City Of Dallas Gets OK To Demolish Lee Harvey Oswald's Apartment
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The city of Dallas now has the go-ahead from a municipal judge to demolish the former Oak Cliff apartment complex where Lee Harvey Oswald briefly lived.
In November, owner Jane Bryant agreed to schedule repairs on the property at 600 Elsbeth Street that would bring it up to code in a timely manner.
On Tuesday – eight months following that agreement – Municipal Judge C. Victor Lander signed off on the city's request to "demolish any and all structures located on the property."
But Bryant said her hands are tied: After the November deal, she said she had to have a feasibility study done on the home before applying for the necessary permits to actually perform the repairs. And that, she said, has taken time.
"The Court finds that the structure … remains dilapidated, substandard, unfit for human habitation, a hazard to the public safety and welfare and the Court finds that the Property still constitutes an urban nuisance," read the judge's order.
The order also notes that the property is mentioned in the Warren Commission's report investigating John F. Kennedy's assassination, but there's just one thing about that: It was never designated as a historical site, and the city still feels it's an unsafe eyesore.
"There is no evidence of 600 Elsbeth Street … having been designated a State Historical Site, a National Historical Site, or any other Historical Site," specifies the order.
If officials go through with the demolition, the city will place a lien on the property and Bryant will be responsible for the expenses that come with that.
She said she will appeal the ruling.
