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Feb 28, 2006 8:29 pm US/Central
City Leaders Hope To Change Deep Ellum's Image
by Eileen Gonzales
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
Plans are underway to change the image of Deep Ellum in Dallas.
Tuesday city leaders hosted a town hall meeting to discuss ways of turning around the entertainment district.
Deep Ellum's bad reputation is proving to be bad for business at Tarantino's Restaurant.
Business owner Peter Tarantino says visitors are put off.
"People don't wanna come down. Good friends of mine don't want to come down to Deep Ellum. The overall image of Deep Ellum all over Dallas/Fort Worth is negative and it's keeping people from coming in."
The entertainment district is improving according to Dallas police who say crime is down 9% and violent crime is down 36%.
Now there's also direct involvement from the mayor, police chief and council members to turn things around.
"We're strategizing with the bar and club owners and the retail owners on how to get that message out, that this is a safe place to be and a fun place to be," said Dallas Mayor Laura Miller.
Issues addressed during the town hall included parking, traffic, safety concerns and the need to change Deep Ellum's image.
Solutions could include public improvement programs, graffiti abatement and the elimination of late night clubbing.
Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle thinks change could be for the better.
"If the clubs shut down at 2am and clubs aren't open until 4am, it gives us a tool that makes it easier to get people off the streets quicker."
For now the proposals are just talk but Tarantino says there's a need to take action, before it's too late.
"They're talking about all kinds of great programs and changes for them its fine. But am I gonna stay in business in three and four and five, six months, I don't know. Are my neighbors, are the other restaurants gonna be able to stay in business. We don't know how much longer we can hang on."
Tuesday's meeting led to the creation of a Deep Ellum Task Force.
The task force will be made up of one representative from each of the following: the Deep Ellum Foundation, the Deep Ellum Association, Deep Ellum Residents Council, a restaurant representative, a live music bar owners representative, and a dance club/bar representative.
The new task force will meet monthly at a location in Deep Ellum with representatives from various city departments including Police, Code Compliance, Development Services (Zoning), and Streets.
Members will be chosen in the near future and the first meeting will be scheduled in a matter of weeks.
(CBS 11 News)
