The owners of the shopping center have applied to rezone the property for mixed use, which would allow for the development of hundreds of apartments in addition to other commercial uses. The property is currently zoned to allow retail, restaurant, personal service and office uses.
The details
Approval of the zoning proposal would allow the construction of up to 1,200 multifamily units if all units are priced at market rates or up to 1,740 multifamily units if mixed-income housing is provided, according to city plan commission documents. The development could be as high as 20 stories on some parts of the property.
Located on the northeast side of North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane, The Hill is directly adjacent to Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Walnut Hill Station. The proximity would allow residents of the proposed apartments to walk to the station, which supports the city’s land use plan to “develop a multimodal transportation network” and “maximize development opportunities around DART stations,” according to the documents.
What’s next
The City Plan Commission will consider the rezoning application during its July 20 meeting at 9 a.m. at Dallas City Hall. Community members can register online to speak in favor or opposition of the project. The deadline to register is July 19 at 3 p.m.
City staff recommend approval of the proposal, saying “the applicant’s proposal for mixed uses [is] compatible with the surrounding area, which already has a healthy mix of uses and has immediate access to both a rail station and North Central Expressway,” according to the documents.
Related highlights
Another housing development near DART’s Walnut Hill Station, Cypress Creek at Forest Lane, faced strong pushback from Adam McGough, former District 10 Dallas City Council member. He repeatedly said the neighborhood isn’t safe for children to walk to school and that it lacks safe public transportation or grocery stores within safe walking distance, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Proponents of the project said it would provide much-needed affordable housing in a high-opportunity neighborhood.
Cypress Creek at Forest Lane, which is about a quarter mile from the DART station, was approved for construction in June. The four-story midrise development will include 189 residential units, with at least 100 reserved for low-income households that earn between 30% and 80% of the area’s median income.
