A vacant spot on the east side of White Rock Lake has long been eyed for a permanent structure to replace the Dreyfuss Club and Dallas city officials say they’ve found some partnerships that might finally get a plan in motion.
Stakeholders and neighbors are invited to voice their opinions on the matter at a public meeting at 6 p.m. on May 17 at Winfrey Point.
Dreyfuss Club
The now-vacant site at 600 E. Lawther Drive was home to the Dreyfuss Club until it was destroyed by fire in 2006. Built in 1936, it was originally used as a private clubhouse for employees of the now-defunct Sol Dreyfuss clothing store. It later became a city-owned venue rented out for weddings and events.
Since the 2006 fire, there’s been no new construction, but the spot is still popular for picnics because of its stellar view of White Rock Lake.
The fire “left a hole in the City of Dallas park reservations system and the hearts of neighbors,” said Jennifer Hoesterey, director at White Rock Lake Conservancy Inc.
Replacing the Dreyfuss Club facility would serve the needs of the Dallas’ Park and Recreation Department to have an event venue that actually brings in revenue, said District 9 Park Board Representative Maria Hasbany, who represents the area. A facility has been on the Park Department’s “Top 10” needs list for White Rock Lake Park for years, Hasbany said.
However, Carol Walton, secretary of the White Rock Lake Task Force, spoke for herself when she said that the need to build a structure on the site may not be the priority others think it is.
“It isn’t important to build anything on this site. Not at all,” Walton said. “The WRL Conservancy was recently shown up by the WRL Foundation, as the foundation will be renovating Winfrey Point, which is one of Dallas’ oldest community buildings. Not to be outdone, the conservancy needed a flashy project … It will also be a ‘look at what we did’ for the council rep’s and park board rep’s resumes.”
Previous plans for the Dreyfuss Point site lost momentum due to a lack of support or lack of funding — but a recent opportunity was presented that could change the game.
“The [American Institute of Architects Emerging Leaders Program] has taken on creating an updated design for this building as their project this year, and the final outcome will be drawings that can be used as a fundraising tool for the future,” Hasbany said. “This leadership program is looking for a project, something kind of local. They will do all the work and provide a drawing at no cost to the city. When someone offers to do something lovely for you, and they’re not going to charge you for it, it’s kind of hard to say no.”
What’s Next
The community meeting May 17 is an opportunity for stakeholders to come together with ideas and feedback for a “great new project” at White Rock Lake, Hoesterey said.
“All neighborhoods and citizens of Dallas will be affected,” she added. “This is a structure for all park- goers. It will be exciting for all residents to have this structure replaced from the unfortunate fire that took this little part of history from our city.”
Officials say they don’t know how much the building will cost or how long it will take to construct.
“That will be determined when a conceptual plan has been developed for preliminary pricing,” Hoesterey said. “The design has not been drawn. The architects have met with the park department to go over the building needs and are meeting with the community to receive feedback before designing the structure.”
In the best-case scenario, it might take six years before a building is actually complete, Hasbany explained. The project will be funded primarily through private donations and possibly an upcoming bond program.
“It is our hope that the WRL Conservancy can prove once again it’s a critical partner to the park department in funding some of the project,” Hoesterey said.
Hasbany added that the new building should take on the historic style of other facilities at White Rock Lake.
“We want to have input on what it should look like before we go too far in any one direction,” she said. “It’s not so much, do you want a building out there? Ultimately it’s an opportunity for people to give their opinions on the design concept.”
