "Deliver" on Promise

Photo by Justin Terveen​For the first time since news broke that 1401 Elm was off the market, the city council got to hear all about the project -- one its new owner says could be a "tipping point" for downtown. Turkish investor Mukemmel "Mike" Sarimsakci, who purchased and plans to redevelop ... More >>

Tomorrow, Council Committee to Learn All About Plans for 1401 Elm Street Redo

​Last month we broke the news that 1401 Elm Street was about to be snapped up by Turkish investor and developer Mukemmel "Mike" Sarimsakci -- if, that is, the city OK'd $30 million in TIF funds for a redo now expected to run upwards of $136 million. (The George Dahl-designed former First National ... More >>

A Closer Look at Proposal For 1401 Elm St. Makeover Shows Plan to Close Access to Tunnels

​What you see above comes from teeny-tiny type on Page 13 of the proposal we posted below for Mukemmel "Mike" Sarimsacki's plans for 1401 Elm Street, where he says he intends to build residential, retail and office space where there's presently 1.3 million square feet of empty. Far as the city's c ... More >>

But Will a Petition Drive Convince Trader Joe's to Open in Lake Highlands? We Shall See.

From the sales pitch that follows after the jump​A few weeks ago I was talking to Office of Economic Development head honcho Karl Zavitkovsky about something unrelated when he mentioned the petition drive aimed at convincing Trader Joe's to open a location at the Lake Highlands Town Center, where ... More >>

Rasansky Says You'll Know Sooner Than Later What's Replacing Greenville Ave. Whole Foods

​I see Avi's posted a piece to Barking Dogs wondering whether a Walmart will take over the old Whole Foods on Lowest Greenville. Writes Adelman, yesterday "teams of inspectors -- electrical, structure, property, roofing -- swarmed all over the building, taking photos, comparing architectural drawi ... More >>

Council Told If The City Doesn't Pony Up for Studio, TNT Won't Shoot Dallas in Dallas

WireImageMary Crosby, Larry Hagman, former Dallas and Walker, Texas Ranger director Michael Preece and Sheree Wilson at the auction of Hagman's memorabilia in Beverly Hills last week​Saturday morning we sneak-peeked an item that was just the subject of much debate during this morning's meeting of ... More >>

TIF For Tat, or: You Say You Need an Update on the Statler and Old Downtown Library?

One of the 192 photos I took inside the Statler I can't bring myself to delete off my phone​Karl Zavitkovsky, director of the Office of Economic Development, has a long Monday morning ahead of him: He's scheduled to deliver three presentations to the council's Economic Development Committee, one o ... More >>

City to Kick In Millions More in TIF Dough to Get Lake Highlands Town Center Back on Track

​After last week's accidental tour of the Lake Highlands Town Center, or what there is of it, we discovered: Prescott Realty and the city's Office of Economic Development are hustling to get that long-dormant development off the ground years after that big-deal groundbreaking was buried in the eco ... More >>

City, Prescott Realty Working to Jumpstart Long Delayed Lake Highlands Town Center

Like the sign says, don't drink the water. But on a hot, humid day, it was tempting to go for a swim.​Well, that was certainly fortuitous timing: On Sunday the 7-year-old who lives in my house and I went for our weekly trip to the Scotty'sTop Golf batting cages, after which we took a little drive ... More >>

City Hall's Starting to Keep a Close Eye on Valley View, "Prime Urban Redevelopment Space"

Prange Way, via​On Wednesday, the full council will get that economic development update that never made it to committee two weeks ago (time was not on its side). Which is just as well: When we spoke two weeks ago, I'd completely forgotten to ask Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the Office of Economic D ... More >>

"Leveraging Our Resources," or: If You Read One Council Briefing All Day, Make It This One

The Dallas skyline circa 1982, as depicted in this morning's economic development council briefing​At the end of February, city and council officials explained Dallas's meager 0.8 percent population growth over the last decade thusly: "The third-largest city in Texas is simply built out." Which le ... More >>

Council Considers Tax Break For Company Represented by Ron Natinsky's Campaign Treasurer Even Though It Doesn't Need It

