The Cedars neighborhood sign topper at the intersection of Powhattan Street and Botham Jean Boulevard in Dallas, Friday, April 10, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
The Cedars, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Dallas, is getting a new look.
Just south of downtown Dallas, dozens gathered at an intersection along Botham Jean Boulevard on Friday to celebrate more than 100 new sign toppers at nearly 90 intersections.
The Cedars neighborhood identity is “undeniable,” and now, the community is “claiming its space,” said state Rep. Venton Jones, who represents the area.
Jones, along with Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno and community leaders, called the neighborhood special.
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“This is truly a monumental moment,” Moreno said, adding that it is one of the largest initiatives to add sign toppers to a neighborhood.
The toppers come as new development springs up in the area, demolition of parts of the old convention center has begun and new deck parks are planned to stretch across Interstate 30. Moreno said reconnecting the area to downtown with the new parks is one of his biggest priorities.
Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno reveals the Cedars neighborhood sign toppers during a ceremony at the intersection of Powhattan Street and Botham Jean Boulevard in Dallas, Friday, April 10, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
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The Cedars, which dates back to the late 1800s, was home to some of the city’s earliest residents, Moreno said. It was an industrial and commercial hub. Now, he said it’s being reimagined as a “thriving arts district, one that reflects both the historic roots and its dynamic future.”
Christopher Weiss, former Cedars Neighborhood Association president, said the signs weren’t a test run, but a commitment to show everyone the neighborhood’s value.
“These signs are yours,” he said to residents at the gathering. “They carry the name of the neighborhood you believe in.”
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Weiss said the effort took over a year, with several organizations across the Cedars investing in the signs, including development companies like OHT Partners, Larkspur and Matthews.
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Bowie Wynne, asset manager for Matthews, is credited with spearheading the effort for sign toppers. Wynne, also the executive director for the South Side Public Improvement District, said it was important to involve the community and have the neighborhood association vote on the sign topper design.
“I’ve lived in the Cedars for about seven years now and I’m proud to call it home,” Wynne said. “When a neighborhood starts getting real attention and investment, you can feel it and that’s what’s happening here.”
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Community members pose for a photo with the Cedars street toppers following the Cedars neighborhood topper ceremony at the intersection of Powhattan Street and Botham Jean Boulevard in Dallas, Friday, April 10, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
The signs may seem small, but Wynne said they’re important. There are people who haven’t heard about the Cedars, despite living in Dallas their whole lives, he said.
“It blows my mind, because it’s right here. Right by downtown,” Wynne said. “Every other neighborhood, they have sign toppers, so why shouldn’t we?”
The Cedars is one of the most vibrant corners of Dallas, Jones said.
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“It is a place that has always known its worth, even when the rest of the city was still catching up,” Jones said.
The signs represent a commitment to the community, neighbors who look out for one another and businesses that have decided to take root there, Jones said.
“I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the soul of our city,” Jones said. “If you want to find out, you don’t look at the skyscrapers. You look right here in the streets.”
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Lisa and Charles Siegel, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.