Speaking of the assassination of John F. Kennedy ...
For a long while now we've written about the ongoing fight between the city of Dallas and Jane Bryant, owner of the decaying apartment complex on 600 Elsbeth near Bishop Arts where, in 1962, Lee Harvey Oswald and wife Marina briefly lived. Just last summer, matter of fact, Bryant and First Assistant City Attorney Chris Bowers traded blows on Unfair Park, with Bryant insisting the city was attempting to raze the building so it could hand over the parcel to a private developer. Bowers said that wasn't the case at all, reiterating the city's long-held contention that the circa-1925 complex "is structurally unsound, has had at least one fire already and constitutes a public nuisance."
Now, this: A swim through LoopNet reveals that 600 Elsbeth is for sale at an undisclosed price. I've called Realtor Joe Lumbley for further details, but he's out till later in the day. So we'll let the listing speak for itself:
This 12,870 SF of land has a 8668 SF 10-unit on it. The building is just a shell. The value is in the land and in its historical significance. The property is under a demolition order from the City of Dallas and is priced just slightly above land value. Lee Harvey Oswald lived in the building for several months and it's mentioned five times in the Warren Commission Report. Whether that's a pro or a con is up to the market, but it certainly makes the property interesting.I see on the Dallas County's website there hasn't been much action in Bryant's case against the city since December. Attorney Michael Jung, who's repping Bryant in the fight with the city to keep the wrecking ball stashed till further notice, tells Unfair Park "they've kinda slowed the litigation while she tries to sell it, but we're still in court" with an October 15 trial date currently on the court's docket. He doesn't know how much Bryant's asking for the property currently on the tax rolls for $65,350. But you're free to make an offer. Just keep in mind: It's missing a door, though it never sold, per Heritage Auctions' policy of not selling off items tied up in litigation. The door was returned to Bryant.
Located with 130 feet of frontage on Davis a block from the Bishop Arts District, this property is zoned Multipurpose District 3. Buyer needs to investigate zoning as the Bishop Arts District gets a lot of political interest. Possible uses could be to restore as an apartment with historical significance, convert to office, retail, or restaurant, or to use as parking in the booming district. Property is located next to a Sonic.
