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Cityplace/Uptown station

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Coordinates: 32°48′20″N 96°47′35″W / 32.805621°N 96.793154°W / 32.805621; -96.793154
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Cityplace/Uptown
The inbound platform at Cityplace/Uptown station
General information
Location2711 North Haskell Avenue
Dallas, Texas
Coordinates32°48′20″N 96°47′35″W / 32.805621°N 96.793154°W / 32.805621; -96.793154
Owned byDallas Area Rapid Transit
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
Bus stands3
Connections
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Bicycle facilities1 locker,[1]
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedDecember 18, 2000 (2000-12-18)[2]
Previous namesCityplace
Passengers
FY221,236 (avg. weekday)[3] Increase 17.8%
Services
Preceding station Dallas Area Rapid Transit Following station
Pearl/Arts District
toward UNT Dallas
 Blue Line SMU/Mockingbird
toward Downtown Rowlett
Pearl/Arts District
toward DFW Airport
 Orange Line SMU/Mockingbird
toward Parker Road
Pearl/Arts District
toward Westmoreland
 Red Line
Location
Map

Cityplace/Uptown station (formerly Cityplace station) is a DART light rail station located in Dallas, Texas. The station is located on the Red Line, Blue Line, Orange Line and serves the Cityplace and Uptown districts. It also serves as a transfer point to the M-Line Trolley.

The station is located beneath North Central Expressway (US 75) at its intersection with Haskell Avenue, and it is located on a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) tunnel connecting Downtown Dallas to SMU/Mockingbird station. The station is the only underground station on the DART rail system,[a] as well as the only active underground rail station in the state of Texas.[b]

Station

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Cityplace/Uptown station is tri-level in design. At ground level, the station has entrances (dubbed "portals") on both sides of North Central Expressway. Both portals have a corresponding bus stop located on the expressway's frontage road. The West Portal, located in Uptown's West Village, consists of a small headhouse and a railway turntable, which is used as a stop for the M-Line Trolley. The East Portal is located on the ground floor of Cityplace Tower. Both portals lead a central mezzanine containing an information desk and ticket vending machines. From there, another set of escalators lead to the southern end of the rail platforms.

Early plans for the station called for an additional set of entrances to the north of Haskell Avenue, which would connect to the northern end of the rail platforms.

In total, the station extends 120 feet (37 m) beneath ground level.[4] The station contains two inclined elevators, six escalators, and 213 total steps. The station's longest escalators are 138 feet (42 m), which made them the longest escalators in the western U.S. at installation.[5]

Artwork

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The station contains an "evolution-themed design" based on geological strata, with each of the station's three levels representing a different time period. The stations contains etchings of children's drawings, depictions of Native American artifacts discovered during its excavation, and five Native American-styled murals. The walls of the rail platforms depict local fossils, artifacts from the nearby Freedman's Cemetery, and the Texas Electric Railway system that previously connected Dallas to Denison.[4][6]

History

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In late 1983, developer Southland Corporation announced plans for Cityplace, a 130-acre (0.53 km2) mixed-use project, the centerpiece of which would be two office towers connected by a pedestrian bridge. As the project's site was located along a proposed rail transit corridor, the developer proposed adding a passenger station on this corridor to the pedestrian bridge.[7] In 1985, the Dallas City Council endorsed a revised plan that moved the rail corridor to an underground tunnel between Mockingbird Lane and downtown; the planned Cityplace station was moved underground to accommodate this change.[8]

In 1988, Cityplace leadership offered to pay for up to $22 million of the station's cost if it was located at Haskell Avenue near the north end of the development, but local residents proposed an alternate location on Lemmon Avenue that was closer to existing housing.[9] At the same time, Cityplace was also attempting to rezone its land for denser development, which was also opposed by residents. An investigation by The Dallas Morning News found secret negotiations between DART, Cityplace, and the Dallas municipal government that would make the rezoning contingent on Cityplace paying for the station (as well as road and utility improvements), which was viewed as illegal contract zoning.[10] After the investigation, DART ultimately settled on a compromise site between Haskell and Lemmon, which caused Cityplace to retract its payment offer.[11]

