Tag: Neighborhoods

Commentary

Why Should You Choose Your Neighborhood Dallas ISD School?

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Dallas ISDIt happened again this week. Someone (in our comments section, no less) came in at a rate of speed somewhere between Miley Cyrus’s wrecking ball and the Kool-Aid man through a wall to utter this phrase: “Dallas ISD is failing.”

Now, to anyone who has paid attention, we know this isn’t true. Anyone who is a regular reader here knows this isn’t true, because I’ve told you it isn’t true, in five-part harmony and in interpretative dance, and continue to do so weekly as part of our ongoing School+House feature.

But instead of going with facts and figures (and yes, I’ll have a deeper dive on the latest TEA scores later this week), I’m going personal.

I’m going to tell you why my husband and I chose Dallas ISD over the plethora of options we had for our son. And I’m going to tell you something else that isn’t really a secret, but something I don’t think I’ve ever shared here. (more…)
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Neighborhood Spotlight

Neighborhood Spotlight: Meet the Other Beverly Hills

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This split-level at 2810 W. 9th Street is inside the Beverly Hills neighborhood of Oak Cliff.

You won’t find Rodeo Drive in Dallas’ Beverly Hills, but you will find a storied, deep-rooted neighborhood built by pure grit and generations of human spirit.

According to Heritage Oak Cliff, though Beverly Hills is now part of historic Oak Cliff, it began in the mid-19th century as a small dairy farming community on part of the McCoombs and McCracken Surveys outside the city of Oak Cliff. But its history stretches across the Trinity River.

In 1855, a group of immigrants from Switzerland, Belgium, and mostly France – called the European and American Society of Colonization to Texas – purchased 640 acres of former Peters Colony land for their Utopian settlement, La Reunion, where they had the freedom to pursue their political beliefs.

Coombs Creek cuts through the center of the Beverly Hills neighborhood of Oak Cliff.

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Neighborhood Spotlight

Neighborhood Spotlight: What’s in a Name For L.O. Daniel?

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The L.O. Daniel Mansion is the former homestead of the neighborhood’s namesake. (Photos: Robert Bittle)

By Deb R. Brimer
Special Contributor

The L.O. Daniel neighborhood is every bit as noteworthy as its legendary namesake. Lark Owen Daniel may not be a household name today, but he left his footprint in North Oak Cliff and the downtown Dallas business world.

Daniel moved to the area from Waxahachie in 1890, according to Heritage Oak Cliff, and made his fortune as the founder of Daniel Millinery company downtown. As a business and civic leader, he was also a founder and officer of Mercantile National bank, which subsequently became MBank, Bank One Texas, and JPMorgan Chase Bank through a series of mergers and acquisitions. And he served as president of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Wholesale Merchants Building Company, and Trade League.

In 1901 – the same year the City of Dallas annexed the town of Oak Cliff – Daniel purchased 27 acres of rolling countryside in the future neighborhood that now bears his name. Within the next four years, Daniel reached millionaire status and celebrated his success by building a luxurious 5,000-square-foot Colonial Revival mansion on the property.

The City of Dallas designated the L.O. Daniel homestead a historical landmark in 1984. Located across the street from Sunset High School, the restored wood frame mansion with two stories of wrap-around porches is the centerpiece of the neighborhood.

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Quality of Life

Why Bluffview, M Streets and Oak Lawn Are Mighty Neighborly

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Neighborhoods

Image courtesy/Trulia

Bluffview, M Streets and Oak Lawn were named as local favorites for Trulia’s first-ever 2018 Neighborlys, citing the best, friendliest neighborhoods across the country. Zillow Group-owned Trulia named national and local winners in 18 major housing markets, ranked by data in categories such as friendliest neighbors, dog-friendliest, most holiday spirit, best social calendar, most walkable, and kid-friendliest.

Nearly 10,000 neighborhoods across the country were ranked based on more than 20 million written reviews and answered polls by participating locals on Trulia Neighborhoods’ What Locals Say feature. Nationally, neighborhoods in Oakland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Long Beach, and Gilbert, Arizona were named best in the country.

