In 2001, aerospace giant Boeing decided to move its corporate headquarters to Chicago instead of Dallas. According to those who were privy to the conversation over the move, the chief complaint from Boeing’s executives was that “Downtown Dallas is dead and there ain’t no culture.”
Enter Memphis native John Crawford, a commercial real estate developer who was then married to a Realtor.
John just dug in. He brought downtown Dallas‘ nearly non-existent residential population to 11,000 residents in the inner core, with more than 50,000 residents in the greater downtown Dallas area. He shepherded more than 90 developments in the central business district and helped shape the Downtown Dallas 360 Plan, a blueprint vision for neighborhoods and growth in the city’s urban core.
Downtown Dallas Inc.’s mission was and still is to transform the urban core of Dallas into a thriving, vibrant, and safe downtown attractive to both residents and businesses.
In 1996, Dallas had 200 residents. Now more than 13,000 people live, work, play, dine, shop, and spend in downtown Dallas.
John passed his reins to longtime DDI leader Kourtny Garrett, who resigned and moved to Denver last year to revive that city’s urban core just as she did with Big D. Now comes word the organization has its third executive leader: Jennifer Scripps, formerly the City of Dallas’ director of arts and culture. Scripps, a Dallas native, starts her new post in April. Prior to her time with the City of Dallas, Scripps served in multiple roles with the Perot Museum of Nature & Science, including overseeing the day-to-day construction and business planning of the famed museum just north of the CBD.
“Jennifer has a history of transformational leadership over more than 20 years working in Dallas,” said Mattia J. Flabiano, DDI’s Chairman of the Board. “She is a visionary, a collaborator, and a person of action. Downtown Dallas is thriving and DDI is blessed with incredible talent on our staff. Jennifer is well positioned to guide our team on a path that ensures the vitality of the City Center for the next generation.”
Scripps takes over at a time when downtown Dallas is experiencing historic growth, including more than $4 billion in planned or ongoing development, thousands of new residents moving in daily, a string of high-profile corporate relocations, and more apartment/condo construction.
“I could not be more honored and excited to lead an organization with a nearly 65-year history of success advocating for the heartbeat of our city,” Scripps said. “The DDI team is full of some of the most knowledgeable, creative, hard-working men and women in our city and I am looking forward to doing great work together to advance Downtown.”
Apparently, Scripps prioritizes Crawford’s Downtown Dallas 360 Plan to develop Dallas’ urban, neighborhood, and corporate culture into a new generation, most likely her peers from growing up in Dallas.
Scripps graduated from Ursuline Academy of Dallas in 1995. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
“Dallas has long been my home and the Downtown area has long been a focal point of my life and career,” Scripps said. “DDI embodies the spirit of collaboration and hard work that is a key to progress in our city. That will continue as long as I am with the organization.”
Kourtny Garrett left the organization last year to become the leader of the Downtown Denver Partnership. DDI Chief Operating Officer Amy Tharp has been serving as interim president and CEO over the 100-employee DDI team since late last year.
