On July 26, Teixeira Duarte and Masterplan had what would be their final meeting with the neighborhood to negotiate a better plan for their lots on Hood and Dickason tentatively called Turtle Creek Haus. The following week, Masterplan presented to the Oak Lawn Committee about the progress being made. All seemed to be progressing well.
Apparently not.
In September, Teixeira Duarte filed plans with the city for a within-zoning (by-right) plan for the lots. Because the plans have not been approved, the public can’t see what’s going to be built. The permitting office told me it was to be an 18-story apartment tower. Another source who’s been through permitting a time or two told me that a September by-right plan still awaiting approval is a little odd.
Another wrinkle to the timing is to realize that in August, a band of disgruntled neighbors along with former Dallas City Council member Angela Hunt marched over to the Plan Commission to ask them to explore down-zoning the area. It could be that Teixeira Duarte, not savvy on the Texas political scene, didn’t want to risk losing their investment in the parcels they’d already closed on and knee-jerked a plan together.
Whatever the plans are awaiting approval, they’re not the original by-right project presented to neighbors last year. That plan, I believe created to frighten, called for one-bedroom apartments averaging 550 square feet across 24 residential floors and four above-ground parking levels topping out at 380 feet tall. I called the plan a glorified dormitory.
The last iteration called for underground parking and 23 levels of residential. Unit size had jumped as well. We were told that 80 percent were sized between 750-1100 square feet with the remainder over 1,100 square feet.
Clearly, neither the by-right dormitory nor the latest negotiated plan are what’s being built. It also may not even ultimately be called Turtle Creek Haus as that website has been shuttered.
This affair has me concerned. Is Teixeira Duarte that skittish or that neglectful of the neighborhood? If so, they own a second parcel in Oak Lawn — 3407 Hall, otherwise known as the “Poston” property. It’s smack-dab in the middle of the Renaissance condos across Lee Park. You may recall there was an option on that property last year (rumored to be Paul Cheng) that the neighbors rose up and beat back. Between the Plan Commission ruckus, easily-riled neighbors, and a potentially jumpy developer/owner, a by-right plan for the Poston parcel may be a lose-lose for everyone within eyesight.
Stay tuned.
Remember: High-rises, HOAs and renovation are my beat. But I also appreciate modern and historical architecture balanced against the YIMBY movement. If you’re interested in hosting a Candysdirt.com Staff Meeting event, I’m your guy. In 2016, my writing was recognized with Bronze and Silver awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Have a story to tell or a marriage proposal to make? Shoot me an email [email protected].
