As Dallas homeowners deal with the first hard freeze of 2024, there’s another population that isn’t worried about frozen pipes or loss of power. The more than 4,200 homeless people that live in Dallas and Collin counties are worried about literally freezing to death.
However, a notice of funding availability (NOFA) was issued last week, calling for a developer to submit applications to provide permanent supportive housing for unsheltered individuals at 1950 Fort Worth Avenue, formerly known as Hotel Miramar.
The proposal was a long time coming.
The developer is expected to:
- Acquire the city-owned property (subject to a right of reverter and deed restrictions and pursuant to Texas Local Government Code Chapter 272.001(g)) at 1950 Fort Worth Ave.
- Rehabilitate the property, with the assistance of City funding in an initial amount of $2.34 million, into at least 40 housing units for multi-family use which shall require developer’s acceptance and use of the City’s selected Architecture and Engineering firm design plans.
- Obtain additional capital funding to complete rehabilitation.
- Operate the rehabilitated facility as permanent supportive housing for as long as the City deems it necessary to serve a public purpose.
Permanent Supportive Housing at Hotel Miramar
The former Hotel Miramar has been vacant for years and plagued with problems.
Costs have risen exponentially since the city acquired the $3.5 million property in 2020. An unforeseen, expensive asbestos removal was mandated. The city is spending about $6 million to renovate the building.
daltxrealestate.com reported in October that Dallas originally entered a contract with CitySquare for renovations and property management in June 2021, but CitySquare ended the partnership more than a year later due to changes in its business scope. The city then brought in CBRE Global Commercial Real Estate Services to manage the solicitation process for design and redevelopment.
Delays led to cost increases. The city entered an agreement with UCR Development in April 2023 for design and renovations.
But the “challenges” continued, and the contract with UCR was deemed null and void because CBRE did not adhere to state procurement laws and federal regulations during contract preparation.
Council members have expressed frustration, and residents have questioned whether the building will ever be repurposed and provide services for Dallas’ unsheltered residents.
The Plan For 1950 Fort Worth Avenue
Assistant City Manager Majed Al-Ghafry issued a Jan. 12 memorandum advising members of the Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee about a new project timeline. An emergency design contract was ratified by the City Council last week, and the Notice of Funding Availability will be posted for 60 days, until March 11.
Two NOFA pre-submission meetings will be held for potential project bidders via Microsoft Teams from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 23 and Feb. 27. The project will be awarded in June with renovations initiated in July.
“Completion timeline is contingent on the securing of capital for rehabilitation, voucher subsidies, and selection of operator and service provider,” according to an email from the Dallas Department of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization.
The next project update is scheduled for the Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee on March 25.
