The abandoned Dallas-owned property that once housed Family Gateway has been sold, according to council member Jesse Moreno.
In late August, the city estimated it could sell the property at 711 South St. Paul St. for $2 million, but a news release from Moreno announcing the sale Friday afternoon did not include the price. Most of the proceeds are reserved for capital improvements.
“I look forward to celebrating the revitalization that will be seen in Downtown Dallas as a result today’s action,” Moreno said.
The property was flagged over the summer as a place of squatting and vandalism and has since been cleaned up. Family Gateway moved to a new facility in far north Dallas in 2023.
“It is discouraging that our former property, with so many beloved memories, has been desecrated, but we are encouraging our team members, donors and families who were served in this facility to retain their fond memories and to not let the challenges of late take away from the hope and healing that was found in our prior building,” Family Gateway posted earlier this year.
City Council members discussed the possibility of demolishing the building on the land before putting it up for auction in August. Ultimately, they approved a recommendation from council member Paul Ridley to allow bidders to bid on the land with or without the building.
Moreno’s email stated, “This property has a troubled history under the City of Dallas’ care and its demolition in a mere few months will carve the way for a higher purpose.”
The land, steps away from City Hall, is in an area with plans for a high-rise building with office and retail space and several entertainment businesses close to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
For years, Dallas-based Hoque Global has planned to create an almost 20-acre district between Canton and Cadiz streets. In 2022, council members approved a $96 million tax incentive to that cause.
