PH

“There’s no way it could have been avoided,” Gates says, “unless Jones Lang LaSalle did no business in the city of Dallas. They’re a big, international company.”

And the northeast corner of Preston and Northwest Highway is a valuable piece of real estate.

Numerous interested buyers — 14 in just a year — have approached the resi- dents of Townhouse Row, those 12 condos on the proposed site. HOA president Pamela Smith says the decision to sell to Transwestern was unanimous.

“We can’t even agree on how to grow our grass,” Smith says.

She says Transwestern engaged with them better than any previous company. Although the plan would be a dramatic change, establishing a PD is best for the long run. Without a zoning change, any developer can come in and build something substandard, not speaking to one single neighbor.

“There’s no incentive for them to engage,” Smith says.

A traffic study of the area is required before any votes are cast at City Hall, which still is a few months out.