Issuu

OAK CLIFF J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 6 I A D V O C AT E M A G . C O M

2026 DART Student

Art Contest This year’s theme:

Discover new horizons.

Deadline:

2-13-26

Win cash

prizes!

Learn more at DART.org/ArtContest

Title Partner:

Award Partners:

Community Partners:

Media Partners:

Sponsored by:

SAME STORY, MORE SOUL.

As Oak Cliff continues to grow, so do we. Our team is expanding to bring you even more neighborhood expertise and steady guidance for your next move in Oak Cliff and beyond. Thinking about buying or selling in Oak Cliff? Let’s talk. Chris Cannon 415.948.0946

Emily Ruth Cannon 415.525.9062

Chelsea Adriaanse 214.437.4709

Ann Andrews 281.639.4254

Oak Cliff Real Estate Group is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local Equal Housing Opportunity laws.

Bill Farrell 214.455.1630

jan 26 contents OAK CLIFF ADVOCATE VOL.18 NO.1

25 OF ’25 6 Key Moments + People of 2025 DINING 12 Elephant Indian Grill FEATURES 10 The Little Blue House 16 The Parrish Aviation Flight Academy 18 West Oak Cliff Area Plan 20 Dallas Wings & Rep. González 23 East Dock Pictured: A portion of the mural painted by Jan Riggins in Elephant Indian Grill. The elephant behind the dancer represents the restaurant’s namesake, as a symbol of strength and good luck. Read more on page 12. Photography by Kathy Tran.

D I ST R I B U T I O N / A D V E RT I S I N G 2 1 4 . 5 6 0 . 4 2 1 2 President/Editor-in-Chief: Jehadu Abshiro jabshiro@advocatemag.com

OAK CLIFF

WHERE NEIGHBORS BECOME FRIENDS

Chief Operating Officer: Alessandra Quintero 786.838.5891 / aquintero@advocatemag.com Digital Marketing & Analytics: Autumn Grisby agrisby@advocatemag.com Founder: Rick Wamre 214.560.4212 / rwamre@advocatemag.com ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Frank McClendon 214.560.4215 / fmcclendon@advocatemag.com Catherine Pate 214.560.4201 / cpate@advocatemag.com Brandon Rodriguez 972-754-3942 / brodriguez@advocatemag.com Kennedy Cox 214-796-8626 / kcox@advocatemag.com John Lynch jlynch@advocatemag.com Classified Manager: Prio Berger 214.292.0493 / pberger@advocatemag.com

Jeremy Moore

Neville Crowell

Jason Saucedo

Kathy Hewitt

Jason Cuccia

THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER AMAZING YEAR! SOLD

SOLD

1151 N. Plymouth Rd.

747 Kessler Lake Dr.

1410 Yakimo Dr.

SOLD

935 W Colorado Blvd.

947 Leatrice Dr.

2016 Timbergrove Circle

SOLD

1011 N Winnetka Ave.

1214 N Winnetka Ave.

2039 Elmwood Blvd.

E D I TO R S : Alyssa High ahigh@advocatemag.com Austin Wood awood@advocatemag.com Madelyn Edwards medwards@advocatemag.com Niki Gummadi ngummadi@advocatemag.com Victoria Hernandez vhernandez@advocatemag.com Digital Editor: Cloi Bryan cbryan@advocatemag.com Senior Art Director: Jynnette Neal jneal@advocatemag.com Creative Director/Photographer: Lauren Allen lallen@advocatemag.com Contributors: Patti Vinson, Carol Toler, Sam Gillespie Contributing photographers: Kathy Tran, Yuvie Styles, Victoria Gomez, Amani Sodiq, Cat Iler, Jenni Cholula, Austin Gibbs, Ethan Good, Tanner Garza, Gabriel Cano, Brandon Gonzalez, Jessica Turner, Justin Schwartz Advocate (c) 2024 is published monthly in print and daily online by Advocate Media - Dallas Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation based in Dallas and first published in 1991. Contents of this print magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements and sponsorships printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject ay editorial, advertising or sponsorship material in print or online. Opinions set forth in Advocate publications are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the Publisher’s viewpoint. More than 180,000 people read Advocate publications in print each month; Advocate online publications receive more than 4 million pageviews monthly. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate print and online publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one print copy per reader. For information about supporting our non-profit mission of providing local news to neighborhood readers, please call 214-5604212 or email aquintero@advocatemag.com.

Call now to put our passion to work for you!

214-752-7070 | HewittSaucedo.com BEST

2001 2025

Trust the Nation’s #1 Rooﬁng Contractor

ABOUT THE COVER Jefferson Tower on Jefferson Boulevard. Photography by Lauren Allen.

EQUAL HOUSING O P P O RT U N I T Y

Award-Winning Roofing and Customer Service

Erie Roofing Since 1976

LIMITED TIME OFFER

50% 50 % OFF Installation

FREE ESTIMATE

SCHEDULE TODAY! TODAY! Call 1.833.370.1234

CALL TODAY! 1.833.370.1234

New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an advertisement placed on behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). Offer terms and conditions may apply and the offer may not be available in your area. If you call the number provided, you consent to being contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie or its affiliates and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance.com. All rights reserved. License numbers available at eriehome.com/erielicenses/

New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an advertisement placedon behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). Offer terms and conditions may apply and the offer may not be available in your area. If you call the number provided, you consent to being contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie or its affiliates JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance. com. All rights reserved. License numbers available at eriehome.com/erielicenses/

As we ring in 2026, let’s look back at the moments & people that shaped the past year in Oak Cliff.

25 THINGS IN 2025

Compiled by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ

1 2

MOMENT: SOUTHSIDE MMA MOVE TO WYNNEWOOD VILLAGE Southside MMA is family-owned and specializes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing and self-defense while fostering a supportive and inclusive community for all skill levels. FEBRUARY PERSON: JOSE GALDAMEZ Rosi’s co-founder continues to serve his mother’s traditional recipes “with a twist.”

MOMENT: LA CAN-

PERSON: ALEJANDRO

TERA CONSERVATORY

GONZÁLEZ

flourishes with its own

Tlazo Home was created

space developing a

by Alejandro González as

scene for Flamenco

a home furnishings store

in the neighborhood.

with an emphasis on Latino,

JANUARY

predominantly Mexican,

FAGGETT

designs and artists.

Faggett lives the best of

PERSON: KI’ZYDREECK

both worlds at SOC as a

PERSON: LADYRIAN COLE

MOMENT: UNT DALLAS ACCEPTED INTO ASSOCIATION

member of the football

Alumna of the Marvin E. Robinson School

TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS

team and the Golden

of Business and Management took an

The University of North Texas at Dallas has been

Bears’ band.

untraditional path to law and is now thriving

accepted into the Association to Advance Collegiate

as an attorney.

Schools of Business, which sets the standard for busi-

MOMENT: KIMBALL

ness education around the world. FEBRUARY

HIGH SCHOOL WINS STATE BASKETBALL

CHAMPIONSHIP The MOMENT: CANCER SURVIVORS REUNITE WITH STAFF THAT SAVED THEM Colorectal cancer survivors gathered at Methodist Dallas Medical Center to celebrate their recoveries with the doctors and nurses who treated them. MARCH PERSON: LATAME PHILLIPS With Hunger Busters, Phillips helps tackle food insecuri-

Kimball Knights Boys’ basketball team brought home their eighth state championship title. MARCH

ty in Dallas by providing over 1 million after-school meals.

