Carrollton is Where Connections Happen With Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART’s) Green Line arriving in Carrollton in December 2010, Carrollton is at a crossroads of tremendous opportunity – for developers, citizens, potential residents and businesses.
Carrollton is Where Connections Happen
Carrollton is a community looking to its future by reflecting on, and connecting with, its rich past. In the coming years, the rail lines that once carried cotton and grain through town will carry people to three new DART light rail stations, scheduled to open by 2010. The stations will link Carrollton directly to Dallas, other Metroplex cities, and eventually DFW Airport. Each station will bring with it transit-oriented development (TOD) opportunities and new points of connection for residents, visitors and businesses.
Carrollton’s downtown area is the only transit intersection in the Dallas-Fort Worth region capable of three or more transit lines outside of downtown Dallas in the foreseeable future, and as a result, is ripe for development, including real estate, commercial and investment opportunities. It’s also predicted that this station will be the fourth largest transportation hub after Downtown Dallas, Downtown Fort Worth and DFW Airport, making Carrollton a place that is truly poised to be “Where Connections Happen.”
--Peter J. Braster, Transit-Oriented Development Manager, City of Carrollton
TOD Catalyst Project
In April 2009, the Carrollton City Council approved a TOD Catalyst Infrastructure Project with High Street Residential, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trammell Crow Company (TCC High Street). The City of Carrollton and Trammel Crow/High Street Residential LLC entered into a public/private partnership to develop a catalyst project in downtown Carrollton.
The first TOD catalyst project is located on City property at the corner of Carroll Avenue and South Main Street in Downtown Carrollton (formerly the Foxworth Galbraith Lumberyard). This site was chosen because it bridges the anticipated DART Green Line light rail station with the existing Historic Downtown Square. The catalyst mixed-use development consists of 295 for-lease apartments spread over 4 buildings, 15,050 sf of retail flex space and a 460 space 5-level parking garage. The City will be funding the public improvements and the parking garage. Retail patrons for all of downtown will be able to utilize the 125 free public parking spaces located in the parking garage.
Main & Carroll "Before" Catalyst Project
Main & Carroll "After" Catalyst Project
The project is scheduled to begin construction in October 2010 with the first residents moving in by September 2011.
TOD Catalyst Infrastructure Project Elements
The TOD Catalyst Infrastructure Project is a major part of Carrollton's commitment to the catalyst mixed-use project. The three key elements of the project are: (1) reconstruction of South Main Street/Pioneer Park to create an enhanced entry into Downtown Carrollton; (2) construction of an interim parking lot at Vandergriff Drive and Broadway Street; (3) extension of Vandergriff Drive eastward from Broadway Street and the Union Pacific Railroad/DART Green Line right-of-way to connect to the southern terminus of Myers Street; (4) construction of a hike-and-bike trail parallel to the DART Green Line connecting Crosby Road and South Main Street; and (5) a regional drainage retention pond for the Downtown Carrollton area (including the proposed mixed-use catalyst development).
Main Street/Pioneer Park Reconstruction:
Reconstruction of South Main Street (between Belt Line Road and DART’s Green Line right of way) will create an enhanced entry into the Downtown Carrollton Square area, while providing access to the area’s first catalyst TOD project. Authorized by voters in the 2007 Bond Election, the reconstruction will include new water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer lines. In addition, it will be the first project of its kind to incorporate the new City standards for transit center roadway design.
To help create a pedestrian-friendly downtown and an entrance to the High Street development, South Main Street’s sidewalks will feature wide decorative paving, October Glory Maple street trees, shrubs and native grasses, ornamental street lights, benches and trash receptacles. Each of the street trees will have electrical service for holiday lighting. Pioneer Park will be reconstructed to feature a densely planted bosque of Pond Cypress trees and a curvilinear seat wall beneath an existing specimen Live Oak. The Pond Cypress was selected as a unifying element to visually tie the DART platform, plaza and parking areas to the High Street Development area.
Main Street/Pioneer Park "Before"
Main Street/Pioneer Park reconstruction from Belt Line to DART Rail "After"
Interim "Green" Parking Lot:
Included in the South Main Street project is the construction of a nearby interim surface parking lot at the intersection of Vandergriff Drive and Broadway Street. The lot will add 83 parking spaces, and will have the same streetscape design elements as South Main Street. This new sustainable parking lot will be constructed with recyclable pavers and grass stone providing an open green space which may be used for special events, and will feature geometric grids of Pond Cypress plantings.
Interim "Green" Parking Lot with Grasscreet Paving
Vandergriff Drive:
In 2007, the City completed its Transit Center Transportation and Parking Plan. The Plan identified the need for a “bypass” to relieve expected vehicular congestion on Broadway and Main Streets. This bypass road is commonly referred to as the “TOD Connector.” The “TOD Connector” roadway will enable those retail-oriented streets to remain pedestrian-oriented and not be widened. This road also defines the eastern limit of the transit center district with a pedestrian friendly street that buffers the existing, stable single-family neighborhoods east of Downtown Carrollton from the higher density transit center district. The TOD Connector has several segments: Vandergriff Drive, Myers Street, Rosemon Avenue and Northside Drive. Sub-segments of Vandergriff Drive, Rosemon Avenue and Northside Drive do not currently exist and will need to be constructed. The Vandergriff Drive segment is critical as it provides a southern block-face to the TOD Catalyst Project and a relief route to Belt Line Road when the Belt Line Road Grade Separation begins in a few years. In addition, it will join the southern half of the Francis-Perry neighborhood to Downtown Carrollton. This missing linkage has long isolated the neighborhood and access to Perry Park from Downtown Carrollton.
Looking West along Vandergriff Drive "Before"
Looking West along Vandergriff Drive "After"
Hike-and-Bike Trail:
The Hike-and-Bike Trail from Crosby Road to South Main Street has long been identified as an integral part of Carrollton’s hike-and-bike trail network. This trail will connect with the DART-constructed trail from Belt Line Road (and the DART Downtown Carrollton Station) to South Main Street. Both segments are portions of a longer trail planned to parallel DART’s Green Line in Carrollton. The Green Line is elevated through most of Carrollton and a trail under the LRT guide way will provide a safe pedestrian linkage to the stations.
Along Crosby Road and adjacent to the DART Green Line are several large workforce housing complexes. The City of Carrollton is currently reconstructing both Crosby Road and the existing Crosby Community Center that serves the southern portion of Carrollton. This hike-and-bike trail will connect the neighborhood directly to Downtown Carrollton and the Downtown Carrollton Station at Belt Line Road. Likewise, residents of Downtown Carrollton will gain safe access to the renovated Crosby Community Center.
Regional Retention Pond:
The City identified the need for detention in the 2007 Transit Center Master Drainage Study. At that time, the City Council mandated that all detention in the transit centers be made into an amenity for residents. In addition, the Downtown Carrollton Regional Retention Pond is a key element to incentivize development in Downtown Carrollton. Existing zoning would require very expensive underground storm water storage. Developers are more apt to consider Downtown Carrollton as a place to develop if the City takes on the responsibility of providing a regional retention pond.
The Downtown Carrollton Regional Retention Pond will provide an additional open space/park to residents and visitors. The above-mentioned hike-and-bike trail will provide access to the amenity retention pond. Other elements will include a circular path around the pond, seating areas and a fountain to provide aeration maintaining water quality.
Looking North Toward South Main Street. Hike and Bike Trail will Follow DART Rail North to South Main Street. Regional Retention Pond will be to the Right in the foreground. "Before"
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