DALLAS | Harwood Forum | 1080 feet |twin 80 story towers

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by drummer

Interesting that the bridge faces to the north - away from the downtown core - as if Frisco and Ponder are interesting to look at way off in the distance (no offense to my friends who call Frisco and Ponder home ).

It's too bad the bridge isn't facing west. It would have a killer view of Fort Worth's skyline off in the distance.

[Sic'EmBears]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

It's too bad the bridge isn't facing west. It would have a killer view of Fort Worth's skyline off in the distance.

It sure would, that is, if Fort Worth had an impressive skyline.

[Eidolon]

Great set of twins and great news for Texas. Personally I'd have preferred it if they had combined these twin towers into a single tower around 1700ft tall with lots of mass, but that's just me wishlisting.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by Austin55

As long as it's taller than anything in Houston

Dallas deserves this. Most iconic skyline in Texas (Sorry Houston ). IMO of course.



Although I'm still hoping that big ego Perot surprises us. Its 1.5 million sq-ft of skyscraper goodness on a relatively small plot.

[JR Ewing]

I love the Big D, but it honestly feels like tumbleweed city compared to NY, Boston, DC, and Philly. I hope that it becomes more urban with stuff like this.

[austlar1]

I have not done my homework on this proposal. What is going inside of the two tall towers? Office? Hotel? Condo? If it is a mixed use project, is there any information about how they propose to carve up the spaces? Is it strictly a spec project? Is there a major tenant for any office component? I guess this information is available somewhere, but I was kind of hoping to be brought up to speed by knowledgeable SSP members.

[Thymant]

Originally Posted by austlar1

I have not done my homework on this proposal. What is going inside of the two tall towers? Office? Hotel? Condo? If it is a mixed use project, is there any information about how they propose to carve up the spaces? Is it strictly a spec project? Is there a major tenant for any office component? I guess this information is available somewhere, but I was kind of hoping to be brought up to speed by knowledgeable SSP members.

I believe that renderings for this was stumbled upon on Harwood's website then quickly pulled down, this is more than likely an office with an incorporated hotel or residential space at the top, however official information has not been released yet and other than the FAA filings and the renderings all other information is speculation.

[skys the limit]

Originally Posted by austlar1

I have not done my homework on this proposal. What is going inside of the two tall towers? Office? Hotel? Condo? If it is a mixed use project, is there any information about how they propose to carve up the spaces? Is it strictly a spec project? Is there a major tenant for any office component? I guess this information is available somewhere, but I was kind of hoping to be brought up to speed by knowledgeable SSP members.

Harwood International has actually provided information concerning their planned development known as "Harwood Forum" that the renderings represent.

The image I've posted below is of a large billboard that Harwood erected across from Cirque last summer that prominently announces "Harwood Forum" and that it is 3 million square feet of "build to suit residential, office, hotel, and retail".

And as we now know, Harwood Forum's location is literally across from Cirque and extends southward a block or two toward Woodall Rodgers Expressway.

At the time the billboard appeared in summer 2014 no one really understood what it meant. As Thymant mentioned a poster on Dallas Metropolis very recently found the Harwood Forum renderings online and published them on the Dallas Metropolis site.

Then two days ago Harwood International filed formal notice with the FAA of the height of the two large twin towers as being 1,080 feet which further validates the billboard's announcement of a year ago. FAA formal filing link is here: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=3774

The dots have now connected and it is an incredible development that is on the near horizon and is apparently very serious. The Harwood Forum development will forever change not only the Downtown Dallas skyline but the urban fabric of the city.

Couple that with the fact that at this very moment 14 towers are under construction in the Downtown Dallas core, 8 more towers have groundbreakings that are imminent and another 34 towers are planned (of which Harwood Forum is included in that count). I recently prepared a list of the 56 towers and if you're interested here is that link: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=3766

Absolutely stunning levels of development are occurring in Downtown Dallas and the central core. Dallas seems poised to literally soar.

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by Thymant

I believe that renderings for this was stumbled upon on Harwood's website then quickly pulled down, this is more than likely an office with an incorporated hotel or residential space at the top, however official information has not been released yet and other than the FAA filings and the renderings all other information is speculation.

Many people, myself included, believe those renderings weren't supposed to come out yet, hence not even 24hrs went by from them being posted on Dallas Metropolis to them being removed from the architect's webpage. You just don't see that happen for no reason.

Now coupled with the FAA filing shows Harwood is doing some very significant behind the scenes work that nobody probably is even dare to peep about. My feeling is that if details got out, some folks would have their jobs on the cutting block.

[Sic'EmBears]

Originally Posted by JR Ewing

I love the Big D, but it honestly feels like tumbleweed city compared to NY, Boston, DC, and Philly. I hope that it becomes more urban with stuff like this.

You're comparing apples to oranges, buddy.

[Sic'EmBears]

For reference, here are my screenshots:

[Thymant]

Originally Posted by JR Ewing

I love the Big D, but it honestly feels like tumbleweed city compared to NY, Boston, DC, and Philly. I hope that it becomes more urban with stuff like this.

All in all I think a lot people outside of Dallas have not yet realized the massive transformation of the core and surrounding areas in recent years. Emphasis has been put on creating a more urban environment around which in turn has enhanced the existing neighborhoods as well as developed new unique communities that are comparable to some of the cities you mentioned above. While there still is room for improvement, with projects like this an many others that are currently U/C or in the works, Dallas will be respected by many more outsiders for the true vibrant city it has become.

