A year of renovations has restored the Bella Villa apartment complex in Vickery Place to its former glory.
The 93-year-old building on the corner of Miller and McMillan avenues was once a school in Vickery Place before the area was annexed into Dallas ISD. Numerous Dallas Morning News articles show booster club and neighborhood meetings took place there throughout the early 1900s, the Advocate previously reported.
But decades of absentee landlords left the building in disrepair. It sported cracked windows and peeling paint when two Landmark Commission members initiated historic designation proceedings in 2017.
“One reason to save this building is that this could be one of Dallas’ earliest adaptive reuse projects,” Commissioner Mike Birrer previously told the Advocate. “They used all or part of the old school to make the apartment building. Apartments are all the same these days, and it is important to preserve historic buildings so that people can actually see the different styles and ways of living.”
With its stucco walls, blue window frames and terra cotta roof, Bella Villa has a unique style that Indio Management tried to maintain during the restoration. Original windows and hardwood floors remain, as well as signature design touches, such as Spanish-inspired tile and arched entryways.
One bedrooms ranging from about $1,300 to $1,600, are complete with modern updates like premium appliances, quartz countertops and smart home technology.
Neighbors who would like to see the restoration of the historic landmark are invited to an open house from 5-8 p.m. Thursday. Refreshments can be purchased at the Easy Slider food truck, and local singer Hailey Erin will provide entertainment.