Photo by Sam MertenPete Schenkel​At tomorrow's meeting, the city council is expected to approve a tax abatement estimated at approximately $1.7 million and an economic grant of $250,000 for Dean Foods. Pete Schenkel, a consultant for Dean who previously served as vice chair of its board, says ... More >>

Some Lessons Learned From Walmart's Expansion (At Least, Its Move Into Oak Cliff)

The development residents were hoping for, more or less, on the spot of Fort Worth Avenue where Walmart's expected to go​On Tuesday, you no doubt recall, the city sent word that Walmart's opening 14 new locations citywide -- among them, three in the southern sector, including on the vacant lot at ... More >>

Head of Economic Development Explains $2 Million Grant Proposed for North Oak Cliff

Click to embiggen the map of the area that would be impacted by the proposed $2 million economic development grant.​On Friday we sneak-peeked that proposed $2-million economic development grant proposal intended to "support emerging development opportunities in North Oak Cliff." Before Wednesday's ... More >>

At Today's Economic Development Committee Meeting, Where Downtown Comes Alive!

The Grand Ricchi, some day​Afternoon, Unfair Friends! Once again I find myself at City Hall, moving and shaking as I do among the political hoi polloi, bringing you the livest, bloggingest account of today's Economic Development Committee, wherein we'll be hearing about the Downtown Connection TIF ... More >>

What's Up With The Grand Ricchi, Anyway?

​I'd planned on going to the Downtown Connection TIF District Review Committee Meeting, but, well, I had a prior commitment, and, besides, the thing was canceled for lack of a quorum. There was, though, an item of interest on the agenda: "Review and approval of design plans for 1600 Pacific by Dal ... More >>

Investor Who Wants to Buy the Statler Hilton Talks About His Fingers-Crossed Plans

Courtesy George Gimarc​A few minutes ago I spoke with LIG Assets Inc.'s founder Jeff Love, who says, why, at this very moment he's "writing an offer" on the former Statler Hilton, which, we discovered Friday, Love wants to buy and rehab. "The owners should have it today," he says. "Now, I don't kn ... More >>

City to Refocus Its Attention at Southwest Center on Macy's, Which Is "Still Alive"; Penney's Owner Will Consider All His Options

​Back to Southwest Center Mall for a moment -- or, more specifically, the city's plans to keep the "dead mall," per the Urban Land Institute, alive. Karl Zavitkovsky kept the council's Economic Development Committee behind closed doors for almost an hour this morning, during which point it was men ... More >>

On Monday, Council Committee To Go Behind Closed Doors to Talk Southwest Center Mall

From the Urban Land Institute's report on Southwest Center Mall, this proposal: "The panel recommends a new town center to be organized around a lawn and retail street (shown in red)."​Dunno if you remember this, but back before Christmas the city of Dallas took out a lease on the abandoned JCPen ... More >>

The Update on the Statler Hilton Is That There Is No Update on the Statler Hilton, Sorry

Justin Terveen​On Wednesday the council will get an update from Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the Office of Economic Development, about projects that may get an infusion of foreign cash via the City of Dallas Regional Center, which we told you about back in October. (Long story short: Foreign investor ... More >>

This Just in From the Office of Ironic Developments at Dallas City Hall ...

​I've been meaning to get to this for hours and was otherwise occupied -- drinking, of course, in anticipation of tomorrow's big day. Schutze's bestest bud, Frank Librio at Dallas City Hall, sent to us media types a press release announcing that the city's Office of Economic Development Web site h ... More >>

What Does Elm Place's Closure Mean for Downtown Dallas? Is the City Worried? Well ...

Elm Place​Elm Place's closure, announced this morning, comes as no surprise: A section of George Dahl's 52-story office tower, at Elm and Akard Streets, fell into foreclosure in the early part of '09, and the former First National Bank of Dallas and Bank of America building been shedding tenants f ... More >>

Is the City Finally Taking Legal Action Over that Failed Bama Pie Motor Sports Museum?

