The Lakewood Conservation District Expansion is Vital to Historic Preservation

Karen Eubank: We have one of the largest collections of Charles Dilbeck and Clifford Hutsell-designed homes in America and yet we still struggle to protect them. Why? I think so many don’t understand that the intrinsic value of these homes is the fact their exteriors are untouched. Paint one, and I guarantee you, it will lose value. So, I’m pleased that the process of expansion for the Lakewood Conservation District is moving along. Summer Loveland gave me an update last week.

“We are awaiting the verification of signatures and should get that around the end of July,” she said. “We paid the $2,400 application fee on Monday. Our neighbors contributed to raising money for about half of that fee. The next step is the city will schedule ten meetings, starting in late August.”

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I bet you thought all those beautiful, eclectic Charles Dilbeck and Clifford Hutsell-designed homes were protected. They are not.

Shocking, right? 

A Neighborhood Rich in Architectural Legacies

In the 1920s, developers Albert Dines and Lee R. Kraft bought 184 acres around what is now the Lakewood Country Club from Dr. W.F Pearson and began building one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Dallas.

Architects such as O’Neil Ford, Arch Swank, and David O. Williams designed homes that still stand today. You will find everything from classic Colonials to Prairie-Four Squares and Spanish Eclectic styles, but the most coveted homes are the historic Dilbecks and Hutsells.

A Gold Mine of Dilbeck Designs

You can easily spot a Hutsell design. The clay tile roofs, ornate iron and tile work, and loads of whimsey are immediate giveaways. On the other hand, Dilbeck favored no particular style. In fact, it’s one reason there is difficulty identifying some of his homes.

Our former Dallas Parks and Recreation Director, Willis Winters, has spent years tracking down and verifying these homes and is presently writing the definitive book on Dilbeck that we cannot wait to read. I spoke to him recently to get his take on the lack of existing protection.

“Lakewood, unlike other residential neighborhoods throughout Dallas and the Park Cities, is relatively intact,” Winters said. “There is still an opportunity to preserve its history and save its unique architectural legacy. As a former Lakewood resident whose home was later demolished, I completely support expanding the boundaries of the Conservation District, which will encompass many significant residences that must be preserved.”

Saving an Intact Neighborhood

I enjoy reminding our readers never to sit back and wring their hands because, in reality, it takes only one person to start a movement. Lakewood resident Summer Loveland decided to do something about the lack of protection for these historic homes.  

“A Hutsell down the street had a for sale sign last May,” Loveland said. “It was on a corner lot, and I worried someone would buy it and tear it down. So, I called the city to see how we could expand the conservation process in Lakewood.”

Loveland had been active in the successful formation of the Belmont Conservation District years ago, so she was well aware of the challenges.

“Lakewood was the second Conservation District, formed in Dallas in 1988, and it only protects homes from Abrams to Brendenwood,” Loveland said. “There is not a single Hutsell in the protected area. There are almost 50, and none are protected. The proposed expansion area covers all the Hutsells. When I started initially talking to my neighbors, I found there was a lot of interest and support.”

This is when it begins to take a village to save historic properties. Loveland contacted Winters to ensure there would be a complete list of these historic properties and got to work drumming up support. The city requires a committee of 10 to move forward, and Loveland found neighbors invested in the mission, and the process has moved surprisingly quickly.

The formal request was submitted to determine eligibility, and the city has reviewed the documents. Loveland expects approval of eligibility in April. Once that happens, the city has two weeks to provide petitions to the neighborhood committee. They have to get 58 percent of the neighbors to agree and sign the petitions. After this, the city holds a public meeting. 

We take one step forward and two steps back in our continuing efforts to preserve historic Dallas homes and buildings. The concept of preservation, conservation, and adaptive reuse are generally not in a developer’s vocabulary. Profit is the sole driver. Understanding value that is not financially based is a tough reach for them. Homeowners are, sadly, generally uneducated or misinformed. 

Right now, Highland Park is essentially a construction zone, and there will be little to no history left in another few years. Fifty of the original homes featured in  Great American Suburbs: The Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas have been torn down. Let me remind you these are homes like the Carey Estate and Old Alice, homes owned by the visionaries that built our city. Once they are gone, their story fades, and history is lost. 

With the ever-increasing awareness of our inventory of historic properties dwindling daily in Dallas, Lakewood is one neighborhood that seems to understand the value of preservation.  

Bravo!

For more information on the proposed expansion and a list of facts about Conservation Districts, click on the pdf.