It’s been said that success comes when preparation meets opportunity, and District 10 champions have been preparing for that success for a long time.
Our opportunity is here, and we must now act responsibly and strategically to keep our community vibrant for the next generation. That’s why we’ve cultivated relationships with developers to create a favorable view of Lake Highlands and all of District 10.
This is the moment we’ve been waiting for to bring quality residential and retail projects to District 10.
It’s important to remember that District 10 competes not only with other districts throughout the city, but with suburbs and cities across the country. Our competition is for development dollars and, with the economy slowing, there will be fewer dollars available. Game time is now, and every opportunity must be taken advantage of because we do not know when our next chance will come.
Younger residents are the new voices in our community, and we need to listen to them, to find a balance between the needs of their generation and the needs of a generation that worked hard to make Lake Highlands one of the best neighborhoods in . We can find that balance — and we must — if we want to keep attracting younger families who demand the best urban lifestyle options.
Urban-planning experts have told us that mixed-used projects — those that incorporate residential and the right amount of retail — are Dallas’ future. Those developments are needed to replace aging multi-family apartments, including complexes along Walnut Hill, Audelia, Royal and Skillman, Forest and Audelia, Greenville and Forest, and Abrams and Forest. Many hard-working families have been raised within their walls, but these structures have outlived their ability to be rehabbed.
We also are saturated with traditional retail centers and discount stores in District 10. But the market is changing, and we must welcome new developments, which will attract higher-end shops and restaurants around the corner, not miles away. Today, developers see District 10 as a wise investment, especially after the creation of the Skillman Corridor Tax Increment Finance District, which channels property taxes — above the base year in which the TIF was created — back into the district to reimburse developers for improvements.
The City of Dallas, Dallas County, the Richardson Independent School District, DART and the North Texas Council of Governments have all contributed to the economic redevelopment of District 10 to the tune of $36 million in taxpayer money. They are counting on us to act responsibly and realize a return on their investment — by improving District 10 with quality projects.
Our message must be that District 10 is open for opportunity — we are moving forward and working together. There must be no doubt that our expectations are high for quality development and that we expect any developer to be a team player who will listen and learn about how we can make the project the very best for our community.
Bringing preparation and opportunity together — that’s how District 10 will prosper for many years to come.
