The area around the Convention Center Station in Dallas will receive a $4.67 million renovation, thanks to a construction contract approved by the Dallas City Council last week. The plan includes adding more lighting, some of which may change colors to mimic the nearby Omni Hotel, modular walls and more signs to direct visitors to the surrounding areas in the expansive space underneath the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. "There are just vast spaces of emptiness," said Ron King, director of convention and events for the city, in a story posted on dallasnews.com.

Poor lighting is a major source of criticism. King said plans call for extra lighting in the daytime and at night. In what seems like a counterintuitive design, the new lights will be even brighter during daylight hours. That's meant to offset the effect of daylight pouring through the tunnel entrances and drawing pedestrians' eyes there instead of to navigational signs or convention center entrances.

Officials expect traffic to pick up around Convention Center Station as DART opens the Orange Line extension to DFW Airport later this year and as the city continues to attract big name conventions and events to its Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. "It's how people get to our convention center, it's how people get to the Omni Hotel," said DART President and Executive Director Gary Thomas. Tunnel beneath Dallas convention center seen as pedestrian thoroughfare [dallasnews.com]

The area around the Convention Center Station in Dallas will receive a $4.67 million renovation, thanks to a construction contract approved by the Dallas City Council last week. The plan includes adding more lighting, some of which may change colors to mimic the nearby Omni Hotel, modular walls and more signs to direct visitors to the surrounding areas in the expansive space underneath the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. "There are just vast spaces of emptiness," said Ron King, director of convention and events for the city, in a story posted on dallasnews.com.

Poor lighting is a major source of criticism. King said plans call for extra lighting in the daytime and at night. In what seems like a counterintuitive design, the new lights will be even brighter during daylight hours. That's meant to offset the effect of daylight pouring through the tunnel entrances and drawing pedestrians' eyes there instead of to navigational signs or convention center entrances.

Officials expect traffic to pick up around Convention Center Station as DART opens the Orange Line extension to DFW Airport later this year and as the city continues to attract big name conventions and events to its Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. "It's how people get to our convention center, it's how people get to the Omni Hotel," said DART President and Executive Director Gary Thomas. Tunnel beneath Dallas convention center seen as pedestrian thoroughfare [dallasnews.com]

The area around the Convention Center Station in Dallas will receive a $4.67 million renovation, thanks to a construction contract approved by the Dallas City Council last week. The plan includes adding more lighting, some of which may change colors to mimic the nearby Omni Hotel, modular walls and more signs to direct visitors to the surrounding areas in the expansive space underneath the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. "There are just vast spaces of emptiness," said Ron King, director of convention and events for the city, in a story posted on dallasnews.com.

Poor lighting is a major source of criticism. King said plans call for extra lighting in the daytime and at night. In what seems like a counterintuitive design, the new lights will be even brighter during daylight hours. That's meant to offset the effect of daylight pouring through the tunnel entrances and drawing pedestrians' eyes there instead of to navigational signs or convention center entrances.

Officials expect traffic to pick up around Convention Center Station as DART opens the Orange Line extension to DFW Airport later this year and as the city continues to attract big name conventions and events to its Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. "It's how people get to our convention center, it's how people get to the Omni Hotel," said DART President and Executive Director Gary Thomas. Tunnel beneath Dallas convention center seen as pedestrian thoroughfare [dallasnews.com]