Reviving Downtown Dallas | Working Title Ep. 70

Why are people moving back downtown Dallas and what still needs to change in the Big D?

Jennifer Scripps, CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc joins the Working Title show to unpack the projects, the politics, and the practical fixes driving Dallas’s downtown comeback.

From public improvement districts and safety teams to new parks, college campuses, and convention-center plans, Jennifer walks us through what’s changed in Dallas, what’s working, and what still needs to happen to make downtown a seven-day, mixed-use neighborhood people actually WANT to live, work, and play in.

This episode covers:

What Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI) does—security, clean teams, outreach, planning—and how the public improvement district funds those services.

Post-pandemic downtown trends: office return patterns, rising weekend foot traffic, and why Saturday can be busier than some weekdays.

The growth of downtown housing and why a true 7-day downtown needs grocery stores, parks, and neighborhood services.

Safety and coordination with DPD, camera footage sharing, and DDI’s role in quality-of-life enforcement.

Big-picture projects: convention center renovation, Dallas College expansion, rehabbing iconic office towers, and the need for more hotel rooms and destination dining.

Infrastructure challenges (old signaling, tunnels, parking) and the opportunity FIFA and other events create for long-term improvements.

Why downtown matters to the whole region—jobs, tax base, and future growth—and the vision for a pedestrian-friendly, activated core.

If you care about Dallas urban revitalization, Dallas city planning, or how public-private partnerships actually move a downtown forward, this episode gives practical, boots-on-the-ground insight from one of the people leading the effort.

Quick highlights:

-DDI overview & public improvement district

-Post-pandemic office + residential trends

-Safety, outreach, and coordination with DPD

-Convention center, Dallas College, and jobs pipeline

-Redevelopment wins & future vision

Guest:

Jennifer Scripps, President & CEO of Downtown Dallas inc

https://downtowndallas.com/

Hosts:

Zach Sams leads Kensington Vanguard National Title Company in Texas and Arizona. Zach is also the President of Nexus Caritas Opus, LLC, the charitable organization that hosts and runs The Bonanza at the Border Charity Golf Tournament in Lajitas, TX.

Dallas Cothrum - Dallas Cothrum is the CEO of Masterplan Consultants, the oldest land use and zoning firm in Texas. He is formerly a tenured professor in the University of Texas System. He co-hosts the “Working Title” podcast about DFW Real Estate. And he is a Dallas Morning News contributing columnist.

Tyler Isbell, Senior Vice President and Principal,SRS Real Estate Partners:

Tyler co-hosts the “Working Title” podcast about DFW Real Estate. He is a retail CRE strategist and dealmaker with SRS, specializing in National Tenant Representation, Capital Markets, and business development. He is blessed with loyal clients and good mentors, who align smart investment strategy with community impact and long-term stewardship

Show Notes

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