MOMENT: NEW COOMBS CREEK TRAIL EXTENSIONS Coombs Creek Trail

extensions on the west and east create

PERSON: KATE SIAMRO

a nearly 4-mile trail for North Oak Cliff

A third of the trio behind LadyloveLounge & Sound,

neighbors to safely walk, stroll, skate

which saw appearances from Doechii and Janet Jack-

and bike. APRIL PERSON: DAVID GROVER A third of the trio behind Ladylove Lounge & Sound, which saw appearances from Doechii and Janet Jackson this year.

6 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

son this year. MOMENT: City Council adopts 2025 Bike Plan The plan targets for growing the city’s biking network while emphasizing safety, comfort, and maintenance. MAY

PERSON: JIMMY CONTREARAS A third of the trio behind Ladylove Lounge & Sound, which saw appearances from Doechii and Janet Jackson this year.

MOMENT: ONE YEAR OF THE THE LITTLE BLUE HOUSE Located at 1208 E. 10th St., the Tenth Street Neighborhood Resource Center celebrated one year in

MOMENT: DPD ANNOUNCES COLD CASE INVESTIGATION The Dallas Police Department announced the continued investigation of the 2020 murder of 28-year-old Rickey Forward. JULY

PERSON: DANNY JOSEPH After The Voice, Joseph has gained exposure with more fans

June and is continuing to look for suggestions to expand

showing up to his regular shows in Dallas this year.

programming for residents. JUNE

MOMENT:

PERSON: DON “TORTELLINI” THOMAS II

CARS FOUND IN LAKE CLIFF Dallas Police

Tortellini made it his mission to shine the spotlight

recovered multiple submerged vehicles from

on Oak Cliff with the creation of Village Oak Cliff.

Lake Cliff Park on June 5. JUNE

MOMENT: PARRISH AVIATION FLIGHT ACADEMY RECEIVES 141 CERTIFICATION For half a decade, the academy had struggled to receive their 141 certification but finally purchased it from a Portland school in 2025. JULY

PERSON: ARMANDO AGUIRRE The artist behind the Trinity Groves Luka Dončić mural that went up the month the guard was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

PERSON: AIDEN ANDERSON

The Carter High School student ranked No. 1 in

PERSON: IDANIA HERNANDEZ

his boxing weight class in

The 20-instrument musician opened her own LLC to manage

all of Texas.

bookings around the neighborhood.

MOMENT: OAK CLIFF ART WALK ANNOUNCES MOVE TO EAST DOCK

MOMENT: HAMPTON CLARENDON REZONING PASSES The

The OC Art Walk

final planned authorized hearing as a result of WOCAP passed

announces move to East

in favor of rezoning in August despite community outcry.

Dock for the annual

AUGUST

event. JULY

MOMENT: D4 COMMUNITY OFFICE OPENED Councilman Maxie Johnson opened his new District 4 Community Office Aug. 12 where the people of his district are, in the historic Glendale Shopping Center. AUGUST

PERSON: LISA NEW Lisa New was selected as the Dallas Zoo’s first female CEO in its 135-year existence in 2023.

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

MOMENT: REP. JESSICA GONZÁLEZ LEAVES STATE Oak Cliff native and state representative left Texas in protest of the proposed redistricting. AUGUST

PERSON: KEISE ON DA TRACK The Carter High School alumni is an award winning, Bill-

PERSON: WILLIAM “BILL” MCKENZIE, EDITOR OF

board-charting music producer and member of the Recording

THE STEWPOT BOOK McKenzie is a co-editor of Thy

Academy’s Grammy Class of 2025.

Neighbor: Stories of Struggle, Strength, and Shared

PERSON: TAMMY MCNARY A local death doula who hosts a monthly Oak Cliff Death Cafe to discuss mortality over tea and cake. MOMENT: SUNSET HIGH SCHOOL CENTENNIAL Sunset High School celebrated 100 years of Bison Pride. SEPTEMBER

19 21

Humanity, a compilation of essays done during the Writers’ Workshops, featuring the works of nine unhoused writers alongside artwork done by Stewpot artists. MOMENT: EAST DOCK The century-old former ice factory, book manufacturing and airplane part production plant is gaining new life with a remodel including the Halperin Park headquarters and more. SEPTEMBER

PERSON: ANGA SANDERS Twenty-five years of FEED Oak Cliff, Sanders’ nonprofit fights for healthier food options in the neighborhood and hosts the annual free festival Dallas VegFest. MOMENT: RESTAURANT BEATRICE CONTINUES TO RAISE SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS FOR THE INDUSTRY Restaurant Beatrice became the first restaurant to disclose Greenhouse Gas Inventory in the state. SEPTEMBER

MOMENT: CHAD WEST SPEECH AT NO KINGS As the only out Dallas City Council member, West gave remarks at the No Kings Rally in regard to

his opposition of removing rainbow crosswalks

PERSON: JAY GUILLORY Local Whose Books part-time bookseller

and content creator behind Black Boys Read.

23 MOMENT: BISHOP ARTS

CAT DISPUTE ENDS David

Spence and Lisa Dennis have

in the city. OCTOBER

MOMENT: OAK CLIFF NEIGHBORS FOUND

PERSON: KATY SENSENIG SCHILTHUIS

WESTERN HEIGHTS CEMETERY ASSOCIATION

stop the trapping and the

Mosaic Makers Collective founder named 2025

The nearly 200 year old cemetery now has its

protests in regard to commu-

“Champion of Adaptability” by U.S. Chamber of

own organization to care for it. OCTOBER

nity cats. OCTOBER

come to an agreement to

Commerce.

PERSON: ALYSSA FERNANDEZ

PERSON: VINCENT HOLLAND

Her cakemix brand Ollin made a restaurant debut and was named one of four baking

Founder of the local nonprofit

category Startup CPG Shelfie Award finalists.

Sayless Projects, which

MOMENT: OAK CLIFF SKATE PARK REACHES FUNDRAISING GOAL

premiered the short film The Art

Completing phase one of fundraising, the skate park has reached $1.8 million in

of Doing Something About It at

funding for the project. NOVEMBER

the Granada Theater last year.

8 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

MOMENT: BEHIND THE SCENES OF 50 OVER 50 Fifty women came to the

As we close out 2025, our hearts are full of gratitude for our Oak Cliff clients and neighbors. Thank you for trusting us with your homes and your stories. The results speak for themselves, and we’re so honored to be part of this community we love.

FLOCC Studio off West Davis Street to participate in the project compiled by Kent Barker; the exhibit opens in March. SEPTEMBER PERSON: MODESTO ACEVES Aceves was the State Fair of Texas featured artist for The International Coffee

Art Exhibit Coffee Inspires Culture.

MOMENT: DALLAS WINGS BREAKS GROUND The WNBA is officially in our

neighborhood with the Dallas Wings’ practice facility located at Joey Georgusis

Local food photographer released her

Unrivaled Expertise. No. 1 in Oak Cliff for 2025.

debut album The Burn Off, a compilation

MELISSA O’BRIEN JASON SPENCER

of songs that represent the aftermath of

OPGDALLAS.COM

Park. SEPTEMBER PERSON: KELSEY FOSTER

ALEX BRADY

VICTOR FELIX-DIAZ

(844) 674-8326

a toxic relationship.

