Mikial Onu, CEO and founder of Onu Ventures Inc., is determined to breathe life into southern Dallas.
The former Southern Methodist University football player’s firm is building a 12-acre mainly residential project called The Adaline at I-20 and Bonnie View Road, pouring private investment into an area historically overlooked by businesses despite it now being seen as critical to the metroplex’s economic future, as reported by Dallas Business Journal.
The Adaline is a blend of residential and recreational spaces, stemming from Onu’s desire to create a walkable community.
“You should be able to leave your apartment or leave your house and walk to a grocery store or walk to a restaurant,” Onu told The Dallas Morning News. “That’s not the case anywhere in South Dallas.”
The residential projects consist of 238 multifamily units, including apartments and townhomes. The sprawling project is a mix of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, with the community geared towards those making 65-85% of the median income level.
The development is located alongside 2.5 acres of parks, outdoor jogging trails, a dog park, a fitness center, and retail space.
The first phase of the development has an estimated cost of $60 million, with a focus on The Adaline’s retail amenities. The retail portion includes 10,000 square feet of space, 4,000 square feet for use as a grocery store, and the remaining 6,000 square feet for cafés and restaurants, per DMN.
The first business to announce its location in The Adaline is Miss Eddie’s, a market café with food prepared by executive chef Kenny Ransom. Guests can expect a selection of pizza, pasta, donuts, salads, and sandwiches, along with a grocery and other food choices rotating monthly. An extended patio and green space will expand off the café for outdoor eating and leisure.
Onu first focused on The Adaline Plaza, believing the retail opportunities could attract future residents. He plans to host farmers markets, concerts, and other outdoor festivities at the community’s outdoor park. According to DBJ, the Plaza is anticipated to be completed in August.
The development is conveniently located, with Downtown Dallas just 12 minutes away and the University of North Texas at Dallas and Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus nearby.
Onu is already laying the groundwork for future projects in southern Dallas, with thoughts of a student housing development across from the UNT Dallas.
The former SMU safety earned his master’s in Organizational Leadership. With dreams of being drafted, he fractured his tibia during his first season, losing all hope for a future football career.
He started his professional work in insurance brokerage before switching to real estate, guided by his self-proclaimed mission statement of “giving current and future residents the chance to reclaim pride in their communities without pushing them out.”
The project is moving forward despite the many issues that have plagued Dallas’ Development Services Department under City Manager T.C. Broadnax, including periodic backlogs and costly delays, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.