Will Fort Worth become a luxury destination? (Dallas, University Park: neighborhood, tenant)

[Yellow pool of piddle]

I was reading about the Shops at Clearfork and plans to add about 100 luxury shops. An inference was made to Highland Park Village when describing it. Do you think they are serious or just fishing? When suggesting that they are fishing, I meant by how office developers often advertise a skyscraper in hopes of bringing in a large tenant. Often times, they end up shrinkng the size of the office tower or cancel it altogether. What worries me about the addition of the luxury retail in this area is the distance it would be located from a major airport.

I think these guys are going to sober up and ax the idea of luxury. I'm pulling for them though. This whole part of town is gorgeous.

[naterator]

There's enough money in that part of town to keep a lot of luxury shops in business. Might steal some business from the luxury shops in the University area, and the Neiman's move is the death knell for Ridgmar, but that's the ebb and flow of things. 50 years ago, Seminary South was the place to be. 40 years ago, it was Ridgmar Mall. 30 years ago, it was Hulen Mall. 20 years ago, Northeast Mall. 10 years ago, Montgomery Plaza. Now, it's probably Clearfork's turn.


But as far as a luxury destination? No. There's but a handful of those in the world and Fort Worth ain't even close. Really, not even Dallas. Also consider, Northpark and the Galleria aren't close to the airport either, and they're doing just fine.


Ugh. I hate to see my neat old town turning into Dallas. But I guess that's what people want, and you gotta follow the money.

[kingdomcome1]

Fort Worth is a possibility, as long as it keeps its charm and artsy cowboy ways....We live in Uptown(5 minutes walking distance to Downtown) and love the Trinity River and the proposals for the Trinity River Vision(Panther Island). If they can make it as they say they can, then yes, I can see Fort Worth becoming more and more of a luxury destination. The one thing about Fort Worth though...it loves being different and keeping it's Western flare!

[Yellow pool of piddle]

Originally Posted by naterator

There's enough money in that part of town to keep a lot of luxury shops in business. Might steal some business from the luxury shops in the University area, and the Neiman's move is the death knell for Ridgmar, but that's the ebb and flow of things. 50 years ago, Seminary South was the place to be. 40 years ago, it was Ridgmar Mall. 30 years ago, it was Hulen Mall. 20 years ago, Northeast Mall. 10 years ago, Montgomery Plaza. Now, it's probably Clearfork's turn.


But as far as a luxury destination? No. There's but a handful of those in the world and Fort Worth ain't even close. Really, not even Dallas. Also consider, Northpark and the Galleria aren't close to the airport either, and they're doing just fine.


Ugh. I hate to see my neat old town turning into Dallas. But I guess that's what people want, and you gotta follow the money.

Simon Properties owns both shopping centers. So, there won't be any snatching away of business. I think University Park Village and the Shops at Clearfork together will create momentum.

[Yellow pool of piddle]

Originally Posted by kingdomcome1

Fort Worth is a possibility, as long as it keeps its charm and artsy cowboy ways....We live in Uptown(5 minutes walking distance to Downtown) and love the Trinity River and the proposals for the Trinity River Vision(Panther Island). If they can make it as they say they can, then yes, I can see Fort Worth becoming more and more of a luxury destination. The one thing about Fort Worth though...it loves being different and keeping it's Western flare!

According to what I read, they plan on adding about a hundred luxury shops. That is huge news!

[JJG]

Originally Posted by naterator

Ugh. I hate to see my neat old town turning into Dallas. But I guess that's what people want, and you gotta follow the money.

...not trying to be snippy or anything, but do people here think that Dallas is the only other city on the planet?

It's called growing and Fort Worth is a major city. As a major city, we're lacking in several things that major cities need. You have to cater to all, not just a handful of people in a place with now over 800k...

[Yellow pool of piddle]

Originally Posted by JJG

...not trying to be snippy or anything, but do people here think that Dallas is the only other city on the planet?

