[Sic'EmBears]

Historic Dallas High School will reopen next year as offices and retail space
Steve Brown
April 18, 2016

Developers who are redoing a landmark downtown Dallas building hope to have the work done by next year.

Commercial real estate firm Matthews Southwest is turning the century old Dallas High School at Pearl and Bryan streets into a combination of office and retail space.

Built in 1907, the 4-story building has been empty since the 1990s.

Matthews Southwest bought the old school last year and is spending $50.4 million on the mixed-use redevelopment. The project will include 66,000 square feet of offices and 26,000 square feet of retail space.



A lease for 35,000 square feet of office space has already been signed in the building, Matthews Southwest told Dallas officials in the TIF funding request. Real estate brokers say that international architect Perkins+Will will move its local operations into the project after completion.

Matthews Southwest said it will use the requested economic incentives to pay for streetscape upgrades, environmental remediation and demolition and facade restoration. Dallas’ city council is set to vote on the funds on April 27.

The developers say they plan to sell off extra land surrounding the landmark school. That property along Live Oak Avenue could be used for construction of apartments or more office space.

Full Article