MOMENT: DECADE SINCE SOC WALK OUT As of the 2024-25 TEA

Accountability Rankings, South Oak Cliff High School earned a ‘B.’ DECEMBER PERSON: AKWETE TYEHIMBE CEO of the Pan African Connection Bookstore and Resource Center Akwete Tyehimba received the Sutton E. Griggs Lifetime

YTD stat per NTREIS MLS 1/1/2025-12/18/2025

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH …? Get the answers in our weekly newsletter. Sign up today.

Achievement Award in Literature.

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

Photo courtesy of bcWORKSHOP.

SOMETHING OLD, N E W, B O R R O W E D AND BLUE The Tenth Street Neighborhood Resource Center continues to serve neighbors Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ

n Juneteenth 2024, the backyard of what is affectionately known as the Little Blue House filled with chitter-chatter and the swing of a tenor sax. It had been a while since residents from one of the only remaining intact Freedman’s Towns in the nation visited the space, and it was the first time the Tenth Street Neighborhood Resource Center was open to the public. Opening day was remarkable for more than the relatively cool summer temperatures. It’s been nearly a decade since buildingcommunityWORKSHOP purchased the home, saving it from demolition. The Dallas-based nonprofit seeks to improve the accessibility of buildings through design, such as their past projects of restoring the Samano Building in Brownsville and the Congo Street Duplex in South Dallas. Pei-en Yang, a design manager at bcWORKSHOP, says the organization bought the space with the plan to renovate the interior for neighborhood use and to continue to preserve the historical district. Founded in the late 19th century, Tenth Street is the largest remaining Freedman’s Town

10 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

in the United States. The 69 acres was built to be self-sufficient with homes, churches, schools and businesses. The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. In the 25 years following the historic designation, at least 72 homes were demolished. With each demolition, the district loses a piece of history. It is important to residents and advocates to keep these physical places to truly reflect Tenth Street. “We’ve just kind of started out, and we’re really trying to kind of keep this space active,” Yang says. “And so we’re looking to continue to find ways to program the space, either from a cultural arts perspective or from a neighborhood advocacy perspective in the sense of workshops for home repair or title clearance or property tax relief.” Larry Johnson is vice president of Tenth Street Residential Association (TSRA) and has been working with restoration around the neighborhood for about five years. Although he didn’t work on the Little Blue House, he is close to completing the restoration of another house in the district. Johnson says that he would love to see

even more music from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, along with food because “you cannot have music without food.” TSRA assistant secretary Rosa Medrano says she would like to see a recreation center of sorts in the space, so that kids of the neighborhood don’t have to go all the way down by the river to access one. “(The Little Blue House) serves as an example of the type of preservation that we’re wanting in Tenth Street, but also the massing of homes that we want here in Tenth Street to fit the historic fabric of the neighborhood,” Johnson says. Shaun Montgomery, also with TSRA, says that is the goal of restoration rather than continuing tear downs of historic homes. “The resemblance of the neighborhood and keeping the culture and history of these properties in the neighborhood,” she says. Hakeem Adewumi, a Dallas-born and raised artist, recently completed a residency working as a creative director with the Little Blue House to develop programming this past summer. “Learning about their work in Tenth Street was something that I think I’ve always been interested in – making sure my work is centered around Black folk and has a very specific vernacular that I really appreciate,” he says.

8 MOMENT

I call Oak Cliff Home.

I love helping others do the same . There’s

Working with the Little Blue House matched his ambitions. He hosted several performances honoring Black artists, such as a tribute to singer-guitarist T-Bone Walker, and workshops centered around creative arts like cyanotypes or woodworking. He pointed out that poetry night and the opera performance from Dallas Opera singer Johnny Brown were some of the most successful. “I think artistr y and creativity are f o u n d at i o n a l a s p e c t s o f B l a ck l i f e ,” Adewumi says. “And I think it should be something that is constantly mirrored in the neighborhood despite what we may think and assume about it based on what it looks like.” The music curations were a big hit with neighbors, something that they would like to see come back. When the space is dormant from programming, the history takes center stage. Within the walls of the Little Blue House, displays of photos and maps bring to life the buried past. Most recently, they were on full display during the 2025 Heritage Oak Cliff Fall Home Tour. This was the first time any Tenth Street structure was featured at the event. One such display was created by Texas A&M University’s architecture studio. Students and professors researched what future typologies could look like in the neighborhood, later creating a 3D model and map of the district highlighting homes that were demolished, current homes, and planned homes surrounding the Little Blue House. Most recently, three additional maps from 1922, 1968 and 2025 were added to show changes over time for the neighborhood. “It basically shows the impact that the highway has had and also disinvestment in this neighborhood over time,” Yang says. While the Little Blue House is filled with history, she says that bcWORKSHOP is looking to hear from residents about the future of the space. “This space is for the neighborhood,” Yang says. “We had two years of programming now, and we want to know how it went and what you guys want to see more of in the future.”

something special about helping neighbors while showing off everything Oak Cliff has to offer. 723

5 ( $ /72 5 6

202)

Nick McMayon 214.300.8305 nick.mcmayon@compass.com

Transform Your Bathroom and Change Your Life.

FREE TOILET + $1,500 OFF* For your FREE information kit and our Senior Discounts, Call Today Toll-Free

1-855-417-1306

*Free toilet with purchase and installation of a walk-in tub or walk-in shower only. Offer available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Market restrictions may apply. Offer available in select markets only. CSLB 1082165 NSCB 0082999 0083445 13VH11096000

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

fo o d

the k itchen is s ea s one d with love Elephant Indian Grill brought a new cuisine to the neighborhood Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ Photography by KATHY TRAN

12 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

The menu is a book, and soon, the selections will rotate as Prasannan typically does with his restaurants.

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

If customers are adventurous with the Naga hot addition to their meal, there are plenty of dessert options that can help you cool off, such as the mango cheesecake ($10).

olorful string lights capture the tree standing tall above a mixed metal and concrete facial sculpture. The vibrancy colors continue to the entry point. Just up some stairs, multicolor lanterns hang above the patio framing the front door of the Elephant Indian Grill on Beckley Avenue. The entry opens to walls of white and royal blue, where one customer can be heard saying, “We seriously want to eat all of it.” Keeping with the colorful eye-catchers of the outside, two murals by Jan Riggins depict the state of India and the culture on the left and back walls. The decor also includes plates, tea pots, flowers and a door bought from a home in India estimated to be around 200 years old. This is the second location of the concept following the first spot in Old East Dallas, which holds a slightly smaller menu. Chef Praveen Prasannan came to our city 15 years ago following his time working for hotels in India and aboard Royal Caribbean and Disney cruises. An owner of several restaurants in the city, such as Shiva’s Bar & Grill and Indian Masala Tadka, Prasannan says he expanded to Oak Cliff because of an offer from his regular and owner of the property, Matt Hartmann. Prasannan says he doesn’t know how they got his number, but one day called him up and said they want Elephant Indian Grill in the old Swank location. And so, he accepted. “There’s no Indian restaurant in Oak

