Real estate projects can often have a profound effect on their surrounding environs. That’s certainly true of the two contenders vying for the “Best Community Impact” prize in D CEO’s Commercial Real Estate Awards, Klyde Warren Park and the Moorland YMCA. (See photos at the end of this post.) The winner will be announced Weds., March 20, at the Hilton Anatole. To read about other finalists, click on the category links: Best Land Sale, Best Commercial Property Sale, Excellence in Architecture/Design, Broker of the Year, Best Industrial Project, Best Medical Project, Best Redevelopment or Renovation, and Developer of the Year.
UPDATE: Scroll down to see the winner.
Klyde Warren Park
It took 10 years and $110 million in private and public support, but in 2012, vision became reality with the opening of Klyde Warren Park. The one-of-a-kind 5.2-acre greenspace, designed by the Office of James Burnett, floats atop Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul streets, connecting and unifying Uptown, the Arts District, and downtown Dallas. The park not only brings a sense of vitality to urban Dallas, it provides a green amenity for office tenants and residents—and is driving up the values of nearby properties. It also has become a popular destination for visitors from throughout the region.
Klyde Warren Park is an impressive feat that required the expertise and cooperation of a many people. Among those leading the way was Jody Grant, chairman of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation Board. “The positive response to Klyde Warren Park has surpassed our wildest expectations,” he said.
Moorland YMCA
In 2012, The Real Estate Council’s Young Guns, a group of professionals 35 and younger, teamed up with the Two Wins Foundation and community volunteers to work with the Moorland Family YMCA to spruce up its South Dallas center. Established in 1931, the historic Moorland YMCA serves 2,500 people a year and had a dire need for repairs and updates. The work performed will allow the center to serve 25 percent more children and teens, and boost membership by 7 percent.
Supported by monetary and in-kind donations, the groups installed new flooring, replaced acoustical ceilings, brought in new furnishings and computers, and installed an outdoor amphitheater. Getting it done required creativity and innovation, as the budget was tight. The project has had and will continue to have a positive social, recreational, and educational impact on a disadvantaged community.
WINNER: This year’s Best Community Impact goes to Klyde Warren Park. Click here for a complete list of winners and finalists from this year’s Commercial Real Estate Awards.
