The Heights of Park Lane upgrade urban living in what they now call ‘Midtown’
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The idea to build across from NorthPark Center was genius. A mere complex of apartments wouldn’t do with those already on Caruth Haven and in the Village. Instead, a whole new development had to complement NorthPark and be just as much a destination on its own, as well as the stylish new spot to live in town.
Welcome to The Heights at Park Lane.
The area that used to house old-fashioned movie theaters and blah buildings has upgraded to a mixed-use development that might give shoppers a dilemma over which way to turn on NorthPark Lane. Not to be overlooked, Park Lane invites people to come to "Midtown" for its shopping, dining and living pleasure. If Dallas already has an Uptown and Downtown, well, why not fill the rest?
"It’s developing very well. The residential area is 60 percent occupied. The relationship between the retail district and the residential is growing, especially when we started opening restaurants. It’s something to be able to go downstairs and have a beer, and even more so when Whole Foods opens in the spring, " marketing director Michelle Davis says.
With 300 units planned for a future phase, The Heights already offers more than 300 units in a variety of layouts amid three buildings. The styles range by the buildings named The Lofts, The Flats and The Tower. Each is designed to have its own identity while maintaining a cohesion the development strives hard to create.
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| Four-star hotel luxury comes to ‘Midtown’ with snazzy amenities like the Aqua Lounge and infinity pool. Rooms, opposite, comes in a variety of layouts across three different buildings at The Heights of Park Lane. |
The Tower is a 20-story high-rise of 62 units. The smallest units are just over 1,000 square feet and start at $2,360. They increase from there to four different floor plans with the largest being 1,790 square feet with two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a study and even a private elevator. Prices for this unit begin at $3,940. The appeal of The Tower is its more luxurious living with outta sight views.
Fifteen different layouts make up the smaller living spaces in The Flats 15-story building. Flats start at 743 square feet for $1,269 and go up to 1,618 square feet at $2,579. These are geared toward every buyer. The building itself lies in the center of the district and is billed as the "heart of The Heights."
The Lofts building may be the most exciting. This is the little brother to the two bigger buildings, with 45 apartments in four stories directly atop the retail district of Park Lane. This puts any resident closer to the action. With a whopping 31 layout options, these apartments start out in studio form at 6,77 square feet and go all the way to an 1,872-square-foot apartment with three bedrooms and two bathrooms for $3,135.
After muddling through the living options and identities of each building, it’s almost easy to forget the good stuff. Sure, the mall is just across the expressway but shopping options aren’t too shabby in Park Lane. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Old Navy, The Children’s Place and Nordstrom Rack are or will be among the retail district options with those being flagship stores for the Dallas area.
Dining won’t disappoint in this neighborhood. Built to invite a highly anticipated pedestrian-friendly crowd, these restaurants range from high end, like the Bailey’s Prime Plus steakhouse and Gordon Biersch brewery, to casual eats such as Potbelly’s, Village Burger Bar and FreshBerry Frozen Yogurt Cafe. Or for some fun with your food, the opening of Splitsville Lanes bowling alley is on the horizon, adding an extra element of excitement.
Perhaps the highlight of the ”develophood” will be the new Whole Foods flagship store. It’s hard to imagine what more this branch will carry compared to the Lakewood and Lemmon spots, but this site is expected to be the chain’s highest grossing store with its location amid the Park Lane development and the neighboring homes and apartments surrounding the area already.
The mixed-use development has thrived even within this slump of an economy.
"We still have some vacancies but given the economy, we’ve done very well. Our retailers are at a price point that does well in this economy and that has worked to our benefit," Davis says.
Even with the perks of those kinds of neighbors, residents are pretty well taken care of onsite. Amenities include a 24-hour desk attendant and concierge services, a conference area and close proximity to the DART rail station. The Heights encourages neighborly ambience with it’s Aqua Lounge, complete with a gourmet kitchen, high-def televisions and moveable walls that let the outdoors in and an outdoor fire pit with lounging areas for barbecuing. Of course, for the health conscious, a gym is onsite with an infinity pool overlooking the city.
People who live in The Heights of Park Lane may find they don’t have to go very far to find everything they need. Both the residential and retail areas seem to have thought of everything to make urban living a complete experience — an experience that sounds more like a dream.
For information visit theheightsatparklane.com or parklanedallas.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 5, 2010.
