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Dallas, TX
Dallas considers combining bigger, regional libraries with housing, retail projects
Dallas leaders are exploring ways to combine new regional libraries with affordable housing and community spaces.
City staff presented the Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on Monday with early concepts for two library projects. The North Oak Cliff library, in District 1 in southern Dallas, and the Park Forest library, in the north side’s District 13, could serve as a mixed-use developments with housing, public amenities and updated library facilities.
The new libraries will be open longer hours and have expanded services, city officials said.
City Library Director Manya Shorr said the North Oak Cliff project will replace an existing library on the same site, while Park Forest will relocate to a new parcel. Both projects are still in early design and financial testing phases, and staff plan to return with more detailed recommendations, including development structures and revenue-sharing options.
The city closed the Skillman Southwestern Library weeks ago and plans to shut down four more in its move to a regional model.
Consultants from CBRE, a commercial real estate services and investment firm, and city staff presented findings and potential models based on case studies from other cities across the country where libraries have been combined with housing or retail.
Each of the reference projects included affordable housing, with some also offering senior or market-rate units and shared amenities, such as youth spaces, job training centers or creative studios.
According to consultants, the next phase of planning will focus on testing design options against financial feasibility.
Park Forest Branch
At the Park Forest site, the team is considering whether the project could include senior housing, an option they noted may be more readily accepted by surrounding neighborhoods. They also cited the need for additional zoning consultation as the concept moves forward.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Gay Donnell Willis, who represents the district where the library is located, expressed enthusiasm for combining libraries with housing, calling it “a way to adapt what might be right for the neighborhood and the city overall.”
Preliminary plans for the Park Forest Branch Library in Dallas presented during the Quality of Life, Arts and Culture committee on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
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She emphasized that the project should remain centered on the library’s mission while exploring how a residential component might help generate revenue for ongoing operations.
Committee members discussed potential funding models, including partnerships through the city’s Housing Finance Corporation or the Public Facility Corporation, which could help leverage affordable housing incentives. They also raised questions about Senate Bill 840, a new state law affecting development height and proximity standards, noting that staff will need to assess its implications for both sites.
North Oak Cliff Branch
Council member Chad West, who represents North Oak Cliff, underscored the importance of community design, including access to green space and outdoor gathering areas. He noted that the surrounding area is considered a park desert and one of the city’s heat islands.
“There needs to be, even if it’s small, some type of incorporated green space,” West said.
Council members voiced broad support for continuing the work, while emphasizing transparency with residents, maintaining the character of the neighborhoods and a clear focus on the libraries themselves.
Preliminary plans for the North Oak Cliff Branch Library in Dallas presented during the Quality of Life, Arts and Culture committee on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
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The next Quality of Life, Arts and Culture committee will be on Nov. 17 at 9 a.m.
The Dallas Mavericks are facing one of the biggest offseasons in franchise history. They hold three draft picks, which will be the last time they control their first-round pick until 2031. They have financial flexibility to improve their roster via trades or free agency for the first time in a long time.
That gives the front office a lot of pathways it can take to improve the roster. However, there are a lot of players who need to take their own steps forward. Most of last year’s roster is still under contract for next season, and while trades or cuts could always happen, a good chunk of the 2025-26 roster will be back.
Of the players under contract for next season, which one needs a big offseason if the Mavericks are going to bounce back into contention?
There are a lot of people who deserve an argument. While Cooper Flagg had an outstanding rookie season, the team will likely only go as far as he takes them. Ryan Nembhard is currently in line to be the backup point guard. Kyrie Irving hasn’t played basketball since March of 2025, and the Mavs will need him to be in top form. P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall could use a jump in three-point shooting. Max Christie needs to increase his volume. Despite all of those, there is one player whose offseason stands out more than anyone else.
Dereck Lively II’s Recovery Will Control Mavericks’ Narrative Next Season
Dereck Lively II only played in 7 games last season before he needed season-ending foot surgery. He’s entering the fourth year of his career already, but injuries have dominated his progression. He was incredibly impactful in his rookie season, especially during the team’s run to the NBA Finals, but he’s played in just 43 games in the two seasons since.
It’s safe to say that if they want to get back into the postseason next year, Dereck Lively will have to be a big part of that. Daniel Gafford is a good player, but Dallas needs the center rotation of Gafford and Lively to take advantage of their effectiveness.
Lively’s ceiling as a player can open up a lot for the offense, especially with his passing. Dallas found a lot of success with him short rolling off a screen and spraying out to a shooter or finding a cutter. Last year’s offense was a train wreck in terms of playmaking, and having a center like Lively who can just pass to an open man would be huge.
Even as he recovers, Lively needs to be more disciplined with his fouling, and he needs to keep developing his touch around the rim.
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2026 has already been a year of fresh horrors for beleaguered Downtown Dallas, and this past week dumped salt in the wound.
In the span of about 24 hours, the urban core was hit with the news that it would be losing three more iconic anchors: the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Stars and the Neiman Marcus flagship store.
After nearly convincing the city of Dallas to agree to knock down its architecturally significant City Hall to keep the team downtown, the Mavericks announced plans to decamp to Valley View — the development site at the doorstep of Preston Hollow that’s mostly been laid to waste after Beck Ventures bought it in 2012.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, whose signature political move is finger-pointing, did what he does best: issued a statement after the fact and he blamed someone else.