14 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

Cliff, and plus, I see a lot of people, they’re looking for a lot of vegan options, and I wanted to cater my food around here in Oak Cliff,” he says. “And a lot of people, I think, they don’t want to come because there is not much (of an) Indian community here. I wanted to introduce my food for people.” With this new location, which opened over the summer, the Elephant Indian Grill menu expanded. This includes more options with specialized Mumbai style (street food like the starter pani puri, $12) and southern style (dishes that originate from the southern zone of India), along with more vegan choices. Vegan options are the tofu coconut, mushroom potato & peas masala and Bhindi-Do-Piazza, all $18 each. Every ingredient and every item on the menu is selected by Prasannan, sourcing ingredients from across the globe to capture the exact flavor he desires. “We have our own import people,” he says. “It costs a little more money, but you get good spices.” Additionally, Prasannan says that the food at Elephant Indian Grill lacks greasy, oily flavors and textures that are common with other Indian restaurants. He credits that quality to the selected produce and practice of making everything from scratch in the kitchen, like the dough of the onion kulcha naan ($5) made by hand and their own ghee, a clarified butter. When it comes to his personal favorites, Prasannan names the coconut salmon,

listed on the menu as the salmon fish molee ($24.99), adding that their entrees come with a scale of one to 10, plus a really spicy option called Naga hot. “That’s spicy. They love it,” he says. “That’s where we do five different chilies that we cook in a couple hours. Another hot commodity includes the Royal Indian Old Fashioned ($15), which is described as a classic cocktail with “a luxurious Indian twist.” For a way to cool down, there is the rice kheer ($6), which is a rice pudding made with coconut and milk powder, along with some spices that don’t turn up the temperature as much and a mango cheesecake ($10) just to name a couple. The menu is extensive, but the items will rotate soon like his other restaurant locations. “I change every four to six months to give more items and take out more items,” he says. Although the customers are sticking indoors for the season, Prasannan plans to return the weekly live music of the weekends back to the patio in the spring, including artists he’s been working with for over six years. “I like jazz. I don’t know much people who do that with Indian food, but I see it as blending with good live jazz music,” he says. “People love it, and I keep doing ( jazz for) every location.” Elephant Indian Grill, 1115 N. Beckley Ave., 469.248.0027, elephantgrill.com/beckley-ave

VOTED BEST PILATES STUDIO IN OAK CLIFF

2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 2025

3 DALLAS LOCATIONS OVER 230 CLASSES PER WEEK 35 AMAZING TRAINERS VOTED BEST PILATES IN DALLAS

3 CL ASSES F OR $ 25

Some of the options at Elephant Indian Grill come out steaming, served on a sizzler plater. The lamb shanks are slowcooked with onion, carrots and mushrooms for $27.99.

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

WHAT’S THE 141? Parrish Aviation Flight Academy finally receives the highly sought certification.

An Oregon school was listed for sale, and with it a FAA 141 certification. after the second season From there, Parrish flew o f Na t h a n F i e l d e r ’s Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ | Photography by ETHAN GOOD out to Oregon to become HBO series The Rethe chief instructor of the hearsal or have seen the institution, have his name U.S. Air Force Thunadded to the certificate derbirds take f light. and then he was able to Whatever your reason, transfer the school certifnow you can learn to icate to Parrish. He says fly in a more structured they are still managed by manner with the recent the Portland Flight Stan141 certification at a dard District Office, even Redbird flight school. though he is back in the The Parrish Aviation North Texas region. Flight Academy, foundUp and running for ed in 2020, came to fruhalf a decade, the acadition for two reasons: emy had struggled to a brother in need of a receive their 141 cerjob and the desire for a tification, some thing flight school that had t h at h a d b e e n p i n e d a stronger bond with for since opening day. their students. Years of waiting on the To tackle that desire, list in Texas continued Jack Parrish made it a to drag on. reality. “ There’s not a lot of Flying has been in communication, honParrish’s life since he e s t ly, y o u s u b m i t a n was a child. Growing Jack Parrish founded The Parrish Flight Academy with the ultimate goal to application and then up taking to the skies receive the Part 141 certification. you basically go into a before the sunrise with national queue,” he says. the former commander This lengthy process was a switch during the pandemic, changof the Thunderbirds, his grandfather Lt. Roger Parrish, led him to ing to the national oversight of FAA certifications rather than a attend a flight school. local one. As the founder and president of Parrish Aviation, he has been Travis Harvey, Part 61 chief instructor, says that the new cerpursuing the 141 certification since the start of the school. tification provides a structured schedule and program that can While the academy operated as a FAA 61 school for nearly half a be beneficial for both students and the school, adding a new decade, the FAA 141 provides an advantage. Typically, 61 certified component to the culture he has experienced there. programs see students more sparingly, say they’re filming an HBO Harvey attended Parrish Aviation as a student in May 2023 and series or want to come in and fly on the weekends, whereas with has stayed at the school throughout his career. His decision for the 141 is closer to a college degree with a set timeline of when Parrish came back to the community Jack strives to build with you will graduate. the “mom and pop shop feel.” Additionally, with a 141 certification, new collaboration opportunities “The culture of the people in the building. The culture of what have opened up to the school and their students. Parrish now has a Parrish’s whole point was is it would be your name,” Harvey says. partnership with Purdue Global, where The School of Aviation includes “You’re someone that we know rather than just a number we’re online bachelor’s degrees in professional flight or aviation management. cranking through.” Parrish Aviation was able to obtain the 141 certification not from Since the goal has finally been reached, Parrish says he continues the typical path, but from buying out another school. to raise the bar when it comes to the Parrish Aviation training. “Their school was listed on barnstormers.com, it’s just on this kind “We’re growing in number of students, and so we’re growing the of random really old website where people sell airplanes,” Parrish says number of planes as well as we see fit,” Harvey says. with a laugh.

M AY B E YO U WERE INSPIRED

MOMENT

This article is an update to “Redbird’s very own flight school: Parrish Aviation Flight Academy” published in May 2024.

16 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

? 4798 Iberia Ave. | $2,499,000 | David Griffin | 214.458.7663

1935 Canada Dr. | $375,000 | Jason Melton | 214.883.6854

3511 Rio Grande Cir. | $319,900 | Robert Kucharski | 214.356.5802

709 Kessler Woods Trail | SOLD | David Griffin | 214.458.7663

Tradition refined, flavors reimagined. Located in the former Cooper’s Meat Market at Sylvan Thirty, Sugoi Sushi continues a tradition of approachability and quality, serving the Oak Cliff community Edomae-style sushi with a variety of nigiri, sashimi and cold plates, with lunch offerings that include hand rolls and thoughtfully composed sets. Lunch: 11:00 AM-2:30 PM (Daily, except Sunday) Dinner: Daily, 5:00-10:00 PM Happy Hour: Daily, 5:00-7:00 PM Happy Day Thursdays: Half off select bottles of red and white wine

778 Ft. Worth Ave. Ste. G150 | 214.238.7570 | sugoidallas.com

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

13 MOMENT

FROM CRIES TO CRICKETS The state of development following the West Oak Cliff Area Plan Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ Map courtesy of the City of Dallas.

n 2018, on the first day now-District 1 City Council member Chad West was appointed by former council member Scott Griggs to the City Plan and Zoning Commission, there was an announcement about a new development. The 77-year-old building that formerly housed restaurant El Corazon de Tejas would be replaced by a CVS. “The family sold it, which is their right to do so, and I think did quite well on it,” West says. “But, the neighborhood was not happy about losing that building as a significant Oak Cliff structure and wasn’t also happy about a CVS coming in there with a big parking lot right out front where it’s literally across the street from a streetcar stop.” To West, a one-story drug store with a parking lot didn’t make sense for the location. He remembers Griggs receiving hundreds of angry emails, calls and letters. “How could we let that happen?” West says. “Well, that happened there because there wasn’t a zoning overlay in place like we had and still have for Bishop Arts and for Lake Cliff, that kind of area just north of it. So I made a vow to myself, and to Scott and to neighbors, that I was going to do everything I could to not let other little commercial centers like that in Oak Cliff go into the next decade without some kind of planning in place.” West says the D Magazine article “Bishop Arts Can Be a Model for Southern Dallas Development” by Patrick Kennedy inspired his approach: to use the preservation of streetcar stops as a guide.

