Published: 19 September 2008

Kessler Plaza

The southernmost of the "Kessler" neighborhoods, Kessler Plaza began development in the late 1930s. A drive around the area reveals a variety of architectural styles ranging from Eclectic Tudor and Colonial Revival to 1950s Ranch-style. One last parcel of land was developed in the 1970s, reflecting a contemporary mode.

Tranquil and distinctive

While some of the newer houses are three-bedroom-sized, the area is noted for the distinctive collection of Picturesque cottages, most offering two bedrooms. Displaying exteriors of brick, Austin stone, or a combination of the two, the homes can be quite eyecatching. Boasting unique gable treatments, distinctive windows, unusual roof dormers, exterior wood trim, or porches each elevation is individual. Tenth Street and Marvin Avenue have the largest concentration of these cottages, many of which were built by the same contractor. Most have been well maintained or are being restored by enthusiastic new owners.

The area has a tranquil feel with wide, curving streets and tree-shaded yards offering attractive green spaces, belying the fact that the lots are urban-sized. This is one of those older Oak Cliff neighborhoods that has remained desirable over the years, while keeping a lower profile than its sister areas to the north. The Kessler Plaza Neighborhood Association, founded in 1993, is committed to the homeowners who live here. Residents can attend monthly meetings, while several picnics held throughout the year bring them together. Preserving the quality of life and the beauty of the area remains their top priority.

Visit the Kessler Plaza Neighborhood Association Website or Kessler Plaza's Wikipedia Page
 

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Ravinia Heights

Origins as secluded estate

This neighborhood had its origins in a farm that once belonged to Eli Sanger, of Dallas' old Sanger Brothers department store. Sanger sold his farm in 1914 to oilman/developer Claude Cain. Mr. Cain built an estate he named "Ravinia" which stilt stands today, although dense woods seclude the home from view. An arched, wrought iron entry gate on Jefferson Boulevard is the only clue to its existence. The estate had an early swimming pool with no filtration system, necessitating periodic drains and fills. This caused neighbors down the hill some consternation, as yards would flood from the deluge of water. Happily, this is no longer a problem.

A secret neighborhood of wood and water

Cain developed the area over a period spanning the 1920s through the 1950s. In this compact neighborhood, Tudor cottages sit around the corner from 1940s traditional homes, which look up the hillsides to 1950s contemporaries. Of note are the rugged stone and brick houses with a western influence, and some of the 1950s split-level contemporaries that take advantage of their hillside lots. Some make liberal use of glass on exterior walls, visually bringing the woods inside. Small tributaries to Coombs Creek run through Ravinia Heights both to the east and west, providing the wooded ravines that gave the neighborhood its name. It is this secluded, forest-like setting that gives the area such appeal. While Ravinia Drive, on the western edge of the development, is lined with estates from the 1920s, the interior streets conceal the fact that this neighborhood is surrounded by a busy urban landscape of shopping and thoroughfares.

The residents of Ravinia Heights enjoy rustic homes in a tranquil setting that seems far away from the rush of the city. The architecture is handsome, the neighborhood is well maintained, and the homeowners have one of the bestkept secrets in Dallas.