Lake Highlands Town Center rendering from first developers Prescott Realty
Doug Haskin, a resident of the Lake Highlands Town Center’s Haven Lake Highlands apartments, recently launched a group called Friends of the Lake Highlands Town Center, an organization aimed at pressing developers and urban planners to stick to the “true urban town center” design that, years ago, was promised us.
In the July magazine, we reported on the stalemate: The City of Dallas wants town center developer Cypress to make good on the Lake Highlands Town Center vision presented nearly a decade ago, “considering that the city and other government entities already have invested $24 million in the project,” we reported. Cypress argues, however, that the commercial real estate market isn’t compatible with the city’s demands.
Haskin isn’t buying it.
“The kind of urban town center that was first envisioned has been successful in many different locations around Dallas, and around the country. There’s no reason why it wouldn’t work here at LHTC, if we can find the right mix of developer, builders, and tenants.”
Overhead view of the Lake Highlands Town Center
Haskin and his spouse are empty nesters who once lived in Lake Highlands, spent 10 years in Rockwall, and recently to downsized and return to Lake Highlands.
He says they were attracted to Haven Lake Highlands for several reasons, not the least of which was that “original vision of what the center could be.”
Haskin understood Lake Highlands Town Center was struggling to find a direction, but he remained hopeful.
“We thought that with the economy turning around, LHTC might become the kind of place we’d enjoy, one where we could walk to a market, shops and restaurants, be part of a vibrant urban community, and use DART more than our cars.”
The Haskins love Lake Highlands, Doug says, and they enjoy the Haven’s secure inside parking, elevators and the new building’s modern look and feel.
They are worried, however, that the town center could become nothing more than another “bland, barren urban strip center.”
He launched Friends of the LHTC to rally support for the early urban town center design and resistance to anything less.
“We’re disappointed that after so much time and money, the city may settle for something a lot less than that original vision,” he says. “I started the group in hopes of getting people — not only Haven residents, but other Lake Highlands residents — involved in trying to get the LHTC developed as something more.”
Find them at facebook.com/friendsofLHTC and friendsoflhtc.wordpress.com.
