The highly-anticipated elevated park in Dallas has just finally reached 75% of their funding goal after garnering $62 million which is in care of Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation according to an NBC 5 DFW article from April 20. They say,
“The vision for a deck park above I-35 in Oak Cliff continues to become reality as construction for the major project moves forward. On Tuesday organizers said they’ve reached 75% of their fundraising goal of $82 million for phase one of two of Southern Gateway Park.
Expected to be completed in 2024, the 5.5 acres of park will have trees, pavilions, food trucks, similar to Klyde Warren Park.
Funding for the massive project is part of a public and private partnership spearheaded by a nonprofit group called Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation.
On Tuesday it was announced they were able to raise more than $62 million of the $82 million. This past month they received millions thanks to four major donors, including Rees-Jones Foundation which gave $5 million to the project, Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) with $3.5 million with a grant from W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund, $1 million from the Eugene McDermott Foundation and $1 million from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.”
Mayor Eric Johnson, former Mayors Ron Kirk and Mike Rawlings all expressed their delight over the huge project as they see it as a substantial part of an economic development coming over to Dallas according to an Audacy article from April 20 which says,
“It will provide green space and swaths of trees in an area defined by masses of concrete,” said Mayor Eric Johnson.
“I think we’re going to see people coming from all over the region,” Kirk said.
Former Mayor Mike Rawlings co-chairs the Southern Gateway Alliance with Kirk. Rawlings says the additional green space in those other neighborhoods has sparked more residential and commercial development.
“The economic development that’s going to come from this is going to be amazing,” Rawlings said. “It works when you put green space in and draw people in.”
“This is not going to be some carbon copy of Klyde Warren,” Johnson said. “This is going to be a park with a different purpose. This is all about neighborhoods, and it’s about people.”
However, the current development is only the first part out of two parts and the latter part is expected to cost the city and the people another $90 million. The second part of the park will extend further into Marsalis Ave.
