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Old Posted Jan 18, 2006, 3:45 PM
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'ULTRA URBANISM!' - MOSAIC TOWERS BREAKS GROUND

http://www.downtowndallas.com/current.htm#mosaic

Construction has begun


Mayor Laura Miller praises Hamilton Properties for their dedication to Downtown Dallas
Gary Thomas, DART, shares his vision for a true Transit Oriented Development



A DART light rail train ceremoniously ripped through a banner stretched across the tracks, signifying the kick-off of the redevelopment of Mosaic Towers on Thursday, January 12. Mayor Laura Miller and DART President Gary Thomas were on hand to celebrate, each stressing the importance of this Transit Oriented Development and its "ultra urbanism."

The 21-story and 32-story Mosaic Towers, originally built as the headquarters for Fidelity Union Life Insurance and Texas Power and Light Company, were built in 1952 and 1960 respectively. The buildings are being combined into one residential property, renamed Mosaic in honor of the millions of glass tiles on the 1960’s structure. Originally designed by architect Wyatt C. Hedrick and commissioned by Carr P. Collins and William Lynch, Mosaic will become one of the largest pieces of the 'mosaic' for Downtown Dallas as one of the residential projects.

The Mosaic restoration will include 433 apartments, 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and 770 parking spaces. With a planned budget of $100 million, Mosaic should be completed in 2007.

Colorado-based Hamilton Properties Corporation is developing the project which will also include an innovative dog park and movie theater for its residents. In addition to the Mosaic, Hamilton Properties' projects in Dallas also include the historic Davis Building and Dallas Power & Light which continue to reinforce Downtown’s residential community.

Mosaic: 1950 - 2006
December 16, 1950 – Carr P. Collins makes public announcement that Fidelity Union Life Insurance and Texas Power and Light will erect a 20-story office tower at Bryan and Bullington streets and a 7-story parking garage at Federal and Akard.

May 25, 1952 – Carr Collins announces that the project is ahead of schedule and will begin occupancy of the lower floors on October 1st and will be completely finish by January 1, 1953.

September 1952 – Col. John A. Smith Jr., property manager, announces tenants of the tower will include Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Texas & Pacific Railroad, Texas Heart Association, and several oil companies and law firms.

November 11, 1958 – Charles S. Sharp of Mayflower Investments and Fidelity Union Life announces the construction of a new 30-story tower.

May 1959 – Plans are approved by City departments to raise the height of the new tower from fifteen floors to thirty three floors. Downtown Dallas ranked #2 in the nation (after New York) in growth of the Central Business District for a continuous decade.

1972 – City Council approves a bond program to begin construction of the first of the “underground” traffic relief program by building a below grade Truck Terminal to serve all office towers bounded by Pacific, Ervay and Bryan Streets. Initial designs call for service for only Fidelity Union Life, Republic National Bank and the Medical Arts Building.

1992 – The property becomes primarily vacant and only used for parking and storage purposes for TXU Corp.

2006 – Hamilton Properties Corporation begins construction to convert the property into the largest in-town multi-family project, and renames the towers Mosaic.

Fidelity Union featured in The Dallas Morning News - 1953.

http://www.downtowndallas.com/Fidelityunion1953.pdf.gif
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