Dallas’ Inwood Design Center Gets a Bold New Facelift From M2G Ventures

Since opening in the early 2000s, the Inwood Design Center has served as a cornerstone at the boundary of Dallas’s Design District, drawing architects, interior designers, and design-conscious locals to the center’s curated lineup of high-end showrooms.

Earlier this year, Fort Worth-based M2G Ventures, the commercial real estate company that developed The Foundry District and reimagined Mule Alley in the Stockyards, purchased the nearly 40-acre center with plans to redevelop and rebrand the 14 buildings.

Jessica Miller Essl, M2G’s co-founder, tells PaperCity that her company had been following the sprawling district for some time. Given its proximity to the Design District, Dallas Love Field Airport, and the Dallas Central Business District, Essl says the mixed-use space offered “one of the most unique acquisition opportunities in the state.”

Now rebranded as the Inwood Design District and Ace on Inwood, M2G’s vision partitions the development into two independent but integrated identities, with the former featuring showroom and industrial spaces and the latter showcasing retail and dining options.

With ongoing redevelopment already adding curated branding and signage, upgraded façades and storefronts, layered landscaping, and enhanced parking, Essl says the new investment in the property, which will include new public artworks by M2G’s Katie Murray, will attract “one-of-a-kind retailers” in the heart of Dallas.

A Closer Look Inside Inwood Design District and Ace on Inwood

By building on the great buildings and tenants already in the now-rebranded district, Essl says the 630,000 square feet of prime infill space with strong visibility along Inwood Road is positioned to meet the needs of residents and visitors for years to come.

“With the public art, landscaping, interior work, and other projects, we’re really touching up the entire space,” Essl says. “I would say that [this development] is in a great location that is transitioning to more urban infill. That’s why you are seeing people being attracted to the area. I think Inwood will become an established corridor. The focus on home design will remain, but there’s potential for new tenants bringing signature restaurants, breweries, roasteries, and boutique fitness spaces.”

The design team includes Ibañez Shaw Architecture as the project architect, RSM Design for environmental graphics, Paper Kites Studio for landscape architecture, Murray as art curator, and Ramble Creative for branding. Essl says the ambitious revamp is expected to attract top-tier tenants and reach completion by the end of the year.

Artist Katie Murray to Add Immersive Art Spaces to Inwood Design District

Since M2G’s earliest project in The Foundry District, Murray has been M2G’s go-to artist and art consultant. The fruits of that relationship transformed large swaths of the district through visually striking murals. Art has remained integral to M2G’s projects, and the newest Dallas development may be their most immersive artistic experience to date.

“This project was presented to me similarly to The Foundry District,” Murray says. “Not necessarily the grassroots vision we had for that project, but a culmination of everything we’ve done to this point.”

Inwood Design District features a large alleyway that will begin featuring murals this year as Murray hires local artists to create artworks that invite visitors to explore the space. Without revealing specific projects, Murray says there will be a palpable sense of “mystery” to the works that may incorporate optical illusions — a play off the “Ace” branding’s ties to card tricks.

The plan is to have several works completed by October and in time for a celebratory launch party for the public artworks that could include a mix of murals, hung paintings, and installation works. With a background in fine art, Murray says the past 11 years of work with M2G have taught her how to manage the business side of art projects. Essl says that Murray’s past projects have proven that quality art also makes good business sense.

“Everyone loves things that are beautiful,” Essl continues. “When Katie puts her touch on something, it turns into a real special place for a lot of people. They grow fond of it and love it. You get into their memory book. We are trying to do things that take the same dollar and spend it with better intentionality. Katie has been a fantastic partner with us on that journey.”