Among the local honorifics:

North Dallas: Friendliest Neighbors

preston hollow

Trulia says you’ll find the friendliest neighbors in this very broad definition of neighborhood, which spans most of Preston Hollow. Developed from farmland in the 1930s, Preston Hollow still has a pastoral feel when neighbors gather in front yards for impromptu gab sessions. While there is some debate about boundaries, they are generally considered to be Royal Lane, Hillcrest Lane, Northwest Highway, and Midway Road. (more…)
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Fort Worth real estate

DIY Out West: Walsh Launches Open-to-the-Public Makerspace

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Activities at the village market and maker space. (Photo: Richard W. Rodriguez)

From Staff Reports

Walsh is now home to Fort Worth’s newest makerspace. The Walsh Makerspace, located in the heart of the growing 7,200-acre neighborhood in west Fort Worth, is the first of its kind to be built from the ground up around a new development, and is available to residents and the public.

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Real Estate Story

Move-In Ready: Merion at Midtown Park Gets Its First Residents

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Glenna and Justin Lafitte with their miniature pinscher, Pee Wee. The pair found the perfect home for their pet-loving household completely by chance. (Photo: Joanna England)

If Greenville Avenue hadn’t been closed on the way back from the White Rock dog park, Glenna and Justin Lafitte may never have bought their new home inside Merion at Midtown Park.

It was a day like any other — the couple took their miniature pinscher to the ever-popular dog park near the Mockingbird Lane bridge that traverses the narrow side of White Rock Lake’s northeast shores. They were cutting across east Dallas to their unit at the Paradiso in North Dallas, just off North Central Expressway when they had to reroute — Greenville Avenue was closed heading north. So they made their way up to Walnut Hill.

It was just luck that the two had been looking for a single-family home in the area. It had been a less-than-stellar search thus far — everything that they wanted in the neighborhood was older than they preferred or on the pricey side. “We looked at a community by PSW and it was in the $750s,” he said, “way outside our price range.”

So it really was just a happy accident that they found Hines’ brand new development.  

(more…)
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neighborhoods

The Only Map You Need – What’s Your ‘Hood?

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I just came across something that gave me a great chuckle…so I thought I’d be generous and share.

Judgmental Maps posted a descriptive map of Dallas, which may render Google maps obsolete now.

Turns out, I live with the Preservationist Zealots, which is pretty much on target. If I hear from one more neighbor that a certain Snitch (who of course does not live in a Tudor or even a cute house) has sent the City out to inspect their exterior colors or date test a stained glass window that was removed, said Snitch will have 6 dogs worth of poo thrown in their yard to add to their home’s charm.

Based on this amazing map, the Dirt Queen herself, Candace Evans, lives somewhere in between Big Hair, False Boobs, and George W. Enthusiasts. Way more appropriate if she lives with the W Enthusiasts, though there are a few Liberals sprinkled in her ‘hood. Keeps it interesting. I think the false boobs are more congregated between NW Highway and Royal Lane. Correct?

The “Schoolbook Suppository” (6th Floor Museum) also cracks me up…that’s what my dad’s been calling it for years.

Is where you live & work correct?

Enjoy, and you’re welcome.
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Preston Hollow

Look Alive, Preston Hollow: Police Are Searching for a Red-Headed Man in a Gray Nissan

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North Central Division Community Engagement Officer Mark Andrew Lutz (@LutzDPD)

North Central Division Community Engagement Officer Mark Andrew Lutz (@LutzDPD)

This just in from Officer Mark Andrew Lutz of Dallas Police Department’s North Central Division:

Please assist DPD in locating a person of interest

The following incident occurred 06/02/14 at about 2 p.m. in the Preston/Royal area:

A teenage girl was walking in the 10800 Block of Camellia Lane when a 2009 Nissan Altima (or similar style of vehicle which was gray in color) pulled alongside the girl.

The driver honked and told the girl to get in the car. The girl ran to a residence and the driver drove away from the location.

The driver of the vehicle is described as a white male approximately 33 years old. He has red hair and beard which is trimmed.

DPD is asking the public to call 911 to report all suspicious activity and persons.

We will increase our presence in the area and will work closely with our crime watch community to address the safety needs of each neighborhood.

Creepers are everywhere, folks. Keep your eyes peeled and, if you aren’t following your local neighborhood watch already, now is a good time to start.
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