One block of Ninth Street in the Bishop Arts District now belongs to developer Exxir Capital.
Dallas City Council on Wednesday voted to “abandon” the block of Ninth between Bishop and Madison, where Exxir is planning a woonerf.
It just wouldn’t be north Oak Cliff without a Dutch city-planning concept.
The developer plans to turn the street into a pedestrian friendly low-speed drive where cars are allowed. The street could also be closed for markets and events without the hassles that come with closing a public street, such as permits and the requirement to hire police as security.
Woonerf was first applied in Dallas to a single-family neighborhood in Lake Highlands in 2017.
The city’s legal “abandonment” means Exxir is now responsible for maintaining the street, curbs, gas and water lines and drainage.
Allowing a private company to own the street also puts 13,100 square feet of space onto the tax rolls. It could add up to an estimated $586,500 that the city stands to gain between new taxes and removing it from the city’s maintenance.
This woonerf will enhance the city’s “walkability goals,” Mayor Pro-Tem Chad West says, as well as making Bishop Arts more pedestrian friendly.
“I think we need more of these in the city, and I’m very excited to pass this today,” West said during the meeting.
