INTO A TREEHOUSE

An eco-friendly home improvement store could be the saving grace of a shopping center once synonymous with a gigantic Condoms To Go sign.

The Hill Shopping Center’s business has been inconsistent over the years, despite its high-profile location at Walnut Hill Lane and North Central Expressway. Passersby were taken aback by the massive adult store sign facing the highway. The family who owned the development from 1980 to 2014 never invested in its upkeep, and the buildings slowly deteriorated.

“It certainly hasn’t been a place that people have been shopping,” says Todd Minnis, president of Capref Manager LLC, who is overseeing the center’s redevelopment.

The Dallas-based partnership bought The Hill three years ago. It’s in the midst of an approximately $90 million makeover that replaces concrete with ample green space and revamps each storefront façade. For the mixed-use development to survive, Capref needed to attract busi- nesses that weren’t offered in nearby places such as Preston Hollow Village.

Austin-based building supply store TreeHouse was the first company to take a chance on the under-developed site.

“It was a disaster,” says CEO Jason Ballard. “There were few to no open businesses. There were a lot of old abandoned buildings. The parking lot was in bad shape.”

The property’s shortcomings made it the right spot for the store’s second location.

“It was sort of intentional and goes back to the mission of the company The idea for a home or for a development or a city is that when TreeHouse comes to town, things get better,” Ballard says. “We sort of picked the derelict intersection on purpose.”

Founded in 2011, TreeHouse markets an unconventional approach to home improvement. It strives to sell eco-friendly, sustainable products, in addition to offering installation services and parklike spaces to hangout.

The success of its Austin store surprised even Ballard. In four years, the company’s revenue increased 300 percent, he says.

TreeHouse’s neighborhood location already attracted nationwide media attention as the first energy-positive retail store in the US. It runs entirely on a Tesla battery backed by solar power, so it actually adds power back into the grid.

The company’s dedication to preserving the environment is a component of The Hill’s transformation, but it’s not Minnis’ focus.

“You have to lead with experience-based retail, activity-driven retail,” he says.

Restaurants like Hat Creek Burger and Tacodeli have announced plans to open at the development. Both started in Austin, like TreeHouse.

The Hill’s overhaul won’t be complete until summer 2018, but TreeHouse opened to shoppers last month. In the meanwhile, Capref is determined to erase the center’s former reputation — and the now-demolished Condoms To Go sign — from the public’s memory.

“If we get the right mix of retail and restaurant, health and fitness, spa and beauty, it will become the center point. It’s so well located.”

Anglican

ALL SAINTS EAST DALLAS / allsaintseastdallas.org

Sunday worship 5:00 pm / Live in God’s Presence. Live Out His Love. Meeting at Central Lutheran Church / 1000 Easton Road

Baptist

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

Worship & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45 Traditional, Contemporary, Spanish Speaking / 214.860.1500

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00 am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

Bible Churches

NORTH HIGHLANDS BIBLE CHURCH / nhbc.net / 9626 Church Rd.

Sun: LifeQuest 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am / 214.348.9697

Wed: AWANA and Kids Choir 6:00 pm / Student Ministry 6:30 pm

Disciples Of Christ

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel

10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

Lutheran

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln.

Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule.

214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

Methodist

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH RICHARDSON

503 N Central Exwy / fumcr.com / 972.235.8385 / Dr. Clayton Oliphint

8:45, 9:45, 11:00 am sanctuary / access modern worship 11:00am

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee

Worship: 8:30 am & 11:00 am Traditional / 11:00 am Contemporary

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

LAKE POINTE CHURCH – WHITE ROCK CAMPUS

Classic Service at 9:30 & Contemporary Service at 11:00 am lakepointe.org / 9150 Garland Road

PRESBYTERIAN

LAKE HIGHLANDS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 214.348.2133

8525 Audelia Road at NW Hwy. / www.lhpres.org

9:00 am Contemporary, 9:55 am Christian Ed., 11:00 am Traditional

NORTHRIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr. 214.827.5521 / www.northridgepc.org / Summer Worship 10:00 am

Church that feels like church and welcomes like family.