18 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

CONVERSING ABOUT POTENTIAL CHANGES TO WEST OAK CLIFF West learned in 2018 that neighbors and property owners of Downtown Elmwood had filed for authorized hearings for a zoning change in that area to specify land use the year prior. He met with local property owners and neighborhood leaders to gather feedback. He says he joined these meetings to start the conversation widely about balance between development and preservation. That led West to open up other filings for Catherine/Pierce, Hampton/ Clarendon, Clarendon/Edgefield and Jimtown, in addition to Elmwood. Single-family home preservation. Business development. Increased density. That’s what was on neighbors’ minds, West says. These filings laid in the queue leading into the COVID-19 pandemic. DEVELOPING A NEW AREA PLAN The Dallas Planning and Urban Design Department changed the priority system for hearing zoning cases as city staff began using WebEx for official business in 2020. Queued filings are now ranked based on a point system to prioritize cases on certain criteria, such as being in a traditionally disenfranchised location, rather than waiting in line based on the filing date. “The overarching amount of points you could get, that really trumped everything else, was if you had a new area plan ... so what did we do? We initiated an area plan process to try to get the points needed so that our cases could get heard,” West says. Meetings spanned across the community for the new West Oak Cliff Area Plan (WOCAP),

fromstarting online in the summer of 2020. Yolanda Alameda joined the conversation just prior to that. She heard about the authorized hearing around Polk-Vernon from a Facebook DM learning about the limited communication and community engagement for these proposed changes. “That’s when we got involved because we said ‘There needs to be community engagement. It needs to be bilingual,’” she says. “It can’t make recommendations for areas that don’t have representation on WOCAP, which was most of what I affectionately call 75211, but it’s all of the area around Martin Weiss Recreation Center.” While there was translation assistance and Spanish-written slides, lack of access for Spanish speakers at the inception of the process raised concerns. Organizations like Somos Tejas and RAYO Planning stepped in to work with communities to ensure their voices are heard and included in City planning decisions through conversation. In January 2021, a Spanish-language kickoff meeting was added. Month to month, conversations focused on understanding the community vision to develop WOCAP as a guiding plan, which focuses on rezoning areas in a way that enhances quality of life, walkability and affordability for housing or retail. Informational workshops for understanding land use and zoning and forming neighborhood associations were held. Alameda says many of those 75211 neighborhoods lacked associations. When the official taskforce was formed to neighbors’ reflect feedback into the area plan, it lacked representation from all neighborhoods.

The early iteration of the taskforce used the Heritage Oak Cliff neighborhood association map as a guide to have representation from each neighborhood, rather than the city one, she says. Initially, the taskforce chair did not live in the area of West Oak Cliff. “Heritage Oak Cliff is a membership organization, so it only had kind of the older, more established neighborhoods,” Alameda says. “That’s just one example of not really taking time to understand who the residents were, what the communities were, and that noticing that over 70% of it was Latino.” Rob Shearer launched the petition “Save West Oak Cliff -- Protejamos West Oak Cliff ” on May 24, 2021. He says he started the petition (which gained over 1,000 signatures) to make more people aware of the potential changes coming to their neighborhood. “It seemed like it was happening disconnected from a lot of the neighbors,” Shearer says. “We wanted to make sure (West) was aware that there were a whole lot of neighbors who had a vested interest in keeping West Oak Cliff affordable, protecting existing neighbors, not rolling out the red carpet for developers so that they could transform an area that really hadn’t been touched by development.” Shearer says that if WOCAP was meant to be about protecting neighbors, it wouldn’t start with taskforce members of the development community, which the original group did. The taskforce brought the plan to the City Plan Commission in the summer of 2022. PUT THE BREAKS ON WOCAP The same year the City Plan and Zoning Commission began to review the area plan, the Automotive Association of Oak Cliff came together. The auto workers, like Gerardo “Jerry” Figueroa of J & E Express, pushed against the initial call to prohibit new automotive-related businesses from opening on Clarendon Drive. The call for removal of that proposed land use was successful. According to an editorial published by the Dallas Weekly, testimonies from 30 automotive businesses and supporters at the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Committee meeting on June 14, 2022 put WOCAP under advisement to meet ForwardDallas. Social media attention also increased the eyes on the area plan. Public comments became filled with increased opposition. “The City pushes really hard, and they make neighbors’ lives difficult in a sense of having to show up repeatedly on the same issue,” former D1 City Council candidate Giovanni Valderas says. “These people took off work, lost hours because when they don’t work they don’t get paid. And for

them to repeatedly show up time and time again, and then to be lectured by city council members, CPC, other appointed officials about ‘You guys keep up the great work showing up and advocating, but we’re still going to vote for this.’” WOCAP APPROVED Originally, WOCAP was set to be discussed in August 2022 for the CPC, but large amounts of community concerns during the public comment portion moved the vote. At the rescheduled date of Sept. 15, 2022, the commission approved 15 amendments to the WOCAP. In the 184-page draft, recommendations include changes to transportation infrastructure, highlighting increasing housing density, traffic and pedestrian safety enhancements and how neighborhoods can block imposing development they are against. This plan commission approval brought WOCAP to the City Council on Oct. 26, 2022, where it was adopted and set authorized hearing in motion. Valderas says the passage demoralizes his neighbors who voiced opposition. “It’s really patronizing,” Valderas says. “And honestly, it pisses people off … why do we keep doing this, if the City continues to do what it wants to do.” Upon the request of some community activists, the Clarendon/Edgefield authorized hearing was deauthorized, according to West, but the remaining hearings included Downtown Elmwood, North Cliff, Jimtown and Hampton/Clarendon. “It took so long to get these hearings actually opened up that many of the property owners had sold their properties or moved, couldn’t find them again, at least in the Hampton/Clarendon case,” West says. But even before all authorized hearings were filed for WOCAP, there had been meetings with all the property owners West could find in these corridors, he says. The final authorized hearing of the WOCAP, the Hampton/Clarendon rezoning, became a contentious issue in the summer of 2025. Dallas City Council postponed the June 26 vote after most of the 31 registered speakers voiced opposition, according to KERA. At the rescheduled vote on Aug. 13, the rezoning passed. The decision completed all authorized hearings that took half a decade to receive a vote and came nearly three years after the area plan was approved. Alameda says she still views the outcome as positive. More neighborhood associations have been formed and have become more active about offering technical assistance to the community when it comes to rezoning.

