PD-15 PERSISTENCE

FIND OUT WHY THESE SIX NEIGHBORS SACRIFICED THEIR PERSONAL TIME TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN

Aburned down condo on Northwest Highway, developers taking charge, neighbors worrying about increased traffic, government officials in the middle of it all. This has been the drama surrounding PD-15. In early September, the City Council approved a zoning plan that will nearly double the number of condo units allowed on 14 acres of land, where a three-story condo burned down two years ago. The space includes Preston Tower, The Athena and four low-rise properties near Northwest Highway and Pickwick Lane. The change will allow for four towers as high as 22 stories fronting Northwest Highway (two of which already exist). Four buildings as high as eight stories can be built on the north side. If built out to the maximum, the acreage will contain 1,300 residences. The nonprofit C.A.R.D. (Citizens Advocate for Responsible Development) is made up of Preston Hollow neighbors who opposed the zoning plan. Many of them served on the PD-15 working group and steering committee appointed

Story by LISA KRESL Photography by DANNY FULGENCIO

The threestory condo is Preston Place Condominiums, which burned in March 2017 and has not been redeveloped. The four low-rise condo properties are the Diplomat, Royal Orleans, Preston Place and Diamond Head.

by City Councilmember Jennifer Staubach Gates to study the issue. Neither group was able to come to an agreement with the developers. Even though City Council approved the zoning, some neighbors are considering legal action. “My only goal has been to achieve a footprint to allow for quality development that protects the neighborhood from deterioration,” Gates says. “I envision this area maintaining a residential atmosphere and incorporating more green space and pedestrian-friendly amenities to attract new residents to accommodate a growing Dallas.”

BILL KRITZER has owned a home at Preston Tower for more than 10 years. He has spent 15 minutes to six hours a day on this issue. “Not having a background in real estate, commercial or residential development has made me see how corrupt and deceptive some of the potential developers can be.”

CARLA PERCIVAL-YOUNG (not pictured) is an architect and former president of the Athena Homeowners Association. She devoted up to 20 hours a week on the issue. “I was surprised to see how much influence developers have upon council members.”

STEVE DAWSON is an attorney who was appointed to the Preston Road and Northwest Highway Area Plan Taskforce in 2015 by Gates. He also helped found C.A.R.D. Most surprising to him? “Gates’ refusal to defend members of our community who were heckled and demeaned at public meetings.”

BARBARA DEWBERRY is a CPA who has spent 30 years buying, renovating, renting and selling real estate. She volunteered to join the steering committee, which she describes as a full-time job. “I’m surprised how developers’ greed tried to transform a neighborhood.”

Front seated: Bill Kritzer. Standing, left

Arthur Berwald, Barbara Dewberry, Grover Wilkins, Steve Dawson, Susan Cox. For complete interviews with members of C.A.R.D, go to prestonhollow. advocatemag.com.

SUSAN COX is a resident of Preston Hollow East who has worked daily on the issue. “My continuing surprise is how little City representatives listen to property owners. Their ears are bent toward developers.”

GROVER WILKINS is a founder of the Orchestra of New Spain. He invited an outside architect to make a recommendation to the steering committee. He spent one day a week on the issue. “City planning assumed the steering committee members were conversant with the language of city zoning and treated us like high schoolers preparing a new project.”