Subject: Landmark Commission

• Re: From Hard Rock to Rubble

  April 3, 2007

• From Hard Rock to Rubble, Most Likely

  April 2, 2007

• The Old Hard Rock's Future Will Be Decided Today. Feel Free To, You Know, Rock Out.

  April 2, 2007

• The Fight Over the Old Hard Rock Cafe Building Just Got a Little More...Interesting

  March 29, 2007

• Re: Hard Rock and a Hard Place

  March 9, 2007

• Landmark Commisison Caught Between a Hard Rock and Hard Place

  March 9, 2007

• In Uptown, a Meeting to Keep Hard Rock Building from Becoming a Teardown

  February 26, 2007

• Deep Ellum? Yeah, Sounds Familiar...

  February 1, 2007

• One More Bit of Dallas' History About to Bite the Dust

  January 5, 2007

• What's in David Dean's Closet? Oh. A Closet.

  October 12, 2006

• Crow's Nest

  June 15, 2007

• And One More Piece of Dallas' History Turns to Rubble

  January 20, 2008

• Angela Hunt is Pissed

  January 21, 2008

• Statler Hilton Hotel: Landmark Structure or a Giant Pain?

  May 20, 2008

• Extreme Home Demolition Makeover

  August 4, 2008

• Weighing History Against "Imminent Threats to Public Health and Safety"

  September 12, 2008

• Tonight, the Landmark Commission Will Discuss Tearing Down Just a Wee Bit of Magnolia Station. Still.

  Whilst browsing through the City Secretary's virtual stack of boards and commissions meetings scheduled for today, we came across this interesting shindig scheduled for this evening. The Landmark Commission is convening a Economic Review Panel to discuss demolishing a piece of the Magnolia Station, the circa-1911 Magnolia Petroleum Company office complex converted to lofts in 1993 by Bennett Miller Company. Sources to whom Unfair Park have spoken today say Bennett Miller's trying to unload t

  November 18, 2008

• To Raze or Not to Raze? That is the Question Faced By the City Council.

  What you see at top is the apartment structure at 104 S. Edgefield in Oak Cliff -- or what remains of it, following a fire in 2005. Twice the city has tried to demo the building, for obvious reasons; it's the very definition of what staff calls "an imminent threat to public health and safety." In January and in August of this year, the property came before the Landmark Commission's Winnetka Heights/Lake Cliff Task Force; the first time the commission voted not to raze the structure, but, in Sept

  November 28, 2008

• Robert Johnson's Grandson Has the Blues Over What to Do With 508 Park Avenue

  Dogwood Folk ArtSteven Johnson, grandson of Robert Johnson, contacted Unfair Park today after reading this week's cover story concerning the fate of 508 Park Ave. downtown, where the Mississippi bluesman recorded in June 1937. Says Johnson -- vice president of the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation in Crystal Springs, Mississippi -- this was the first he'd heard of the owners' desire to demolish the building. And he vows to do what he can to preserve the former site of the Warner Brothers Film Exch

  January 23, 2009

• The Marcus House, Once Threatened, Is This Much Closer to Becoming a Historic Home

  Stanley Marcus's former house as it looked during construction in 1938Speaking of Dallas iconic landmarks ... On August 11 of last year, Unfair Park discovered that Mark and Patty Lovvorn had filed with the Texas Historic Commission a demolition permit that would have allowed them to tear down The House Stanley Marcus Built. You can follow the links -- such as this one and this one -- back to last summer, but long story awfully short: Because the Roscoe DeWitt-designed house on Nonesuch Road in

  March 17, 2009

• Forest City's "Not Ready" For Mercantile Continental to Become Landmark. Or Apartments Either. Not Just Yet.

  Flickr photo: JVanTJim Truitt, Forest City's vice president of residential development, called me back today to discuss yesterday's meeting of the Landmark Commission's Designation Committee, which did indeed vote to re-initiate the historic designation process for both the Mercantile Continental Building and the former Dallas National Bank Building, now The Joule. Forest City didn't send anyone to protest the designation, Truitt says, as the company responsible for the Merc redo and the next-do

  May 29, 2009

• Downtown Dallas at the Crossroads

  The city's effort to clean up downtown could cost us important parts of history.

