Home Theater and AV Installation in Highland Park and University Park, TX
Highland Park and University Park are DFW’s most exclusive residential markets. The Park Cities (as they’re known locally) feature predominantly pre-1960 construction, significant architectural heritage, and a client base that expects premium quality as a baseline, not an upgrade. This is custom work — every project is different, every home has unique considerations, and cookie-cutter approaches don’t fit here.
We approach Park Cities work as integration craft, not installation volume. Slower, more careful, more design-forward. The homes deserve it, and the clients expect it.
Historic Home AV in the Park Cities
The defining characteristic of Highland Park and University Park work is the construction era. Most homes predate modern drywall construction — original plaster-over-lath walls, wood floors, architecturally significant features that can’t be disrupted.
Installation techniques for historic Park Cities homes:
Hidden equipment integration — Equipment racks in existing closets, mechanical rooms, or purpose-built equipment closets added during renovation. No visible equipment in living spaces.
In-wall speaker integration — Custom-trimmed grille plates that match existing millwork. Invisible when not in use. Triad, Sonance, and custom-fabricated options.
Cable routing in existing cavities — Fishing cables through existing wall cavities using fiberglass rods and specialized tools. Sometimes requires small access cuts that get patched and painted to match.
Plaster wall expertise — Slow drilling, proper anchor selection for plaster, texture matching when patches are needed. Skills that most modern installers never developed.
Architectural feature preservation — Crown molding, built-ins, wainscoting, original hardware, fireplace surrounds — all work around, not through.
Ceiling work in original plaster ceilings — In-ceiling speakers require particularly careful work. We pre-score plaster, cut slowly, and match ceiling textures.
Premium Home Theater in Highland Park and University Park
Park Cities home theaters are rarely “bonus room conversions.” They’re either purpose-designed media rooms (often added during major renovation projects) or dedicated theater spaces in original lower-level areas (wine cellar conversions, game rooms).
Typical Park Cities home theater project:
- Professional acoustic design (not DIY acoustic panels — actual room acoustic treatment plan)
- Premium projection: JVC NZ800 or NZ900, Sony VPL-XW7000, or reference-grade native 4K
- Stewart Filmscreen or equivalent premium screen (not discount Amazon screens)
- 7.1.4 or 9.2.4 Atmos with premium speakers (Triad Cinema Reference, KEF Reference, JBL Synthesis, or Revel Ultima)
- Dual or quad subwoofer configurations for even bass distribution
- Professional calibration: Dirac Live, REW room correction, or Trinnov room correction
- Premium seating: Fortress, CinemaTech, Cineak
- Integrated Lutron lighting with scene-based control
- Full Control4 automation
Typical investment: $75,000-$250,000 for a proper Park Cities dedicated theater. Reference-grade projects can reach $500K+.
Whole-Home Control4 Integration
Every serious Park Cities AV installation integrates with whole-home automation. Control4 is the standard. Typical scope:
- AV distribution — Matrix switching to every TV location, multi-zone audio throughout
- Lighting control — Lutron HomeWorks or RadioRA3 with custom keypads throughout
- Shade control — Motorized shades (Lutron, Somfy, Hunter Douglas) integrated with scenes
- Climate control — Multi-zone HVAC integration with scheduling
- Security integration — Cameras, door locks, alarm systems under unified control
- Intercom and doorbell — DoorBird or 2N with video call functionality
- Music distribution — Whole-home audio with zone-independent control
Park Cities Control4 projects typically run $45,000-$200,000+ depending on home size and scope.
TV Mounting in Park Cities Historic Homes
TV mounting in Park Cities historic homes is slower and more careful than standard residential installations:
- Wall type assessment (plaster-over-lath vs newer drywall in renovated sections)
- Architectural feature preservation (mounting around, not through, architectural details)
- Often in-wall routing through existing wall cavities using specialized tools
- Careful finish matching — paint, texture, trim
Typical Park Cities TV mounting: $299-$850 depending on wall type and complexity. See our TV mounting service for general details.
