Morning News columnist Jackie Floyd takes on the issue here. She calls for the Frank Crowley Courts Building, the Kennedy Memorial, El Centro, city hall, and the downtown public library to join Reunion Arena on the scrap pile. (If I had to guess, I’d say Steve Blow’s take would be “who cares about aesthetics?” and James Ragland would tell the story of some building no one remembers that shouldn’t have been torn down but was anyway. But I digress.) Anyway — if you could tear down one building in the downtown area, what would it be? Use Floyd’s suggestions, or come up with your own. Me? I’d vote for city hall. At the very least, I’m in favor of chopping up the giant expanse of concrete surrounding it. I’d actually vote for every parking lot, but I guess that runs contrary to the spirit.
25 comments
Earle Cabell Federal Building is ugly both inside and out. Close runner up would be Old Dallas High across from POTA. I realize its a historic structure….but…come on. I think most of it burned down over 10 years ago in 1999.
Blow up the box stores. Start with the Wal-Marts and Best Buys.
At least the buildings Floyd points to are each unique.
It’s got to be the Infomart. Even the name is ugly.
Every time I drive by, I can’t believe it’s still standing.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=32.780672,-96.794872&num=1&sll=32.784551,-96.775904&sspn=0.002372,0.003449&gl=us&ie=UTF8&ll=32.780539,-96.794837&spn=0.001195,0.001725&z=19&layer=c&cbll=32.780777,-96.794873&panoid=9S5lwM8S3Hepkp1kWXwytg&cbp=12,154.09,,0,3.2
I vote Convention Center arena. Looks like a big wart on an otherwise world class convention center
@wlc -
Agreed! I walked by that building the other day going to Campisio’s and it’s trashed – windows broken and boarded up, trash throughout the lobby. It looked like there was still a management office in the lobby, but that place is a mess.
I wonder what the details are on that building, and what it’s around for?
Second vote would be the Dallas High building, also. It’s an eyesore.
This: if only it were a building. (And, no, I’m not talking about the Myerson, Winspear, or Wylie. I’m talking about the skate park that’s next to all three of them.)
what about the dallas world trade center? the big brown box?
(am I calling it the right thing?)
The Dallas World Trade Center- The interior of the building is really nice but what is the deal with the outside? Its a big brown box.
I usually refer to the Dallas World Trade Center as “Brown Zero”.
This conversation reminds me of that awesome TED talk by Howard Kunstler, regarding mid-century architects building “award winning” structures that simply aren’t worth caring about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ZeXnmDZMQ
WlC and Jla,
Tina Turner escaped to the Grand and was given a free room there after Ike Turner beat her up. Haven’t you seen “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
That’s History Man!
AT&T building.. Looks like a prison.
American Airlines Center. Perfect for Ft. Worth. Awful for the Dallas skyline.
Jim the Informart was designed to look like London’s Crystal Palace which burned down in 1936.
I’m voting for 100 North Central building located at the 2200 Main block (Across from Purgatory). A rather short building for the area, the black exterior isn’t overly attractive and the parking garage makes it less attractive. (I used to work in the building, its only half occupied and its haunted!)
In one of my architecture classes, we were taught that the “big brown box” is what the Infomart came in. Shipped it over, set the box down, pulled out the Infomart, put it down next to the box and wah-lah!
My vote would be for 99.99% of all industrial park buildings. Building of note: The Adam’s Mark/Sheraton/Whatever it is these days. The Fairmont, too. Ugg-uh-lee!
Wyly Theatre. What were they thinking?
I also agree that the Grand Hotel has got to go. Functionally unusable, and aesthetically painful.
The Ritz-Carlton is ugly and already very old and tired looking. The Wyly is pretty strange looking and will have no lasting looking value.
I have another vote for the Wylie. And I think the inside is worse than the outside. “Wylie Green” is positively nauseating and the metal mesh on the magnetic walls by the staircase already looks messy and worn. Yuck!
Intrigued by the comments here. Some of the buildings criticized here are my favorites, including the Statler Hilton and the old Crozier Tech building. (They need to be developed, yes, but let’s not tear them down just to tear them down.)
I’m curious to know what buildings posters DO like. Might be interesting to see where their aesthetic viewpoint is coming from…
Jim R,
The arena ‘wart’ you speak of on the Convention Center is actually the oldest part of the complex. It was built in 1957 by George Dahl (of Fair Park fame) and is actually one of the better mid century public buildings left in Dallas.
As far as the Statler is concerned, it is probably the best mid century modern building in Dallas, perhaps even the state.
Tearing a building down because they are ugly or out of date was the same justification for demolishing Penn Station in the 1960’s. Granted, these buildings are not Penn Station, but I do think architecture should be allowed to mature and gain appreciation over time.
The issue with these civic buildings is that the public spaces are forlorn and empty. The IM Pei City Hall is a striking building that is a bit threadbare inside from use and lack of upkeep. The Library needs nothing more than a “cleaning”, with tidy bowl.
The signature style that reached fruition in the 70’s (Brutalism?) has started to be rediscovered, so it would be as objectionable to discard it as the attempts to “international stylize” Fair Park in the 60’s
Johnson’s Cenotaph? Tear it down? That is an unconscionable idea, especially as it is a memorial to someone whose vigor best epitomised late Modern.
Reunion was architecturally honest, I think the largest eight point cantilevered truss in the world. Compare to that awful pastiche that is the AA.
The Belo Bldg. Enough said!
Are any buildings north of NW Highway actually needed? I mean, besides North Park..
I am a fan of Dallas City Hall. It represents Dallas as the can-do city after the assassination. I don’t think it’s ugly, it’s different. I know that is a sin to folks in Friso.
Crozier Tech/Dallas/Bryan High School is the first high school in Dallas. Even though I am partial to the seventh, it should not be demolished. It’s HISTORIC.
Elvis stayed at the Statler Hilton. As for the Convention Center it’s called (”Memorial Auditorium” neophytes!), the Beatles played there.
Enough said.
Except I met Maureen Reagan in there…
I think that the Sheraton hotel is the absolute ugliest building downtown. It’s old, and HUGE. If it weren’t so big, it wouldn’t be so bad!
The old Statler hotel that some people are saying is ugly is actually pretty neat. It’s design reflects that of the BRAND NEW element building which you can see from the Statler. If someone bought it and renovated it, that portion of downtown would help to be revitalized. (Especially with the new UNT law school going in right there and the Main Street Garden)
The Dallas High School would be AWESOME if someone bought it an converted it to loft apartments. I know tons of people who agree. Otherwise, if it is going to remain boarded up, the just get rid of it. There’s plenty of opportunity in downtown to turn older buildings into neat apartments. I don’t know why it hasn’t already been done. Give it a few years, and after the numerous parks that are to be built, downtown will start changing.