Aldredge House: What If You Woke Up One Day to Find a For Sale Sign in Your Yard?

Share News:

Bd of Adjustment sign

David Schechter of WFAA-TV first caught wind of this:  a handful of neighbors near Aldredge House at 5500 Swiss Avenue are complaining the weddings there are simply too wild. It’s no longer “rose petals and rice”, they say, but rather sparklers, fireworks and LED balloons, with underwear (bras and thongs!) sometimes flung in their yards.

Well, weddings have certainly gotten more sophisticated!

The Aldredge House, which was built in 1917 and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, was donated to the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance & Foundation by the last owner, Rena Munger Aldredge. (Yes, as in Munger Place.) The home was designed by famed architect Henry B. “Hal” Thomson.  It’s really a beautiful story: the original owners were a couple named William and Willie Lewis, who built the home with the help of his apprentice Marion Fooshee (1888-1956). Marion would later partner with James Cheek (1895-1970) and become the most eloquent design team of the early twentieth century. They are best known as the designers of Highland Park Village, the nation’s first self-contained shopping center, as well as countless Mediterranean-style homes in Highland Park. The duo’s Spanish style office was torn down to make room for the Dallas Museum of Art. Willie Lewis was a Dallas debutante and very young bride. Unlike brides a decade later, Willie felt the home, at 7000 square feet, was too large. The Lewises sold the home, and eventually the Aldredge family purchased it in 1921. Rena Aldredge lived in the home until 1975, when she donated it to the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance. It was her wish that her home always serve a philanthropic purpose. Aldredge House maintains its original turn-of-the-century interior, and is one of the finest and few remaining examples of the French Eclectic architectural style in Dallas.  The Aldredge House is also the only residential landmark of its kind that is currently open to the public in Dallas.

Alliance signs

AldredgeHouse.jpgfoyer

For the past 40 years, the Aldredge House has peacefully co-existed with Swiss Avenue neighbors, making the house available, at no charge, for meetings and events of the Swiss Avenue Historic District and over 50 non-profit organizations throughout Dallas. It has also been on tour for the annual Mother’s Day home tours.

Rental income from special events is the primary source of funding for taxes, upkeep, and operations of the House.

This May, a few neighbors raised some concerns about operations at Aldredge House. Those concerns, says DCMSA leaders, were immediately addressed by changes in policies and procedures, including changes in parking, noise, deliveries, and… No More Sparklers!

But a few weeks ago, Alliance members were stunned to find a Board of Adjustment sign stuck in the front yard. It was notice, the ONLY notice, that the neighbors had filed an application with the City to revoke the “legal non-conforming use” status under which Aldredge House has operated within the Swiss Avenue Historic District Planned Development District for 40 plus years… since the day Rena Aldredge gave her beloved home to the foundation of her choice.

Full disclosure: I am a member of the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance & Foundation and have been a member since about 1985. Founded in 1917, The Dallas County Medical Society was the first medical auxiliary in the country. The organization served as a model for other medical auxiliaries throughout the United States that were founded in the early twentieth century. Members are physicians and physicians’ spouses.

Aldredge House ext

I was a member when the group was called the Dallas County Medical Society Auxilliary, open to physician’s wives who were dedicated to promoting good health and health education in Dallas, raising money for nursing and other scholarships, socializing and physician support. The list of organizations supported by DCMSA is pretty vast. We have regular meetings at Aldredge House. As more women became physicians, their spouses joined the Alliance, thus the name was changed. One of the earliest memories I have of moving to Dallas is my first DCMSA meetings at Aldredge House, where I fell in love with the historic residence. I came from Chicago and the East Coast, and Aldredge House reminded me of home with its historic stateliness, it’s walnut panelling, and old fashioned plumbing. The Alliance used to host a huge health fair where physicians and hospitals offered free screenings, immunizations and other health care education, and still partners with other agencies to provide these services. My husband, for example, would donate a Saturday afternoon to performing free sonograms, and I would hand out brochures or stickers or bandages. (This doctor’s wife faints at the sight of blood.) It was a way that we gave back to the community that had given us so much.

