West Dallas Road Plan Will Impact Property Owners
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DALLAS (CBS11) - David Jensen has lived here on Herbert Street for 13 years and hoped to open an antique store here, too.
But he says the realignment of the street will put his home in jeopardy. "I was hoping by some miracle I could save my building."
On Wednesday, Jensen and others took their concerns to the Dallas City Council.
He told council members, "This alignment of Herbert you are voting on will result in me losing my home."
But council members overwhelmingly approved the project.
Jensen says, "I don't want to leave here. This is my home. You know, they really upset me, and I'm sorry, it really upsets me. This is wrong." He says the new road will take away almost half of his building.
Herbert Street is the center of a planned development featuring apartments, offices, and retail. It's being built by West Dallas Investments, the same developer behind the popular restaurants at Trinity Groves just down Singleton Blvd.
Realigning Herbert Street is part of the plan, which is why most of the city council approved the project.
Council member Lee Kleinman said, "I look forward to continuing the re-development of West Dallas."
Tim Starr in the Dallas Public Works Department says the city needs to properly align the parts of Herbert Street north and south of Singleton.
Along with other streets in the area, Herbert Street will be extended to Commerce Street and will go under railroad tracks.
The $34 million dollar road plan was part of a 2012 bond package the city council approved.
Back on Herbert Street, Jensen wanted the city to use the east side of the street, and not their side of the street for the realignment, but Starr says that would require the city to remove tanks and pumps at a gas station on the north side of Singleton. Jensen isn't the only property owner impacted.
Jeffrey Magid has owned Blue Ribbon Industries at Herbert and Singleton for 13 years. As part of the project, he says he will lose about eight feet of his building.
He also addressed city council and says, "I understand West Dallas Investments and Trinity Groves are improving the neighborhood. I don't believe it should be at the expense of pushing people out of the place where they have their livelihood."
Both Magid and Jensen say so far, they can't agree with developers on a deal for their properties.
A representative from West Dallas Investments didn't return a call.
Starr says the city isn't ready yet to make Magid and Jensen an offer.
After Wednesday's council vote, Jensen says he's not optimistic.
"They've got the power, they've done it, they've approved this alignment I'm done, that's the end of it."
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