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Greenville Avenue played the part of Today's Central Expressway before that freeway got constructed. While it has achieved contemporary iconic status today as a transit oriented development, Mockingbird Station should be considered a part of a larger overall retail area called Upper Greenville. Between Mockingbird Station (Mockingbird Lane) and Lovers Lane, there exists a neat little commercial area. It is west of Greenville Avenue located between it and Central Expressway which, in turn, is to the east of it. A Dart Light Rail Line runs down the middle of this little commercial area of offices, retail, and residences. Two of the streets pinpoint this commercial area and they are Dyer Street and SMU Boulevard. Retail along Upper Greenville runs further north of this area all the way to the Northwest Highway and beyond to about the vicinity of the Presbyrtarian Medical Center.
If I am missing the mark defining this area, feel free to elaborate.
As the boundaries of many of these types of retail districts are vague, I feel burdened to better define them.
The Dallas Observer did a good and funny article about the differences between Upper and Lower some years ago, see if you can find it.
Greenville Avenue has not been about retail stores at least since I have lived near it (1964), it's been about nightlife.
My main burden was to highlight that little commercial area squeezed between the office buildings north, as seen as one is approaching downtown, and the buildings of Mockingbird Station on the south. I believe that commercial area formed prior to the construction of Central Expressway.
Dallas should be clobbered for demolishing that art deco factory building of Dr. Pepper. Oh well, out with the historic classic and in with the contemporary iconic. Do you know when that building was constructed?
Lower Greenville has been acknowleged as sobering up recently after construction of that Trader Joe's there really turned heads. Mockingbird Station is located south of Mockingbird Lane, but I don't view it as part of central Dallas. Do they plan on squeezing the Katy Trail through that slither of Upper Greenville running it to Park Lane somehow? I would never blemish the masterpiece of NorthPark by connecting it up to light rail, but connecting it up to downtown with a trail would be cool.
As Mockingbird Station got a cool looking signature light rail station, NorthPark got the signature part of Central Expressway built out to it. Indeed, NorthPark is the point in which the freeway elevates popping out from its submerged construction below grade..
All this effort spent isn't being acknowleged today for the tremendous acheivement it was.
Last edited by Dallas retail updater; 12-30-2016 at 12:30 PM..
yes but Mockingbird and the associated SMU blvd area you mentioned are associated with the university and students don't spend money nearly as much as they like to look like they could. The surrounding structures were built to support heavy rail economy so they tend to be rough and low. Neither lends itself to retail so you have service oriented businesses instead.
My main burden was to highlight that little commercial area squeezed between the office buildings north, as seen as one is approaching downtown, and the buildings of Mockingbird Station on the south. I believe that commercial area formed prior to the construction of Central Expressway.
I grew up in that area starting in 1964. What I remember being north of Mockingbird and east of Central were:
The Western Electric plant, some of which remains and has been turned into apartments and stores, this building faces Mockingbird Ln.
Shamburger's lumberyard.
Dr. Pepper plant.
Bill King's Brake-O on the NB service road of Central.
and a couple other small businesses. I rather suspect the area was not fully built out prior to 1950 which if I recall is when Central Expressway was completed to that point. However, (something most people don't know), Coit Road was there before Central Expressway (yes, Coit Rd. went south all the way to Mockingbird Ln. - so it's possible the area was pretty completely built out.
On the west side of Greenville, on the other hand, were the Meadows building and not a heck of a lot else other than run-down tourist courts.
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Originally Posted by Dallas retail updater
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Dallas should be clobbered for demolishing that art deco factory building of Dr. Pepper. Oh well, out with the historic classic and in with the contemporary iconic. Do you know when that building was constructed?
The city of Dallas did not demolish the Dr Pepper plant, the developer who bought the land did. Unfortunately the property was idiosyncratic enough (large open lawn surrounding a one or two story office building/plant) that no one could be found that wanted it. I too regret its destruction. I guess the Dr Pepper plant was built around 1950.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallas retail updater
B
Lower Greenville has been acknowleged as sobering up recently after construction of that Trader Joe's there really turned heads. Mockingbird Station is located south of Mockingbird Lane,
No it's on the north side.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallas retail updater
B
but I don't view it as part of central Dallas. Do they plan on squeezing the Katy Trail through that slither of Upper Greenville running it to Park Lane somehow?
My understanding is that the Katy trail will be extended by following the MKT right of way (after which it's named, of course) to the N.E. and then connecting up with the trail that runs along the DART line (which is laid on the MKT right of way) heading out toward the lake.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallas retail updater
B
I would never blemish the masterpiece of NorthPark by connecting it up to light rail, but connecting it up to downtown with a trail would be cool.
Well, all you have to do is get off the train at the Park Lane station and walk across Central to get to Northpark. Seems to me that it is pretty much connected to light rail.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallas retail updater
B
As Mockingbird Station got a cool looking signature light rail station, NorthPark got the signature part of Central Expressway built out to it. Indeed, NorthPark is the point in which the freeway elevates popping out from its submerged construction below grade..
All this effort spent isn't being acknowleged today for the tremendous acheivement it was.
yes but Mockingbird and the associated SMU blvd area you mentioned are associated with the university and students don't spend money nearly as much as they like to look like they could. The surrounding structures were built to support heavy rail economy so they tend to be rough and low. Neither lends itself to retail so you have service oriented businesses instead.