  January 22, 2009

• Dallas Demolition Derby

  Preservationists win a battle, but the war goes on

  December 4, 2008

• Knights' Tale

  Another historic emblem of black Dallas stands on the brink

  December 20, 2007

• Save This City

  June 1, 2006

• Big-Ticket Laura

  No fix for potholes, but big parks for the fat cats

  November 28, 2002

• This Old House

  Historic preservationists sift through the sawdust of the great closet debate

  October 19, 2000

• City Tells 508 Park Avenue Owners: Clean Up or Pay Up ... A Small Fortune, Every Single Day

  As promised here's the city's complaint brought against Colby Properties today in Dallas County District Court. In the complaint -- and the request for a temporary and permanent injunction against the owners of 508 Park Avenue -- the city is seeking $1,000 per day for every listed violation of both the Dallas City Code and the Dallas Fire Code. And the city is maintaining that there are numerous violations -- everything from "sharp protrusions" to "an accumulation of combustible waste material."

  July 1, 2009

• Big Wrecking Balls: City, Yet Again, Considers How to Raze Buildings in Historic Districts

  Almost one year ago, the city debuted a proposal to streamline the process that allows for the demolition of structures within historic districts -- by eliminating altogether the Landmark Commission, which has to approve of the razing before anyone can haul out the wrecking ball. Preservationists, the City Attorney's Office and other city officials spent months hammering out out a compromise; it took till March of this year, and still allowed that the Fire Marshal can "order demolition of a stru

  July 16, 2009

• Plethora of City Attorneys Unable to Push New Demolition Ordinance Past Committee

  Sam MertenCity plan commissioners Neil Emmons (right) and Robert Ekbald (left) watched as Katherine Seale of Preservation Dallas spoke this morning to the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee.Much to the chagrin of the half dozen city attorneys attending this morning's Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee meeting, members voted 5-1 to postpone a decision on a new ordinance regarding the demolition of structures in historic districts. The motion to postpone, made by vice-chair Ann Bagley, also urg

  July 16, 2009

• This Morning, Landmark Commission Will Talk About Razing, Hiding Vacant Buildings

  ​Hadn't planned on going to Landmark Commission this morning, but the briefing session at least does look irresistible. First up is that much-worked-over ordinance that would allow the city to tear down historic structures with nothing more than a court order. We've been writing about this thing for a year, but as Sam noted a couple of weeks back, it's still a point of contention among preservationists (who thought this whole point was to deal with blighted structures in residential areas) and

  August 3, 2009

• Turf War: In Junius Heights, a Man With a Fake Lawn Creates Real Problem at City Hall

  View Larger MapJust returned from Dallas City Hall, where, in just a few, the Landmark Commission will meet to formally discuss all the items you'll find listed here. Sadly, we won't get to see the Statler shroud: Mark Doty, the city's historic district planner, told the commissioners that AIA Dallas is kicking back the winning design to its architect for some final tweaks before its formal unveiling August 17. Damndamndamn. But there will be an interesting discussion concerning the ordinance de

  August 3, 2009

• Landmark Commission Tells Man With Phony Lawn to Keep it Real ... and Yank It Out

  Jose Escobedo's front lawn, which the Landmark Commission has told him to rip up pronto​Just as a Friend of Unfair Park was sending along photos of Jose Escobedo's phony front lawn, Melissa Crowe, one of our summer interns, walked into my office to report that the lawn's no mow ... pardon, the lawn's no more. At least, that's how the Landmark Commission ruled moments ago at Dallas City Hall when deciding after all that, nope, phony grass just ain't consistent with a historic district, sorry. S

  August 3, 2009

• Exactly One Year Later, Preservationists and City Still at Odds Over Teardown Ordinance

  ​It's been precisely one year since we first wrote about efforts to rewrite the ordinance that clarifies when, why and how the city can demolish a structure in a historic district. In the months since then, there have been myriad meetings during which preservationists and city attorneys have attempted to broker some kind of agreement -- one that would allow for the expeditious, cost-efficient razing of homes and buildings, but would also do so without eliminating the Landmark Commission from t

  August 3, 2009

• Kiss His Grass: No Matter What City Says, Jose Escobedo Ain't About to Rip Up His Fake Lawn

