A new year deserves some updates to previously reported projects.
Since the December Oak Lawn Committee (OLC) where Caven Enterprises with developer and former Mayoral candidate Mike Ablon presented their vision for their holdings on Cedar Springs Road, a few things have happened. Time for an update.
Ablon and Caven Gayborhood Plan
First, the project did not get approval from the OLC. Instead, they formed a sub-committee to work with the parties to improve the plan. What I’m being told is that Ablon is proving stubborn to any change – similar to the cross-creek development Lincoln Katy Trail being pushed by Lincoln Property since 2017 and returning to Plan Commission soon. All quite expected: developers don’t become developers by saying yes on the first date.
Second, city staff reported to me that Ablon and his Dodd Communications PR team have been saying that my suggestion that they tear down and rebuild the bars is impossible. I was told they’re saying that they can’t close the bars and keep their liquor licenses.
So I asked TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission). TABC responded, “They can’t move their business to a new address, but they could feasibly tear down the building and build a new one in the same spot.” The only catch is they would have to be up and running before the two-year license renewal expired.
I also asked about operating pop-up bars on another part of their lot. TABC said, “As long as its [sic] on the same property and complies with the terms of the original permit, yes.”
With the right financing in order, surely experienced contractors can demolish and build two levels of underground parking and the bars in that time. All you need to do is time demolition for the day after license renewal to ensure the largest window.
McKinney And Boll
A largely residential high-rise proposed on McKinney Avenue at Boll Street passed Oak Lawn Committee in November 2019. The project consists of a mixed-use ground floor with two levels of office space before turning into 14-stories of residential use – and ALL underground parking.
For some reason it took until December 2020 to hit Plan Commission where the developer asked it to be postponed until their January 21st meeting where it was again kicked to February 4th because the developer seeks, “additional neighborhood input.”
Essentially, representatives from State-Thomas want greater setbacks from State-Thomas (the back of the project) than the project proposes and what zoning allows. Project representatives tell me they’ve offered a few scenarios and hope one will click.
McKinney And Lemmon Avenue Central Market
Another golden oldie case from 2019 (as yet without a ground-breaking), developers KDC returned to Plan Commission. In response to COVID-19, developers of the Central Market block containing two high-rises want to refile their zoning request to drop what was a hotel and office space so the towers above the Central Market could be all residential.
City rules require any change to a re-zoning approval filed within two years of city council approval must receive a waiver first. There was some discussion about whether COVID-19 qualified as a “change” since it didn’t impact the land itself, but rather was a decision motivated by economic (profit) reasons.
In the end, KDC got their waiver to apply for the change. Oddly, it’s probably a good thing for area traffic as residential generates less traffic than office.
In one funny moment (at least, to me), one speaker described COVID-19 as an “act of God.” But given all the prayers given to survive the pandemic, isn’t that like hoping the guy who shot you is also a surgeon?
