Maple Avenue in Oak Lawn is undergoing a bit of a renaissance. Expect to see this continue as real estate developers have recently purchased almost three blocks along Maple Avenue with an eye toward creating a mixed-use project, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Two real estate companies created by Dallas-based MQ Development have purchased more than three dozen properties in the past year. Most of the properties are on the south side of Maple, between Wycliff Avenue and Lucas Drive. The purchased properties include automotive shops, small retail businesses, and a handful of single-family homes behind the main business strip.

The acquisitions are among the largest in Oak Lawn in many years. MQ Development officials did not elaborate on their plans for the properties, but the location is prime for redevelopment.

Other nearby areas are also seeing revitalization. Crow Holdings recently redeveloped the Old Parkland site at Maple and Oak Lawn, which brought an influx of new office clients. Recent apartment construction projects have also increased the residential population in the area.

Builders are also buying properties between Harry Hines Boulevard and Maple with plans to build more homes and townhomes in the Oak Lawn area. 

Slightly to the north, new retail and residential developments are being built near the present Parkland Hospital site. 

"So many new apartments have gone up from Parkland all the way to Inwood Road," property broker Newt Walker told the Dallas Morning News. "Everybody has been playing off the growth in the medical district. It's just a question of what is the depth of that market. I don't think any of us have an answer to that yet."

As more people look to avoid long commutes to the suburbs, demand is increasing for housing closer to both Downtown Dallas and the Medical District. Repurposing existing property in areas like Oak Lawn is one way to address that demand.