$850 million proposed Preston Hollow redevelopment sparks heated debate, residents split

A heated community meeting in Dallas ended with sharp debate over an $850 million Preston Hollow redevelopment plan featuring a 25-story tower, with residents split over the project's impact on the neighborhood.

Opponents and supporters of the project packed a community meeting organized by a Dallas City Council member, voicing strong opinions on both sides.

"I live on the north side of Orchid Lane and within about 300 feet of this development. I'm not impressed, I'm depressed," one resident said.

Others welcomed the project.

"I look at that and I think that's absolutely spectacular," said Hudson Henley, a Preston Hollow resident.

The project would transform the current shopping center on the southwest corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane that was decimated by a 2019 tornado and has struggled to sustain office and retail tenants. The proposal features a 25-story condo tower, along with a hotel, an 11-story office building and a restaurant village that will be part of an $850 million development if it can get public support and approval by the City of Dallas. 

"It's rare on a site like this that you have the kind of opportunity to redevelop, a large portion, unencumbered with leases," said Evan Beattie, the CEO of GFF Architect.

The architect gave a presentation with visuals that led to loud groans from an audience of several hundred. There were also concerns about the possible impact of more traffic and many found a proposed 299-foot tower unacceptable, but they feel like the project will be rubber-stamped for approval. 

Supporters of the project point to a luxury development with more green space than is currently available. There's also a promise of underground parking and redesigned intersections to improve traffic flow. 

Still, a number of Preston Hollow residents want more compromises or plan to fight approval of the project by the city council later this summer.