  ​For now, at least, this final item about Jose Escobedo and his fake lawn, which the Landmark Commission wants yanked up pronto since it's not "appropriate" for a historic district. But, a warning: There will be a follow-up eventually: Escobedo says he'll appeal Landmark's ruling to the City Plan Commission and the Dallas City Council, if need be. The city hasn't heard the last of him and his AstroTurf."It gets me so mad," says Jose's daughter, 19-year-old Brandy, who lives with her father and

  August 4, 2009

• The Downtown Site Where Robert Johnson, Bob Wills Recorded Takes Its First Significant Step Down Path to Destruction

  Paula Bosse​Here we go again -- though, perhaps, for the final time.Unfair Park has learned that this week, Glazer's Distributors and Colby Properties, the owners of 508 Park Avenue downtown, filed with the city a certificate of demolition that would allow for the razing of the former Warner Bros. Pictures storage facility in which Robert Johnson, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys and, possibly, Charlie Parker once recorded. When contacted this morning, Jack Westenborg, Glazer's vice president

  August 7, 2009

• In About an Hour, We'll Have An Idea How Suhm Cut $190 Million From City Budget

  Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm​Unfair Park might be a little slow-going 'round 1:30 this afternoon, when I'll be down at Dallas City Hall to pick up the executive summary of City Manager Mary Suhm's final budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. Media attending this afternoon's shindig won't be given the entire document, but Frank Librio, director of the city's Public Information Office, tells us the line-item budget will be available on the city's Web site tonight -- "probably after 7." Als

  August 7, 2009

• Today, the First Salvo in the Battle Over 508 Park Avenue. We've Got the Documents.

  Justin TerveenOn Sunday, our pal Justin Terveen went by 508 Park Avenue and shot many photographs, which are available on his Flickr page.​On Friday, we broke the news that the owners of 508 Park Avenue have decided to tear down the building in which blues and country history was made. The Glazers, longtime liquor distributors in Dallas, have their reasons: The former Warner Bros. Picture storage facility, built in the 1920s, has decayed beyond the point of saving. It is not fiscally feasible

  August 12, 2009

• As the Junius Heights Turf War Unfolds, A Look At the City's Latest Denial

  ​If you've been following the Junius Heights Turf War, you know that it's getting more heated than the leather inside my car in August.Since Jose Escobedo's meeting with the Landmark Commission on August 3, his application for a Certificate of Appropriateness has been denied. Escobedo already vowed to appeal the commission's decision, a move that will cost him $300 in application fees. Escobedo has until September 3 to submit his paperwork. If it's not approved in the following week's hearing,

  August 12, 2009

• The First Round in Fight Over 508 Park Avenue Goes to History and the Preservationists

  Justin Terveen​To no one's surprise, on Wednesday evening the Landmark Commission's Central Business District Task Force decided, unanimously, Colby Properties' request to tear down 508 Park Avenue. The simple reason: The three members of the task force do not buy the owners' claim that the 1920s-era structure is an "imminent threat to public health and safety," simple as that. In other words, yes, it may indeed be dilapidated and inaccessible, but it won't fall down any time soon. So the tas

  August 13, 2009

• Razing Hell: City, Preservationists Still Arguing Over How to Tear Down Dallas's History

  ​We've written extensively about the yearlong battle between city attorneys and preservationists over a proposed ordinance that would expedite the demolition of historic structures, both residential and commercial. Last time we got to this was a whole two weeks ago, when the Landmark Commission raised a host of new objections to the ordinance -- much to the surprise of city attorneys who thought they'd hashed out this sumbitch way back in March. But, yet again, the subject will get an airing a

  August 20, 2009

• If This Goes On Any Longer, Maybe Dallas's Historic Structures Will Just Raze Themselves

  Sam MertenKatherine Seale speaking to ZOAC last monthRepresentatives from Preservation Dallas and the Landmark Commission met yesterday morning with the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee and first assistant city attorney Chris Bowers to hammer out the details of a proposed ordinance aimed at expediting the demolition of historic structures, but once again, the committee voted to delay the item -- this time until September 10. Committee members disagreed on three issues, the first of which is

  August 21, 2009

• To Expedite Continental Building Makeover, City May Have to Cough Up More Millions

