The Dallas City Council unanimously approved a substantial investment in revitalizing South Dallas. SouthFair Community Development Corporation (CDC) will receive a $1.5 million loan and grant package to develop Malcolm’s Point Retail Center. Located at the intersection of Al Lipscomb Way and S. Malcolm X Boulevard, this initiative is designed to provide a much-needed boost to the area's retail landscape.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua expressed the city's commitment to nurturing local commerce, stating, "This project brings needed retail options and creates opportunities for local small businesses," a sentiment captured by the City of Dallas' press release. Envisioned is a 4,800-square-foot building that will serve as a new home for SouthFair CDC offices and Aunt Irene’s Kitchen and offer additional retail, restaurant, office, and community space.
Annie Evans, the Executive Director of SouthFair CDC, acknowledged the significance of this partnership with the city, "Our Malcolm’s Point Retail Project has been a long labor of love," she mentioned, as per the city's press release. The funding assembly for the $2.3 million project includes a low-interest loan from the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund and a community development grant, further supplemented by the Texas Mezzanine Fund.
Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert sees this project as a model for using community development to drive economic growth. The South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund has supported development around Fair Park since 1989, focusing on boosting the area’s economic potential through smart investments.
