111-Year-Old Historic Dallas Building Transforms Into ‘East Dock’ With New Restaurants, Shops, Japanese Arcade, Makerspace, and More

I often drive by the upcoming Halperin Park, a five-plus-acre bridge park above South Dallas’ I-35E between Ewing and Marsalis Avenues, on my way to one of my favorite coffee shops in Oak Cliff, Slow & Steady. Formerly known as Southern Gateway Deck Park, the project began in 2017 and was built to support a park with the same infrastructure as the beloved Klyde Warren Park. It’s a way to finally connect the Dallas Zoo to the surrounding neighborhood. It’ll offer Oak Cliff’s history throughout the park design, and programming & events like concerts, art exhibits, and festivals. The design also just looks really cool with an amphitheater, interactive fountains, and a second level overlooking the zoo.

While we’ve been keeping an eye on Halperin Park, anticipating its Phase One opening this spring, we learned that the park is officing out of a historic building being renovated to the east of it called East Dock.

One of the Largest Adaptive Reuse Projects of Its Kind in Dallas

Originally built in 1915, East Dock is an adaptive reuse project being developed by Dallas-based Proxy Properties at 900 E. Clarendon. According to its website, the 63,000-square-foot property once served as an ice factory, a book manufacturer, and an airplane parts producer. It was sitting vacant for many years until Proxy, a real estate group focused on vacant, forgotten about, and historical properties, decided to bring it back to life. Last fall, the company was recognized in the PaperCity Design Awards Dallas for its work developing The Madison Hotel in Oak Cliff.

“We are less interested in building something new than in uncovering what is already here,” Proxy founder AJ Ramler tells PaperCity. “Each year, we travel to study cities that have leaned into adaptive reuse in a serious way. San Francisco and Denver have influenced us the most. In both places, older industrial buildings were preserved and folded into everyday life in a way that feels natural, not nostalgic.”

“[East Dock] had been in front of us for more than 13 years,” he continues. “We drove past it constantly. Talked about it. Wondered who would take it on. After restoring The Oak Cliff Assembly nearby, the opportunity came up to purchase East Dock. We knew it would be a huge project, but we finally felt ready!”

Ramler says that East Dock is one of the largest adaptive reuse projects of its kind in Dallas. “It is made up of nine connected buildings constructed between 1915 and 1960,” he says. “They sit just feet from the street, and none of them quite line up. The angles shift. The rooflines move. There is a tension to the property that cannot be recreated in new construction. It feels layered because it is layered.”

At East Dock, The Design Move Was Restraint

Ramler tells us that Proxy tends to work with the same architect (Alicia Quintans of Dallas’ JQAQ Atelier) and general contractor (David Cervantes of Oak Cliff-based Elyse Build) across most of our projects. “We feel that long-term collaboration produces better work,” he says.

“[Quintans] has a strong instinct for recognizing what already works in a building. For reuse, this is very important. She approaches projects with respect for what exists rather than trying to impose something new. She is always my first call when I find a new project,” says Ramler. “[Cervantes] has worked alongside us for nearly a decade. He studies older structures closely and knows exactly what should be preserved and what truly needs rebuilding so the work lasts.”

“At East Dock, the move was restraint. Expose the brick. Keep the steel. Keep the old paint. Let the concrete show its age. Do not correct the irregularities. When you drive up to East Dock, you feel the scale and weight of it immediately,” Ramler explains.

The People in the Buildings Make the Magic Happen

“We try to find and restore the most intriguing properties in Dallas, but are very aware that the PEOPLE in the buildings are what really makes the magic happen,” says Ramler about their tenant selection process. “Our approach to tenancy started with listening. [Proxy Manager of Business & Community Development] Haley Leavitt led dozens of one-on-one meetings and coordinated two community listening sessions. We explored hundreds of ideas before narrowing anything down.”

“Over time, the vision became an 18-hour campus that stays active throughout the day. Gyms start early in the morning. Offices during the day. Retail and food that carry the energy into the evening. Kaluntu Bakery, a James Beard-nominated bakery, will anchor the mornings. Bite Sushi and Tapas grew out of a local pop-up. Barro brings Latin American-inspired cuisine from Chef Eric Spigner, who won Chopped, alongside owner Robert Ramirez. Lola’s Cantina and Snacks is an all-day bar concept from an operator already rooted in the neighborhood,” says Ramler.

“East Dock sits in a pocket of Oak Cliff that still feels closer to Bishop Arts around 2010 than it does to the current weekend destination scene. That balance between growth and grit is important to us,” he continues. “As we look toward future tenants, we are drawn to operators who care deeply about their craft and who want to build something long-term in East Oak Cliff.

What’s Open (and Coming Soon) at East Dock

A couple of fitness studios, Abdias Jiu Jitsu and Archon Weightlifting, have already debuted in the building. More exciting restaurants, shops, and community spaces (not mentioned above) on the way include:

• The Lucky Claw – a Japanese-inspired arcade with claw machines and other skill-based games
• Oak Cliff Revival – a vintage furniture and good store from @a.collected.space + @the_livingcollective
• Resale, consignment, and thrift shop Cliff Hanger Community Store
• Rough Draft makerspace and creative community

On April 11, Proxy is hosting East Dock Open House, where guests can walk the campus and see the concepts as they take shape. Formal grand openings will follow throughout the spring.