Changing the state of fairness : redeveloping Fair Park as a catalyst for the revitalization of South Dallas

Abstract

This thesis studies Fair Park, a 277 acre public park located in Dallas, Texas. Fair Park represents prevalent planning challenges - the repurposing of sites that have outlived their initial uses and the reintegration of such sites into their surrounding contexts. To better understand the site, a historical overview of the development of Fair Park from inception to its current condition is provided. Fair Park is looked at within the context of South Dallas in efforts to understand the past planning efforts and why they have succeeded/failed. A new framework for thinking about future planning efforts for Fair Park is proposed so that the site can catalyze the revitalization of South Dallas at large. Two alternative land use scenarios are provided to illustrate the site's development potential under the proposed framework. The thesis concludes with proposing a structure for moving forward with the planning and implementation of new development in Fair Park and summarizes some potential obstacles to implementation that must be carefully considered.