Nodding Donkey, Torchy’s Tacos, and World of Beer will fill out the retail space of the soon to be opened BLVD building, at SMU Boulevard (get it?) and Greenville Avenue.

The Nodding Donkey will be the second location of the popular Uptown bar, the Torchy’s will be the third Dallas location of the Austin-based shop, and World of Beer’s location will be the second in Texas.

The BLVD is a mixed-use development with 417 residential units in addition to 9,100-square feet of commercial space on the ground level. Residents are expected to start moving in in May.

Yesterday, Chuck headed to SMU to attend Larry Brown’s introductory press event.

And here’s a Texas Monthly post that aggregates pretty much every major newspapers’ responses to the Brown hire. They range from the laudatory:

I’m writing about SMU basketball right this very minute. You’re reading about SMU basketball. That is a massive improvement over the recent state of the program — and by “recent” I mean “since 1993 or so” — in and of itself. (Eammon Brennan, ESPN)

to the doubtful:

I, Larry Brown, agree to coach the (insert team name) for the period of (does it matter?). I will remain in the position so long as I uphold standards and expectations of my administration (insert, or I get bored). This service will begin as soon as I relocate to (insert city), but not later than (don’t worry, I pack light). (Mike Lopresti, USA Today)

Worth a few minutes of your time.

New head basketball coach Larry Brown addresses the crowd at SMU. (Staff photo: Chris McGathey)

Hall of Famer Larry Brown was introduced as the new men’s head basketball coach at SMU with much fanfare and gorgeous weather to go with it early this afternoon.

Brown, the only man to ever win an NCAA and NBA title, was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters outside of Moody Coliseum, as planes carrying banners welcoming him to SMU flew overhead during the ceremony.

Kansas head coach Bill Self, former Dallas Mavericks great Rolando Blackman, and Matt Doherty, the coach Brown is replacing, were on hand.

In a ceremony Friday, SMU officials broke ground on the university’s new residential commons, which will add space for more than 1,200 students.

The new complex will consist of five residential buildings constructed in the southeast section of campus. It will incorporate live-in faculty members who also have offices and teach classes within the residential halls. The Commons will dramatically increase SMU’s on-campus housing, satisfying the University’s objective to provide a two-year residency requirement and enhancing personal exploration and growth for students, said SMU Vice President for Student Affairs Lori White, in a statement.

“The Residential Commons will bring a new vitality to campus and a stronger sense of community for our first- and second-year students,” White said. “Students will have opportunities to continue the relationship with their Commons during their junior and senior years through ongoing social events and academic activities.”

Construction of the Commons is expected to be completed in 2014. The project includes a new dining facility and parking structure as well as renovation of current residence halls.

The Armed Forces Bowl will return to TCU later this year, after being at SMU for two years, the Associated Press reports.

The bowl was held at SMU while TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium was being renovated.

Jayne Mansfield (right) apparently went to HPHS. And Sophia Loren looks annoyed, period.

Huh. Brad had this about Kathy Bates attending SMU, and here’s another random factoid about a celebrity tied to the Park Cities.

Jayne Mansfield — the 1950s/’60s sex symbol who mothered Law & Order lead Mariska Hargitay and died in an awful car wreck — reportedly attended Highland Park High School, then SMU.

Someone’s even trying to sell a 1949 Highlander yearbook with her picture in it.  I saw the photo at left at the Meddlesome Moth, by the way, and started reading about it (and Mansfield’s local roots) there.

Larry Brown has agreed to become the head men’s basketball coach at SMU, sources told ESPN Tuesday.

The hire ends months of speculation following the firing of Matt Doherty. As open coaching positions nationwide began filling up, SMU’s remained open, but not for lack of trying. The Mustangs shot for the stars — Marquette’s Buzz Williams, Harvard’s Tommy Amaker — and landed a fading one.

The 71-year-old’s penchant for bouncing from job to job apparently wasn’t an issue for SMU brass, nor was the fact that Brown hasn’t coached a college team since 1988. That team — Kansas University — was later banned from the 1988-89 NCAA tournament due to recruiting violations under Brown.

Whether 22 years in the NBA — with seven different teams — will be a benefit to Brown is what those on the Hilltop will have this season to determine.

We kid sometimes on here about the dumb crimes SMU students commit or are party to, but I also recognize that the university as a whole contributes a lot to the Park Cities. Economically, culturally, and academically, SMU — for the most part — makes University Park a better place.

To see just how much better they make the community, SMU commissioned a study, released today. For those fancy enough, they’ll be unveiling it at the Dallas Fed at lunchtime.

I’m going to read through it now and try to come up with something interesting to say in the next couple days, and I invite you to do the same. Here’s the economic section, which I imagine will be the most interesting to everyone.

Yesterday, it was Saint Louis’s Rick Majerus. Other reports indicate Marquette’s Buzz Williams, Harvard’s Tommy Amaker, and Long Beach State’s Dan Monson have also turned down the job.

What’s the problem here? To me it seems like they’re shooting too high. Williams, Amaker and Monson — collectively — had their most successful seasons ever this past season. Maybe SMU’s trying to lure them (other than Williams) with the prospect of coaching in a major conference, but it doesn’t seem to be working.

June Jones should head to the gym, see if those skills translate.

Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown is interested in becoming the head coach at SMU, according to the Morning News, ESPN, and everyone in the world with a Twitter account.

The former (take a breath) Davidson Wildcats, Carolina Cougars, Denver Nuggets, UCLA Bruins, New Jersey Nets, Kansas Jayhawks, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Charlotte Bobcats head has contacted the school regarding the opening, but it’s unclear if SMU reciprocates the love.

Just spitballing here, but none of Brown’s college stints have ended particularly well, in hindsight:

- Davidson- left before the season even began

- UCLA- made the NCAA title game in 1980, but the wins were vacated after the team was found to have played with two ineligible players.

- Kansas - two Final Four trips and a national championship, but NCAA sanctions were levied against Kansas in the 1988–89 season as a result of recruiting violations that took place during Brown’s tenure. The Jayhawks were banned from the 1989 tournament.

Good coach? Yes. But he’s 71, and comes with a decent amount of baggage.