Exciting New Chapter in the Life of St. Matthew’s Cathedral
In September of 2021, the Cathedral sold about 4 acres of its campus along Garrett and Henderson Avenues to Trammell Crow Residential (TCR) for development into over 380 apartment units that will bring approximately 500 new neighbors to the Cathedral’s doorstep. In addition to adding much-needed housing to the city, a portion of the units will be designated as “affordable housing,” thus increasing options for those struggling to afford a place to live near their work. The project, to be named Alexan Cathedral Arts, also contributes to the renaissance of Old East Dallas, welcoming new people into our venerable community and augmenting the number of patrons for local businesses.
Both the Cathedral and TCR are committed to the Cathedral remaining open and accessible during the construction of the new apartment communities.
The TCR development is also an essential part of the Cathedral’s renewal. With the proceeds from the sale of the land, the Cathedral will be able to renovate the historic Garrett Hall (formerly a girls’ school dormitory in which Lady Bird Johnson lived) to accommodate new Diocesan offices and relocate the Cathedral offices from the first floor. This will open the ground floor of Garrett Hall to be renovated into a preschool to serve a desperate need in our community – made more acute by the closures during the pandemic – for quality childcare options for working parents. An important new entrance off Ross Avenue –that will welcome visitors to the Cathedral—is also part of the project.
Additionally, the sale proceeds will be used to create a beautiful outdoor green space offered to the community as a site for concerts, art exhibitions, weddings, and other public gatherings. The Cathedral Green will be a wonderful oasis of prayerfulness and calm in the midst of a dynamic and bustling city. In addition to the financial package, TCR is making an in-kind contribution to the Cathedral of 150 parking spaces in the garage of the building on Garrett Avenue and 30 parking spaces in the garage of the building on Henderson Avenue, which will enable the current parking lot on Ross Avenue to be transformed into a ground-leased retail and restaurant area with attractive public space available for farmer’s markets and other events that bring a diverse neighborhood together and encourages all to make the Cathedral grounds their home.
Finally, the financial resources derived from the land sale will enable St. Matthew’s Cathedral to invest in its core mission to proclaim God’s love for humanity and equip his people to share that love with one another. A key constituency the Cathedral’s ministries serves is Old East Dallas’s homeless and impoverished populations. The land development will strengthen the Cathedral’s ability to serve our community’s most vulnerable and marginalized persons.
Taken together, the results of the Cathedral’s land development will enable a deeper fulfillment of our mission: “Christ—Compassion—Community.” We seek to be a people of generous and sacrificial love who extend a holy hospitality to everyone, drawing them together into a unity that overcomes our differences and shines a light into the part of God’s world in which we have been planted.
Development bird's eye view