Yes, did all that area develop from the side of Greenville Avenue prior to the building of Central Expressway? Looking at a map of the businesses located there, an interesting mix has formed ncluding residential. It takes on the characteristics of a small arts district. Did that light rail along there at one time connect with the line that id now serving as the Katy Trail?
I grew up in that area starting in 1964. What I remember being north of Mockingbird and east of Central were:
The Western Electric plant, some of which remains and has been turned into apartments and stores, this building faces Mockingbird Ln.
Shamburger's lumberyard.
Dr. Pepper plant.
Bill King's Brake-O on the NB service road of Central.
and a couple other small businesses. I rather suspect the area was not fully built out prior to 1950 which if I recall is when Central Expressway was completed to that point. However, (something most people don't know), Coit Road was there before Central Expressway (yes, Coit Rd. went south all the way to Mockingbird Ln. - so it's possible the area was pretty completely built out.
On the west side of Greenville, on the other hand, were the Meadows building and not a heck of a lot else other than run-down tourist courts.
The city of Dallas did not demolish the Dr Pepper plant, the developer who bought the land did. Unfortunately the property was idiosyncratic enough (large open lawn surrounding a one or two story office building/plant) that no one could be found that wanted it. I too regret its destruction. I guess the Dr Pepper plant was built around 1950.
No it's on the north side.
My understanding is that the Katy trail will be extended by following the MKT right of way (after which it's named, of course) to the N.E. and then connecting up with the trail that runs along the DART line (which is laid on the MKT right of way) heading out toward the lake.
Well, all you have to do is get off the train at the Park Lane station and walk across Central to get to Northpark. Seems to me that it is pretty much connected to light rail.
Great information. Thanks. I was reading recently that developers plan on redeveloping those buildings in and around the Meadows Building adding residential and retail to the area. Then further north of there, off to the east in their Village apartments, Lincoln plans on redevelopng some of the older garden style apartments into dense highrise apartments.
All that will make impressive lead-in develop into downtown NorthPark Center one day.
I realized later that Mockingbird Station is north of Mockingbird. Thanks.
Yes, did all that area develop from the side of Greenville Avenue prior to the building of Central Expressway? Looking at a map of the businesses located there, an interesting mix has formed ncluding residential. It takes on the characteristics of a small arts district. Did that light rail along there at one time connect with the line that id now serving as the Katy Trail?
Remember that Coit Rd. was there before Central Expwy was. Also two rail lines, MKT and Central Pacific (I think), plus the interurban over on what is now Matilda, running out to Sherman (if memory serves). So I would guess that there were businesses fronting on Mockingbird (Western Electric), Greenville (tourist courts, don't know what else - when did Shamburger's start doing business at that location?), and Coit Rd (later to be Central Expwy). Yale Blvd (recently renamed "SMU Blvd") and Dyer Ave. also ran through there from an early stage.
The Central Pacific ran along Coit Rd. north of Mockingbird,and continued on toward downtown south of Mockingbird. The MKT ran southwest toward downtown south of Mockingbird and north of Mockingbird it ran roughly northeast - its railbed is now the DART line. The Katy Trail is named after, no surprise, the MKT whose railbed it largely uses. The MKT RR was headquartered in Dallas at least when I was young. The interurban is the closest thing to today's concept of "light rail" - it ran down what is now Matilda and I believe it ran all the way to Sherman or maybe to Denison. I'm not sure when the interurban was shut down, some time after the war because my mother definitely used it and she came to Dallas in '47 I believe. When I was a kid the interurban tracks were still in place in some places down Matilda. Also I remember when a repaving of Greenville Ave. eliminated the last of the brick paving (it had been asphalted over, but the bricks were still under there).
Before the Village Apartments there was the Lovers Lane riding stables where we would hire horses occasionally when I was a small boy. I remember quite well when the Village and Old Town were built. I think there was a small airstrip on that land before my time.
Also, as a point of trivia, Skillman used to be called Lindbergh Rd. after Charles Lindbergh, but apparently was renamed around the time of WW2 as Charles Lindbergh was somewhat of a German sympathizer.
Greenville Avenue played the part of Today's Central Expressway before that freeway got constructed. While it has achieved contemporary iconic status today as a transit oriented development, Mockingbird Station should be considered a part of a larger overall retail area called Upper Greenville. Between Mockingbird Station (Mockingbird Lane) and Lovers Lane, there exists a neat little commercial area. It is west of Greenville Avenue located between it and Central Expressway which, in turn, is to the east of it. A Dart Light Rail Line runs down the middle of this little commercial area of offices, retail, and residences. Two of the streets pinpoint this commercial area and they are Dyer Street and SMU Boulevard. Retail along Upper Greenville runs further north of this area all the way to the Northwest Highway and beyond to about the vicinity of the Presbyrtarian Medical Center.
If I am missing the mark defining this area, feel free to elaborate.
As the boundaries of many of these types of retail districts are vague, I feel burdened to better define them.
The borders of North Central Expressway (US 75), Mockingbird Lane, Greenville Avenue and Lovers Lane is officially called University Crossing and Mockingbird Staion is ipart of this neighborhood of University Crossing. University Crossing
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