Any Developer Proposing Apartments in Preston Hollow Should Brace for a Howl of Stupidity

By Eric Nicholson Mon., Sep. 29 2014 at 12:30 PM

The Crosland Group

Highland House

Somewhere in Preston Hollow, Laura Miller is wiping clean the dagger with which she eviscerated two proposed apartment developments at Preston Road and Northwest Highway. Developer Luke Crosland has officially abandoned plans for Highland House, a 27-story high-rise he wanted to build behind Hopdoddy in Preston Center. On the northeast corner meanwhile, Transwestern's shrinking plans for its luxury apartment development -- it started at eight stories, was reduced to six, and finally came down to four in a failed attempt to placate neighbors -- led some would-be property sellers on Townhouse Row to walk away from the proposed deal.

Some cheer the demise of the two projects as a victory of neighborhood values. Others lament it as a lost opportunity to intelligently increase density and grow the city's tax base. I'll have a deeper exploration of that debate when the cover story I'm working on goes to press in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, it seemed worthwhile (or at the very least entertaining in an afflicting-the-comfortable kind of way) to share some of the more ludicrous comments Preston Hollow homeowners offered -- on paper, in City Hall's official zoning file no less -- in opposition to the two projects.

Note that we purposefully omit the defensible arguments against one project or the other (e.g. Preston Hollow East HOA president Ashley Parks not wanting multistory apartment looming over her backyard swimming pool, people pointing out that Preston and Northwest Highway is already congested) since such considerations tend to interfere with class antagonism. Note also that our proletarian impulses have been tempered by conscience to the extent that we have omitted the names of the commenters, an otherwise rational collection of high-powered attorneys and doctors and real estate and businesspeople.

To wit:

My child's doctors, our family dentist, our GP, and the place we get our hair cut are all right there. Our favorite burger joint and our PO Box are there. We will have to find new resources for all those things if the traffic gets worse, which it WILL if this plan goes through. Those businesses will either fold or move, and I can't imagine anyone wanted to buy or rent in this new building once they discover the lack of resources and the difficulty of navigating the community.

Too many potential customers. Every business owner's worst nightmare. (Ref: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." -- Yogi Berra

Panhandling at the corner of the Tollroad at NWH is largely the result of the chronic traffic backup which creates a captive audience for the street trade.

Is this still about panhandling? Because "street trade" sounds a lot like "hookers."

As well, please consider the visual impact. One of the most compelling -- and valuable -- elements in our neighborhood is that one can live within proximity to downtown without seeing tall buildings.

Wait. Dallas is a city. Aren't tall buildings a byproduct of living in an urb...

That you [District 13 Plan Commissioner Margot Murphy] described this part of Preston Hollow as an "urban" area is disturbing.

So Preston Hollow, despite being part of a large city, isn't urban. As far as tall buildings go, though, Highland House seems relatively unobjectiona....

The architectural rendering for this building featured in The Preston Hollow Advocate show a lot of reflective glass. The residents of Devonshire -- your [Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates] constituents -- should not be subjected to another reflective abomination like Museum Tower.

But lots of towers have glass. That doesn't mean they'll shine targeted death rays like Muse...

I am concerned. A 29-story apartment building will loom over my home above the tree line and shine its 29 story lights into my idyllic backyard.

Oh come on. You live on the other side of the Tollway, with a row of office buildings between the 29-story apartment building and your "idyllic backyard."

[T]his proposed rezoning could essentially sink [Highland Park ISD].... I think it's a joke to believe that the developers aim to market this to "empty nesters." Anyone with intelligence will know that the primary residents will be those wishing to get their children into HPISD schools without purchasing property or paying taxes to do so.

For those keeping score, Highland House (minimum rent of about $4,000 per month) would have destroyed 1) businesses 2) Preston Hollow's Downton Abbey illusion 3) children's futures, and 4 )the Park Cities. Also, the American way and the real estate community's big, fat commissions:

I love progress.
I love our free enterprise system.
I love our City....

As a Realtor, we enjoy commissions in selling real estate. Apartments are at the bottom of the real estate barrel inasmuch as we don't sell apartment units, the income from rental commissions is minimal, and it is a proven fact that tenants do not have the same pride in ownership as do homeowners who occupy the property. Yes, as a Realtor who believes in The America Dream, I strongly encourage homeownership, rather than rental.

