Looks like the bloggers at DallasBlog beat me to the post. Free parking is apparently now officially in effect for Deep Ellum from 6am – 6pm.

I just wish that the press would stop the Deep Ellum harassment though. Come on guys. Quotes like “Deep Ellum has been on a death watch for some time now” really feeds the stereotype of this place. I would more likely say downtown Dallas in general is on a death watch. The forgotten west end, the struggling grocery store, the empty skyscrapers…it’s all dead like Deep Ellum too. The only thing other places in Dallas lack is such a rich undercurrent of cultural history like Deep Ellum. Maybe that is why more people keep poking the stick at a “dying” Deep Ellum, cause that’s the only place in Dallas they really care about.

Boo to the commenter who said “How about getting rid of the low-lifes, criminals and actually showing a police presence. That’s why nobody goes to Deep Ellum.” I live here and I have yet to be accosted by a criminal or low-life. Some homeless people, yes. Some crazy cracked-out street walkers, yes. But that comes with every city. I see maybe one a day, but it’s definitely nothing like other cities I have been in. Santa Monica for example has an outrageous amount of homeless people, but that doesn’t stop people from going there!?

Regardless of the whole “death” thing, my props to Scott Bennett for posting the news and encouraging people to re-visit Deep Ellum. Hurray for free parking…and goodbye damn meter Nazis driving everyone away from their “struggling” businesses.