Thursday, November 16, 2006

Renovated Lake Cliff Tower ready to be called 'home' again Oak Cliff: 1930s building converted into condos with sweeping views

Frank Trejo / The Dallas Morning News

Longtime Oak Cliff resident Cassie Nutter always loved Lake Cliff Tower, the stately old building that stands like an exclamation point just across the Trinity River from downtown Dallas.

For years, she and her boyfriend would sit in the parking lot of the empty 13-story tower at Zang and East Colorado boulevards, admiring its architecture and wondering about its future.

"We always said: 'Why doesn't somebody do something with this beautiful building?' " Ms. Nutter recalled.

Now somebody has, and Ms. Nutter is about to become one of the first residents of the Lake Cliff Tower Condominium Homes, a three-year, multimillion-dollar project that some say has already helped spur development in Oak Cliff's gateway area.

Some portions of the building, which dates to the early 1930s, could be cleared for occupancy as early as Friday, pending final approval by city inspectors, said Stephen G. Everbach, managing partner of the tower's developer, Evergreen Realty Advisors. But actual move-in dates are still probably a couple of weeks away.

"It has been a very long and arduous process to preserve the exterior and renovate the interior," Mr. Everbach said. "It's taken a little longer than anticipated. The complexities of dealing with a structure that is 75 years old are endless, and so are all the surprises one uncovers when renovating a building like this."

The developer originally had hoped to have the building open by late summer.

Evergreen officials initially had said they would invest $16 million in the project. Mr. Everbach this week declined to say how much the renovation has cost, but he said "it's definitely north of $16 million."

More than $4 million in city tax incremental finance district funds also has gone into the building.

"We're extremely excited, because we feel it always was an unpolished gem," Mr. Everbach said. "The greatest sense of satisfaction has come from bringing what we feel is an icon back to life."

City Council member Elba Garcia, who lives in the Lake Cliff neighborhood, said she is also happy about a mixed-use development planned across the street.

"It's a great connector into the development of the southern sector and the development of the Trinity River project," Dr. Garcia said.

The Lake Cliff renovation has turned a building that stood vacant and decaying for more than five years into 54 high-end, high-rise condominiums with prices starting around $190,000 and going up to $600,000. Units range from 895 square feet to slightly more than 2,000 square feet.

According to the developers, the building was designed in 1926 as a 10-story apartment complex. Before it was completed, construction was stopped and the property was sold. The building was redesigned with three more stories and opened in 1932 as the exclusive Cliff Towers Hotel and Apartments.

In the 1960s, the building was converted into a nursing home, which operated until about 2000. After that, it sat empty

The building now offers some spectacular views of downtown and Oak Cliff. A few units have views of both.

Officials expect to open with about half of the units already sold.

"There's been a lot of excitement, and now that it's about to open, we expect even more interest," said selling agent Keith Cox. "Obviously, we're not for everybody. But for those people who want loft living, this is much more affordable than some of the new construction going up in Uptown or Oak Lawn. And nobody can beat our views."

The building is bordered on one side by Founders Park and on the other by Lake Cliff. Inside, there's a theater room, a billiards area, a wine vault with private lockers, a swimming pool and an outdoor deck with a fire pit.

Among those who already have bought a condo in the building is former Dallas Cowboys player Jethro Pugh.

"I decided to buy it because of the Trinity River and the trees and everything around there," said Mr. Pugh, who added that as a native of northeast North Carolina, he has always appreciated trees.

Ms. Nutter is eagerly awaiting the building's opening. She put down a deposit in December 2004.

"I love old architecture. I don't like new and plastic," Ms. Nutter said. "That's what I like about Oak Cliff."

Original article appears in the Dallas Morning News.