The Village apartment community on Dallas’ northeast side just underwent a massive redevelopment, and parts of it are not just for residents. NBC 5’s Katy Blakey takes a look at the new attractions while remembering the past.
It’s been home to Dallasites for more than 50 years.
The Village, an apartment community on the city’s northeast side, just underwent a massive redevelopment and they’re getting the word out it’s not just for those who live there to enjoy.
The redevelopment includes the boutique 38-room Drey Hotel, the award-winning Meridian Restaurant and several more dining options and shops open to the public.
More than 11,000 people currently call The Village home, but the apartment community has been home to thousands through the decades.
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Built in 1968, The Village became the place for the young and single to live and meet in Dallas. Pool parties in the 1970s were legendary.
“Because we’ve been around 50 years, it really was a rite of passage for so many people around Dallas to live here and really make some great memories,” said Rebekah Wright with The Village.
While building a new country club, fitness center and resort-style pool were key for residents in the new design, Wright said construction also focused on what could bring people from around the area to visit.
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“We really had to think about the next 50 years,” Wright said. “What can we bring to Dallas that can really change the landscape?”
That included offering a food hall, bakery, coffee bar, retail shops and opening Meridian, a restaurant serving modern Brazilian cuisine, run by Executive Chef Junior Borges.
D Magazine named Meridian Best New Restaurant in 2021.
For Borges, the restaurant’s opening fulfills a lifelong dream of serving food from his native Brazil.
“We’re trying to showcase that there are so many different cultures, “ Borges said. “Showcasing a lot of those different influences and it just so happens to be the different influences on my path as a chef.”
Guests at the Drey Hotel receive access to the pool and there are several spaces available for conferences, events and weddings, Wright said.
The new attractions convinced resident John Rogers to move in.
“I’m 38 but I liked the college feel,” Rogers said. “I’m a big recruiter for The Village.”
And while Rogers says a lot has changed, one thing has not – the pool parties.
“On Saturdays it’s like spring break,” Rogers said. “It’s crazy.”
