Dallas-based infrastructure consulting giant AECOM has been selected by Fair Park First to provide program management services for major capital improvements to Dallas’ Fair Park.
“Fair Park First brings a bold, inclusive vision to revitalizing this storied urban asset at a time when investment in equitable spaces has never been more important,” AECOM President Lara Poloni said in a statement. “In line with our Sustainable Legacies strategy of partnering with clients to make a lasting, positive impact, we’re committed to improving social outcomes at each step of the program by working with minority- and women-owned enterprises and surrounding businesses to create real, measurable value and help make Fair Park a reflection of Dallas’s diversity and dynamism.”
Fair Park is a 277-acre cultural and entertainment complex in the heart of South Dallas, and AECOM said it will support Fair Park First’s capital projects to deliver outcome-driven solutions and a lasting legacy through enhancements that create and integrate park facilities, preserve historically significant venues, and revitalize the park as a destination both inside and outside the Dallas area.
New community park slated to open in 2025
Rendering of Community Park Complex coming to Fair Park. [Image: Fair Park First]
AECOM said it will oversee the delivery of the upcoming Community Park Complex, an expansive 18-acre greenspace that includes a 1,650-space parking structure.
Slated to open in 2025, the Community Park Complex will feature Wi-Fi, water play, an outdoor performance stage, a dog park, outdoor cafes, exercise equipment, and inclusive playgrounds. Fair Park First recently released renderings of what the complex will be like.
The firm will partner on future projects by managing design, construction, permitting, and closeout, among other services, AECOM said.
As part of a series of improvements informed by the Fair Park Masterplan Update, these efforts will support the construction and modernization of multiple facilities and an overhaul of general infrastructure with an emphasis on resilience and sustainability.
As the program’s signature addition, AECOM said the Community Park will embody a climate-conscious approach, introducing an important new recreational space to Fair Park while expanding blue-green infrastructure to mitigate flooding and other environmental risks.
Modernizing and honoring the park as a historic landmark
Hall of State at Fair Park renovation, by Gensler. [Photo: Gensler]
“We’re proud to partner with Fair Park First to modernize this National Historic Landmark and help deliver a world-class space that deepens community connections and contributes to the ongoing transformation and rich cultural heritage of the city of Dallas,” Drew Jeter, chief executive of AECOM’s Program Management global business line, said in a statement. “Leveraging our decades of experience managing complex urban developments and industry-leading global expertise, our teams are poised to help Fair Park First realize this community-centric project and extend Fair Park’s legacy as a vibrant gathering space.”
Fair Park was established in 1886 and has become a major destination for Dallas, drawing more than 6 million visitors annually. It is home to several prominent attractions, including the State Fair of Texas, the African American Museum of Dallas, Cotton Bowl Stadium, and the Hall of State. It also contains one of the largest collections of exhibition style Art Deco structures in the nation.
The capital improvements for Fair Park are part of Fair Park First’s revitalization campaign to put the “Park” back in Fair Park, AECOM said.
“We are thrilled to announce the addition of another world-class firm to our capital projects team,” Fair Park First Board President Darren L. James, FAIA, said in a statement. “With this new partnership, we can continue the work of putting the park back in Fair Park and restoring it to its rightful place as an international attraction.”
Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.
Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.
R E A D N E X T
-
EarthX is seeking innovators and investors to participate in its 2023 EarthX E-Capital Summit April 19-22 at Fair Park in Dallas. At the summit, early-stage climate tech companies will be able to make pitches for a chance at a cash prize. There will also be discussions on investment and industry trends by leading industry professionals, investors, startups, and policymakers, EarthX said, along with curated and self-selected one-on-one networking meetings between investors, dealmakers, and innovators.
-
Slated to open in 2025, the complex is the first step to putting the "Park" back in Fair Park, says Fair Park First, Dallas Park and Recreation's management partner that oversees day-to-day operations at Fair Park. The 18-acre Community Park Complex will feature Wi-Fi, water play, an outdoor performance stage, a dog park, outdoor cafes, exercise equipment, and inclusive playgrounds.
-
Dallas' Lyda Hill has been named one of five recipients of the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. She shares the philanthropic spotlight with four other "forces for positive change," including country music legend Dolly Parton. An early donor of the research that led to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Hill believes that "science is the answer"—and has chosen to donate the entirety of her estate to philanthropy and scientific research.
-
The new two-story lab and office building will offer "the first institutional-quality space" in the DFW market, according to marketing materials.
-
"It takes time" to establish a track record, Jorge Varela says, and the region is starting to see a series of biotech successes and spinoffs that will elevate the region's profile as a biotech hub. According to a panel of experts at Urban Land Institute's 2022 spring meeting, here are factors drawing biotech to DFW.