WHAT’S NEW FOR THE WOCAP POST REZONING What’s happened since the adoption of WOCAP and the final August rezoning vote? West says nothing. “This is a blueprint, really, for the next 20 to 50 years for the neighborhood versus something that’s going to happen in the next few years,” he says. Though another car wash operator and a broker representing a fast food drive thru reached out to West prior to the passage of Hampton/Clarendon, he says he did not support their proposed uses. While many folks came out to give their input and raise concerns about how the changes could be a land grab for developers to mow out property owners, there hasn’t been evidence for that case, West says. There is one aspect resulting from WOCAP that Alameda says has not been met. “One of the biggest asks at the end was asking our council member to form a taskforce to discuss ways to offset displacement, and ways to work with the community and what the city could offer,” she says. “Those are all recommendations in WOCAP that have not been addressed directly.” Dallas-based developer John Flaim says he discovered Elmwood five or six years ago and added it on his personal list of “cool” places to keep an eye on. Currently, he owns several properties in Dallas, including in The Cedars and West Dallas. In fall 2024, he came across a long-time vacant parcel located at 2003 S. Edgefield Ave. Flaim bought the property not knowing any of the debate surrounding the WOCAP. Instead, he just wanted a piece of what he calls a “little oasis.” Although he currently has no concrete development plans, other than agreeing with the seller not to open a convenience store, he says it should be a gathering place of some sort. He imagines potentially a restaurant or a pickleball center. “To me, it has to be something that the neighbors need and want,” Flaim says. “And I’m totally open on that, I don’t have a concrete kind of view.” He says when it comes to pursuing developments in a community, he views it as important to receive the neighborhood input. “So if you’re not going to make it work for the neighborhood, I mean, to me, that’s just dumb and also kind of suicidal,” Flaim says. “So if you’re not going to make it work for the surrounding residences, it’s just not going to work at all.” For Valderas, he says with the passage of WOCAP it seems to do just that: ignore the hard work the Latino community put into Oak Cliff for decades. “What is really heartbreaking for me is we held down the block and this is what we get,” he says. “We get ignored and disrespected.” JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

20 MOMENT

Rendering via City of Dallas/Gensler.

MOMENT

OA K C L I F F R E P R ES E N TAT I V E M A K ES N AT I O N A L N EWS

Rep. González traveled to Chicago to break quorum in August Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ

EV E RYO N E WATC H ES WO M E N ’S S P O RTS The Dallas Wings Practice Facility calls our neighborhood home Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ

IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INDUSTRIAL PARADISE, politicians and 6-foot-something professional athletes came together to bring the WNBA’s Dallas Wings to Dallas. The practice facility groundbreaking celebration took place on Sept. 26 with a bustle of excitement in the air for what this could mean for the city and the athletes. According to the project vision, “The Dallas Wings practice facility is designed to set a new standard for women’s professional sports in Dallas.” The project will not only serve the Wings for training, but as a community center for local youth in the 70,700 square feet of the West Oak Cliff facility. Dallas Wings’ CEO Greg Bibb said that we are in the midst of a movement that proves women deserve the same opportunities as men and that the movement will be felt here in West Oak Cliff and across the entire City of Dallas. “Our professional athletes will serve as role models not seen from afar on the television or social media platforms, but in this community’s backyard right here in West Oak Cliff,” Bibb said. “Up close and personal, where the City can be inspired and remains to help the next generation realize what is possible with dreams, opportunity and hard work.” Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert said that the facility will be bigger than a brick and mortar, but that “it will truly be a hub for systematic change.” The Dallas Wings practice facility was confirmed for construction on Sept. 10, 2025 for part of Joey Georgusis Park following the passage of rezoning the space. “More than 20 years ago, the Joey G. family did donate this land to the City of Dallas because he loved sports and recreation and that was his passion,” said JR Huerta, Dallas Park and Recreation Board vice chairperson. “His dad said he loved being outside spending time. And now I’m hoping that our youth will take this and grow. That’s important to us as a community that we do that.”

20 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

oining more than 50 Democratic lawmakers, Oak Cliff-born representative Jessica González left the state in protest of proposed redistricting maps on Sunday, Aug. 3. She’s no stranger to putting up a fight in Texas politics. González led the charge in a May 2021 walkout while serving as vice chair of the Elections Committee. She walked out of the Texas House of Representatives in protest of a bill restricting the methods voters cast their ballots in the state. The bill later passed despite the quorum breaks. González said that the people in her district voted for her to be able to represent their voices, and that means going the extra mile. “They want me to be in the fight for democracy. They don’t want any part of this political game. They don’t want to be a chip, right? And that is currently happening right now, and so for me, I mean, I feel very strongly about that, because it’s just going to be dangerous,” she said. Typically, redistricting happens every 10 years after the most recent census data is complete in order to account for population changes. However, the task was one of the 18 listed agenda items Gov. Greg Abbott issued on July 21 for the summer special session. The redistricting maps have been under much scrutiny over

the past week since the release of the proposed map, which has the potential “to draw an additional five Republican congressional seats” in the 2026 midterm elections. “This is going to have a larger impact on our entire country,” she said. Although major district changes are not directly hitting Oak Cliff, the extent in which the changes will hit other communities influenced Rep. González’s decision to stand with House Democrats. “Texas is going to be the first place,” she said. “They’re planning on doing it in other states. They want to have a super, super, super majority. It’s not just Texas, it’s going to be other states.” As of Aug. 8, 2025, Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to expel 13 Democrats from the state House, including Rep. González. She was listed for removal from office in addition to facing a warrant waiting for her upon her return to Texas and potentially hundreds of dollars in fines for missing official business without permission. “These additional lawsuits, or these threats, things like that I think this kind of further illustrates right to people to what extent they’re willing to go,” she said. “Because they know they can’t win the court of public opinion, so they’re trying to do the courts.”

W HERE C AN I FIND L OC AL ...?

AC & HEAT

EMPLOYMENT

HANDYMAN SERVICES

ALEXANDER HOME REPAIR. AC/HEAT Repair & Install. LIC#28052 469-226-9642

BENJAMINS PAINTING Hiring:18-26Yr.olds, Top Pay- Will Train. In Advocate since 2007. 214-725-6768

HOME REPAIR Small/Big Jobs. Int/Ext. Sheetrock, Windows, Kitchen, Bathroom 33 yrs exp. 214-875-1127

EXPERIENCED NANNY 2 months-6 Years Great References.15 Years Experience warconie@gmail.com. 469-987-2172

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

THE HEATING & AC EXPERTS

ASK ABOUT DISCOUNTS!