[The Lurker]

Its good to hear that there are urban improvements goin on in Dallas. My aunt flew me down there for my 15th birthday and at the time it was the biggest city I'd ever seen but I didn't really understand how the skyscrapers kinda just stopped and gave way to deserts of parking lots and highway ramps. Its like there was no transition zones of older historic and midrise buildings between downtown and the neighborhoods. My concern with this project is the location across the freeway from downtown. Doesn't it basically force the pedestrian to cross the freeway to connect with the rest of downtown? That doesnt seem very urban. That seems like Houston.

[JR Ewing]

Originally Posted by Thymant

All in all I think a lot people outside of Dallas have not yet realized the massive transformation of the core and surrounding areas in recent years. Emphasis has been put on creating a more urban environment around which in turn has enhanced the existing neighborhoods as well as developed new unique communities that are comparable to some of the cities you mentioned above. While there still is room for improvement, with projects like this an many others that are currently U/C or in the works, Dallas will be respected by many more outsiders for the true vibrant city it has become.

I was there a few months ago. As noted, I liked it, but it had a very country bumpkin feel to it. Southlake seemed more lively.

As mid-sized cities go, Dallas and Atlanta should emulate Seattle and to a lesser degree, Minneapolis and Denver.

[Plokoon11]

I like the bridge part personally! What a project tho!

[dollaztx]

Originally Posted by The Lurker

Its good to hear that there are urban improvements goin on in Dallas. My aunt flew me down there for my 15th birthday and at the time it was the biggest city I'd ever seen but I didn't really understand how the skyscrapers kinda just stopped and gave way to deserts of parking lots and highway ramps. Its like there was no transition zones of older historic and midrise buildings between downtown and the neighborhoods..

Its easy to not understand Dallas and to to be skeptical of tall buildings being built here. The city has practically flown under the radar for 2 decades in regards to highrises but it has been booming nonetheless precisely with midrise after midrise after midrise. This has lead to a point where Uptown & Victory Park don't have room to build on no more. The spaces that are still there are already accounted for in projects underway. The Harwood District (where this will be built) is right smack in the middle of these two neighborhoods. Harwood has built many midrise towers as well during this time, but at a slower pace and overall better quality (as seen with the new Bleu Ciel, and Rolex Buildings). They practically waited-out the midrise boom and can now build taller buildings in a high-demand area where only they have enough parcels for development. This is the reason why Dallas has been getting multiple highrise/supertall proposals lately and why it shouldn't be surprising to see more.

http://harwoodinternational.com/wp-c...strict_map.jpg

My concern with this project is the location across the freeway from downtown. Doesn't it basically force the pedestrian to cross the freeway to connect with the rest of downtown? That doesnt seem very urban. That seems like Houston

Keep in mind that Uptown is denser than Downtown. Also the areas are intertwined. They are one continuous core divided by a highway. If you were walking you would cross the narrow urban park shown on the map above and the picture below. Uptown/Harwood are connected to Downtown Dallas Art's District by this park over the highway. In the picture below Uptown is on the left and downtown on the right. Victory Park is also connected to Downtown's West End under the highway. Victory and the West End are also connected by their light-rail stations. Uptown and the Arts District are also connected by trolley.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DNlsQ8WhlIg/maxresdefault.jpg

[O-tacular]

The street level looks amazing. Really like the curvy small tower. As everyone else has said I'd get rid of the sky bridge or move it to a different spot. Hell, move it to the top even. Currently it looks very awkward.

[Sic'EmBears]

Originally Posted by JR Ewing

I was there a few months ago. As noted, I liked it, but it had a very country bumpkin feel to it. Southlake seemed more lively..

What are you talking about?

As a resident of Southlake for the past 22 years, I can successfully say Southlake is nowhere near as lively as Dallas. Southlake is regarded as the best suburb outside of Park Cities, but it's downright ill-informed to say it has more life than Dallas.

Please think before you post.

[SLO]

Dallas is still on fire, great project. I dont mind the sky bridge because it will be stunning for the user

[TTU Arch]

Originally Posted by The Lurker

Its good to hear that there are urban improvements goin on in Dallas. My aunt flew me down there for my 15th birthday and at the time it was the biggest city I'd ever seen but I didn't really understand how the skyscrapers kinda just stopped and gave way to deserts of parking lots and highway ramps. Its like there was no transition zones of older historic and midrise buildings between downtown and the neighborhoods. My concern with this project is the location across the freeway from downtown. Doesn't it basically force the pedestrian to cross the freeway to connect with the rest of downtown? That doesnt seem very urban. That seems like Houston.

There's some truth to your perspective and one Dallas has been correcting (successfully IMO quickly for the past decade). There was a drought of development in the downtown / uptown area after the S&L crisis of the 80's that pushed developers to other areas of the metro for new projects. Many of the scars (parking lots) use to be some great old architecture that was razed for new developments that never transpired due to a bevy of issues. The redevelopment of uptown from a very seedy part of town to the most vibrant part of town has taken about 15 plus years and really picked up over the past 10. Uptown is the biggest makeover, and now developers have a good number of development and redevelopment in the immediate downtown core. I know others will disagree, (and I may be partial), but Dallas is setting the standard for many sunbelt cities including those listed in a previous post. For example, when looking at Atlanta its a city that has a great downtown, but outside it lacks the urban connections that make it easy for a pedestrian to get out and walk short of shopping malls (i.e. the Buckhead area which is what I see to be Atlanta's equivalent to Dallas's uptown area but feels more like Dallas's Galleria area with more trees). Dallas has some great areas that are connecting more and more in and around the downtown core. The vast number of people moving here including corporate relocations are speeding that process up and one the DFW area as a whole is benefitting from. While the development to date has more high rise (30 stories or less) those developments have helped re-create / create a nice pedestrian environment. The city has been aggressively creating park areas, benefactors have been coming out more and more to help fund big civic projects, downtown is starting to see historic increases in rental rates downtown, and bigger styled developments are beginning to trickle in.