Also at risk, according to one Transwestern opponent whose comments were summarized in the minutes of a public meeting, is Preston Hollow's status as a bastion of rich white people. According to the minutes, his objections were:

affordable housing; more young people moving in; minorities

We'll end with a letter sent by University Park Mayor Olin Burnett Lane Jr., which steers clear of hyperbole but ends with what reads as a threat of a Bridgegate-esque traffic snarl if Dallas moved forward with its rezoning of Highland House.

To underscore my concern, I note that staff members from Dallas and University Park are discussing a joint solution to address traffic in these locations. I believe the proposed development would be counterproductive to efforts currently underway.

Send your story tips to the author, Eric Nicholson.

We Recommend

Subnx

I don't like density

lzippitydoo

Dr. No - Laura Miller set Dallas back 50 years! Both the Rangers and Cowboys should be in Dallas! Her "Pothole Agenda" and anti-business/growth strategy was largely responsible for the rise of Arlington and Ft Worth - plus the suburbs north of Dallas! Since she is behind this Preston Center uprising - it cant be good for the city! Just surprising that people listen to her still and are scared to make positive changes for Dallas!

steve1014

The real issue is how much longer are the people of Dallas going to let the old, white oligarchs of Highland Park and University Park run everything in N. Texas by their rules?

kduble

The answer to the traffic argument is mixed-use structures that contain street-level retail and a few floors of commercial space along with hotel rooms and apartments. But, to the extent all the proposed projects have been single-use structures, I can't say the neighbors' complaints have no merit.

austinmavd

It would be much easier if they just told the truth: "Our neighborhood has high property values and we provide City Hall with significant property taxes. All of the residences are single family homes and we want to keep it that way."

It may sound arrogant but they would be telling the truth.

LeroyJenkem

Here's an easy way around the situation. Let's leave Preston Hollow and Highland Park alone, and build around them. Lots and lots of towers just outside the area, right next to each other, like a big wall. Even better, let's make it unscalable for those without specialty climbing gear, and put a gate at one end. Then, all we need to do is yell "Look! Black people are trying to get into Highland Park High!", watch the flood of xenophobes rush inside, and close the gate. Not only do we isolate one of the major factors that keeps Dallas from leaving the Nineteenth Century, but everyone in the high-rises gets daily entertainment by looking through their windows and watching the fine upstanding citizens of Preston Hollow when the food runs out and the utilities get cut off. Look at it as a dinner theater production of "The Walking Dead," with a lot more Governors instead of Darryl Dixons.

Tipster1908

HPISD is sinking regardless of what happens with Highland House, although that development certainly would accelerate it.

The district is bursting at the seams because empty nesters who used to stay in their houses because everywhere else in the Dallas area was too scary (read: too non-white) are now fashionable and accessible to them. You can move to a condo at the Ritz and no one will worry that you're downsizing because you want to save money. So you've got a bunch of people with 2 and 3 kids each household replacing people whose children had long since left the school system. That math doesn't work for very long. They already are close to needing another elementary school. That gives them some flexibility to ease overcrowding at the intermediate school. Of course they're still stuck with wondering what to do at the high school. Any way you look at it, they have a lot of really, really expensive decisions to make.

prestonhollowcharlie

Among Laura Miller's accomplishments as mayor of Dallas was helping Arlington land the Dallas Cowboys and keeping all of the unwanted tourist spending from our bars, restaurants and hotels.

She also supposedly caused a drop in American Cancer Society donations for a year when people began to see the other point of view.

mavdog topcommenter

just proving the point that affluence dose not equate to intelligence, unfortunately.

there is no rational reason the Crosland development had opposition. The Preston Center West market has mid-rise office and residential buildings now, this would not in any way be a change from what is already on the ground.

The Transwestern project is a different animal entirely. That property is zoned with a 3 story maximum height limit.The property owners that are adjacent to the north bought their property with that zoning limitation on height in place, any change in the allowable height should consider their opinions/desires.

Dallas10001

Eric,

Please print their names...and perhaps post a photo of each.

observist topcommenter

Preston Center is already a cluster of high-rises. There's a 15+ story building going up 2 blocks south of Hopdoddy right now, and a dozen 10-20-story towers along Douglas and Preston. There's an 8-story building on the SW corner NW Hwy and Preston, and two 25-story high rises one block east on NW Hwy.

