Can the Historic Belmont Motor Hotel Ever Recapture Its Magic?
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Did you ever party at the historic Belmont Motor Hotel on Fort Worth Avenue? For years, plenty of Dallasites did. Positioned high on a hill in West Oak Cliff, the Belmont was the place to hear music and hang out at the pool. It was where we suggested out-of-town friends stay, and even where some tied the knot or celebrated their honeymoon. With probably the best view of downtown Dallas you’ve ever seen, the Belmont has served as a romantic backdrop for engagements, anniversaries, and plenty of shenanigans.
Today, the Dallas City Plan Commission meets at 9:30 a.m. to continue deliberations on whether to create a historic overlay for the Belmont Motor Hotel, and that could affect whether we will ever party there again. The public can weigh in at 12:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the 6th floor at Dallas City Hall.
Belmont Motor Hotel History
The Belmont was designed by our favorite adopted son, architect Charles Dilbeck, and opened in 1947 as one of the city’s first motor hotels. The iconic 24 x 50 foot swimming pool, trimmed in Austin stone and blue tile, was built into the side of the rocky hill in 1950. A cafe expansion in 1953 furthered the Belmont Motor Hotel as not only a destination for travelers but also an added attraction for locals.
In 1957, the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike (I-30) opened and diverted traffic and travelers from Fort Worth Avenue. That started a downward spiral and some rough years ensued.
Thankfully, there will always be visionaries. In 1965, it was purchased by real estate broker J. DuVal West Sr. and his two sons. After mountains of research over the years, I cannot find anyone who has described the Belmont Motor Hotel better than J. Duval Sr. in a 1965 interview in the Dallas Morning News.
“I have always admired this property due to its architecture, excellent construction, central location, and its beautiful view overlooking downtown Dallas. To my knowledge, no other motel in Dallas has all of these features, and when you can relax around a beautiful swimming pool with the maximum of privacy and enjoy the outstanding skyline of downtown Dallas at the same time — you really have something.”
Dallas Morning News
They revived the hotel for a time, but it later declined again until 1999, when Monte Anderson purchased it and led a widely remembered revival. For over a decade, it was the place to see and be seen.
The Past Decade
In 2015, Jordan Ford, in a partnership with Behringer Lodging Group, purchased the property from Anderson. It was not long before Behringer left the deal, and Ford became the full owner. Ford has always had good intentions for restoration. However, a series of setbacks soon followed with a global pandemic and a storm that caused severe water damage.
Most people would have run for the hills, but Ford did not. So I think we have to give him some credit. He has kept the property, hired talented architects, a great legal firm, and moved forward with the landmarking process.
Almost a year ago, I sat down with Ford, his architectural team, and Willis Winters, the leading Dilbeck authority in America, to discuss his plans for the historic hotel, and those seem to be stalled once again. It has now been two years since the landmark initiation process was begun. In Dallas, the landmark designation initiation process and its associated predesignation moratorium expire exactly two years from the date the initiation is approved by the Landmark Commission or City Plan Commission.
Another Dilbeck-designed landmark, El Ranchito restaurant on Jefferson Boulevard, recently received Dallas landmark status along with a 2026 Preservation Dallas Achievement Award. Preservationists point to projects like EL Ranchito as proof that historic buildings are still a vital and contributing part of the city when owners commit to long-term stewardship — something many hope can eventually happen again at the Belmont.
Why Is it Taking So Long to Revive The Belmont Motor Hotel?
Well, depending on what you want to do with a property, it can be challenging from both zoning and preservation perspectives. Information can be overwhelming, and indecision can cause delays.
“Working with owners can take a while,” Landmark Commissioner David Preziosi said. “You are working with volunteers on the designation committee to put together the preservation criteria and designation report. If an owner then decides to take it on and rework it, that can slow the process down.”
So the process for landmark designation begins once more, and we wait for the good times to roll again.
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There has to be a process to make sure we do not shut down every memory Dallas has to offer. The hotel/motel motor was great, but it fell through for many reasons. Smoke was a great addition to the Dallas area and showed up to some heavy hitter’s as far as competing greatness. It is all about sustainability and consistency. Hopefully there can be some of that in the future. That area has been not only plagued with a pandemic but the ever growing and old trend of crime and lack of leadership. Hopefully someone will make this area a priority. I see this in many areas of Dallas and where I believe intentions are good, but it always falls through. Dallas has much potential but gets lost in the red tape and what it needs is more people who claim it instead of view it as a way to capitalize once again on something. Sentiment is hard to buy and so is a memory. Eventually someone has to make the choice of wat is it going to be sentiment or capitalization normally they do not go hand and hand.
Thanks for your comment Sheila. I agree and I think once Ford can get all of the approvals he needs, the Belmont could be the revitalizaiton the neighborhood needs. After all there are multi-million homes just above it on the cliff.
I’m curious to see a shot from the pool area towards Dallas, now. Haven’t those apartments obscured the fantastic views?
I love that place, and hope that we don’t lose it.
Hi Terri, I was there last August and the view was fantastic. I’ll drive by this weekend and see if there are any changes.
Thanks for the article, I am happy someone is keeping tabs on the development of the Belmont.
I proposed to my wife at the pool with that awesome view in the background in 2015. It has been devastating for us to watch the Belmont languish, and we are so hoping that we can go back again one day.
So what is exactly are the next steps going forward? I know you wrote that the landmark designation process is starting again – what’s the timeline on how long that may take, and if we get the resolution we want, what happens after that? Can JP start actual work at that point? Thanks!