Happy Holidays!

Welcome to the December edition of the Texas Trees Foundation's Southwestern Medical District Transformation Project Monthly Community Update. ❄️

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in last month's newsletter trivia. Because of participants like you, we learned that among our subscribers, medical professionals and community members who are interested in the project are the most common descriptors. We also learned that through the Green Spine, people are most excited to simply be outside beneath the future tree groves, and for pedestrian interconnectivity in the Medical District. In the Green Park, people are most looking forward to the soothing sounds and beautiful sights of the Water Wall, taking in scenic views from the Pedestrian Bridge, and traveling on a winding journey through the Escarpment Walk. Lastly, what people wanted to hear most in the future are project updates and ways they can get involved.  

Congratulations to Bud, Cassandra, and Rebecca for being the winners of the history book! 🎉

The project visited the City of Dallas Urban Design Peer Review Panel in November. Local professionals from the design, architecture, planning, and engineering fields serve on this committee—reviewing local Dallas projects in the design phase and offering valuable insights and advice.

The panel offered resounding praise for the project’s ability to benefit the Southwestern Medical District and to create a defining space for Dallas, asserting the potential for the project’s green and public space investments to create a lasting impact, felt up to 150 years from now. Panel members also emphasized their willingness to offer support and collaborate on the project, which we met with tremendous appreciation.

The panel also tasked us with ideas and suggestions to ponder deeply, particularly as we progress through more detailed design work in 2026. There main takeaways were as followed.

Leverage Partnerships. It is critical to leverage public-private partnerships to execute large-scale projects like the Green Spine and Green Park. With the support of local public agencies, a project’s scope, scale, and impact can be maximized.  

Focus on maximal impact at the Green Park site. The park has significant potential to incorporate nature into the heart of the Medical District. It should immerse users in nature, with design elements and amenities that embody nature’s calming and grounding presence, and it should act as a refuge from all that surrounds it – from the rapid pace, high stress, and emotional intensity that are realities of daily life in the District, to urban activities like traffic or pollution.  

Introduce “play” through the Green Park’s design. Introduce elements for play. This could look like a formal children’s playground, or design features that encourage exploration and adventure. 

Enhance connectivity between existing green spaces and the Green Park and Green Spine and between the hospital campuses’ “front yards” and the green and public space amenities in the public right-of-way to maximize pedestrian connections, environmental impact, and community cohesion.  

Thank you to the Urban Design Peer Review Panel for employing your expertise for the betterment of local urban design projects and the Dallas communities they serve.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to The Salvation Army Dallas Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) for inviting us to attend their recent Advisory Council meeting to share a project update.



It was a pleasure to meet the new Administrators, Major Stephen Correira and Captain Bernadette Correira, and to reconnect with the Advisory Council members. Both the ARC and The Salvation Army Thrift Store are key components of The Salvation Army’s mission of providing spiritual, social, and emotional assistance to men and women in need. With facilities located at the intersection of Harry Hines and Inwood Rd., collaboration is essential to ensure that the Green Spine and Green Park can be harmonious with their important work and augment their mission by creating an encompassing landscape that supports health, healing, and well-being. We look forward to continued collaboration and strengthening the Southwestern Medical District together through our collective work.

Pictured: From left, leaders from the Greater Dallas Planning Council, and on right, the SWMD Transformation team, Lannie McClelen, SWMD Project Director, David Whitley, Project Management Consultant, Heather Stevens, Project Campaign Advisor, and Abby Voyles, SWMD Project Coordinator, enjoy the celebratory moment of receiving the Dream Award at the Trinity Urban Design Awards ceremony. 

We were incredibly honored to receive the Dream/Unbuilt Award at the Greater Dallas Planning Council’s annual Trinity Urban Design Awards this month. This award celebrates best practices in urban design and innovative design methods that enhance places and communities. We extend our gratitude to the Greater Dallas Planning Council for recognizing the value that this project will bring to the Southwestern Medical District, a critical center where 4.8 million patients, employees, students, and neighbors converge.

Through the SWMD Transformation Project, we can transform lives and landscapes through intentional design strategies:

📊 Evidence-based design shapes the built environment by grounding design decisions in credible research and data proven to achieve the best human and environmental health outcomes.  

🌿 Biophilic design offers a powerful, applied solution to our innate desire for connection with nature by seamlessly integrating natural elements and processes into the built environment, re-establishing the natural harmony between people and nature.  

💚One-Health acknowledges the interdependence between human well-being and environmental health, informing design features that leverage the restorative qualities of nature and encourage movement, rest, and social connection.  

This honor is shared with our partners, stakeholders, and consultants who are equally committed to healthier environments that set the stage for healthier people and a healthier city, as well as the community members whose present-day experiences and dreams of what the outdoor environment could be have shaped this project from a vision into an imminent reality.

It was such a joyous and inspiring evening celebrating and hearing from other esteemed colleagues at The Dallas Arboretum.

We’re just getting started! Can’t you already picture the SWMD Transformation coming to life? One day soon, we hope to be a contender for the Built Project Award!

Together, we have raised $61 million toward the project goal,

including $25 million secured from the State of Texas this year

alone, reflecting an inspiring 79% growth in campaign support.

As we approach the end of the year, we are proud to share extraordinary momentum behind this once-in-a-generation transformation. These milestones affirm both the urgency and the belief in what this project represents. As the Urban Design Peer Review Panel noted, this investment has the power to transform Dallas for the next 150 years and beyond, reshaping how our city connects health, nature, and community for generations to come.

While the vision is bold, it is built gift by gift; contributions both large and small are essential and meaningful as we move forward. This is work we can only accomplish together. If you are interested in learning more or exploring how you can be part of this legacy, please reach out to SWMD Project Campaign Advisor, Heather Stevens, at 469-279-3958 or heather@texastrees.org. 2026 is a pivotal year. With your partnership, we can advance this transformation together and shape the future of Dallas.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season! We’re grateful for all we’ve built together and can’t wait to continue the journey in 2026.