Of Continental Hold-Ups, Joule Expansions, Downtown Town Homes and Love Field Eats

The city council returns to the city's business on Wednesday ... or is that Tuesday? But till mid-September, at the earliest, committee meetings are canceled: Mayor Mike's asked the chairs to scratch meetings till at least mid-September, when he'll reshuffle the deck chairs -- and we'll find out whether he's got the pepperoni to name Angela Hunt chair of the Trinity River Corridor Project Committee, a position previously held by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Took Leppert till September 12, 2007, to make that call.

So instead of committee meetings, this weekend's packet of council memos covers what would have been the pre-council meeting discussions, and they cover a wide range of familiar topics: those town homes intended to go in front of Dallas Farmers Market, the Continental Building's extreme makeover, Tim Headington's slow-but-sure downtown takeover via the Joule expansion, the sale of that police helicopter, up-and-down revenue forecasts and Love Field concessions. Where to begin? Why, it's a regular Unfair Park greatest hits (and some what will be) -- and, for the new kids, a bit of a primer.

The memos are self-explanatory and follow after the jump for those who like to keep score. But first a few spoilers: The Continental won't be done by the end of the year as initially promised and needs 12 months more, at least; Headington's added investment (from $76.5 million to $98 million) means more TIF reimbursements (from $20.65 million to $23.85 million) will be used to help fill in 114,000 square feet of currently vacant downtown space along Main and Commerce; Dallas PD Chief David Brown says that spacious eggbeater has to go; the city will cover $3 million in infrastructure improvements to expedite those Farmers Market town homes; and the city received 42 food-and-wine proposals at Love Field, and another 10 for retail ... and none from the incumbents, but there's still that first-right-of-refusal deal cut with council, that vague two-tiered review process and a lottery, so good luck with all that.

That about covers it. Oh, and till I get 'round to a real FYWLP selection, here's Foreigner at Reunion Arena in 1981. Admit it. It's kind of awesome. Better'n effin' Kings of Leon at Starplex last night, at least.

July 29, 2011 Memos