The Observer just posted an article titled “Gentrification Welcomed by Deep Ellum Artists“. As Chad from DEEP just wrote to me:

“instead of ‘Gentrification Welcomed By Deep Ellum Artists’ it should be ‘Gentrification Welcomed By *2* Deep Ellum *gallery operators*’ emphasis mine. I mean that’s pretty irresponsible of the Observer to lump the whole Deep Ellum Art scene together and only get just a few opinions. Seriously, I’m surprised that got by their editors. “

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To start the definition of gentrification according to Wikipedia is: “a phenomenon in which low-cost, physically deteriorated neighborhoods undergo physical renovation and an increase in property values, along with an influx of wealthier residents who may displace the prior residents.”

I am on the Deep Ellum Association Board, I own a design firm, the Pawn Gallery and Deep Wireless (free wireless for Deep Ellum). As a DEA board member my allegiance is to the existing residents, business owners and patrons. No one knows what the future brings, but I do know if rent goes to $40/foot I’ll be gone and I imagine so will Brian along with a lot of residents and small businesses. All boats will rise, but if we unleash a flood the soul of the area will be washed away in a sea of Tyvek.

Deep Ellum along with music and art has been an incubator for small businesses. A place where you could get reasonable rent and try your luck at a new venture. Once the big players are in here this will price out the small guy. And we should recall some of the small guys were Mark Cuban with Broadcast.com and further back, Freeds Furniture to name a couple. Would we be better off without Yahoo! and a flourishing Maverick’s basketball team? If it wasn’t so good here, you know there’s good rent in Mark’s hometown of Pittsburgh.

My personal issue is there is no real plan in place. The flawed theory is; a mixed use worked once so we will replicate that until it doesn’t work. Well take a look, the West Village isn’t doing so hot now that Northpark added more stores and it has more similar concepts going up all around town. And my fear, based upon my experience in marketing, is there will be no point of difference and people will simply move to where they get the best deal. The tragedy will be a unique part of town will be bulldozed and there won’t even be money as compensation. Just poorly built structures that will be ratty in ten years.

Not that anyone asked, but my grand plan would reduce the ceiling on buildings back down to five stories and keep a the core of Deep Ellum with its warehouse look and feel, while developing around in a horseshoe configuration (with the lucky side butting up against I-75). This scenario, I believe, will add a point of difference for developers as well as secure their vantage points. If everyone builds to the 15 story limit, they will devalue each other’s property.

Of course this is a complicated issue with lots of moving parts. But I am hopeful that there are enough good minds just in our neighborhood that can work together make Deep Ellum be successful commercially, musically, artistically and still keep it’s bohemian underbelly.