A Dallas-Fort Worth family known for its business and philanthropic work is moving forward with a “legacy project” that will transform an Oak Lawn retail strip into a mixed-use development headlined by a residential high-rise.
The Halperin family and its partners plan to build a 270-foot tower at 2615 Oak Lawn Ave., their first real estate venture of this magnitude. The Dallas City Council approved zoning for the project in mid-May, and the family is working to find a development partner for the project. Plans for the development were announced last year.
“We’re still very much confirmed to going all in on this project and try to build something that really is an asset to the area,” said landowner Dave Halperin.
The project wasn’t always in the family’s plans. They’ve owned the roughly 2-acre site for two decades. Jim Halperin, a well-known philanthropist and co-founder of Heritage Auctions, began buying properties in the neighborhood after he relocated the firm’s office to Maple Avenue in the early 2000s.
His son, Dave, is leading the charge behind the project. The high-rise will include 310 apartments, and the average unit size is expected to be about 1,000 square feet.
The development will also feature two to three restaurant spaces, including a two-story feature restaurant with a roofed terrace on the development’s west side.
The Halperins want the project to bring more walkable urban design and quality housing to a neighborhood that’s seen growth. The Old Parkland office campus has brought more workers to the area, and plans are in the works to expand the campus.
Dave Halperin previously said the average sidewalk width will be 10 feet along Oak Lawn Avenue, curb cuts will be consolidated to one cut and site landscaping will encourage walkability.
The group also wants the project to be inclusive and beneficial to the surrounding community that provided feedback on the proposal. The planned high-rise was moved farther back on the north side to prevent it from casting shadows on nearby apartments.
The Halperins hope to hire a development partner by the fall with announcements about the construction timeline to come later.
“I really do believe urbanist neighborhoods are what really help drive cities, and they create pleasant environments for everyone as well. … I’m excited to see what Oak Lawn transforms into over the coming five to 10 years,” Dave Halperin said. “Hopefully Oak Lawn continues to develop high-rises that include the community. These projects are for everybody.”
The Halperins have been involved in other large Dallas projects. Jim Halperin’s family foundation donated $23 million to the city of Dallas, which will go toward the completion and lifetime care of Halperin Park, the recently opened deck park next to the Dallas Zoo.