Plans to revive a North Dallas shopping center draws praise, criticism from residents
DALLAS — A far North Dallas shopping center is looking for a major facelift, garnering praise and criticism from nearby residents.
For decades, the Pepper Square Shopping Center has sat at the busy corner of Preston and Beltline. However, the shopping center has seen more empty parking spaces and a decrease in tenants. These factors have pushed the center's owner and developer, Henry S. Miller, to find a way to save it.
Miller proposed a plan to add about 980 apartment units, with retail, restaurants, and two acres of green space.
Lee Kleinman, Senior Advisor for Henry S. Miller said in a statement:
"Henry S. Miller is pleased to bring a vibrant mixed-use development to North Dallas as the New Pepper Square. After 2 years of discussions and 10 community meetings, we are pleased to deliver over 2 acres of green space, walkable streets, trail connectivity and a curated mix of neighborhood serving restaurants and retailers. Pepper Square has served this community for generations and we look forward to the New Pepper Square continuing for generations to come."
More details on the proposal, including key stakeholders can be found online here.
"Pepper Square certainly needs renovation. We're happy to see that," said Matt Bach, a far North Dallas resident.
Bach said surrounding homeowners are on board with the revamp of Pepper Square, but they are also concerned about the influx in development causing too much growth for the already dense area. He said the hundreds of housing units would be a "traffic nightmare" with its proximity to one of the busiest intersections in Dallas.
"Preston Road is congested significantly to the point where North Central Texas Council of Governments is looking already at mitigation measures, and this plan will only add to it," Bach explained.
Bach said there are already other apartment complexes approved to be built in the area, and he would like to see a decrease in apartment units for the Pepper Square plan.
"[The plan] looks a lot more like Vegas than far North Dallas. It's starkly out of character with our neighborhood and it just it seems like is sort of a jumble of apartment buildings thrown on top of commercial buildings," Bach said. "It's 95% residential and only a small amount of retail. So, we're going to be competing with many, many other residents for city services, police, fire, schools, ect."
Down the street, The Hillcrest Village shopping center located at Hillcrest and Arapaho serves as a successful example of revitalization efforts. Urban planning experts say, these projects not only give existing areas much-needed facelifts, but also create more housing and dining options for Dallas's growing population.
"We've been attracting new people to the metroplex area," said Siram Villupuram, a UTA Finance & Real Estate Associate Professor. "So, the question is where do we want to place them?"
Villpruam also lives around Pepper Square. He admits the area is aging and projects like Pepper Square could have positive effects long-term.
"It will bring in a younger population, it will bring jobs back to the city, and again, density means it will bring more revenue to the city, which could be a solution to some of the problems residents are objecting to in terms of traffic. The city could widen that intersection if need be," Villpruam said.
The plan is going before the Dallas City Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday, Aug. 8. Bach said he and dozens of other residents plan to attend the meeting to voice their concerns to the city.
"So, I hope they say no to this, come back with a better development, work with the neighborhood. I'm sure we can find something that works for both of us," Bach said.