“Quick question for the day: Are you in South Dallas? Are you in downtown? Or does it really matter?” Standing on the open plot at 1210 South Lamar, Jack Matthews, president of Matthews Southwest, addressed a group that had gathered for the groundbreaking of his latest project—and challenged the mindset that Dallas ends at the Trinity River.
The event celebrated the particular project at hand, 290 luxury apartments in a four-story midrise, and South Dallas’ overall development potential.
Matthews was joined at the event by Brad Taylor, managing regional partner of TDI Real Estate Holdings, his partner on the project, and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.
“In 10 years, imagine what this is going to look like … and 10 years is right around the corner,” Rawlings said, referring to the region south of downtown Dallas. “Until then, we’re gonna continue to work on this block by block, and it is so great to have partners like TDI and like Matthews.”
Plans for 1210 Lamar include one- and two-bedroom apartments with balconies or patios for every residence. Two private courtyards with a pool and outdoor movie theater add to the amenities, along with a rooftop deck. The development will also have a trail that provides easy access to DART and the South Side Bark Park.
Irving-based TDI Real Estate Holdings specializes in multifamily housing, with 50 Dallas-Fort Worth communities under its belt. Most recently it completed the Jefferson Creekside Apartments, a luxury multifamily development in Allen.
Matthews has long been a pioneer in South Dallas, with his pioneering SouthSide on Lamar and the more recently opened NYLO Hotel. Then Cedars South Side neighborhood is becoming a “hotspot,” said Rawlings, due chiefly to Matthews’ work.
The developer has even bigger plans ahead. “We’re about 20 percent done [with] the land we have right now, so we’ve got lots left to do,” Matthews said.
The apartments at 1210 Lamar are slated for completion in early 2016. Rawlings called the ground-breaking for the project “a great day for GrowSouth,” referring to an initiative he announced in 2012. The fundamental elements of the revitalization plan rely on a rebranding attempt that coincides with investments in area development and community engagement, with hopes for a sustainable shift in the economic landscape of Dallas.
“When the word gets out that you can make more money in South Dallas versus North Dallas, more and more capital is going to come forth, and that’s what’s happening,” Rawlings said. “So, if you’ve got any doubt about it, the proof is in the pudding.”