Always, Aldredge House was the mother ship, the hub to which we retreated to organize, collate papers, or just grab a cup of coffee and rest.

We have been to one wedding at Aldredge House in 30 years. When my daughter-in-law wanted to have her wedding in Dallas, Aldredge House was one of the venues she perused. And I have always been happy to sponsor friends and my husband’s patients who wanted weddings at Aldredge House because it was not just a beautiful, warm setting for nuptials, I really wanted to share the warmth of a very special place that had come to mean so much to all of us. Since neither of us have family in town, we truly feel like it’s our “home” in Dallas.

So I was blindsided when I heard of David Schechter’s report. My heart broke when I saw the crude, hand-printed paper sign stuck in the grass and thick liriope.

We have been told by our advisors that, IF that application is granted…

Aldredge House will revert to single-family use, will have to be sold and will no longer be open to the public. We won’t even be able to use it for meetings.

the Foundation will lose its home, its property rights, and a 40 year investment in preservation of the Aldredge House

The neighborhood, community and non-profit organizations that utilize Aldredge House facilities at no charge will lose that venue

The City of Dallas will lose one of its very few historically and architecturally unique houses that is open to the public

A few weeks ago, the Bud Oglesby home on Strait Lane that was once owned by the Dedmans was scraped to the ground. That was the right of the new owners, of course, it was their home free and clear.

Mark my word: if Aldredge House is sold because a few neighbors cannot communicate with the DCMSA and work together for a solution, it could risk being changed despite the Landmark designation.

Isn’t there a less drastic solution than filing an application to revoke the non-conforming use that has worked for 40 years? What do we teach our children? “Use your words.”

This story also puts me in a bit of a journalist pickle: I have a bias. But our mission is to be fair and balanced here on CandysDirt.com: we will certainly cover the other side of the story, thongs, garters, sparklers, bras and all. It will just be covered by someone else.

I am also very interested in public opinion — the comment lines are wide open. And should you want to digitally sign a petition to keep the Aldredge House open to the public, click right here.

You can also plan to attend the Board of Adjustment hearing on Oct. 21 at Dallas City Hall.  Time will be announced, so stay tuned for more, lots more, on this story.

Aldredge House dining

Posted in

Candy Evans, founder and publisher of CandysDirt.com, is one of the nation’s leading real estate reporters.

29 Comments

  1. Jon Anderson on September 11, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    This has all the hallmarks of uppity neighbors buying next to an airport and complaining about the noise. As you say, it’s been 40-years. If things have gotten out of hand, work to find a solution. The only reason not talk is if the neighbors actually don’t want a solution, they just want it gone. When Swiss Avenue was in the dumps, it was likely the only shining beacon amongst the wrecks. Now that the neighborhood has been gentrified, the nouveau neighbors want it gone. Typical. Hopefully the Board of Adjustments recognizes this for what it is.

    • PeterK on September 11, 2015 at 11:05 pm

      jon
      you’re correct if not for Aldredge House no telling what would have happened to Swiss Avenue

  2. David M on September 11, 2015 at 4:05 pm

    DCAD has 5500 Swiss zoned as a residential property, so one would think that it should be used as a residence. DCAD also has the CDU (Condition, Desirability, and Utility) as Poor which is lowering the property taxes. That’s hardly equitable as the condition certainly is not poor, nor is the desirability.

    • Jon Anderson on September 11, 2015 at 5:38 pm

      You’re relying on DCAD for CDU information? I doubt DCAD has physically inspected a home in decades. I’ve seen homes with Sub-Zero refrigerators listed as “poor.” I’ve seen developer-owned rentals listed as model homes (at drastically reduced valuations). A Magic 8-ball is more accurate than DCAD on structure condition. About all you can trust DCAD for is ownership history and vaguely accurate square footages.

