West End - week one

From what I have researched so far, it seems that the West End lacks personality. According to most of the reviews I found online the district has become too corporate, boasting chain restaurants and expensive shops meanwhile overshadowing local businesses and talent. Because of this, tourists visiting the West End are not getting a unique experience. When I think of a unique city, Austin always comes to mind. Local talents perform every day and quirky souvenir shops plague the downtown area; it offers an experience that you can’t get anywhere else. The district should dive into the local talent pool and perhaps find street performers that could liven up the place.  

Having said that, maybe there is an opportunity for the West End to take advantage of its historic status in order to establish a personality for itself. The fact that there are so many chain restaurants and very few “mom-and- pop” places contradicts its historical status. If this is the place where most tourists go, developers should keep these stakeholders in mind when attempting to revamp the area.  They need to take advantage of the available architecture and incorporate a theme so that people visiting the area get an experience they can’t find anywhere else. Also, when I think of Dallas I think of a technologically advanced urban area, there should be a way to incorporate that into the district without losing the historical feel.  

In continuing with the district’s historic status, there are several museums in the area but I am not sure if they are within walking distance of each other or how economically accessible they are. Perhaps they should offer a package with a set rate that includes access to all the museums as well as transportation to these. Accessibility seems to be an issue in the West End because the area is so spread out. Tourists visiting the area may find it more appealing if they are guided to certain areas.

I started with three issues: lack of personality, preservation of historical status and accessibility. But once I expanded these I found that they overlap. I feel that the more I research these themes they will come together to form a pretty solid case.