Dallas: preservationists compromise on teardowns

Ever since last summer, the city — specifically, Development Services
and the City Attorney's Office — have been attempting to streamline
the process that allows for the demolition of buildings in historic
districts that it considers "an imminent threat to health or safety."
Initially, the Landmark Commission was horrified by the plan, which
essentially eliminated the commission from the conversation and allowed
the Fire Marshal's office to call in the wrecking ball. But several meetings later, the city has a compromise, which will be debuted this afternoon at the council's Public Safety Committee meeting.

In
short, if the city wants a property gone, the Landmark Commission still
gets a review before a certificate of demolition's granted — but the
time line's significantly shorter, the property owner or contractor has
to show significant and continued progress on a monthly basis, and the
Fire Marshal can "order demolition of a structure, without Landmark
approval, if a clear and imminent threat exists." It's that last part
that concerns Preservation Dallas executive director Katherine Seale,
who this morning tells Unfair Park that caveat allows for the
"possibility of abuse."