City Hall Roundup: Convention Center Design, Some Area Plans
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July 4th weekend officially starts now at Dallas City Hall, at least as far as public meetings go. Staff will undoubtedly be plugging away, but elected city leaders and board members won’t be conducting any official business.
While boards have meetings on the schedule in July, council members get the whole month off from committee and council meetings, so our roundups might be looking a little slimmer for the next few weeks.
In any case, here’s some of what went down this week:
Staff Want Public Input on Convention Center Design
The folks working on the design for the redevelopment and expansion of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center held a town hall meeting Tuesday evening at Perkins&Will’s architects’ studio.
Attendees were given the chance to meet with individuals involved with the project’s design, hear about upcoming community engagement events and workshops, and see an actual physical model based on the current plans.
The project is currently in its design development phase, during which the public will be encouraged to give their input on design details and space functionality. This phase will run through the summer until October.
Engagement with the public will comprise telephone conferences, community town halls, focused workshops, online surveys, and live pop-ups.
The next event will be a focused workshop in which attendees will be able to provide input as to community needs and ideas for the space through small-group exercises. It’s scheduled for Saturday, July 12 at 9:30 a.m. Location TBA. A previously scheduled workshop for June 30 has been postponed. A new date will be announced after July 4th weekend.
Hampton-Clarendon Corridor Zoning Decision Postponed
Residents and small business owners who are fearful of the gentrifying impact of the city’s rezoning proposal for the Hampton-Clarendon Corridor got a chance to give Dallas City Council members a piece of their minds on Wednesday.
Officials want to rezone the area for housing and mixed-use, which is in line with the West Oak Cliff Area Plan. Staff hopes the plan will enhance walkability, increase housing stock, and improve traffic.
Dozens of people from the mostly-Spanish-speaking neighborhood showed up to express their opposition during public comment at the meeting. Only a handful of individuals voiced their approval in person at City Hall.
“There’s no protection from the city to help businesses, landowners, or residents from price hikes or development speculation,” said Jerry Figueroa, owner of J&E Express Auto Service, according to CBS News Texas. “We’ve seen what happened in Bishop Arts and West Dallas.”
Swelling property values have been putting pressure on lower-income residents and small businesses, so much so that housing activists are working to identify vulnerable neighborhoods and make resources available so at-risk families can stay in their homes.
Nevertheless, supporters of rezoning argue more housing needs to be built to keep up with the number of new residents. More people and limited housing have led to serious issues with affordability, and, of course, there are individuals and groups who do support it, even if they haven’t been making a ruckus at City Hall.
“My job as council member is to listen to the neighbors who actually live by Hampton-Clarendon, and they have told me through [the West Oak Cliff Area Plan approval process] and neighborhood association letters that something needs to be done in this corridor,” said Council Member Chad West (District 1), speaking with KERA News.
Council members ultimately decided to put off making a decision on the zoning request. They will revisit the issue at their meeting on August 13.
South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan Gets Adopted
Speaking of area plans, council members signed off on the South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan at the same meeting on Wednesday at City Hall.
A product of years of collaboration between officials, stakeholders, and neighborhood residents, the area plan outlines a five-year implementation strategy aimed at both revitalizing and preserving the historically significant community.
Key proposals include rezoning in PD 595 to allow more mixed-use development and residential options, particularly along major corridors and around DART stations, while also emphasizing design standards to ensure new housing complements the existing neighborhood’s character.
Economic development strategies in the plan include calling for investment in small businesses, activation of vacant properties on corridors like 2nd Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard, and better utilization of tools like the South Dallas/Fair Park Opportunity Fund and the Grand Park South TIF. The plan also targets five focus areas for infrastructure improvements: 2nd Avenue, Elsie Faye Heggins Street, Malcolm X Boulevard, the MLK DART Station, and Queen City.
Preserving the neighborhood’s culture and history is also a priority. The plan calls for protecting historic architecture, supporting local cultural institutions, collecting oral histories and artifacts, and installing historical markers.
Council Member Adam Bazaldua (District 7), who represents the area, celebrated the area plan’s adoption.
“A collaborative community driven approach began with a coalition of stakeholders to outline the priority areas for this plan and the strategic approach that should be taken,” he said. “Say a job well done is an understatement for what this group of residents, businesses, nonprofit leaders, developers, activists, and faith-based organizations have been able to accomplish.”
