When Interstate 35-E (I-35E) was routed through southern Dallas, Texas, it physically split the Oak Cliff neighborhood in two. Decades later, the highway’s recent widening has created an opportunity to reconnect what was split, with the construction of Halperin Park.
Those behind the creation of Halperin Park call it a “park with a purpose,” and the park’s website says that it will "reconnect historic Oak Cliff and ignite environmental, economic, and community revitalization."
I-35E is a branch of Interstate 35 (I-35), which runs from Laredo, Texas, to Duluth, Minnesota. The section of I-35 that traverses Oak Cliff was constructed in the early to mid-1960s. The neighborhood was independent of Dallas before being incorporated into the city in the early 1900s.
The construction of the interstate displaced hundreds of residents, who had to sell their homes due to the eminent domain law. Although the interstate brought benefits, including traveling to and from downtown Dallas, it also left a gap in the area.
Oak Cliff covers a broad area made up of numerous smaller communities, each with its own culture and history. However, the neighborhood is historically under-resourced and has limited amenities.
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"Halperin Park represents an opportunity to grow part of the city that is historically under-championed and reconnect the neighborhood," said April Allen, President and CEO of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation (SGPGF). Through a public-private partnership with the City of Dallas, SGPGF serves as the private partner responsible for delivering Halperin Park.
The impetus to construct the park came from residents of Oak Cliff. Allen noted that neighbors galvanized to build this park. Halperin Park mimics Klyde Warren Park, which is over another highway in central Dallas.
Highway deck lids, often called caps, are emerging as signature features in modern highway redesigns, helping to mend the divisions caused by earlier infrastructure. Designed to blend seamlessly into the city, they transform overlooked areas into inviting parks, plazas, and gathering places.
A deck lid is essentially a structural cover built over a recessed highway, converting unused space into land for community use. This approach allows cities to reclaim territory, reduce noise and pollution, and spark new economic and residential development.
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In 2018, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began a four-year infrastructure project to widen I-35E from eight to 10 lanes. The 11-mile expansion went through Oak Cliff.
In 2017, TxDOT recognized that it could reconnect Oak Cliff. That same year, the Halperin Park website says that Opportunity Dallas “convened a task force to study the effects of segregation and lack of affordable housing available in Dallas. ... [The study] revealed that the new park will [help] to address the lack of mobility while generating economic investment in the surrounding areas.”
A lid over the highway connects the two sections of Oak Cliff. Implementing a deck lid had a significant impact on design and construction.
"The structure itself and the required ventilation systems make quite a deep structure," said Robert Brown, Senior Vice President of WSP, the firm serving as project engineer. "This necessitated the elevation of the freeway being depressed about 15 feet below what it used to be, which meant there had to be long stormwater runoff outfalls to make the drainage systems work properly."
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Because the lid will eventually cover more than 300 feet of the highway, it triggers fire life safety elements.
"When structures exceed that level, it creates a tunnel effect, so certain codes are required to be followed," Brown said.
Another challenge that the team ran into is that the freeway is a hazmat route.
"We have to design the systems for a tanker truck fire, which means the structures have to resist a fire, so there's extra-thick concrete and fire protection boards," Brown said. “There are fire suppression systems [sprinklers]."
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The construction project, including the deck lid, took place while traffic was live. The average daily traffic on that section of I-35 is approximately 200,000. Despite the significant amount of traffic, TxDOT was able to shut down lanes at night.
"By shifting the four northbound and four southbound lanes laterally, we were able to build the permanent pavement and deck cap in halves while maintaining the same traffic throughput," Brown said.
The team took additional steps to handle the challenge. Crews constructed the required long storm drainage outfalls off site.
The construction of Halperin Park is occurring in two stages. Construction on the first phase of the park began in early 2024 and is expected to be completed in spring 2026. The timing for phase two construction has yet to be determined. During the second stage, the team will extend the lid to a total length of 1,200 feet.
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"We accommodated the phase two project by building foundations that are integrated with the retaining walls," Brown said. "That way, once the phase two project is ready to proceed, none of the elements will need to be rebuilt that were built during the phase one project."
The budget for both phases is approximately $300 million.
"That includes some estimates, but the first phase is definitely clearer," Allen said. "The second phase budget has not yet been finalized.”
The construction budget has nearly doubled from the original estimate. Allen attributes that to project delays and the significant cost escalation of materials and other costs that occurred during that time.
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Federal, state, and local governments are providing funding for the park's construction.
Private funding is paying for park amenities such as a large lawn, a multi-use building, a children’s playground, three fountains, and a bandshell. The total budget for phase one park construction and administration is $75 million.
The largest donation is courtesy of the Halperin family. Jim Halperin is a co-founder of Heritage Auctions, and his family's foundation donated $23 million to obtain the naming rights of the park.
The park, originally called Southern Gateway Park, is being managed by the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation.
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The community and the location influenced the park's design. The local design team was also influential.
"Many of the principals of the design team were residents of Oak Cliff, so they had a frame of reference for what would resonate and really reflect this part of Dallas," Allen said.
Oak Cliff is located on a cliff, with extensive tree cover and limestone cliffs throughout.
"The park has multiple elevations and is an ode to being in Oak Cliff," Allen said. “The landscape design plan mimics the Blackland Prairie where we are. So, it's very pollinator friendly. We have several mass timber structures throughout the park. The children's area has a treehouse ... [and] all the play structures are wood-based.”
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Beyond play areas for children, the park will include a multi-use pavilion that is intended to house food and beverage options as well as host community and other events. This building is approximately 6,000 square feet and includes a rooftop deck with views of the surrounding area and Dallas skyline.
SGPGF anticipates that Halperin Park will have a $1 billion economic impact in its first five years. That includes $14 million in property tax revenue and $325 million in retail/restaurant sales. Allen noted the impact also includes anticipated mixed-use development nearby the park.
"People are already choosing to live, work, and play around the park," she said.
The investment extends beyond the park's periphery. There is a significant investment in an area on the east side of the park. Developers are converting an old icehouse that had been vacant for decades into a mixed-use development with a restaurant, coffee shop, and bakery.
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"While $1 billion is a big number, we think it's quite doable,” Allen said.
When Halperin Park is complete, it will reconnect the Oak Cliff neighborhood and give residents an open public space to play and congregate. The project will also impact and grow southern Dallas.
"It's the largest investment of this kind that anyone can remember in southern Dallas, and it will have broad reaching impact," Allen said.
- Owner: Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, Dallas, Texas
- General Contractor: McCarthy Building Cos., St. Louis, Missouri; EJ Smith Construction, DeSoto, Texas
- Designer: HKS, New York, New York; Westwood Professional Services, Plano, Texas
- Engineer: WSP, New York, New York
- Other Contractors: SWA Group, Sausalito, California
