In the early 1960s, developer Raymond D. Nasher leased a 97-acre cotton field on the edge of Dallas to build what was at that time the largest climate-controlled retail establishment in the world. He assembled a team of accomplished architects and designers who laid out the shopping center on an axis like a town and designed it from the ground up to properly display large works of art. When it opened in 1965 with its clean lines, attention to detail and elegant finishes, NorthPark Center's international design and tenant mix forever changed the retail landscape in North Texas and the Southwest.
As one of the first large-scale malls to have unity of materials and a policy of controlled graphics, NorthPark Center set a consistent standard of quality in materials, architectural detailing and use of natural light. From the start, selections from Nasher's collection of 20th Century sculpture and modern art have been rotated throughout the mall, introducing visitors to impressive works by Jonathan Borofsky, Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Roy Lichtenstein and Frank Stella, among others. The American Institute of Architects' Award for "Design of the Decade - 1960's" was given to NorthPark Center as one of the first commercial centers in the U.S. to create space for the display of fine art. NorthPark was honored again in 1992 with the A.I.A.'s 25-Year Award for Design Excellence.
Today NorthPark Center continues to be a premier shopping center, proudly offering shoppers a mix of the finest in luxury retail, market exclusives and fine dining with wide promenades, spacious courts, water features and lush landscaping. With over 21 million visitors annually, NorthPark has consistently been named the top attraction in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex by The Dallas Business Journal.
Managed by a family-owned company, NorthPark Management Co., NorthPark Center is undergoing a massive three-year, $235 million expansion and renovation. Ten years in the planning by Mr. Nasher's daughter Nancy and her husband David Haemisegger, the expansion of NorthPark Center includes a 200,000 square foot Nordstrom, 88,000 square foot Barneys New York, new AMC-15 Theatres, 110 new stores in 260,000 square feet of new two-story space, two new parking garages, an international food plaza, NorthPark Caf�s, and a new central 1.4 acre landscaped garden, CenterPark. When the expansion is completed, NorthPark Center is expected to be one of the top five shopping centers in the United States. Working with Dallas architect Omniplan, the Haemiseggers have maintained the integrity of the original design and seamlessly integrated the old and new by continuing the signature cream-colored brick from east Texas, polished concrete floors, and the clean, serene lines of modern architecture, landscaping, and lighting employ state-of-the-art technology combined with classic design to continue the building's elegant environment and enormous appeal as a 21st century gathering place for shopping, dining and entertainment.
