Bishop Arts

Like much of Oak Cliff, the area struggled after the streetcars disappeared and shoppers moved to suburban malls. Its revival began in 1984, when Jim Lake began buying and restoring the storefronts along Bishop Avenue. Decades of reinvestment followed, and the original commercial core is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the North Bishop Avenue Commercial Historic District.

For buyers, the appeal is simple: a true neighborhood main street within walking distance of home. The surrounding blocks mix historic houses, cottages, and newer townhomes, and nearby protected neighborhoods such as Winnetka Heights and King's Highway add even more architectural depth. Because homes near the district may fall within a historic or conservation district, we always recommend confirming a property's zoning status before you buy or plan a renovation. Call us and we will explain the difference between Historic and Conservation Districts. It matters!

In 2014, a private company by the name of Exxir began quietly assembling over 32 parcels. Over the last decade they have done a remarkable job at expanding the historic Bishop Arts area with new commercial, multi-family and boutique retail that blend perfectly with the unique character that is Bishop Arts. Not only is the firm's design aesthetic on-point but they actually operate several of their own businesses within the development they created. Also in sync with Oak Cliff's very independent and entreprenual spirit.

Bishop Arts sits roughly two miles southwest of Downtown Dallas. The Dallas Streetcar, extended to the district in 2016, connects it to Union Station and Downtown. The dream is to have the streetcar extend all the way to Jefferson Blvd but budget constraints has left that dream un-materialized. I-35E puts most of the city within easy reach but locals seldom access the freeways as there are may by-ways that get you where you want to go without the congestion.

• Bishop Arts has two overlapping architectural stories.
• Historic Commercial Architecture
• The original Bishop Arts core is characterized by relatively small-scale commercial buildings built close to the sidewalk, many dating from the early decades of the 20th century.
• Typical characteristics include:
• - brick masonry construction;
• - large storefront windows;
• - relatively narrow commercial spaces;
• - decorative parapets;
• - one- and two-story buildings;
• - pedestrian-oriented storefront entrances;
• - former streetcar-era retail buildings.
• The relatively modest scale of these buildings has played an important role in allowing restaurants, shops, studios, and small independent businesses to occupy the district. AIA Dallas has noted that the simplicity and smaller sizes of these buildings helped support the adaptive reuse that characterized Bishop Arts' redevelopment.

• Residential Architecture
• Move only a few blocks beyond the commercial center and the housing character changes considerably.
• The surrounding residential areas contain examples of:
• - Craftsman bungalows;
• - Prairie-influenced homes;
• - Tudor cottages;
• - Minimal Traditional homes;
• - early-20th-century cottages;
• - duplexes and small multifamily buildings;
• - apartments;
• - townhomes;
• - condominiums;
• - newer infill and mixed-use development.

• Bishop Arts functions as a commercial center shared by several surrounding North Oak Cliff neighborhoods, rather than as one enormous residential subdivision.
• Depending on the direction you travel from the commercial district, nearby neighborhoods include areas such as:

• Kidd Springs
• Winnetka Heights- Historic District
• Kings Highway- Conservation District
• East Kessler
• Lake Cliff Historic District

Restaurants, Shopping & Neighborhood Institutions: Our Team's Faves..

• Restaurants
• ENCINA- 614 W Davis, Suite 100
• LUCIA-287 N Bishop Ave
• BB BOP Seoul Kitchen- 828 W Davis St
• La Calle Doce- 415 W Twelfth St

• Coffee & Breakfast
• Oddfellows- 316 W Seventh St
• Xaman Cafe- 334 Jefferson Blvd
• Tribal All Day Cafe- 250 N Bishop Ave Ste 110

• Tacos (Yes! It has it's own category)
• Taqueria El Si Hay- 601 W Davis St
• Taco Y Vino- 213 W Eighth St

• Shopping & Boutiques
• DLM Supply- 837 W Davis St
• Davis Street Mercantile- 710 W Davis St

• New & Noteworthy
• Trapèze-240 W Eighth St
• Pillar-408 N Bishop Ave #108
• Written By The Seasons- 380 Melba St