Modern Downtown Apartments

Two new apartment high-rise conversions are entering the downtown rental market featuring luxurious extras and conceirege services rather than the bare-bones urban loft aesthetic. With units from 700 square feet and monthly rents between $1250 and $9000, the buildings are laden with amenities that appeal to a discriminating crowd.

The 452-foot, 36-story Republic Bank Building at 300 North Ervay was built in 1954. The skyscraper, known for its signature spire, is the 21st tallest building in the city. It has been empty since 1995, but is nearing the completion of a $75 million renovation by the Gables corporation. The Republic Center plans to welcome its first occupants this January into 229 apartments and into newly-completed office and retail spaces. The building's features include a rooftop pool with coffee bar and sundeck, a business center and a fitness center. Individual units feature stainless appliances, granite counters, hardwood floors and custom cabinetry.

The Union Tower Complex at 1509 Pacific was built in two stages: the Fidelity Union Life 21-story building in 1949 and the 33-story Fidelity Union Tower in 1959. Hamilton Properties Corporation bought the property in 20o4, and began a $100 million conversion of the property into the Mosaic, a complex of over 400 apartments and 20,000 square feet of ground floor shop and restaurant space. "These are not warehouse-style lofts," developer Ted Hamilton told the Dallas Morning News. "The interior finishes our residents are getting are more sophisticated. We've been able to prove that luxury projects work in downtown." Planned features at the Mosaic create a sense of "ultra-urban" luxury: a 120-foot zero-edge pool, and outdoor dive-in movie theater, wireless internet access, a poker/cigar room, and an 8th-floor dog park. Complimentary membership at Pulse, a "hip" fitness center, is included.

Additional details were provided this past January on the occasion of the groundbreaking and also in the Dallas News today. More projects are being tracked at downtowndallas.org.