A case study of Dallas development and planning politics.
Sharon Grigsby, columnist for the Dallas Morning News, reports on the plans for Bonton Village, a 12-acre development in the Lake Highlands neighborhoods of Dallas that will "include a 4-acre urban farm and farmer’s market alongside 120 tiny homes for some of District 10′s most vulnerable homeless neighbors. Also on the site will be a café, coffee shop, co-working space and workforce training center."
According to Grigsby, the plans for the site have been the source of controversy in recent months. A previous plan to develop a homeless housing project on the site met opposition from local residents and local Councilmember Adam McGough. Those opponents were called NIMBYs, according to Grigsby, who argues that McGough had a better plan all along.
"Earlier this month, the City Council’s Economic Development Committee greenlighted a key next step for McGough’s transformative project, Bonton Village @ Lake Highlands. The proposal for 12000 Greenville not only provides housing for the homeless, but jobs, commercial opportunities and neighborhood assets -- everything the original plan lacked," according to Grigsby. The proposal also allows a chance for Benton Farms, currently located in South Dallas as showcased in the video above, to expand its model for urban farming to the Lake Highlands neighborhood as a launching pad for national attention.
The source article includes more details of the remaining obstacles for the project to reach approval.
FULL STORY: Critics cried NIMBY when Lake Highlands rejected homeless housing, but Bonton Village plan looks like a win
Adaptive Reuse Successes in Dallas
The rise in office vacancies is fueling a boom in adaptive reuse projects.
Largest TOD in North Texas Breaks Ground Near Dallas
The mixed-use complex features over 400 housing units, offices, retail, and park space.
Dallas Ahead of the Game in Adaptive Reuse
Thanks in part to a state tax credit created in the early 2000s, downtown Dallas is set to create roughly 1,500 new housing units by converting office buildings to residential uses.
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.
San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.
Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.
Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland