Choosing The Best Apt/Loft In Dallas

Posted on: April 12th, 2010 | 39 Comments

This is Day 83 of the Slow Home Project, and we need you to join us in our quest to evaluate the design quality of houses in nine North American cities in nine months. This week we are reviewing the results of our work in the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex and today we are going to be voting on the Slow Home Award in the apartment/loft category.

Thank you for voting.

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Buzz Lofts
Montgomery Plaza
The Metropolitan

  • James Murray Scott

    Good morning,

    I had trouble loading up the Montgomery Plaza site but found this link instead. http://vipmontgomeryplaza.com/

    Of the three option I found this unit provided more of a buffer from the common hallway and the amount of glazing was great. Separation of the two bedrooms may be a great benefit as well.

    I could also see the advantage of being so close to all of the retail and commercial sites but this must add tremendous cost for the buyer. Trade-offs I suppose.

  • BradW

    Three great projects…
    Buzz Lofts – new build, location and environmental features embrace Slow Home ideals, flex design = completely open space.
    Montgomery Plaza – great to reuse a historic building, unit F2 is a nice design but only 2 or 3 per floor, the most common unit A1 is long, narrow and, well, bad.
    Metropolitan – repurposed building, downtown location with a 100 walkscore, unit D is well designed as are most of the other units, in particular, the smaller units, floor plans provide room dimensions and north indication, currently there is space around the building permitting downtown views for most units, building provides amenities which may or may not be desired.
    Very close between Buzz and Met but not being as young or hip as MAM I have to vote for The Metropolitan.

  • BradW

    It was a tremendous pleasure meeting everyone on Saturday. Once again a big thank you to John, Carina and Matthew for hosting the event.

  • BradW

    One last comment…

    John and Matthew, the book is really well done. Congratulations!

  • MollyK

    Good morning everyone,
    3 great nominees…3 difficult choices.
    Buzz Lofts–Best environmental package by far; “flex” floorplan is nice although I think both closets take up valuable square footage; if the satellite image is correct the street view is not good and the walkscore is not as good as the Met.
    *****
    Montgomery Plaza–Luxurious floorplan, although there aren’t many of these designs in the building; Repurposed building with retail space but no information about other environmental features; Walkscore not as good as Met; Night view is great but day view is questionable.
    *****
    Metropolitan–Floorplan good…not crazy about entry but the closets are understated, leaving valuable square footage to more important areas; Kitchen feels more user-friendly than in Buzz even though it is close to the entry; Walkscore 100/100…can’t get better than that; repurposed building with retail space but no other information on environmental features; view from lower and upper floors is good; afforbable price.
    *****
    Came down to Buzz versus Met: chose Met. It’s location with retail and better views edged out Buzz’s environmental package. The area around Buzz Lofts needs additional revitalization.

  • MollyK

    James Murray Scott,
    Thanks for the link to Montgomery Plaza…I was hunting for a link also but wasn’t having much luck finding one with floorplans. Since you were the first SlowHomer to comment today I wondered if you had come up with something…and you did. Wish I’d read your comment first…it would have saved me some time. Thanks again.

  • Alejandro

    Buzz lofts – I’m concerned about the location of the bathroom/closet block. Not too sure about the space behind the bathroom block near the entry – what to do there? Otherwise it’s a pretty nice unit in a pretty decent building.

    Montgomery – Unit F2 is very nice, not sure about the rest of the plans (like BradW). Price difference between buzz and montgomery? Really like the shops on the ground floor for convenience (hope one’s a fresh food market!). Although this is a renovated building and there were no balconies to begin with, I would really miss an outdoor space living here. That’s the one major drawback to this unit.

    Metropolitan – Unit D or E would work nicely for me. The location is very good. I’m not too sure about the lack of environmental features, such as low energy use appliances or water saving fixtures – there is no discussion of any of this. I don’t think that the outdoor living spaces are very nice either – although they aren’t typically in these high rise condo projects.

    All in all, I have to go with the Metropolitan in spite of its lack of enviro-ness. The Buzz Loft one for me just didn’t work with the dark space at the back. A close one between Montgomery and Metropolitan, but without an outdoor space, I just can’t see myself really enjoying the Montgomery unit. Dallas wins out over Fort Worth – this time for me.

  • Mid America Mom

    BUZZ LOFT by far.

    -Light and Open. You have freedom to furnish the space as it is reminiscent of a what we would think is a traditional hard loft. Being on a corner, facing North, and has this garage door type window to the patio. *Oh those who would feel the need to add walls there are products that are not permanent- see http://www.1wall2rooms.com/index.html

    -Most energy sensitive unit. Zero emissions. Use 100% wind power provider and the building is fitted for PV panels in the future. Rainwater collection tanks for watering the landscaping which is natural and less water requiring. Low E glass, energy efficient appliances (with micro a must for the single people out there!!). They give you an electric moped if you want to drive to work. Tile from recycled glass, use of renewable materials such as cork for insulation and bamboo for floors.

    - Reasonably priced. Around 200 a square foot.

    - Close to DART transport, downtown and yes it is in an up and coming neighborhood.

    :)
    Mid America Mom

  • Terri

    I accidentally voted for Buzz, but on second thought, this was probably the right way to vote. I’m not crazy about the undefined space, but the environmental features may outweigh this.

    Montgomery is in a nice location (those riverside trails appeal to me), but the lack of an outdoor space nixed it.

    Metro’s cramped entry and hall open kitchen irritates the crap out of me just looking at it!

  • Terri

    John/Matthew,
    In case you didn’t catch up with the weekend posts, I asked how the rest of us non-Torontonians can get our hot little hands on the book. Will you be distributing only through this website?

    BTW, isn’t anyone else curious about who turned up at the pub on Saturday?

  • Matthew North

    Hi Terri – the book will be available for sale very soon through the website – we will be posting photos of the Toronto Slow Home get together on the site very soon! You were missed at the gathering Terri!

  • MollyK

    Terri,
    I’m curious about who went on Saturday. But I think I’d get depressed knowing who I missed seeing. My hat’s off to you for asking.
    *****
    You share my sentiments about the entry in Metro’s units. It never fails that I cringe everytime I see that type of layout. But the kitchen itself felt more roomy and had more counter space than in the Buzz unit. So I played the compromise game. (The Montgomery kitchen was ideal, but there were other negative elements for me.)

  • Mid America Mom

    BradW
    not as young and hip LOL.

    It is geared for singles. It is a fantastic price compared to new units elsewhere. The flexibility is there to modify when the lifestyle does. If willing to spend some of the money you did not use to buy the unit this would be a great opportunity to hire Matthew and John or a firm like it ;)

    Mid America Mom

  • Manolo

    Alejandro – I think that a lack of environmental features and a cramped terrace is worse than the Buzz Lofts’ small amount of wasted space. The Buzz Loft one also has a wayyy bigger commitment to revitalizing and improving the community around it, with a lower cost units and a number of sustainable building considerations. The Metropolitan is luxury living for the few who can afford to live downtown. I’ll take that dark space and use it for what doesn’t need that much light natural light – my desktop computer.
    Obviously my vote goes to the Buzz Lofts.

  • Catherine Taney

    My issue with the Buzz Lofts is that while these units are look pretty fun to live in, I can’t see living there as a parent. I do see how they would appeal to the younger crowd, but without a second bedroom I don’t see how having a little one grow into a not-so-little one (who wants their own personal space – and me too) would be viable in the longer term. So while it fits the need in the short term, the building will likely see quicker-than-others turnover which in my mind could cause issues. I guess I wonder about the Slowness of a house that can’t fit the long-term needs of its occupants… Maybe it’s a different discussion.
    So with that in mind, I went and chose the Montgomery plan. I see this one as the most livable in the short and long term. It’s more luxurious, but I think that that initial investment would pay off. I am also ignoring the other units in the building – many of them have really nasty angles and windowless spaces (if F2 wasn’t available I’d look elsewhere for sure).

  • Jodi J

    - in my opinion, the metropolitan project is number one. my comments are really very similar to everyone elses thus far
    - 100 walkscore is a huge plus in my opinion –> healthy location leads to a healthier lifestyle for its residents
    - although i also fully apprecaite the reuse of the historic montgomery plaza building, i think (just as john mentioned) the idea of repurposing a 70′s style office tower for residential use, and in that effort creating really reasonable units, is a great precedent to set and hugely applicable to a number of sites
    - again, although the slowhome environmental approach to the buzz is quite cool, the repurposing of existing buildings (taking advantage of that imbedded energy/sunk resources) versus tearing down or building new is hugely sustainable, in other words, very “slow-homeish”
    - all in all, tough choice!

  • Mid America Mom

    ****WEB GURU***

    Two things-
    1. I voted, it recognized it, but recent refreshing I find I have options to vote again (which I did not or should I?)

    2. Please take a look as we are missing some floorplans on the Dallas/ Ft. Worth map and master list from those submitted via comments. I posted everyday last week and at glance I am not seeing everything I had from April 7, the 8th, and nothing 9th. *I liked taking time throughout the week. I think I was able to submit a good amount and it kept my interest.
    *
    If it helps I use firefox.

    Thanks!
    Mid America Mom

  • BradW

    In multi-family dwellings, if you are going to attribute common factors to individual units (which we do) then you must consider the quality of the majority of the units in the building. If only one unit in the building is good then how can the project be slow?

  • Matt KB

    I voted for the metropolitan. although limited outdoor space i totally agreed with John Brown that the re-use of an office tower in a way that seem to work is great and totally swayed my vote.

  • orangeopolis

    Metropolitan all the way. The Buzz Lofts’ sustainable features are nice, but are not enough. I think they often become a selling feature, which in and of itself isn’t a problem necessarily, but in this case I think that they help sell a package that just isn’t that livable. In my mind the reuse of an existing building is a very good idea, and that an outdoor space was provided by taking up some of the floorplate is nice – they didn’t do that at the Montgomery project. 100/100 for means that this location is as good as those in the most walkable of walkable cities – Manhattan. And most importantly, good, compact layouts that make the most of their space.

  • BradW

    At Slow House, fast food is a metaphor for bad design. Taking this a step further…
    In food, we have flexitarians – these are people who generally are vegetarians doing their bit to save the planet but occasionally fall off the wagon to consume meat.
    In real estate, we have flexitecture – these are developments like Buzz which, in a stroke of cost saving and marketing genius, decide not to build interior walls.

  • Sarah W

    I voted for the Metropolitan. I found that it had the most functional floor plans (compared to some of the Buzz/Montgomery plans, which seemed to be hit or miss!). Three good projects though!

  • Corey

    The Metropolitan won my vote… and not because I found it. Some of the other plans of that building I also think work well. And in agreement with John’s comment, the reuse of the office tower in a downtown, highly walkable neighbourhood, just makes it unbeatable in my opinion.

  • MollyK

    BradW,
    You have brought up a good point about the parameters of the SlowHome test. I admit that in general I look at the individual unit and don’t give much thought to the cumulative effect of units in a multi-family dwelling. Does the SlowHome Award reflect slowness of the development or just the individual unit? It would be easy to assume the building on the whole is slow based on an individual unit getting the award, but in actuality the majority of the units could be fast.

  • Joti Singh

    MollyK and BradW
    Good comments. I want to add: In the case of Siting and Environmental Performance, a building might have the majority of units facing directly west in a climate like Dallas. This would put a large load on the air conditioning, that while highly efficient, would have worked a lot less if most of the units faced north, east or south. So how environmentally conscious is an east facing unit in a building with mostly west oriented units? The question makes more sense if the unit chosen to review represents the greater or lesser majority of the units in the building. The Montgomery project seems to be just the case: a Slow unit in an otherwise Fast building.

  • BradW

    Take a break and consider this slightly bigger and more detailed box. It is the Crespi/Hicks estate by Maurice Fatio – http://www.dougnewby.com/Architecture/Architecturally%20Significant/5555walnuthilllane.asp

  • MollyK

    Joti,
    I think some of the more modern designs try to address the problem you point out with west-facing units (or houses for that matter) by incorporating large eaves. It seems that the eaves function to block radiant heat into the unit but not the ambient light. If the eaves work like they’re suppose to then you should still see a decrease in energy consumption even for a west-facing unit. Personally, I’d consider choosing a west-facing unit with large eaves over an east-facing unit with less ambient light from the outside. Come to think of it, an east-facing unit may require more artificial light sources and most people still use incandescent bulbs which are more costly than LED or flourescent bulbs. So you may still be consuming as much energy on the “east side” as the “west side”. There’s alot to consider, isn’t there?

  • BradW

    [img]5243parklane1.jpg[/img]

    Another significant Dallas home by Edward Durell Stone. Constructed in 1957 this Park Lane home represents in a grand way may principles of Slow Home design – http://www.dougnewby.com/Architecture/Architecturally%20Significant/5243parklane.asp

  • MollyK

    BradW,
    Thanks for the relaxing tour of the Crespi/Hicks estate. Beyond the obvious beauty of the home I found the pictures of the grounds to be my most favorite part. Our website is called “Slow Home” not “Slow Garden”, but you simply can’t deny the positive impact of nature’s flora and fauna on our well-being. Granted, I don’t want to care for 25 acres but I would love to roam the pathways every now and then. The pictures of the snow-covered estate are mesmerizing…I don’t see much snow where I live.
    The other thing that always strikes me about these homes is the craftsmanship. Can you imagine carving the details on both the exterior and interior of the home? No CAD programs here. It blows my mind.

  • MollyK

    BradW
    I love Mr. Stone…the man didn’t want me to be a slave to the utilitarian kitchen. Frankly, I am forced to do more than make martinis in my kitchen. But I appreciate his sentiment just the same.
    I learned a new phrase–”brise soleil”–from the article, which is what I was referring to in my reply to Terri about large eaves used to block the sun’s heat. Who knew…well, I’m sure you did, but I didn’t until now.
    I love the house, especially the spiral staircase and what little I could see of the garden area from the interior photos. I also love the use of “screens” to separate, instead of walls. (It goes without saying that walls are necessary with children in the home but it doesn’t mean I can’t dream…eh.)
    I understand why so many people can’t stomach modern architecture used in residential settings. I like both modern and traditional and yet I have my limits regarding both. It’s like saying you like “red” but not vibrant “tomato” red.
    One other thing that fascinates me is the variety of buildings Mr. Stone designed: hotels, museums, private residences, etc. Versatility goes along way in architecture.

  • Braden

    One more for the metropolitan

  • Eric S.

    Hi Mid America Mom,

    I checked and the all the projects that you submitted from the 7th to the 9th should be showing up on the map now. I apologize that I didn’t spot those earlier.

    Without giving too much away, the next version of the Slow Home site that we’re working on will include fixes to address some of the issues with the Slow Home Map that sometimes pop up on this version.

    If you or anyone else on the site has any questions or concerns, feel free to email me directly at: webmaster@theslowhome.com

    Regards,
    Eric S.
    Slow Home

  • Rita H.

    I voted for the Buzz Lofts – The others don’t have nearly the same number of sustainable features.

  • Vickie

    and another MET voter!
    A repurposed building needs the credit, as well as it’s affordability! So often the ‘green’ buildings are more costly. In this instance, it is helping the environment, and the consumer.

  • Mid America Mom

    Thank you web guru Eric. Webmaster address it will be.
    **
    JOHN, I hope you are able to get some of these plans I submitted late last week for analysis. Oh Is there a way to get into the actual data, by answer, on the test since I can see total score only? My analysis is limited to going into a plan and myself determining a particular question which is counterproductive and can lead to different results. If you want to forward the data on to me in a zip or other file I think I can download.. let me know.
    *
    I am interested in the following:
    1. My feelings on Dallas to TO (sorry LA is too far away for me to really recall anything), and based on something Matthew I think stated last week, is different dining space results. Did he imply worse than TO? I felt the opposite.
    2. I suspect bedrooms scored better as I did not see as much crazy walk ins and angleville.
    3. Living maybe a draw. In Dallas I found that the first floor usually only contained the one living space and located in the back. I agree with your comment at the meetup on Saturday that they like these second floor family rooms (and I would like to add the design or flow of these differed). In Toronto we found a decently designed family room at the back of the first floor and then this narrow or cramped formal living room at the front of the plan.
    4. Dallas tended to have wider plans/lots.
    5. Dallas also had plenty of single story ranches (a style I like) whereas we found very few in Toronto.

    Thanks!
    Mid America Mom

  • Grace

    John–I hope you can get to Marfa and the Lightning Fields while you’re in Texas!

  • Grace

    My husband reminds me that the lightning field is in New Mexico. I have a New Englander’s map of the rest of the USA lodged firmly in my head, but it’s out in that general direction!

  • John Brown

    Mid America Mom,
    I will certainly be including all of the posts in the analysis. To date I have only done a quick once over with the total scores. I will make sure I have all of the posts before going through the detailed analysis.

    John

  • Lacey

    I voted for the Metropolitan, as I felt that the 100 walkscore is quite impressive, as well as being high on my own priority list. it’s something I continually feel Calgary developments should strive for in general, especially since Calgary poses additional challenges given its climate.
    I also felt the plans were quite reasonable.