This isn't a matter of new development being out of place or changing the complexion of the neighborhood, it's a matter of a few homeowners not wanting stuff that's currently 2 blocks from their houses to be only 1 block from their houses. Or in the area north of NW Hwy, they don't want stuff 1 block from the wall of their compounds.

In Google maps you can see a mansion on Averill Way that has a yard as big a city park adjacent to the Ebby Halliday office. In the street view, you can see they have "NO - Not in Preston Hollow" signs posted in front of their house - presumably about this very issue. Apparently they're incensed at the thought of proles even seeing the grass of their estate.

Amy S

I believe the cart was before the horse, which might be why the project was withdrawn. First, we all know, there needs to be a TIFF.

Montemalone topcommenter

I am so glad I no longer live in Dallas.

This right here is a primary reason why.

The selfish, hateful, and greedy. (Now I have to add stoopid)

Fuck'em all.

Myrna.Minkoff-Katz topcommenter

What are those assholes talking about? That corner has strip malls and a dumpy old apartment complex surrounding it.

lanceseabourn

I blame affluenza

rantanamo

@austinmavd The 29 story tower was to be in Preston Center.....................which is already full of highrises. The Other was to be next to a bunch of other condos, townhomes and......................taller highrises.

vashaliv

@austinmavd its always about the coin for the city ;)

EdD.

@prestonhollowcharlie The city of Dallas had no money left to borrow for sports arenas thanks to the American Airlines Center deal so it was the county, not the city, who had to make it happen. Since Jerry wasn't about to hand out "equity" there was no chance of the county commissioners making that happen. Laura Miller has made a lot of mistakes but losing the Cowboys wasn't one of them.

dave

@mavdog The current PD for the Preston Center Highland House site allows for a max 30 foot building height (hence the developer's request for a "zoning" change). Shouldn't the surrounding residents to that project have the same consideration of their opinions/desires as well? They bought their property with that zoning limitation in place. Sounds pretty "rational" to me.

dave

@mavdog

Myrna.Minkoff-Katz topcommenter

@observist What an interesting way to illustrate what's going on here. If you use the Earth view you clearly see NW Hwy as the "line of demarcation".

Myrna.Minkoff-Katz topcommenter

@Montemalone As a transplant, I'm also in awe of the sheer stupidity and ignorance of so many people native to this region of the country. It's really rather depressing and I, too, am contemplating moving elsewhere.

mavdog topcommenter

@dave

The properties that surround the Crosland Group site are under the same PD.

The proposed building was for 23 stories. I haven't read the rezoning app, my understanding is the change from commerical use to residential use was the reason for the rezone.

All adjoining property owners views merit consideration when a zoning change is sought. There are valid, rational objections and there are invalid, irrational objections. It is up to the CPC and Council to determine which category they might be.

parisrec

@Myrna.Minkoff-Katz @Montemalone A truly obnoxious post.

Montemalone topcommenter

@Myrna.Minkoff-Katz @Montemalone

Chicago's great!

Yeah, there's plenty of stoopid here, but it's a not a selfish, hateful, greedy stoopid. Just a general born that way stoopid, so it's a bit easier to deal with.

observist topcommenter

Oh it's there - it's just farther from downtown.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

@Montemalone @Myrna.Minkoff-Katz There is so much to do in Chicago, especially downtown. Ive enjoyed my visits there, don't know how Id feel about winters though. actually I do know. they would suck

riconnel8

@observist How much further? I want to be sure to move into the right neighborhood this time.

Myrna.Minkoff-Katz topcommenter

The cold. I simply cannot go back North and endure that God-awful climate in my advancing years. Oh, what to do?

observist topcommenter

I was replying about selfishness, hate, greed and stupidity in Chicago. It's not like Winnetka, Wilmette and Kenilworth are full of PhD new urbanist lefties who just happen to have multi-million dollar mansions.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

@Myrna.Minkoff-Katz My winter visits to see mom in KC are cold enough. Couldnt envision living in that anymore. I hear Arizona has nice winters.

riconnel8

@observist Bummer.

riconnel8

@ScottsMerkin @Myrna.Minkoff-Katz I only recently heard of something called Valley Fever. Might want to think about that before moving to AZ.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/valley-fever-10-things-cdc-says-you-should-know/

I'm looking for somewhere nice to live also that isn't bonehead stoopid. Have you ever been to Asheville, NC? It's beautiful and from what I read a little pocket of liberal.