The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opened to traffic last Thursday, connecting downtown to West Dallas. With a property value that is five times cheaper than in uptown, business owners hope the new landmark will bring more customers, traffic and vibrancy to West Dallas.

Most people call it ‘The Bridge to Nowhere,’ but developer Butch McGregor has a different take on it.

“If you move that W…now here. It’s our Eiffel tower,” he said.

For the past seven years, McGregor has been redeveloping 65 acres of West Dallas.

It doesn’t look like much now, but McGregor has had high hopes even before the bridge was constructed.

“After the bridge became a reality, we started buying in earnest and now we kind of feel like we owe a stewardship to make sure the right thing happens,” he said.

That means safe homes, clean factories and no chain restaurants.

In the empty lots and abandoned buildings, McGregor envisions unique apartments, art galleries and mom and pop restaurants.

“We’re trying to do our own deal, a little but different, let it grow organically,” McGregor said.

The Workroom on Singleton Blvd. is a sneak peak of what will be on this side of the Trinity.

Nicholas Troilo sells his and other artists’ work at his eclectic shop.

“Business-wise I knew that if I was the first one over here I’d get attention,” Troilo said.

But right now he only gets about 15 customers a day.

“I expected it to be a little further along right now because we’ve been here two years working on the space,” Troilo said.

But he hasn’t lost hope. He says he lives by the motto, “Nothing ventured nothing gained.”

What about people who are afraid to come to this side of the Trinity?

McGregor says that this area of West Dallas is no worse than anywhere else. He and Troilo are determined to take this bridge to nowhere and turn it into a bridge to prosperity.