The Village People — Inside Dallas’ Cool-Again Apartment Community

As a newcomer to Dallas, I get lost a lot, and I’m just discovering what it means to “avoid the Mixmaster.” But a few weeks
ago, my lack of street-savvy became a good thing: I stumbled across a bustling neighborhood north of Lovers Lane and east of Highway 75. Flocks of friends in their 20s and 30s were shuffling in and out of modern glass structures, walking dogs in the surrounding parks, pushing strollers, and shaking their protein drinks.

This neighborhood is called The Village, and its rebranding and renovation were completed only a few months ago (the pandemic led to quiet openings along the way). If you’re from Dallas and have brushed up on its history, you’ve probably heard stories about the legendary party scene in The Village in the ’70s and ’80s, when the neighborhood required you be 21+ and single to live there.

The Village Today — A Culinary Destination in Dallas

Today, The Village is a bit tamer, but a celebratory energy remains at its core — a sort of campus for young adults that still maintains its 21+ rule to sign a lease. It’s becoming known as a food destination, with restaurants such as Junior Borges’ Brazilian restaurant Meridian (Borges oversees all culinary aspects of The Village). “We’re mixing it up daily with the programs that we have on the streets,” says Rebekah Wright, senior VP of All Things Fun for the neighborhood. “Whether it be live music, mixology classes, food tastings … It’s really just about connecting the people that live here.”

The Village’s 18 apartment complexes, lofts, and townhomes (deemed “neighborhoods) are all within a 10-minute walk from The Village center. Most parking is underground, to encourage Villagers to walk rather than isolate themselves in cars. Roaming through the center, you’ll see nature parks and sports fields, cafes and restaurants, The Village Golf Club with tropical bar, gourmet markets, and salons for humans and pups. Drey Hotel, with Junior Borges’ restaurants La Mina and Anise, has become a hub. But perhaps the most historically famous haunt is The Village Country Club.

Once one of the few places in Dallas that served alcohol by the glass, the country club has survived, sleek and renewed with state-of-the-art fitness center (The Village Fit) and serving Villagers cocktails at the new serpentine pool and swim-up bar.