Commercial AV in Park Cities
Limited commercial footprint in Highland Park and University Park proper — both are predominantly residential. Some commercial work:
- Home offices for professionals — Serious home office AV including dual displays, conference-grade cameras, acoustic treatment for podcast-quality audio
- Private club AV — Highland Park Country Club area, some private clubs
- Medical and dental practices — Premium practices along the Mockingbird Lane corridor
For broader commercial needs, we do extensive work in nearby Dallas neighborhoods (Uptown, Design District, Preston Hollow corridor).
Park Cities Neighborhoods
Old Highland Park — The original 1920s-1940s Highland Park housing stock. Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, historic architectural styles. Most demanding integration work.
Highland Park East (around Armstrong Parkway, Crescent) — Mix of original homes and mid-century. Strong demand for smart home integration and home theater updates.
Highland Park West (Preston Road corridor) — Later Highland Park construction with some 1950s-60s homes mixed with extensive renovation. Often larger than Old Highland Park.
University Park (SMU area) — Mix of original 1930s-50s homes and significantly renovated properties. Some newer infill construction. Faculty housing adjacent to SMU campus has specific AV needs.
Preston Hollow adjacent (Mockingbird Lane corridor, north toward Lovers Lane) — Though technically Dallas proper, the Preston Hollow market shares Park Cities characteristics: premium construction, dedicated theater rooms, whole-home automation.
Park Cities ZIP Codes
75205 (Highland Park), 75225 (University Park and Preston Hollow adjacent). No travel fees.
Recent Park Cities Projects
- Reference-grade dedicated theater in Old Highland Park historic home — JVC NZ900, Stewart Filmscreen, Triad Cinema Reference, Trinnov processor, custom seating ($185,000)
- Whole-home Control4 integration in University Park home — lighting, audio, shades, climate, security ($95,000)
- Custom in-wall speaker installation with architectural preservation — Highland Park historic home ($18,000)
- Multi-room Sonos and TV integration with Lutron lighting in renovated University Park home ($35,000)
- Home office build-out for executive home in Preston Hollow — premium AV, conference-grade video, acoustic treatment ($22,000)
Additional AV and Smart Home Services in Highland Park & University Park
Beyond home theater and TV mounting, we install three additional services that Highland Park & University Park homes and businesses commonly need — all handled by the same crew, coordinated with any broader AV project, and priced consistently with what we charge across DFW.
Security Camera Installation in Highland Park & University Park
Professional-grade IP surveillance systems for Highland Park & University Park homes and Highland Park & University Park businesses. We install Hikvision, Dahua, and Axis commercial-grade cameras with proper NVR recording (7-90 day storage), remote mobile viewing, and optional smart home integration. Both indoor and outdoor camera systems with Texas-weather-rated housings. Typical residential systems: $1,500–$5,500. Commercial: $3,500–$22,000.
See full details on our security camera installation page, or call (214) 910-1277 to schedule a property walk-through.
Structured Wiring and Low-Voltage Pre-Wire in Highland Park & University Park
During construction is when we do our best low-voltage work. Running CAT6 Ethernet, speaker cable, HDMI, and control wires through open walls before drywall goes up dramatically reduces cost and dramatically improves what’s possible. For Highland Park & University Park new construction and major renovations, pre-wire is the single highest-ROI low-voltage investment.
Typical Highland Park & University Park pre-wire scope: CAT6 to every TV and workstation, RG6 coax throughout, speaker cable to every planned audio zone, control wiring for lighting and shades, and proper network equipment closet. Small home: $2,500–$5,500. Standard home: $5,500–$12,000. Custom home: $12,000–$25,000+.
See our structured wiring service for full details on what proper pre-wire includes.
Networking and WiFi Installation in Highland Park & University Park
Business-grade Ubiquiti UniFi networking for Highland Park & University Park homes with 30+ connected devices, serious smart home integration, work-from-home professionals with video conferencing needs, or large properties with dead zones. Commercial-grade networking for Highland Park & University Park businesses, offices, restaurants, and retail.
We install multi-access-point coverage for whole-property WiFi, proper VLAN segmentation (IoT, guest, primary traffic separated), and business-grade routers that handle 40-100+ connected devices reliably. Typical home network: $3,500–$9,500. Large home: $9,500–$18,000. Business: $3,500–$35,000+.
See our networking installation page for complete details.
Call (214) 910-1277 to schedule a Park Cities consultation. These projects always start with a 60-90 minute on-site walk-through to understand the home, the architecture, and the integration opportunities.