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NEIGHBORHOODS

By D Magazine |

Although by no means complete, this is a glance at some of Dallas’ long-established neighborhoods.

DALLAS SPEAK THE bubble. The area called the Park Cities, including Highland Park and University Park, is known as “the bubble” because its inhabitants rarely venture outside of its self-contained and somewhat exclusive environment.

Park Cities: Situated in the middle of Dallas, about six miles north of downtown, University Park and Highland Park are known for big, fancy houses, preppie attire and a good school system (with close to 100 percent of the high-school graduates going on to college). Highland Park is the toniest of the two areas-it was laid out in 1910 by the same chap who designed Beverly Hills.

Gieenway Parks: Adjacent to the Park Cities, this area was built in the 1920s as a rival to Highland Park. Its name comes from the vast expanses of green grass and trees throughout the area. And every house has a meadow for a back yard.

Turtle Creek: Turtle Creek runs from Fair-mount Street to the edge of Highland Park and is lined with azaleas and high-rise condos.

Oak Lawn: Loosely defined by the areas that fall around the street of the same name. Oak Lawn has a mix of inhabitants including folks who like the ambience of nearby Highland Park and Turtle Creek, but don’t want the high price tag, artists and other creative types and a considerable gay population.

Oak Cliff: Oak Cliff has one of the best views of the downtown skyline, and the neighborhood also offers a diverse mix of Hispanic and African-American cultures, along with artists’ studios, young couples and old-time residents. Kessler Park and Stevens Park are filled with stately homes that would go for twice as much in parts of North Dallas. This is one of Dallas’ oldest areas, and Winnetka Heights is the city’s largest historic district.

Southwest Dallas: With its mix of blue-collar and white-collar workers, this area is considered one of the city’s most racially balanced areas. Southwest Dallas is home to many prominent African-American lawyers, doctors and politicians.

Hollywood Heights/Santa Monica: This homey little neighborhood filled with Tudor-style cottages is a more peaceful and less trendy alternative to the Greenland Hills area, and at a much lower cost. There are winding streets, gently rolling hills and lots of trees. Residents often convene at the neighborhood Mexican joint, Matt’s Rancho Martinez, for Coronas and enchiladas.

White Rock Lake: If you’re a devout walker, runner or cyclist, this is the area to be in. Here, you can watch the sailboats, fish or visit the nearby Arboretum. On the periphery of the water sit some of the grandest homes in town- atop hills with sprawling green lawns. Specific neighborhoods are Forest Hills (the fanciest), Little Forest Hills, Emerald Isle, the Peninsula and Casa Linda.

Lakewood: So-called because of its proximity to White Rock Lake, this area is like a small town within the Dallas city limits. With grand homes and its very own country club, Lakewood offers a simpler, kinder lifestyle.

Swiss Avenue/Munger Place: An urban oasis, this historic area is best known for the tum-of-the-century mansions on Swiss Ave. Just to the south is the 12-block Munger Place neighborhood, which boasts the largest collection in the Southwest of prairie-style homes.

Old East Dallas: A hodgepodge of neighborhoods, including Belmont, Junius Heights, Vickery Place, Cochran Heights and Mill Creek. This area features a number of redos dotted among the not-yet-redones. Borders Lakewood.

Deep Ellum: This old warehouse and manufacturing district on the east side of downtown was most recently an enclave for area artists. Now, it is a haven for the city’s hip. With nightclubs, restaurants and clothing stores, Deep Ellum is more an entertainment destination than a place to live. Lofts are available, though, for a price.

South Boulevard/Park Row Historic District: Established in 1912 by affluent Jewish families, this neighborhood of Georgian mansions, Tudor cottages and prairie-style homes was known as the Edgewood Addition. Though many of these residences began to fall into a state of disrepair in the ’40s and ’50s, a dedicated group of African-American leaders worked to preserve both the architecture and the overall quality of life in this neighborhood.

Lake Highlands: This area is a favorite with families because of its Dallas address and Richardson school district designation. Merriman Park is one of the oldest neighborhoods; Pebble Creek and Oak Highlands are newer and more affluent.

Greenland Hills: This area, which includes the yuppie-fied M-streets, still holds much of its charm, with cottages, well-landscaped lawns and, more often than not, a baby swing hanging from a front-yard tree. (Rumor has it that leftover stained-glass pieces from houses built in the Park Cities were used in these homes when the area was developed in the 1920s.)

Preston Hollow: Drive around the hills of Old Preston Hollow and you’ll forget you’re in Dallas. Here, the million-dollar homes are built on at least an acre, which is why this is perhaps the only neighborhood where horses are allowed as pets. New Preston Hollow, scattered with older ranch-style homes and newer, bigger haciendas, is also known as an affluent area of North Dallas.

Bluffview: Filled with both cottages and large homes, Bluffview gets its name from a 60-foot granite bluff that sits on one bank of Bachman Creek. Large homes, acre lots and craggy hills give this area a Connecticut feel. Northwest of Inwood and Lovers Lane.

DALLAS SPEAK North Dallas: anything north of Northwest Highway. Far North Dallas: anything north of LBJ Freeway.

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