214-710-2515

dallasheatingac.com

WANTED: BOOKEEPER Experienced in Quick books for general construction and home flipping. Send resume or call Ricky:(512) 554-6084 R.Moises.Garza@gmail.com

TACLA67136C

Installations & Repairs Emergency Services 24/7 On-Call 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

APPLIANCE REPAIR JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

BUY SELL TRADE

EXTERIOR CLEANING

FENCING & DECKS

JD’S TREE SERVICE Mantels, Headboards, Kitchen Islands, Dining tables. Made from Local Trees. www.jdtreeservice.com 214-946-7138 SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 469-585-1588 jhholbert2@att.net

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let a seasoned pro be the interface between you & that pesky Windows computer. Hardware/Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $100/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 972-639-6413 / stykidan@sbcglobal.net

CONCRETE, MASONRY & PAVING ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS Decorative Concrete Overlays. 214-705-5954

• Decks • Pergolas • Patio Covers Hannawoodworks.com 214-435-9574

FITNESS, HEALTH & WELLNESS WE BRING THE WORKOUT TO YOU®

BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319 BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174 CONCRETE DRIVEWAY SPECIALISTS Repairs,Replacement,Removal. References, Reasonable. Been in Advocate Magazine for 22 yrs.Chris Roberts. 214-770-5001 FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls,BBQ’s Veneer, Flower Bed Edging. All Stone Work. Been in Advocate Magazine for 22 years Chris Roberts, 214-770-5001

R&M Concrete

Concrete • Driveways Retaining Walls Stamped Concrete

214-202-8958

Bonded & Insured

References & Free Estimates

ELECTRICAL SERVICES #1 ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. Anthonyselectricofdallas.com TECL24948 50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333 TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

HOUSE PAINTING

GARAGE SERVICES

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, Repair. Single,Double Panes. Showers, Mirrors. 214-837-7829 WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

HANDYMAN SERVICES

Firewood/Cooking Wood

Locally Full service trimming & harvested planting of native trees. wood! 214.946.7138

ORGANIZATION A CHARMING HOME Decluttering + Organizing + Styling acharminghome.co 214-794-6382

PEST CONTROL NATURE KING PEST MANAGEMENT INC. Squirrels, Racoons, Skunks, Snakes, Possums, etc. Pest & Termite. Neighborhood Resident 30+ Yrs.exp. 214-827-0090

"Keeping Children & Pets in Mind"

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872 Complete Full Service Repairs, Remodeling, Restoration. Name It — We do it. Tommy. Insured. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

abetterearth.com

PLUMBING AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943 ANCHOR PLUMBING Your trusted Oak Cliff plumber for 30+ years. 214-946-1638.

PLUMBING ISSUES? We’re the Experts! Tubs, Tiles or Sinks WE •• Cultured Marble REFINISH! • Kitchen Countertops

30 Years of Excellent Service • Water Heaters • Water Leaks 24/7 On-Call • Sewer Backups • All Plumbing Repairs ASK ABOUT DISCOUNTS!

214-631-8719

972-379-4000

staggsplumbing.co

Family-Run Business

www.allsurfacerefinishing.com

NO CHARGE TO CO ME OU T

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

LOOKING FOR A HANDYMAN SERVICES?

Click Marketplace at advocatemag.com

RESPONSIBLE TREE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

KITCHEN, BATH, TILE & GROUT

HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.292.0493

JD’s Tree Service

Termite Specialist - Mosquito Mister Systems FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. Licensed · Insured · Residential · Commercial · Organic dallastileman.com 214-343-4645 214-350-3595 • Abetterearth.crw@gmail.com

ELEVATED GARDENS - 469.682.5039 DANHANDY.NET Repairs Done Right For A Fair Raising the Standard of Outdoor Beauty Price. References 214-991-5692 HOLMAN IRRIGATION

HANDYMAN WANTS your Painting,Repairs, To Do Lists. Bob. 214-288-4232. Free Est. 25+yrs exp.

MONSTER TREE SERVICE DALLAS Certified Arborists, Fully Insured 469.983.1060

TEXAS BEST PAINTING LLC Resd,Interiors 30Yrs. 214-527-4168

JIM 972-992-4660

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS \

AceHandymanServices.com ❚ 972.308.6035

214.778.2455

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned. 214-251-5428

JOHNSON PAVING Concrete, Asphalt, Driveways. New or Repair. 214-827-1530

❚ Drywall ❚ Doors ❚ Senior Safety

❚ Carpentry ❚ Small & Odd Jobs ❚ And More!

AMBASSADOR FENCE CO. BENJAMINS PAINTING - Professional work Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks, Pergolas, @reasonable price. In Advocate since 2007 Patio Covers, Arbors. AmbassadorFenceCo.com 214-725-6768 214-621-3217 TOP COAT 30 Yrs. Exp. Reliable. Quality FENCING, ARBORS, DECKS Repair/Remodel. Phil @ 214-770-2863 oldgatefence.co RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT 214-766-6422 Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

HANNA WOODWORKS

COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Lawn Maintenance. Resd/ Commcl.Insd. CC’s Accptd. mayatreeservice.com 214-924-7058 214-770-2435

Let Us Tackle Your To-Do List!

G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925

!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Top Dollar Paid.1-866 -433-8277 4 QUALITY FENCING • 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood. YourWoodmaster.com

CABINETRY & FURNITURE

ONE CALL WEEKEND SERVICES Contractor & Handyman. Remodels, Renovations . Paint, Plumbing, Drywall, Electrical.469-658-9163

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

Master Plumber License M-17697

Click Marketplace at advocatemag.com

Look here for local services.

214-794-3374 healthyhomeplumbing.net Daniel Shuck Licensed & Insured M•41777

POOLS CERULEAN POOL SERVICES Family Owned/ Operated. Weekly maintenance, Chemicals, parts & repairs. CeruleanPro.com 214-557-6996

REAL ESTATE ESTATE HOME NEEDS TO BE SOLD? Facing forclosure? IG Heron Homes Call Ricardo Garza @ 469-426-7839 NEAR WRLAKE 2/1 DUPLEX. Hdwds, Appl. Yard Serv. CHA, 1/carport. $1,400+Dep. 469-879-2977

JANUARY 2026 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

W HERE C AN I FIND L OC AL ...? REAL ESTATE OFFICE SUBLEASE In Bishop Arts. Cool, Quiet. 1,179 Sq ft. 4 rooms + kit / bath, parking. $2,950 + NNNs. 713.302-7722.

REMODELING A2H GENERAL CONTRACTING,LLC Remodeling, Painting, Drywall/Texture, Plumbing, Electrical,Siding, Bathroom/Kitchen Remodels, Tilling, Flooring, Fencing. 469-658-9163. Free Estimates. A2HGeneralContractingLLC@gmail.com FENN CONSTRUCTION Kitchens And Baths. Call Us For Your Remodeling Needs. 214-343-4645. dallastileman.com RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247

ROOFING & GUT TERS

SERVICES FOR YOU

BERT ROOFING INC.

BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation,production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

HUGHESNET Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live.25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499 -0141

Family owned and operated for over 40 years

• Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates

www.bertroofing.com

214.321.9341

SERVICES FOR YOU AGING ROOF? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing Available.1-888-878-9091. BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 877-543-9189

S&L CONSTRUCTION All Home Services & Repairs. 214-918-8427

Click Marketplace at advocatemag.com

New Construction & Remodels Kitchens, Bathrooms, Windows, Doors, Siding, Decks, Fences, Retaining Walls, New Construction FiferCustomHomes.com• 214-727-7075

FEBRUARY DEADLINE JANUARY 6

TK REMODELING

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.292.0493

KITCHEN • BATHS

Complete Remodeling and Restoration Design • Build • Detailed Professionals

DENTAL INSURANCE-Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance -not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258 DIRECTV STREAM - Carries the most local MLB Games! ChoicePackage $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once.HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.)No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405 DONATE YOUR CARS TO VETERANS TODAY. Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800 -245-0398 ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373 GENERAC Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt. Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-844-334 -8353 GET DISH SATELLITE TV +INTERNET Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-479-1516

PROFESSIONAL LAWN SERVICE: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833-606-6777 REPLACE your roof with the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install. (military, health &1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234 SAFE STEP North America's #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306 THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services WATER DAMAGE cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809

TUTORING/ LESSONS

For complete terms and conditions,

TKREMODELINGTX.COM 972 533-2872

INFLATION is at 40 year highs. Interest rates are way up.CreditCards. Medical Bills. Car Loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call National Debt Relief to find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! Free quote.1-877-592-3616

visit advocatemag.com/advertisingterms

GARTH ORR - TUTOR Math & Physics grade 8-12. Private Tutoring that works! garthorr.com

EDUCAT ION GUIDE

C O NFIDENCE. CHA RACTER. AC HIEV EMENT. Let’s work together to unlock your child’s full potential. Ready to learn. Ready to lead. Ready for life.

lifeschool.net/enroll

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR

Serving Grades PK-8TH

• Reading/Writing Workshop Model • Phonics Studies • STEAM Lab, Art, Music & Library Time • Spanish, PE and Recess Daily • Leadership & Community Service • Middle School - Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program • After School Care & Enrichment Programs

1822 W. 10th St. | 214.942.2220 | TheKesslerSchool.com

4-DAY

SCHOOL WEEK

Our readers want to know more about exceptional schools in our neighborhood. 214.560.4203 OR SALES@ADVOCATEMAG.COM TO ADVERTISE

22 oakcliff.advocatemag.com JANUARY 2026

Click Marketplace at advocatemag.com

MOMENT

A BD I A S B R A ZIL I A N J IU - J I TS U

WHAT’S TO COME FOR EAST DOCK

The century-old space continues to grow with a completion goal for spring 2026 Story by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ

Family-owned academy offers classes in both Gi and No-Gi formats, self-defense and a supportive, community-oriented training environment.

A R C H O N W EIG H T L I F T I N G Training space for small group fitness classes and personalized Olympic programs.

BARRO Latin-American restaurant and market.

BI TE : S U S H I & TA P A S

Map courtesy of Proxy Properties

Chef-ownered branch of Yume Foods with a strong emphasis on Japanese culinary techniques and premium ingredients.

H A LP E R I N P A R K Corporate office of the five-acre bridge park that will span I-35E between Ewing and Marsalis Avenues.

K U L U N T U B A K E RY Nonprofit bakery that specializes in small-batch sourdough bread and South African-inspired pastries.

L O LA’ S C A N T I N A & S N A C K S A hangout spot for snacks, cocktails and vibes

JUST BEFORE THE CURVE OF EAST CLARENDON DRIVE, a historic site approaches a year in the process of being restored. The 62,000-square-foot space, known as East Dock, will soon be home to a variety of shops, offices and businesses — all within century-old buildings. According to East Dock’s website, since the early 1900s, the property has been home to Oak Cliff Ice & Cold Storage Co. and the Guiberson Corporation, which added metal warehouse buildings for their aircraft engine and parts factory. After sitting vacant over seven years, Proxy Properties took on the project. “We really worked to prioritize local businesses and our neighbors,” says Haley Leavitt, manager of the community and business development. “Every person that we’ve met, we’ve met through weird happenstance.” Leavitt says that these chance meetings, like running into each other at the pool a couple of times, are what is filling the building. Some of the confirmed occupants include two athletic spaces that are already operating within East Dock, Abdias Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a weightlifting gym Archon Fitness & Performance.

For food and drink, Leavitt says Kuluntu Bakery is confirmed to move in along with a smoothie and açai shop. Another food staple at East Dock will be the Latin-American restaurant Barro. The restaurant will highlight different countries through food every three months bringing in a Chopped winning chef from Colorado, Leavitt says. The building has the potential to host a maker space in the 9,000-square-foot section where machinery for creatives could be accessed through a membership for artists. She also says that they hope to prioritize interior tenants to be things that don’t require a lot of public foot traffic, such as office spaces, while keeping retail spaces accessible with a storefront. By providing those storefronts at East Dock, she says that each business space can feel like they have their own autonomy. The annual Oak Cliff Art Walk was the first time the space was open to the public in October. Leavitt says that the opportunity not only helps creatives but gives locals the chance to understand that East Dock is here. Businesses and nonprofits will continue to move in February through April, with an official completion of the project expected in spring 2026.

O A K C L I F F R EVI V A L Curated destination with sustainably sourced vintage and local goods.

R O U G H D R A F T M A K E R S C O LL EC TIVE Membership space where individuals can use creative resources and participate in workshops. Supplies include everything from leatherwork, paper crafts, candle making, and beauty products to ceramics, photography and more.

TH E L U C K Y C R EW A Japanese-inspired arcade boutique with claw machines and skill-based games that offers high-quality licensed plushies and collectibles. Eight businesses and organizations will move in every month between December and April. Future openings are planned for May with activations in June for FIFA with Halperin Park and Dallas Zoo. East Dock is always looking for ways to collaborate and activate the property. If any arts or community organizations need space for programming, email Haley Leavitt at info@proxypropertymgmt.com.

A Next-Level Real Estate Experience Price and availability subject to change. Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

PENDING

722tennaloma.daveperrymiller.com

SOLD, Represented Seller

1033 Cedar Hill Avenue

722 Tenna Loma Court

1112 S Canterbury Court

4 BED | 3.1 BATH | 3,806 SQ. FT. | $1,595,000

4 BED | 4 BATH | 3,144 SQ. FT. | $1,299,900

4 BED | 2 BATH | 2,522 SQ. FT. | $1,190,000

Taryn Sherman

Kent Frederick

Roya Daugherty

770.262.5851 469.767.1823 shermanteam@dpmre.com

Diane Sherman

972.249.5236 kent@dpmre.com

214.543.3292 roya@dpmre.com

219willomet.daveperrymiller.com

PENDING

1803seevers.daveperrymiller.com

219 N Willomet Avenue

1026 N Winnetka Avenue

1803 Seevers Avenue

4 BED | 3 BATH | 2,994 SQ. FT. | POOL | $899,000

3 BED | 2 BATH | 2,105 SQ. FT. | $775,000

4 BED | 4 BATH | 2,889 SQ. FT. | $659,800

Ged Dipprey Real Estate Group

Susan Melnick Team

Suzie Morris

Ged Dipprey | Sandra Bussey 214.225.4663 | gdregroup@dpmre.com

214.460.5565 susanmelnick@dpmre.com

972.268.4893 suziemorris@dpmre.com

SOLD, Represented Seller

1039 Haines Avenue

2734 Wilton Avenue

2835 Gladstone Drive

2 BED | 2 BATH | 1,018 SQ. FT. | $499,999

4 BED | 2 BATH | 2,077 SQ. FT. | $315,000

3 BED | 2 BATH | 1,902 SQ. FT. | $295,000

Kent Frederick

Bart Thrasher

Karina Davila

972.249.5236 kent@dpmre.com

469.583.4819 bartthrasher@dpmre.com

214.909.9723 karinadavila@dpmre.com