This is what this corner of Elm and N. Harwood Streets looked like before this weekend. Per the heads-up on the Dallas Metropolis forum, this is what it looks like now. Dwyane Wade, apparently, needed the space. Reminds Noah Jeppson, who took the photos and let us run this one on Unfair Park, "And just in time for Earth Day."
That's private property, incidentally. Checking to see if it was done with the city's OK. Willis Winters, Park and Rec's assistant director, is not amused. "We are occasionally approached by advertising companies that have billboards adjacent to park property blocked by trees, and we have declined the opportunity to prune or remove the trees," he tells Unfair Park.
Update at 12:11 p.m.: I've spoken with Downtown Dallas president John Crawford, who says this is "old news" and that the company responsible for the sign -- Fuel Outdoor, based in New York -- chopped down the trees in order to replace them after an outside subcontractor "damaged" them a few months ago, when the Nike ad was originally installed. I am trying to get more info for an item to follow.
Update at 3:05 p.m.: Here you'll find the backstory regarding why those trees were removed and what the property owner is doing to replace them "as soon as possible."