  3. Sally on September 11, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    You are right when you say this is a completely biased article so kudos to you for at least admitting it. I would be interested to see if the claims of this organization forging neighbor’s signatures in order to get permits is true or not. Maybe the other writer can look into it…

  4. Bonnie Doon on September 11, 2015 at 4:56 pm

    Exactly correct reporting in that this is a commercial VENUE in a residential neighborhood. Non – profit doesn’t mean people involved aren’t profiting (salaries, vendors). Same gig as Mary Brinegar who makes a fortune off of weddings held at the Arboretum (part of her contract). Let’s see you post an audited/itemized P&L on Candy’s Dirty that shows who profits off of these loud, noisy, over parked weddings. Profiteers are trying to put a bad – neighbor spin on this when it is really good neighbors trying to protect their property value against people who don’t live in this neighborhood and go back to their quiet home in North Dallas after they make their wedding money. This property was never supposed to be a party/wedding venue and if it had stayed within the framework of it’s original charter, there would not be a problem. Get rid of the weddings and you get rid of the problem… that simple.You wouldn’t want this next door to your home!

    • Jon Anderson on September 11, 2015 at 5:33 pm

      Actually, my other high-rise home used to host weddings in a ground floor restaurant and it never bothered me. And trust me, no Dallas wedding compares to a Japanese wedding in Hawaii. Also, by your definition, any non-profit that doesn’t use all volunteer labor isn’t really a non-profit? Any non-profit venue that uses outside resources (who turn a profit) means the non-profit isn’t a non-profit? That makes no sense.

    • PeterK on September 11, 2015 at 11:04 pm

      Get rid of the weddings and you get rid of the problem…

      and then what happens to it. how does it support itself? are you willing to help support the upkeep?

      • Candy Evans on September 11, 2015 at 11:19 pm

        That’s the problem. Maybe take away the property taxes… perhaps every house on Swiss can chip in and cover them???

        • Bonnie Doon on September 12, 2015 at 8:05 am

          Profiteers using house as a smoke screen to make big $$$$ in a residential neighborhood. Same people that forged neighbors signatures! Dare you to post an itemized AUDIT OF THE BOOKS and let’s see where the money goes. Bet it”s 5 cents to the house and 95 cents to the profiteers.

  5. Marie Coerver on September 11, 2015 at 6:57 pm

    Did you know that the Aldredge House had the first private pool in Dallas? It was filled in years ago, but I went to a swimming party there in 1962 (grew up with the Aldredge grandchildren) and it was oh so very elegant. At the time, it was just about the only house on Swiss Avenue still maintained in its original splendor. It carried the torch so that the current neighbors could have the special place they now enjoy.

  6. Bob Stoller on September 11, 2015 at 7:47 pm

    I had the good fortune to meet Willie Lewis when she lived at the Maple Terrace Apartments in the 1980’s. Near the end of her life she wrote about her earlier years in Dallas in her book, “Willie, a Girl from a Town called Dallas,” after previously publishing several other historical books. Several of her grandsons have been active preservationists for many years, both here and in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She and her family are interwoven into Dallas’s history for the last century, even though they parted with this property so long ago.

  7. PeterK on September 11, 2015 at 11:03 pm

    ” the group was called the Dallas County Medical Society,” that was for the Doctors. the wives were members of the Dallas County Medical Auxiliary, a group that did and does a lot for the city that rarely gets publicized
    this attack on Aldredge House is despicable.

    • Candy Evans on September 11, 2015 at 11:18 pm

      Peter K thank you for that oversight on my part. Aldredge House is where I first met your precious mother. She was so kind and fun and told me anytime I needed anything to call her.