  Flickr photo: JVanT​When last we visited the Mercantile Continental Building, the Landmark Commission was on its way to designating it a historic landmark against the wishes of its owners, Forest City, the company responsible for the Merc redo and the next-door Element. Forest City had hoped to give the Continental an extreme makeover, a la the Mercantile, but as Jim Truitt, Forest City's vice president of residential development, told Unfair Park in May, "when the economy fell apart, it put a

  August 27, 2009

• Owners of 508 Park Ave. to Landmark Commission: The Bridge "Virtually Doomed Redevelopment of the Entire Area"

  Justin TerveenThe former Warner Bros. Pictures storage facility in which Robert Johnson, Bob Wills, the Texas Playboys and, possibly, Charlie Parker once recorded lives -- for now.The city's Landmark Commission on Tuesday afternoon upheld an August 12 decision by its Central Business District Task Force, unanimously denying a request by Colby Properties to tear down 508 Park Avenue based on its "imminent threat to public health and safety." The commission also denied Colby's application to raze

  September 2, 2009

• Don't Raze Me, Bro: Considering the Latest Ordinance Allowing for Historic Demolitions

  ​Tomorrow morning, the Dallas City Attorney's Office will present yet another version of its ordinance that would allow for the demolition of buildings in historically designated districts. Surely you know what this is all about -- we've been down this road since, oh, August 4, 2008, when the the city council's Public Safety Committee was first briefed on the subject of making it easier to take the wrecking ball to structures in historic districts deemed "an Imminent Threat to Health or Safety

  September 9, 2009

• Zoning Committee Amends Historic Demolition Ordinance: Houses Only, If You Don't Mind.

  Back in August 2008, this was among the houses depicted in the council committee briefing regarding the need for a new teardown ordinance.​Speaking of vacant downtown buildings ... When Mayor Tom Leppert unveiled his list of Central Business District buildings that needed to be brought up to code or else, preservationists fretted that he had his sights set on razing, oh, the Statler Hilton or 508 Park Avenue, for starters. It made a certain amount of sense -- because, after all, just two mont

  September 10, 2009

• Breezeway: El Centro Wants to Put Wind Turbines on Top of Old Sangers Building

  View Larger MapThose Landmark Commission meeting agendas are full of interesting hints -- like, oh, that green house the State Fair of Texas wants to build in Fair Park. Or, now, this vague note concerning the installation of 21 wind turbines on the rooftop of 801 Main Street. We should have more about that proposed Fair Park palace later today, but Unfair Park did a little digging this morning and found out that El Centro College wants to put those turbines atop the old Sanger-Harris building a

  November 9, 2009

• Errol McKoy, State Fair President, Talks About Why Fair Park Needs That Big Green House

  This, per the State Fair's plans sent to Landmark last week, is more or less what the green house will look like. And where it'll go. Sorry for the quality; best we could do with what we got.​Finally spoke with Errol McKoy about that green house he's wanting to plant at Fair Park; our Q&A follows. But, first, a few eyebrow-raisers: The State Fair of Texas prez wants this sucker up within the next 120 days -- hence, its introduction to the Landmark Commission on Wednesday, less than a week

  November 9, 2009

• One More Try at Razing 508 Park Avenue, Even As Miss. Officials to Turn Robert Johnson's Birthplace Into Tourist Destination

  Justin Terveen​On Thursday, the owners of 508 Park Avenue will ask the City Plan Commission for permission to demolish the building in which Robert Johnson, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, and Charlie Parker once recorded. Two months ago, the Landmark Commission denied the application, upholding the Central Business District Task Force's earlier no-how-no-way, but Colby Properties is determined to raze that building along with the adjacent 1900 Young Street -- despite its own engineer's dete

  November 13, 2009

• The Sammons Center Wants 508 Park Ave., Masonic Temple. All They Need is Money.

  The Masonic Temple on S. Harwood, which is being sold in a package of properties that also includes 508 Park Avenue, 1900 Young Street and a block on Harwood and Canton​As I wrote Friday, the owners of 508 Park Avenue will ask the City Plan Commission tomorrow for permission to demolish the building, after the Landmark Commission and its Central Business District Task Force already told Bennett Glazer to put down the wrecking ball and back away slowly. But as it turns out, there is an interes

  November 18, 2009