HOME IN CITY LIVING

A room with a view. Hardwood flooring. Soaring ceilings. Large, open windows that offer a glimpse of Dallas’ one-of-a-kind skyline. All of this can be found in residences situated in the uptown and downtown areas of Dallas. Rather than categorize these areas into two different regions, Dallas Realtors are lumping them together and calling it “in-city living,” and it’s the hottest residential market in the metro-plex. Here, residents can walk to work and enjoy the beautiful jog trails along Turtle Creek. They can stroll a few blocks and dine in exclusive chef-owned restaurants and visit first-class museums, theaters, and art galleries located just minutes from their home.

InCity living is one of die latest passions in Dallas, and other large cities across the nation. Experiencing life in ;he middle of it all and waking up to the sights and sounds of the busy city are quickly becoming top factors when determining where to live.

“People who want to live in the city have specific needs,” says David Griffin, owner and founder of David Griffin & Co. Realtors in Dallas. “They want a sense of community not often found in a suburban setting. This is an area where people of all ages and backgrounds reside. They are all seeking a more convenient and interesting lifestyle.”

Meeting people in the city is just as easy as it is in the suburbs. Griffin says. Hop on a trolley to shop. Visit a museum. Walk to a favorite neighborhood restaurant. “With all of these options, there is so much opportunity to get out and interact with other people,” he says. “This is what today’s buyers are seeking.”

InCity living is the primary market for Dallas Realtor Judy Pittman of Judy Pittman, Inc. After closing $30 million in sales in the Turtle Creek area in just four months, Pittman is convinced the city is the place to live in Dallas. With a quickly shrinking inventory due to high demand, she says exclusive high-rise condominiums and penthouses are being built at a rapid rate. Pittman lives what she sells. She resides in a penthouse on Turtle Creek and is the only broker for a new high-rise property there. The Vendome on Turtle Creek, which will open in the year 2000. This exclusive property, which is the newest high-rise development on Turtle Creek, will include the most sought-after urban amenities such as hardwood flooring, high ceilings, fireplaces, private elevators, and spectacular views.

“The high-rise market in uptown and downtown Dallas is for people of all ages, but it is popular among single people and young couples just starting their careers or empty nesters who don’t need a neighborhood with a family atmosphere for their children anymore,” Pittman says. “The high-rise, in-city lifestyle offers security, and it frees people from dealing with the hassles of keeping up their home. It offers residents the opportunity to travel and to have a second residence. This market has been very good in the past few years simply because of the beautiful scenery and convenience. Turtle Creek and the surrounding area provide beautiful parks and the downtown skyline view, which is the jewel box of Dallas.”

Striking views are a common request for Realtors from in-city buyers, If they’re going to move to the city, they want every urban feature that goes along with it. Exposed brick walls, glistening hardwood flooring, soaring ceilings up to 13-feet high – they can all be found inside an in-city residence. A new high-rise property set to open in the yea-2000, 2121 FLORA, offers many of these amenities, plus the great view. Located in the culture-filled Arts Dis trict, the property’s address is its name 2121 FLORA is a multi-use develop ment with residential condominiums that will overlook the Nasher Sculpture Garden and the Meyerson Symphony Center and Sculpture Garden.

“2121 FLORA will be one of the most outstanding properties in the Arts District,” says its architect, Graham Greene. “There will be no other properly overlooking a sculpture garden of this scale in the world. These units will have the highest floor-to-ceiling around, and the architecture will be a classic modem to blend harmoniously with the other surrounding buildings, such as the Dallas Museum of Art and the Federal Reserve Building.”

A quality, urban lifestyle is what the 23-story, luxury high-rise. Mayfair at Turtle Creek recognizes as value. Ranging in size from 1170 to 5000 square feet, these residences will have the convenience of a business center, health club, and Sky Club lounge in addition to porter, valet and even car washing service. Now you can work, work out, and have a cocktail all in one place before you travel maybe three minutes to the restaurant or art gallery opening.

Another option for InCity high-rise dwellers will be Villa Trevi in the Vineyard, located at the comer of Cole and Cedar Springs in the Turtle Creek area. Developed by father and son team Vincent and Bob Carrozza, Villa Trevi will be built on land that was once a large vineyard in the early I800’s. Villa Trevi will offer luxury, high-rise living in a 23-story building with condominiums and penthouses priced from the $600s to more than $2 million. Set to open in the year 2000, it is currently in its pre-sale stage with ground-breaking set for this fall. The nine-acre property will include the residential high-rise, as well as a beautifully landscaped natural area for recreation. Condominiums and penthouses will feature between 2,800 and 6,700 square feet, tall ceilings up to 13 feet high, and a private elevator for each residence. Secured underground parking, two freight elevators, valet and concierge service, a fitness center with a lap pool, and an exclusive club and dining area are some of the extras residents will enjoy.

Southwest Properties Group offers a location for downtown residents to feel the past and live in the future in the Lofts of Santa Fe Terminal. When the building was built in the 1920’s, it provided warehouse facilities to the Santa Fe Railroad carrying soldiers to all parts of the country. Decades later, it became the studios for WFAA radio where news traveled by airwaves. Today new residents of Santa Fe Terminal Urban Lofts can travel by foot, trolley, bike, DART or car, and to play from their new urban loft at 1122 Jackson.

Realtors of InCity properties admit the urban lifestyle isn’t for everyone. Those interested in diverse living with an abundance of convenience and cultural activity surrounding them thrive best in the city.

Urban lofts, charming townhomes, and premier high-rises with unique condominiums and elegant penthouses can all be found in Dallas’ in-city hot spots such as Deep Ellum, Knox-Henderson, Turtle Creek, Kessler Park, Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn. These spectacular areas are what make Dallas so interesting and unique. With the increase in residential properties in each of these areas. InCity living now offers Dallas residents and those who move to die metroplex not only an alternative choice in residential living, but also a different lifestyle. Perhaps a lifestyle not ever considered…until now.