Join Us in Dallas!
Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States — and also one of the most fascinating laboratories for incremental development. Behind the sprawl, a remarkable coalition of developers, planners, and community leaders is proving that small-scale infill can thrive on its own terms.
Over two days you'll witness real projects at every stage: historic homes being carefully renovated in one of Dallas's last intact freedman's towns, a converted dentist office now housing 13 small creative businesses, a backyard ADU with James Hardie siding and, reportedly, a helluva wet bar. In Fort Worth, you'll explore a form-based code that's reshaping a culturally rich corridor on the north side.
The trip begins Thursday with a free public lecture at the historic Texas Theater — open to all. Friday is an exclusive chartered tour for members, winding from Oak Cliff to the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Full Program Schedule
THURSDAY, APRIL 2
2:00 - 3:30 PM Field Trip Kickoff [FIELD TRIP ATTENDEES ONLY] - Enos Pizza Tavern Beer Hall
Welcome and overview from IncDev, meet the Steering Committee, and a product intro from presenting sponsor James Hardie. Capped off with Pecha Kucha presentations from member attendees.
5:30 PM Doors Introduction to Incrementalism Public Lecture [FREE & OPEN TO PUBLIC} - Texas Theatre
Ryan Terry, Principal of R+T Studio, IncDev Faculty and Board Chair, will deliver a 60-minute lecture on incremental development followed by open Q&A. More lecture info
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
8:00 - 8:30 AM - Breakfast on Your Own - Bishop Arts District
Suggested: Trades Deli (312 W 7th St), Oddfellows, or El Jordan Cafe.
8:45 AM - Bus Departs - Tour Begins
9:00 AM - 1:15 PM 10th Street District / Oak Cliff / East Dock / Better Block HQ / Vermont Village
The IncDev School Bus will take the group north to south through Oak Cliff. Guided stops with the developers, preservationists, and community leaders who made these projects happen. We’ll make six stops across Dallas's most compelling incremental development corridor — see below for full stop details.
1:15 - 2:00 PM Bus Transfer to Fort Worth
2:00 - 3:00 PM Late Lunch - Stockyards
Arrive in Fort Worth's Historic Northside. Lunch on your own — suggested: Taco Heads, Biscuit Bar, or Riscky's BBQ.
3:00 - 5:00 PM Fort Worth Northside Tour - N Main Street Corridor
Explore the North Side Form-Based Code in action: the Mercado Building, Rose Marine Theater, and historic adaptive reuse opportunities along N Main.
6:00 PM Wrap-up and Farewell - Second Rodeo Brewery, Stockyards
Reflections, appreciation, and cold beer. Stay in Fort Worth for dinner or bus back to the Dallas Madison Hotel.
Featured Stops - What You’ll See:
Every stop was hand-selected by the local steering committee to illustrate a specific principle of incremental, community-scaled development.
10TH STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT / OAK CLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD - Dallas's Last Intact Freedman's Town. One of the most significant African American historic neighborhoods in Dallas — and one of the last freedman's towns still largely intact. Motivated by the encouragement of 80-year-old neighborhood association president Ms. Cox, developer James McGee has been bringing it back to life. The district was split by a highway and ownership is scattered, yet renovation here is proving that affordable housing can coexist with historic preservation — no subsidy required. You'll walk through multiple 1920s renovation projects at different stages of completion.
OAK CLIFF | EAST DOCK BUSINESS CENTER - A masterclass in adaptive reuse: a former industrial building transformed into a flexible small-scale workshop and creative business hub at 900 E Clarendon Dr. Presented by AJ Rambler, who will walk through the development story.
OAK CLIFF | 880 W KIEST BLVD - A converted dentist office now hosting 13 small creative businesses. Presented by Peter Cioe — this project shows how underutilized commercial buildings can become vibrant small-scale mixed-use with minimal intervention.
OAK CLIFF | BETTER BLOCK FOUNDATION HQ - Visit the national headquarters of one of the most creative neighborhood activation organizations in the country. Krista Nightengale will share how Better Block's pop-up urbanism methodology creates the evidence base for permanent code and design change.
VERMONT VILLAGE | BACKYARD ADU - A model of incremental backyard development at 1826 Maryland Ave. James Hardie siding in action — and, we're told, a helluva wet bar. A quick stop that illustrates just how much density and delight can fit behind an existing home.
HISTORIC NORTHSIDE, FORT WORTH | NORTHSIDE MAIN STREET CORRIDOR - Fort Worth's Historic Northside is a tight-knit, politically cohesive Latino community with a strong commercial main street. Walk N Main to see the Mercado Building, Rose Marine Theater, and planned adaptive reuse projects with form-based code as their guide.
Take a look at the IncDev Field Guide: NWA Spring 2025 and peek Jon Jon The Happy Urbanist’s video to get a sense of the experience.
REGISTRATION
Who Its For:
This event is exclusively for Associate and Charter Members. Not a Member yet? Learn more and join today!
IncDev National Field Trip - Dallas / Fort Worth Steering Committee
A cohort of DFW’s most influential and active housing developers, urbanists, and policy advocates focused on small-scale infill development and affordable housing solutions are shaping this field trip. We thank the following people for their guidance and contributions:
Ann Zadeh, Community Design | Fort Worth
Becky Bass, Fort Worth Community Land Trust
Bryan Tony, Dallas Housing Coalition
Ivan Gonzalez, Place Strategies + Incremental Development Alliance
James McGee, Southern Dallas Progress Community Development Corporation
La’Kisha Girder, Dallas Parks and Recreation
Peter Cioe, CFV Construction
Ryan Terry, R+T Studio + Incremental Development Alliance
Thank You to Our Sponsor:
Sponsorship and Partnership Opportunities
We invite sponsors and partners to support this effort to offer an exceptional experience for participants while keeping costs down. Become a sponsor and help create an experience that will offer ripples of knowledge and inspiration for development across the country. As a sponsor, you will connect directly with local and national developers, investors and civic leaders and support a proven method of neighborhood revitalization. Contact Chloe for more information.
Contact
Chloe Chapman training@incrementaldevelopment.org · (479) 305-4807