The GrowSouth initiative in Dallas is expanding. Pleasant Grove NOW! is a new effort to revitalize the southeastern sector of the city. The revitalization and expansion plans are something residents say are desperately needed.
Dallas city leaders will be narrowing in on strip malls like the one along Highway 175 and Buckner Boulevard to not only rehab but also create more office space that will lead to eventual jobs.
Mayor Mike Rawlings says it's time to expand his GrowSouth initiative and says Pleasant Grove is the perfect place to do it.
The mayor joined Dallas City Council member Rickey Callahan at the Texas Horse Park in Pleasant Grove for the big announcement Thursday.
The initiative will focus on increased development, including restaurants and retail in the area.
It will also focus on promoting recreational activities like the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament as well as park and recreational trail development.
Rawlings says making neighborhoods more family friendly and continued job growth are paramount.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"Pleasant Grove is the place that really makes Dallas work. This is where the folks come from the manufacturing jobs, downtown, and the hospital and the airport, and they're ready to kind of develop around them," Rawlings said.
"There's so much opportunity in this area, and I think we often feel like we're being overlooked. Now we're starting to see it in the forefront, and we're coming together to make a difference," said longtime Pleasant Grove resident Prisma Garcia.
Pleasant Grove NOW! will cost tens of millions of dollars, and Rawlings says there will be a great return on the investment. Construction is expected to get underway as early as 2018.
