Could South Dallas area’s fate foretell the fate of South Richardson?

by Andrew Laska of Richardson Echo

Editor's note: This piece comes from the newly-started blog on the Richardson Echo site, The Echo Chamber.

In his blog, Dallas Progress, Dallas City Plan Commission member Michael Davis tells us about the area around Southwest Center Mall (formerly known as Red Bird Mall) and its decline. When you strip away the geographic specifics, the issues he discusses (which in fact lead him to move his family out of the area) are issues repeated over and over in urban areas in the United States. Could his discussion and analysis foreshadow the fate of southern Richardson if we don't act?

Now I know the cynical reader is jumping up and down to wonder what one area of town has to do with the other. "We don't even have a mall in south Richardson," you say and, "What kind of comparison are you trying to make?" I think Michael Davis' discussion is important not only because of what he says but because of who says it.

Davis is a member of Dallas' City Plan Commission (CPC) and he chairs the CPC's Urban Design Advisory Committee. He was also chair of the CPC ad hoc committee on Form-Based Zoning for Dallas. He is also a tireless writer and very astute observer of development, land use, and zoning issues in Southern Dallas. In short, he is committed to challenging Dallas to solve its southern issues related to development, economic development, and investment. He talks the talk and he's paid his dues by walking the walk.

He tells us:

That someone as dedicated as Davis would move is telling. While many of us go about our lives, Davis is someone who has gotten involved with leadership of his area and has pushed back against problems. In anticipating that he will be called a quitter he says, "All I can say is that I lived it."

Davis tells us a story on his blog about various crime-ridden apartments near the mall and how that attracts a certain type of thuggery to prey upon the mall. He states that he believes that the apartments are the key problem that keeps the area down. It is why regional retailers with options choose to locate elsewhere.

Tear down the apartments and the problems will begin to be solved, Davis says.

What has any of this to do with south Richardson? It doesn't have the level of crime and degradation that that area has. What gives?

Wikipedia's entry on Southwest Center Mall tells us that, "Soon after its completion, the mall's customer base began to weaken due to what is known as 'white flight.' Competition further contributed to the mall's decline: Newer malls in Arlington, Grand Prairie, and nearby Cedar Hill have all attracted shoppers away from Red Bird Mall."

What Richardson has experienced is not quite "white flight" but more like a "professional flight." Many of the older homes have gone to rentals and the apartments, once targeted to young professionals, no longer attract those clients.

When you strip away the specifics of a mall and geography and then the urban development, history, and political issues that south Richardson might face in a potential future could be eerily similar to what Davis discusses.

The southwest portion of Richardson has apartments near Spring Valley which many say have come to the end of their useful life. On the opposite side of Spring Valley, in Dallas, there are apartments not nearly as well maintained. Southeast Richardson is close to older apartments in Dallas -- close enough to cause concern. The 75 corridor is not experiencing redevelopment as everyone would like. Richardson Heights Shopping Center is in foreclosure.

However, even with these detractions none of this compares to the problems of degradation and serious crime that Davis discusses. It's not even close. However, it's safe to say that the area around Southwest Center Mall -- when it was called Red Bird Mall -- looked like how south Richardson is now at one point. The "take home" on that point is that without serious attention to the Southern side of Richardson, it could slip beyond control just as the former Red Bird area did.

Lest you think it all doom and gloom, it is not by a long shot. The residential prices in the surrounding areas have held their own despite the general regional and national economic problems. People are still attracted to the character and feel of the earlier developments, homes sell well, and most people maintain their homes. Good steps have been taken that show a focus on these challenges. Richardson implemented a TIF zone which includes Spring Valley and 75. Several residential enforcement ordinances have been put in place to deal with upkeep. Apartment enforcement has been stepped up, which has resulted in at least one demolition.

All that said, we must recognize Richardson's position in terms of regional competitiveness and its growth potential. Richardson is a built out first tier or inner ring suburb. Its growth, unlike outer suburbs like Melissa or Frisco, will come from internal redevelopment and not from new growth. Add to this the fact that other areas are not getting younger. Areas midway between north and south including aging retail continue to age and must evolve to compete. This means the piece of pie from taxes or from bonds will be smaller.

The history of inner ring suburbs gives us case after case where these problems got away because of half measures or, in most cases, a lack of realization of the problems before it was too late.

The city of Richardson needs to invest heavily in southern Richardson. Some will declare this as not "fiscally responsible," "unbalanced," or perhaps some other euphemism. Some of those raising these objections will not live in the immediately affected areas and they will think it does not affect them. However, history shows us the opposite is true. As these problems develop and pick up steam, they often cost much more to combat than they would have had they been attacked earlier.

In other words, what affects southern Richardson can end up lessening the services of Canyon Creek, the panhandle, and Yale & Spring Park. Strong and outstanding redevelopment would change the residential and demographic makeup and would thus change the retail landscape. As a result, all neighborhoods would benefit.

Many of the southern and 75 areas that could be redeveloped have highly attractive locations with great access to 75, 635, and DART rail. The upside potential is enormous.

It is certainly possible that the apartments in and near south Richardson could degrade to produce a situation similar to the one Davis describes. Could it be that if this happens we will see Richardson's equivalent of Michael Davis' move from south Richardson? We need to take a lesson from Davis. We should not say, "It's not bad" or "I don't live there." We need to be smart, roll up our sleeves and honestly get to work.

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