Apr 7, 2006 9:59 pm US/Central
Changes In Store For Deep Ellum Area
by Jay Gormley
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller took a walk through the streets of Deep Ellum on Friday.
Mayor Miller and members of the Deep Ellum Task Force are searching for ways to revitalize the neighborhood. Every step they took was one step closer to a new and improved Dallas area.
During the walking tour, the mayor joined Deep Ellum business owners and neighbors for a first hand look at what works needs to be done.
"You don't want to change the atmosphere here," said Mayor Miller. "You want the funky signage and the artwork and the live music and all of that, but what you want the city to do is come in and make it feel safe and attractive. So it's landscaping. It's sidewalk improvements. It's lighting, parking lots."
The neighborhood association says it wants to attract an older crowd. They're shooting for something similar to Sixth St. in Austin, with live music playing with neighbors living nearby.
The goal in achieving this is to eliminate after-hour permits that keep some clubs open until 4:00 a.m., but the club owners say they're being made the scapegoat for Deep Ellum's crime problem.
Critics counter by arguing that late night bars are a magnet for crime after 2:00 a.m.
The task force plans to approach Deep Ellum in two phases. The first phase will include improved lighting, parking and safety. Phase two includes two new DART stations, residential housing and retail shops.
(CBS 11 News)
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