​It may be a few weeks before we know for sure, but after years of wondering what to do about the Bama Pie mess, the city's inching closer to filing a lawsuit over the empty building in South Dallas. Oh, right -- what Bama Pie building? Longtime Friends of Unfair Park know the whole sordid story. ... More >>

1600 Pacific Avenue May Still Get Do-Over

The old LTV Tower on 1600 Pacific Avenue, still in need of a do-over​When last we heard, plans to redo the old LTV Tower at 1600 Pacific Avenue were indefinitely put on hold when developer Curtis Lockey filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a few months ago. But City Hall was determined not t ... More >>

It Appears the City's Buying JCPenney's Space at Southwest Center Mall After All

"The lonely mall" formerly known as Red Bird​For weeks it's been rumored that the city's getting ready to buy the JCPenney piece of the beleaguered Southwest Center Mall. Which, if true, wouldn't come as much of a surprise: The Urban Land Institute, paid $120,000 by the city council in April to "a ... More >>

More About City's Plans to "Rent" JCPenney at Southwest Center Mall, With Option to Buy

Sam MertenThe vacant JCPenney building at Southwest Center Mall in South Dallas.​Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the city's Office of Economic Development, just called back to explain why the city's moving forward with plans to purchase the JCPenney's space at Southwest Center Mall, which the chain aban ... More >>

A Q&A With the Man Crafting the "Action Plan" For Developing South Dallas

Tony Salazar​On Friday, Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the city's Office of Economic Development, mentioned to Unfair Park that The Real Estate Council had hired St. Louis-based housing developer McCormack Baron Salazar to evaluate the potential for development along the DART Green Line in Fair Park-So ... More >>

One Day We'll Write a Book About the City and the Bama Pie Building. Till Then, We Wait.

View Larger MapWhen I was talking to First Assistant City Manager Ryan Evans yesterday about the city's decision to deny parking-citation scofflaws their vehicle registration, I also asked him about the old Bama Pie building across from Fair Park. No real reason why, except that three looong years a ... More >>

You Say You Want Some Downtown Dallas Progress Reports? Well, Then, You Got 'Em.

Justin TerveenOur old pal, The Urban Fabric, grabbed this shot of downtown just last night, matter of fact.​I had Karl Zavitkovsky, head of the city's Office of Economic Development, on the phone this afternoon, so I asked him for a couple of updates per several Friends of Unfair Park's requests p ... More >>

Despite Bankruptcy Filing, Proposed LTV Tower Redo Too "Important" For City to Let Go

The LTV Tower, as presented in redo plans dating back to '07We've written a couple of times in recent months about developer Curtis Lockey's plans to redevelop the old LTV Tower on Pacific Avenue, but, truth is, the city's been working on making this a go project since at least 2007. And it hasn't b ... More >>

After Years of Trying to Bring Minor-League Ball to Dallas, Confidence ... and Property

Courtesy Reunion Sports GroupAll things go according to plan, and there just may be baseball on the shores of the Trinity River next summer.A couple of weeks back we learned that United League Baseball would be setting up shop on the shores of the Trinity River, in the very same 60-acre spot where I ... More >>

There's a Plan to Redevelop the Old LTV Tower. But, Good Lord, It Ain't Cheap.

From the proposal for 1600 Pacific AvenueA few days back, a Friend of Unfair Park wondered what was up with the old LTV Tower, once a crown jewel in downtown courtesy its bright night lights. Turns out, a couple weeks back there was a joint meeting of the Downtown Connection TIF Board and Downtown D ... More >>

In West Dallas, Finding MMDs

On Wednesday, as you're no doubt aware by now, the Dallas City Council voted to create three municipal management districts, or MMDs. They're the first in Dallas, though Houston is often invoked as proof that MMDs do wonders for development. Which is no surprise, as they're made for development -- o ... More >>

The City's Trying to Figure Out How to Save the Deal to Save Deep Ellum

Every so often for about the past month or two, someone will whisper to me in hushed conspiratorial tones, "So, did you hear? That Deep Ellum deal is dead." Then, they will slink back into the shadows, no doubt to giggle their told-ya-so's into someone else's ear. Because, frankly, for every person ... More >>

Why is Mayor Leppert Putting the Brakes on Dallas' Inland Port Future?

The Perots have solid business reasons to slow down Dallas' inland port. But why is our mayor helping them?

Going to Shell in a Handbasket?

The Real Estate: Downtown