It's called growing and Fort Worth is a major city. As a major city, we're lacking in several things that major cities need. You have to cater to all, not just a handful of people in a place with now over 800k...

You miss the point. Pertaining to the arts, pound for pound, Fort Worth is tops in Texas. Pertaining to luxury shopping, Fort Worth has always been like a suburb of Dallas. I am wondering if Fort Worth is going to develop a luxury district of its own. Far North Dallas tried to challenge the long established retail in central Dallas during the early to late eighties and early nineties. Five luxury department stores got built in a square mile area within three malls and a shopping center. The luxury department stores were Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Sakowitz. The malls were the Dallas Galleria, Valley View Mall, and Prestonwood Town Center. The lone shopping center was Sakowitz Village. That whole area of far north Dallas got its hat handed to them by the legacy retail of central Dallas. Everyone of those luxury department stores have been demolished. Two of the malls have been either demolished or shuttled, The Sakowitz department store was demolished and replaced with a Whole Foods.

This is why the establishment of luxury retail in Fort Worth is such a big deal.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Yellow pool of piddle

You miss the point. Pertaining to the arts, pound for pound, Fort Worth is tops in Texas. Pertaining to luxury shopping, Fort Worth has always been like a suburb of Dallas.

Ok... 1., I really don't think I'm the one missing any point, here. My post was in response to someone saying "I hate to see my 'neat old town' turning into Dallas", and the response as specifically focused on that and that alone, not the topic of this thread.

And 2., saying that Fort Worth has always been like a suburb of Dallas is false and NEVER a good thing to say.

I am wondering if Fort Worth is going to develop a luxury district of its own. Far North Dallas tried to challenge the long established retail in central Dallas during the early to late eighties and early nineties. Five luxury department stores got built in a square mile area within three malls and a shopping center. The luxury department stores were Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Sakowitz. The malls were the Dallas Galleria, Valley View Mall, and Prestonwood Town Center. The lone shopping center was Sakowitz Village. That whole area of far north Dallas got its hat handed to them by the legacy retail of central Dallas. Everyone of those luxury department stores have been demolished. Two of the malls have been either demolished or shuttled, The Sakowitz department store was demolished and replaced with a Whole Foods.

This is why the establishment of luxury retail in Fort Worth is such a big deal.

As far as this thread is concerned... it's inevitable. At some point, we'll have a major luxury area or two in the future. But as of now, Fort Worth is overall more laid back with pockets of "the good life" here and there.

[Yellow pool of piddle]

Originally Posted by JJG

Ok... 1., I really don't think I'm the one missing any point, here. My post was in response to someone saying "I hate to see my 'neat old town' turning into Dallas", and the response as specifically focused on that and that alone, not the topic of this thread.

And 2., saying that Fort Worth has always been like a suburb of Dallas is false and NEVER a good thing to say.





As far as this thread is concerned... it's inevitable. At some point, we'll have a major luxury area or two in the future. But as of now, Fort Worth is overall more laid back with pockets of "the good life" here and there.

I said that, pertaining to retail, Fort Worth is a suburb of Dallas. However, there are other factors to consider like numbers of wealthy in the city and the size and quality of the cultural district. The size of Fort Worth's business district is about the same as Addison. There are four business districts in the Dallas area larger than the Fort Worth business district. However, downtown Fort Worth, as a gentrified neighborhood, is tops in Texas.

Still, the topic is about luxury retail and whether it will develop in Fort Worth. I don't think it will. Perhaps Simon Properties has already sobered to this realization?

[tcualum]

I grew up in Dallas and saw what Dallas luxury was all about. While I'm not into luxury shopping I could afford to if I wished. If you want to get a cursory look at the difference in luxury tastes between Dallas ad Fort Worth then look at an issue of 360 West and the similar publication from the Startlegram and a similar publication (can't remember the name) from Dallas. While you'll see some overlap you'll still see a distinct difference in the goods and property advertised in them.