  8. Nick McCune on September 12, 2015 at 3:16 am

    I live next door to the Aldredge House so I’m one of the most impacted. See my Facebook posts on Wylie H Dallas or the Lakewood Advocate other sites. I’m reposting my comments here:

    The Aldredge House is a beautiful building that unfortunately is being used as a ‘for profit events venue’ instead of as a social club for the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance, which was the original intent. I sincerely appreciate its beauty, stature and overall function in our neighborhood.
    My goal is for the DCMSA to find alternative means to support the house instead of renting it out to for large parties. I know many folks have attended ‘quaint little weddings and receptions’ at the AH. Unfortunately, this isn’t the norm and the immediate neighbors are subjected to 60+ events a year.
    Many of these events are very intrusive on our daily lives. It begins during the week with the tent installation. Tents are needed so the vendor can have large events. The more attendees to the event, the more revenue generated. On the day of the event, the delivery trucks arrive and workers set up early in the morning. The set up is a noisy event. Sure, every now and then, we get a beautiful ceremony, which is nice. We then get a reception with loud amplified ‘Welcome the bride and groom’ announcements and toasts that rattle our windows and can be heard throughout our home. Next, the reception . . . it’s a loud party . . . it’s a drunk fest. That is what wedding receptions are supposed to be. Loud, pumping disco/party music permeates my home – sometimes twice a day when there are two weddings in a day. After the event, the staff breaks everything down, which often goes on until 1 am.
    I know many of your responses/objections already:
    1) We should just define rules the DCMSA can follow. I’ve tried this for 16+ years. The rules are always broken because you can’t have large celebratory events with alcohol and expect everyone to behave. The service industry typically has high turnover, so it has become incumbent on my family to ‘retrain’ the new staff. I’ve better things to do.
    2) Why did you move in when you knew what you were moving next to? Well, we didn’t. But regardless, does that mean our family and the immediate neighbors should have to endure an unruly neighbor indefinitely? The Swiss Avenue Historic District is a beautiful residential neighborhood and the Aldredge House serves as a great meeting place for the DCMSA and the neighbors. It is a social club and it simply shouldn’t be used as a for profit events venue.
    The DCMSA are good people and they obviously do good work in the medical field. I wholly support their charity work. However, they should find other means to support and maintain this beautiful house. They should seek donations and endowments to maintain the home. Renting the Aldredge House out for large parties is intrusive on the immediate neighbors and it is destructive to this beautiful historic home. The Aldredge House deserves better and the neighbors certainly deserve better in this residential district. Solve the problem by finding alternative means of funding the property. The DCSMA can decide not to be in the events venue business and still achieve its missions.

    I’m available to converse with anyone who wants to have a civil dialogue.

    • Bonnie Doon on September 12, 2015 at 10:39 am

      Nick,
      Very well explained and amazing it has gone on this long. Conservative numbers of 60 + events per year at an average of $10,000.00 per event = $600,000.00 in net revenue. Don’t think it costs that much to maintain a house unless of course they have a couple of wedding management ringers in there making $200,000.00 per year in salary. It’s the way these parasites operate. Demand an itemized audit of their books and you will see that the people who act indignant when you ask for records are the ones making a lot of money on this commercial wedding venue. They don’t want anyone to know they are using the house as their personal piggy bank. Spot on that money can be raised without disturbing “quiet enjoyment” of neighbors with drunken, loud weddings and in fact, it would be interesting to see what revenue is being generated without weddings. Bet it is enough to more than cover expenses. Once again you have some profiteers who have stealthily slipped in a wedding venue at the expense of the neighbors for personal gain. SHOW ME THE MONEY and let’s see who gets indignant.

