With an ambitious name and ambitious plans, Dallas may finally be moving forward to redevelop an overlooked area of the city.
The Dallas International District is the official city designation for a 450-acre area north of the LBJ Freeway (I-635) between the Dallas North Tollway and Preston Road, next to the Valley View-Galleria area.
The area was once billed as vibrant suburban shopping malls, but was described by local media as “a collection of unrealized dreams and partially finished projects.”
Today, the district incorporates the Prism Center, the Galleria Dallas Mall, the AC Hotel Dallas, a Target, fast food chains and restaurants, numerous apartment complexes and strip malls, and the 110-acre lot where the now-demolished Valley View Mall once stood.
The name Dallas International District likely finds its inspiration with the Prism Center, purchased by the City of Dallas in 2021. Today it hosts the European American Chamber of Commerce, the French Trade Office and other international groups. The center has also been used for pop-up events such as Europe Day and the Dallas International Night Market, a celebration of diverse cultures featuring an array of global cuisines, artistic performances and handcrafted goods from local artisans.
“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,” said outgoing District 11 Council member Jaynie Schultz, “a place designed to create a sense of community, where everyone from all incomes and backgrounds can flourish.”
The restaurants, offices, stores, hotels, condos and apartments envisioned in the district’s future are to be anchored by a 20-acre urban park called Dallas International Commons, modelled in concept after Millennium Park in Chicago and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. In 2024, Dallas voters approved $20 million to fund the park land acquisition, hopeful this demonstration of the city’s commitment will act as a catalyst for private development in the area.
After entering the park area, plans call for a “wow factor” in the distance that provides a tempting destination as visitors descend down a series of steps alongside a cascading waterfall. Once inside the park itself, there are areas and amenities to accommodate family play, quiet play, outdoor games, water play and “secret places.”
Perhaps visitors will choose to relax in The Meadows, a one-acre grassy area with abundant trees and shade featuring the flora and fauna of the North Texas Blacklands Prairie. Both permanent kiosks and temporary food trucks are to be available, along with picnic tables as well as evening activities such as concerts and other events, including private rentals.
The grand ambitions for the Dallas International District are beginning to take shape.
Work has started on the empty lot that was once the site of the former Valley View Center mall, closed in 2023, and is being transformed into a six-storey project called The Premier at Dallas Midtown. This joint venture between Anthem Development, PLT America and Beck Ventures will feature 296 luxury multifamily units and 13,500 square feet of ground-floor retail.
Dallas-based financier Beck Ventures has lined up international investors for the project such as PLT America, a joint venture of Toyota Motor Corp. and Panasonic Holdings Corp., for equity on the project’s first phase. The site has been suggested as a possible landing spot for either the NBA Mavericks or NHL Stars for their respective new stadiums, after they leave the American Airlines Center.
Beck Ventures says the Dallas International District is a $4 billion transformation. It will include two million square feet of office space, retail and half a million square feet of national, regional and local restaurants. There will also be 4,500 upscale urban multi-family residential units, a luxury theatre, bowling and other entertainment venues, plus a five-star hotel with condos and a comprehensive hike and bike transit network throughout the district.
“Today, we stand at the precipice of change,” CEO Scott Beck said at a press conference. “Today marks a new chapter in this story. Its transformation will be a testament to the potential of North Dallas and the Greater Dallas County. Envision a mixed-use village on a parcel of land larger than Uptown that will redefine the North Dallas landscape and bring a robust new tax base to our beloved city.”
Other signs of progress have been announced.
In November 2020, the Dallas Independent School District passed a bond package that included $75 million to build a new K-12 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) school in the district area.
In late January 2022, Dallas City Council unanimously approved a transportation plan allowing it to seek grants and federal funding for a 2.2 mile elevated automated “people mover” track system. The total upfront cost is an estimated $95 million with an additional $1.4 million annually for maintenance. This would connect the Dallas International District with DART lines and other public transportation, thereby reducing vehicle traffic.
“The vision for the district is well underway,” the district’s website says, “and there is more to come as we prepare for a forward-thinking, 21st century development that celebrates, encourages and inspires the diverse people and businesses of North Texas.”
