What do people have against Dallas proper? (Lawn: estate, gay)

[FarNorthDallas]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

I may have to look into that when it's time to buy. I hear Pearce is a very good school. How are the elementary schools that feed into it?

Brentfield and Bowie Elementary Schools are both exemplary.

Brentfield stats:
total kids - 572
low income - 4.7%
ESL - 2.8%
Caucasian - 84.4%
African-American - 2.6%
Asian - 7.9%
Hispanic - 4.9%
Native American - .2%
Special Ed - 10.1%

Bowie stats:
total kids - 461
low income - 9.3%
ESL - 5.0%
Caucasian - 79.8%
AA - 3.7%
Asian - 2.2%
Hispanic - 13.9%
Native American - .4%
Special Ed - 10.0%

Prestonwood Elementary is challenged by several low income apartment complexes. It is a Recognized school and I am not totally sure if Prestonwood is on the Westwood/Richardson High School track or the Parkhill/Pearce track. It might depend on where you live.

Prestonwood stats:
total kids - 324
low income - 47.2%
ESL - 27.5%
Caucasian - 38.3%
AA - 9.9%
Asian - 4.3%
Hispanic - 46.6%
Native American - .9%
Sp. Ed - 12%

The other elementary schools that feed into Pearce are in Richardson. Mohawk, Canyon Creek and Prairie Creek are all exemplary and long regarded as great schools. There are a couple of other elementary schools that feed into Pearce, I just don't know that much about them.

Full disclosure - lots of folks in these parts use private schools as well. There are just a lot of schooling options in this area. Decent public schools and close access to Dallas private schools, expensive and not so expensive choices.

[Lakewooder]

FND, thanks! That was so accurate - I hate being so predictible. I had a Lakewood thread where I could just keep going but someone closed it -- so I have to constantly repeat myself.

Mary, yes we have some teardown areas, notably Lakewood Heights. I just went through there today in the beautiful weather and I thought it would have slowed down dramatically, but there were 2-3 minimum on each street. Fortunately we now have several historic, conservation and overlay districts. Also several overlay districts are now in the wings, along with a conservation district or two. The only place that is completely restricted from tear-downs is a historic district and in the others they must make an effort for new construction to fit in and there are frontage, garage location, lot coverage and height restrictions. So I think we have done a pretty good job at obviating any new obnoxious behemoths.

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by MaryS80

The teardowns have been contained to two or three areas, one of them being Highland Park. I believe there may have been some around Lakewood as well, Lakewooder could probably confirm or deny that.

Melshire Estates and Preston Hollow are hot teardown areas.

[Lakewooder]

I should say that Lakewood Heights is not protected and is pretty much lost to the McMansions. We had quite a few of the 'victims' move over to Junius Heights Historic District. Another great bungalow area (although in fairly bad shape now) is Mount Auburn, which is completely unprotected but has at least two new large homes. It's located next to Hollywood Heights and Tenison golf course, so it's surrounded by better things. The new Tenison Trail may be the tipping point for it to go teardown, since the other areas now have a lot of restrictions (and it's relatively cheap).

[Spree]

>> I should say that Lakewood Heights is not protected and is pretty much lost to the McMansions.<<

I'm not sure it's Lakewood Heights, but what is happening to the house on Worth Street (just east of Abrams) that sits on top of the hill. Is it getting refurbished or torn down?

[Lakewooder]

Refurbished - it's the old Largent Parks Estate (that was all one huge estate at one time before it was subdivided) - the home served as the East Dallas YMCA for decades and is now being restored as a single family home. Parks Estates is part of the Abrams / Brookside neighborhood. Lakewood Heights is between Skillman and Abrams from about the real mansions on Mercedes south...

[Spree]

>> Refurbished - it's the old Largent Parks Estate (that was all one huge estate at one time before it was subdivided) - the home served as the East Dallas YMCA for decades and is now being restored as a single family home.<<

That would explain the pool! I'll have to drive by again when it's done.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Spree

>> Refurbished - it's the old Largent Parks Estate (that was all one huge estate at one time before it was subdivided) - the home served as the East Dallas YMCA for decades and is now being restored as a single family home.<<

That would explain the pool! I'll have to drive by again when it's done.

Here is a recent story that ran in the Dallas Morning News about the Parks House.

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | HomeCenter | Dallas Real Estate, Homes & Apartments | News: Real Estate

[mbd723]

The downtown/CBD (Central Business District) is the third largest growing urban areas of the US:

www.creativeclass.com/icj358jd.html (broken link)

Real estate isn't moving in the sea-of-sameness suburbs of Plano, Frisco, Mckinney, etc because of inventory:

http://www.dallastexasrealestate.com/blog.html

Here's the deal. The re-urbanization of America is finally hitting Dallas (for the first time ever really). It is not a secret that a city's culture starts at the core of a city. Ask any economic developer, urban planner, or site developer. Plano et al will never set the tone, tenor or culture of Dallas. They will always be suburbs. From my POV, people who want safe, easy, nondescript style, and controlled diversity flock to homogenous zones. Well, it isn't just my POV, but an agreement with many city culture scholars. Check out Richard Florida, [SIZE=-1]Robert Putnam. [/SIZE]

Take any world class city, and you will see it starts and ends with the core. Dallas is currently striving to that goal. That's why there is emphasis on Downtown, CBD, Uptown, Arts District, Trinity, etc. The suburbs, under this new POV, are siphoning away resources and energy.

Ohhhhh - For all those who say E. Dallas is 'ghetto', defunct, etc. I just sold my house in 4 days (Eastwood/Casa Linda Forest area). I close Jan 14th. A gay couple, one of the more recent gay couples that have come the neighborhood in the last 6 months, bought it. Here is the new up & coming area, my friends!

[Guerilla]

Where does it say Dallas' Downtown/CBD is the "third largest growing urban area"?