    • Candy Evans on September 13, 2015 at 11:54 am

      Due to my membership in the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance, Joanna England is reporting on this case because we want to carefully cover both sides of the story, of course. Obviously I am very protective of Aldredge House. As Jennifer Gates has done in the Transwestern case, I have to recuse myself from further reporting. It’s tough. I find all these comments very interesting since the rules for party use of Aldredge House have pretty strict limits on sound, candles, etc. Outside music is limited to harps and classical quartets, any “booming noise” has to be inside the ballroom with the door shut at all times. In fact, I always thought Aldredge House was one of the strictest venues to hold a party.
      But to comment on the “60 + events per year at an average of $10,000.00 per event = $600,000.00 in net revenue. Don’t think it costs that much to maintain a house unless of course they have a couple of wedding management ringers in there making $200,000.00 per year in salary. ” I have been involved with two weddings in the last 7 years, and the average wedding in the US now costs $50,000 AVERAGE. That is not sheer profit: that covers the food ($50 to $100 pp), service, beverages, flowers, rose petals, baskets, centerpieces, tablecloths and napkins, etc etc. We are also very, very open to a civil dialogue and hope these articles can lead to just that. Let me also say that no comments will be edited regardless of your position. We welcome and encourage an open, civil conversation not only on line, but in person. Thank you.

    • Ellen Houck on September 14, 2015 at 7:54 pm

      The neighbors should feel comfortable in their homes. At the same time, it would be a real shame for this piece of history, both architecturally and in terms of its prominent place in helping Swiss Avenue “rise from the ashes,” to be closed to the public and the other organizations it serves. Hope y’all can work it out so everyone wins!

  9. Elizabeth Kurilecz on September 12, 2015 at 10:11 am

    I guess there’s a good part to getting older, you remember stuff. With respect to the House, there was significant work when the House was first donated between the neighbors, City and the Society about the donation and how it would fit into the proposed “conservation” district that was instrumental to saving such a gem area of the City. Much like folks who move near Love Field and complain about noise although the airport has been there since forever, move in down from a church or synagogue and complain about the traffic on high holy days, Saturdays or Sundays, those that complain I suspect have moved in more recently. I remember when a nearby derelict house first turned, the buyer went on a campaign to have the Society’s use permit revoked, because it was a neighborhood and should not have this happening. There has always been some neighbor(s) with an issue and its often someone new to the area. The Society has always worked with the neighbors and that is why the Society owns a vacant lot on Gaston for additional parking (resolution to complaints of parking) so as not to park completely on the Avenue. Lastly, I was a very bored teenager hanging around the House when my Mom worked inside around the donation. BTW – Shortly after the donation, they started having events at the house, including my high school prom dinner.

    • Bonnie Doo on September 13, 2015 at 5:36 pm

      Actually Candy, you have back pedaled on this so quickly, one would think you are on the Aldredge House payroll, which of course would be despicable. Joanna since you are now our unbiased reporter, please ask Candy if she can help you get detailed audited financials including approved vendors lists and their ownership. Account for every nickel (with names) this venue generates with names of those involved. With the kind of revenue being mentioned, east Dallas politicians are likely in the mix. And Candy, shutting ballroom doors doesn’t stop the cranked up BASS as it travels right through the walls and down the block just like a pimp mobile at a stop light…get real and SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!!

      • Candy Evans on September 13, 2015 at 11:34 pm

        Bonnie, you are in luck! I am doing my income taxes and can show you there is nothing from an Aldredge House payroll. Zilch! Actually, in 2008 I headed a Home Tour for the Alliance that netted THEM money for the house. The costs of keeping up Aldredge House have always been significant, as it is with any home (mine is a money pit) especially an historical home. Call a plumber: $500. I’m happy to meet you for coffee and show you my tax return. I am also curious about these East Dallas politicians on the payroll? And you can hear that BASS all the way down the street? There was a Spirit party next door to us Friday night, and I heard a little of the bass, but not much. Must be our Marvin double pane windows. Maybe that’s what you need to help make your home quieter?