“We must fight for the city of tomorrow rather than worship decaying, outdated government buildings from bygone eras,” he wrote, referencing the groundswell of opposition to the City Hall demo plan from Dallasites, whom, it bears reminding, elected him to represent them.
The week got worse when the Stars confirmed they’re leaving American Airlines Center, which, like a Leonardo DiCaprio girlfriend, was deemed outdated at 25 years old. Then, bankrupt Saks Global made a final decision to shutter the Neiman Marcus flagship store at 1618 Main Street in September.
The one-two-three punch exacerbated an already dismal year for downtown, which kicked off with the news that its primary office anchor AT&T is ditching its 2 million-square-foot office footprint downtown and setting up shop in Plano.
Meanwhile, Plano’s star — and a replica of Dallas’ iconic Reunion Tower — continues to rise, buoyed by the news that Samsung is shifting its stateside business operations from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to the north Dallas suburb.
Guinness World recordholder tops DFW broker charts
Home construction may have fallen off its post-pandemic peak in Texas, but the broker who made a name for himself selling Lone Star State new builds is still on top. Ben Caballero of HomesUSA.com once again towered over his peers in The Real Deal’s latest ranking of the region’s top broker teams and brokerages by total dollar volume. The Guinness World recordholder for most annual homes sold through the MLS closed $2.43 billion across 4,923 transactions between April 1, 2025, and April 1, 2026, with his average sale coming in at $493,724.
Long-stalled Four Seasons condos secure massive loan
The Four Seasons Private Residences Lake Austin, which was announced in 2021, is finally getting off the ground. Austin Capital Partners and its third development partner on the project, Lincoln Property Company, secured an $870 million construction loan to build the condo project. New York-based TYKO Capital provided the loan. Adelaide Real Estate, Cobalt Equities and JLL arranged the financing. The project will feature an unspecified number of private residences, 28 villa lots, a private marina with 50 boat slips and amenities operated by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts at 6507 Bridge Point Parkway, about 10 miles west of Downtown Austin.
Nitya Capital hits distress patch
About a year after Swapnil Agarwal’s Houston syndication firm seemed saved by a $700 million refi deal, Nitya Capital is back to fending off distress. The firm got foreclosure notices for three North Texas apartment complexes, totaling 847 units, indicating Nitya defaulted on more than $70 million in loans from New York-based One William Street Capital Management. The foreclosures aren’t the first rumblings of distress for Nitya since the refi deal. A $66 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan tied to two apartment complexes owned by Nitya was flagged for special servicing in October.
Read more
Meet the Becks, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks arena site at Valley View
Long-awaited Four Seasons Lake Austin condo project lands $870M construction loan
Dallas Stars freeze out Downtown Dallas, American Airlines Center
Downtown Dallas flagship Neiman Marcus to shutter
DHJ Quick Take: James Barlowe Breaks Down the Mavericks’ 2026 NBA Draft Options
NBA Draft analyst James Barlowe joined the Dallas Hoops Journal podcast to assess how the Dallas Mavericks should use the No. 9, No. 30, and No. 48 picks to build around Cooper Flagg.
- What’s next? The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for late June.
- Who broke it down? NBA Draft analyst James Barlowe of NBA Big Board and NBA Draft Junkies.
- Who could Dallas target at No. 9? Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Brayden Burries, and Nate Ament.
- Why does it matter? The Mavericks are building around Cooper Flagg under a new front office, with no head coach yet in place.
DALLAS — As the 2026 NBA Draft continues to approach, the Dallas Mavericks face some important decisions to continue to build around franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg.
NBA Draft expert James Barlowe made an appearance on the Dallas Hoops Journal podcast to break down the Mavericks’ options with their picks. He covers the draft for NBA Big Board on Substack and the NBA Draft Junkies YouTube channel.
The Mavericks control the No. 9, No. 30, and No. 48 overall selections, with a front office led by Masai Ujiri, who oversees basketball operations as president and alternate governor, and Mike Schmitz, the general manager. Additionally, the team has not yet hired a head coach.
“You have your box office, your franchise player,” Barlowe said, comparing Dallas to teams such as the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz that have searched for a centerpiece for years.
Barlowe said the 19-year-old produced against the league’s top wings and improved as the season progressed, and he projected Flagg to be an All-Star soon, potentially even next season. Barlowe identified a more consistent catch-and-shoot jumper as the primary area for improvement after winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honor.
Barlowe also addressed Kyrie Irving, who is returning from a torn ACL. He said a smart front office would consider trade offers from teams on different timelines. If the Mavericks keep Irving, Barlowe said, the ideal selection at No. 9 would be a guard who can play alongside him and eventually take over the position.
Barlowe identified Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Arizona’s Brayden Burries, and Tennessee forward Nate Ament as top prospects likely to be available at No. 9.
He called Brown the best long-term point guard in the class and said Dallas should not hesitate to select him if he is available. Barlowe said the Mavericks should prioritize guards who can shoot, pass, and defend, citing the rosters built by the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
Barlowe disputed the notion that Ujiri values size above all else. “He’s a rule changer instead of a rule follower,” Barlowe said, describing Ujiri as an executive who drafts the best player available.
Barlowe detailed how the Mavericks should consider trading down to acquire assets, noting their limited control of future first-round picks. Additionally, he stated that value remains at No. 30 despite a wave of players returning to college under name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, while sharing some prospects to monitor in the late first and second rounds.
The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23 and June 24.
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