Dallas Breaks Ground on Yet Another Downtown Park

Pacific Plaza will the fourth park built in the center of the city in the last decade, and there are still plans for three more.

1 minute read

April 18, 2018, 8:00 AM PDT

By Katharine Jose


Dallas skyline

dherrera_96 / Flickr

Construction of Pacific Plaza, a 3.4 acre park on what is currently a parking lot begins this month, reports the Dallas Morning News.

It's the fourth new downtown-area park built since 2009, and the first of four new parks to be built in the next five years.

Dallas has assumed a "transitional mood" in the last several years, and has become a somewhat unexpected leader of progressive urban investment. In addition to a massive spending on parks, the city has prioritized walkability and connectivity, opened a streetcar line with plans to expand and add a subway, launched a popular (if flawed) bikeshare program, is considering a formerly controversial plan to bury a highway, and killed a decades-old plan for a major new toll road.

Half the funding for the new parks comes from a private organization called Parks for Downtown Dallas, which will be selling naming rights to Pacific Plaza and Hardwood Park, as well as naming rights to a number of features inside the parks.

The Morning News article provides summaries and renderings on all four designs.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018 in Dallas Morning News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

1 hour ago - UNM News

Bird's eye view of half-circle suburban street with large homes.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City

If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.

3 hours ago - Investopedia

Color-coded map of labor & delivery departments and losses in United States.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace

In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.

June 15 - Maine Morning Star