Dallas’ newest cap park transforms a stretch of I-35E into a civic touchstone designed by HKS and SWA, part of a national shift toward rethinking freeways in major U.S. cities.
Halperin Park, a new cap park spanning I-35E adjacent to the Dallas Zoo, opens to the public this weekend, marking a major milestone in the effort to reconnect the community of Oak Cliff, long divided by 1950s-era highway construction. Built on a structural deck over the interstate between Ewing and Marsalis Avenues, the park restores a connection across the freeway while acting as a catalyst for equitable economic development in Southern Dallas.
Delivered through a public-private partnership led by the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation in collaboration with the City of Dallas and the Texas Department of Transportation, Halperin Park represents nearly a decade of planning, community engagement, and advocacy. The project advanced alongside TxDOT’s reconstruction of I-35E, leveraging a rare construction window to reclaim freeway airspace as a public park. Designed by a Dallas-based team led by HKS and SWA, the park is organized into a sequence of public spaces that translate Oak Cliff’s cultural history and underlying geology into built form.
“Halperin Park bridges long-divided communities and brings beauty, utility and opportunity to Southern Dallas,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. “As a powerful economic driver and symbol of our commitment to a greener, greater city, Halperin Park embodies the lasting impact that intelligent, thoughtful public investments can have on families, businesses and the future of our city.”
Across the deck, sculptural landforms create a constructed “escarpment” that recalls the chalk, shale, and limestone strata beneath the neighborhood. Subtle grade changes and planting guide movement, frame views, and create gathering spaces at multiple scales. Key programmatic anchors include the north-south 12th Street Promenade, which restores a walkable connection over I-35E; a flexible great lawn and glulam performance shell for concerts and civic events; a central pavilion and shaded plaza designed for markets, vendors, and community gatherings; an amphitheater and outdoor classroom; play areas and quieter gardens scaled for everyday use; and elevated overlooks offering long views across Southern Dallas toward the downtown skyline. A robust tree canopy, integrated water features, and shaded seating are distributed throughout the park, helping cool one of Dallas’ most heat-vulnerable areas while extending comfort and usability across seasons and times of day.
“These acres of new urban green space will serve as a focal point for recreation, economic revitalization, and connection, which is why our team likes to call it a ‘park with a purpose,’” said April Allen, President & CEO of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation. “I also believe we’re showcasing the prettiest part of North Texas. Oak Cliff has a lush tree canopy and rolling hills, as well as a vibrant confluence of art and culture. Halperin Park is going to transform our city both literally and figuratively for generations to come.”
Social and environmental equity have guided the project since its inception. In 2017, the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation convened an Equitable Development Plan Task Force – underwritten by the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund of the Communities Foundation of Texas – to ensure that the park’s benefits accrue first to surrounding neighborhoods. Led by Dr. Lorin Carter of C-Suite Consulting, the process engaged more than 500 residents, community leaders, businesses, educators, and nonprofit partners. The resulting Community First Plan shaped both design and long-term operations, aligning the park with locally defined priorities around health, education, cultural history, economic opportunity, and neighborhood safety.
“Above all, this is a moment to celebrate the people who make up Oak Cliff and Southern Dallas,” said Todd Strawn, Principal at SWA. “Halperin Park shows it’s possible to right a past wrong, stitch a neighborhood back together, and center that community’s culture and history throughout the process. We’re thrilled to have partnered with the Foundation and City in making this vision a reality – and look forward to everything to come.”
“The park experience is a reflection of the community neighborhood meetings, where local Oak Cliff voices provided insight and influence to form the design features we’ve delivered,” said Russell Crader, Global Director of Arts and Culture for HKS. “We believe Halperin Park will be a model for other communities reclaiming spaces torn apart by highway construction, to create meaningful gathering places that instill local pride and connectivity.”
Phase I of Halperin Park is fully funded and open. A future Phase II, extending the deck between Lancaster and Marsalis Avenues, would bring the park to a total of 5 acres. A preliminary analysis by the University of North Texas at Dallas estimates that Phase I alone could attract more than two million visitors annually and generate over $1 billion in economic impact within its first five years. Together with the adjacent Dallas Zoo’s Master Plan, the collective capital investment exceeds $300 million, among the largest in Southern Dallas’ history.
Halperin Park opens to the public May 9 following a community parade and ribbon-tying ceremony celebrating the historic reconnection of Oak Cliff.
