When Michael Harrity opened his store in the Bishop Arts District 12 years ago, he didn’t have many neighbors. Harrity, a former present of the district’s merchants association, can still tick them off: A couple of restaurants, a coffee shop that is long gone, a hair salon. Today, his Bishop … more

Disagreement exists over the exact definition of “New Urbanism”. Some say it’s a catchphrase coined by urban planners and hijacked by developers to attach to their projects. In Dallas, some believe it’s the wave of the future, and the doubters need to start believing.

It just so happens that Oak … more

A curious mind is to blame for Jim Barnes’ reputation as the Stevens Park Estates historian.

“I’d always thought that this neighborhood was very well planned, and somebody should do a little history about how things got to be this way,” Barnes says.

He decided to spend a couple of … more

Some neighbors say their favorite stories from Jim Barnes’ research are about the notorious and the fabulously wealthy. Here are a few:

• One circuit court case Barnes has researched involves a trespassing dispute between William Myers and Milton Merrifield (at right). “It’s quite complicated, but both claimed that they … more

Of all the stories Barnes has come across, his favorite is the story of the Middlebrook sisters, whose family bought the Stevens family farmhouse, and who lived in the house until their deaths. Here is the story in his words:

“At the end of the street, there’s Middlebrook Place, a … more

Lots of neighborhood hopes are riding on the Trinity River Corridor Project. Those pushing the city’s $2.45 billion tollway and park initiative, with its accompanying amenities, promised the project would attract new businesses and residences along the levees, increasing property values in the neighborhood, and bringing together the northern and … more

She’s an American in Paris working as a fashion designer for Yves Saint Laurent. Oak Cliff native Kate Crouch had to travel across an ocean to find her calling, and she enjoys it so much she may never come home.

I understand you originally wanted to be a dancer.
I … more

Twelve Hills Nature Center board members are anxiously awaiting the completion of the center’s trailhead entrance sometime this spring. “Right now it looks like somebody is digging up a whole lot of dirt in a field that’s been neglected, and sometimes the neighbors wonder,” board member Paula Craig jokes. The … more

Ever been struck by Cupid’s arrow? Maybe you hoped Cupid would strike someone else on your behalf. Lucky for you, the winged god of love will be making the rounds at the Belmont Hotel this Valentine’s Day, spreading romance by personally delivering valentines to Cliff Café diners and hotel rooms. … more

Sticking to the basics has kept Vitto Italian in business for more than a decade. The Bishop Arts restaurant, which celebrates its 13th anniversary this year, isn’t a destination spot, says manager Kipp Corkill, but a neighborhood restaurant that boasts its share of regulars.