  10. KS on September 12, 2015 at 11:36 am

    We live next door to a noisy, dirty construction site. There are often delivery trucks blocking the right hand lane of our major thoroughfare street, causing cars to have to stop and try to get over to the middle lane and go around the trucks. It backs up behind these trucks about 6 or 7 cars during peak traffic times. Sometimes the trucks block our driveway and we can’t pull out to leave or pull into it when coming home. Party equipment delivery trucks are often the same big sized as I experience and I imagine they clog Swiss Ave, too. Although Swiss is fairly wide. Candy and Jon, shame on you for your bias — go spend a few weekends at the neighbors house and see how fun it really is. Maybe I am just biased myself, having to listen to the terrible construction noise every day but Sunday. At least, in my case, it’s quiet at night. And Jon, living in a big highrise above a restaurant having weddings is not even close to the same grinding noise pollution and annoyance these neighbors experience. Trash/litter has got to be a problem also. Yes it is great that this non- profit does some good in the community but it’s also doing bad to the neighbors if what they claim is true. On one hand you say we help people and on the other you say screw the neighbors.

    • Jon Anderson on September 12, 2015 at 1:02 pm

      For clarification, my second home is on the 5th floor above an open-air beachfront restaurant venue. The building does not have AC so my windows are open 24/7 and as you might imagine, parties spill out onto the beach. I’m not cloistered in a sound-proofed room nor am I deaf. There were those in the building that hated the wedding business but worked with the restaurant to agree the room would only be used for other events besides weddings. Now it’s “PowerPoint on the beach” with schnockered doctors and buxom pharmaceutical reps often renting the space.

      I’m also not saying that neighbors do not have complaints that need to be addressed, especially if the situation has escalated. My problem is that 1. You knew where you moved (or should have if your Realtor was on the ball) and 2. Going nuclear by filing a revocation of use with the city is underhanded. Personally, when I’ve had noise issues that were not addressed by the owner, a few calls to the police have fixed things. Before taking the nuclear option with the city, I would like to see the thick folder of police complaints and citations that the house has ignored, because as you explain the situation, there should be at least 60-complaints (made by multiple neighbors) with matching citations each year on file.

      • Bonnie Doon on September 12, 2015 at 1:26 pm

        On – duty police won’t write citations when complaints come in because their off- duty buddies working the wedding are on wedding payroll. It is a huge source of revenue for off-duty Dallas police. Off- duty tells his on – duty buddies to look the other way and ignore violations (which they do). Off – duty police simply there to run interference if neighbors complain about “disturbing the peace”. A real racket and conflict of interest for police who fail to enforce ordinances because they are on wedding payroll. Cops will try to make the complaining neighbor into a bad guy, troublemaker. All to protect their wedding revenue. Seen this happen in other similar circumstances in east Dallas with “for profit” venues disguised as charities.

        • Ellen Houck on September 14, 2015 at 7:49 pm

          I’m beginning to see a pattern to your posts…the members of the Dallas County Medical Alliance are “profiteers” and “parasites” and the officers of the Dallas Police Department are running a “racket.” Are you from Chicago? in the 1920’s?

          • BONNIE DOON on September 14, 2015 at 9:56 pm

            Exactly true….and it is starting to come out. Forging signatures on government documents may be a criminal offense and is done only because there’s lots of funny money being passed around….just like Chicago in the 20’s. For Angela Hunt to stand there and say nobody is making money on this is preposterous! Audit the books!!!



  11. Vince Leibowitz on September 12, 2015 at 4:50 pm

    The neighbors filed to have the non-conforming use changed, NOT the owners?

    • KS on September 12, 2015 at 5:43 pm

      Yes

  12. KS on September 12, 2015 at 5:41 pm

    Who says neighbors have not talked to or tried to negotiate with the venue? And, Jon, your explanation of your second home and it’s parties compares only in the noise aspect — go live there full time and then see what it is really like. At least you don’t have party tents being set up and torn down weekly. And saying he should have known before he bought just means the neighbors property is now unsellable cause someone smarter would never purchase. I have no dog in the hunt but Candys editorial was overly emotional and blaming the victim.

Leave a Comment