In 1991, DART announced plans to begin excavating the underground tunnel that would contain Cityplace station. The excavation would be completed by 1993. However, it was also announced that the Cityplace station would not open until 1999 for financial reasons;[12] completing the station after excavation would cost $13.7 million.[13] In 1996, as part of a settlement with the city, Cityplace agreed to pay $3.5 million to finance the station, which the city would reimburse through a tax increment financing district.[14] The station was opened on December 18, 2000.[2]

In early 2001, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority (MATA) received a $2.5 million grant to extend its heritage streetcar line to Cityplace station.[15] The 1.25-mile (2.01 km) extension opened the following year.[16] In 2011, MATA constructed a turntable at the entrance to Cityplace, and DART rebuilt the West Portal headhouse so that the entrance points to the turntable.[17]

On July 30, 2012, the station was renamed to Cityplace/Uptown station to emphasize its connection to the Uptown neighborhood.[18]

Notes

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  1. ^ DART's D2 Subway project would add three more underground stations to the system, but it has been delayed indefinitely.
  2. ^ The only other underground station in Texas history was the terminal of the Tandy Center Subway in Fort Worth, which operated from 1963 to 2002.

References

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  1. ^ "Bicycle Parking". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Hartzel, Tony (December 19, 2000). "Cityplace station bustling in debut: Riders praise underground light rail". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 32A – via NewsBank.
  3. ^ "DART Reference Book" (PDF). Dallas Area Rapid Transit. March 2023. p. 31. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Dillon, David (December 18, 2000). "Enticing art, design fill Cityplace station: Bright touches aim to put riders at ease in underground setting". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 25A – via NewsBank.
  5. ^ Hartzel, Tony (December 17, 2000). "A look at DART's Cityplace station: 1st underground stop seen as gateway to area growth". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 35A – via NewsBank.
  6. ^ "DART Gallery: A Collection of Public Art" (PDF). Dallas Area Rapid Transit. p. 6. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Myerson, Allen R.; Maxon, Terry (October 6, 1983). "Cityplace plan causes traffic concerns". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A, 6A – via NewsBank.
  8. ^ Maxon, Terry (August 29, 1985). "Council endorses N. Central tunnel". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 33A – via NewsBank.
  9. ^ Kelley, Chris (January 27, 1988). "Subway station site debated: Neighborhood leaders, bib business clash at meeting". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 20A – via NewsBank.
  10. ^ Kelley, Chris (February 29, 1988). "DART, City, Southland held secret negotiations: 3-way talks involving Cityplace rezoning excluded area residents". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
  11. ^ Kelley, Chris (May 11, 1988). "DART to put subway under Pacific Avenue: Any risk of JFK site or Times Herald presses could alter decision". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
  12. ^ Kelley, Chris (July 8, 1991). "DART faces risks with subway: Geological snags can bring danger, raise costs". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
  13. ^ Howell, Curtis (July 26, 1995). "CityPlace subway station opening may be delayed: Company, transit agency cite need for ample ridership". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 21A – via NewsBank.
  14. ^ Gillman, Todd J. (November 14, 1996). "Settlement paves way for station at Cityplace site". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 35A – via NewsBank.
  15. ^ Hartzel, Tony (January 4, 2001). "Welcome sight: Trolleys to resume regular service today now that McKinney Avenue work done". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 17A – via NewsBank.
  16. ^ Hartzel, Tony (March 17, 2002). "Building a better McKinney trolley". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 34A – via NewsBank.
  17. ^ Flick, David (June 30, 2011). "Streetcars take a turn for the better". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. B1 – via NewsBank.
  18. ^ Formby, Brandon (July 10, 2012). "DART makes changes". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. B1 – via NewsBank.
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