Park Cities Teardowns Concern Preservationists

Teardowns to make way for new homes are happening in many popular North Texas neighborhoods including the exclusive Park Cities.

The group “Preservation Park Cities” posted the addresses of 22 demolition permits issued in Highland Park over the past six months. NBC 5 checked 11 and found all had already been demolished.

Visiting Highland Park Monday, British tourist Gregory Hughes said he was very impressed with homes in the upscale Dallas suburb.

“Highland Park, beautiful neighborhood, if I ever win the lottery this is where I'm going to move to,” he said.

So, Hughes said he was very surprised to hear about the demolition list.

“We have an English heritage there, once the house is over a certain age you are not allowed to demolish it,” he said.

Many of the Highland Park mansions are around 100 years old.

Owners of older homes that are demolished often say upgrades to make them suitable for today’s high-end buyers cost too much.

Preservation Park Cities incoming President Burton Rhodes is also a realtor who promotes renovation over demolition.

“The people who are razing these properties are destroying the very thing that made people want to move here the in the first place. It’s almost like we’re slowly losing the soul of these communities,” Rhodes said.

The older homes typically have large yards that are sometimes replaced with larger new homes that take up all available building space on a lot.

“It creates a very different feel and I think most people know what that looks like, and it's not preferred,” Rhodes said. “our goal is to create a culture where our community really appreciates these older homes. And from a real estate perspective, an older home that’s been redone typically goes for much more per square foot than a brand new home that’s been built.”

Gregory Hughes said one likely demolition target looks great to him from the outside.

“Why demolish something in such great condition? Renovate maybe,” he said.

An owner of that home said it has serious problems inside that make it beyond repair.

Renovation is the priority for the preservationists.  They are pushing for demolition waiting periods in the Park Cities to allow more time for renovation consideration.

For the most part, Park Cities property owners are free to replace the old with something new.