The City of Dallas says a "public-private partnership" will help bring new interest to the area around the site of Valley View Mall. The last tenants at the mall closed and the mall was demolished in 2019. The area near 635 and Montfort has been vacant since then.
"Given the pause and delay we've had given COVID, we really needed to press 'reset' for the entire area," says Kevin Spath, assistant director in the Dallas Office of Economic Development.
Spath says the 450-acre site will be rebuilt with residential, office space, restaurants, and entertainment.
"The vision is ultimately boiled down to this: a mixed-use neighborhood, high density, and pedestrian-friendly that is anchored by a large, central park," he says.
The park will be 20 acres near the center of the development. Montfort will be reduced from six lanes to four to make room for bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks.
Suzanne Smith, CEO of Social Impact Architects, says the city polled residents and tourists to decide on a name for the area. She says "International District" had the highest scores, and that name could draw tourists who might otherwise stay downtown or go to other attractions in Arlington, Fort Worth, or other parts of North Texas.
"One of the things we took a look at is where we are economically and how we can best leverage this particular area to really go to the next level as a growth opportunity," Smith says.
She says the city can keep tourists in Dallas by "giving them multiple experiences," saying the city needs to assert itself more aggressively as it grows as a "global destination."
"It really is an opportunity for Dallas to elevate its game," Smith says. "What I've told people is it really elevates us from playing checkers to playing chess."
Dallas ISD plans to build a "STEAM" school nearby. The school was included in the bond package voters passed last year.
“The PreK-12 International District STEAM Academy will provide a unique opportunity for students to enter pre-K and study STEAM from a global perspective, with that knowledge building as they progress through 12th grade. As the Valley View/Galleria area becomes the International District, the school will be a genuine reflection of that theme," Superintendent Michael Hinojosa wrote in a statement.
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