Specialty auto repair shop Solow Garage is on track to stay on Richardson’s Interurban Street as the city considers long-term redevelopment plans for the area.
The City Plan Commission recommended approval 4-3 for a special permit request May 19. Several commission members advocated against the special permit and said the city should prioritize the Interurban district’s long-term development goals, “changing course” from auto businesses to other uses in the district.
Property owner Stephen Graham with Simple Development Partners also presented plans to transition the Interurban area from a predominantly automobile-centered corridor into a design district.
The overview
Solow Garage is an authorized BMW collision repair center that has operated in the building under previous owners since 2012. In 2024, Clay Cooley VW received approval from the city for the motor vehicle shop to stay on the premises, but ended up putting the property back on the market, meaning Solow Garage now needs a new special permit in its name to continue operating.
“Solow Garage is not a new business coming into the corridor,” owner Salvador Govea said. “The business represents years of hard work, sacrifice and commitment to serving customers the right way.”
Govea said Solow Garage is one of four BMW collision centers in the Dallas area, a certification that requires advanced training, specialized tools, manufacturing oversight and high repair standards. The repair shop’s services include repairing minor dents and scratches, body and chassis work, painting, powder-coating and customized vehicle restorations.
The property also includes an adjacent vehicle storage lot with twenty parking spaces enclosed by a security fence. The lot will be used by the garage as a parking lot for vehicles awaiting repair or pickup.
The garage is part of a zoning sub-district around Interurban Street of single-story commercial buildings that house a mix of office, retail, commercial and light industrial uses. According to city documents, there is currently a significant share of motor vehicle businesses in the district.
Senior planner Derica Peters said the city’s long-term vision for the Interurban sub-district is to move away from the auto businesses and establish an “edgy and eclectic district with a focus on adaptive reuse.”
What they’re saying
Commissioner Michael Keller said the commission should take the opportunity of the special permit case to move forward on the long-term, mixed-use vision for the Interurban area and move away from the automotive businesses like Solow Garage that don’t “fit the idea of the district.”
“I respect the businesses that have been here a long time, but I do think this is one of those moments when we have to take a stand, and if we’re going to change the character of the district, we’ve got to start at some point,” chair Bryan Marsh said.
Marsh said he opposed the special permit because the existing automotive businesses, which also include Chevrolet and Clay Cooley centers, make it harder to attract the desired restaurant and retail uses to the area.
Considering the number of auto businesses in the area, Commissioner Joe Quirk said he doesn’t see the Interurban area significantly changing enough to justify the city removing a stable business.
“I just don’t see any developer coming in there and buying that and trying to put in the kinds of things that [are for] the edgy mixed-use district,” Quirk said. “It would be nice to have, but I just can’t see us kicking out a stable business for a ‘nice to have.’”
City staff also noted that there are currently several vacant buildings around the garage, which can be used for new mixed-use development.
Zooming out
Graham and Simple Development Partners recently acquired several sites in the Interurban district, including the building that houses Solow Garage, with the aim of transforming the area into a defined design district. The area would focus on home design professionals, building materials and contractor and supplier businesses.
Despite the planned shift away from auto businesses, Graham said he supported Solow Garage staying in its current location.
“Responsible redevelopment should allow businesses to coexist with long-term corridor transformation,” Graham said. “Businesses like Solow Garage help provide the stability and character during the transition of the district.”
Graham plans to bring a special permit request to the commission in a few months for the first phase of his planned development, which will eventually include six new buildings and an additional 52,000 square feet of new industrial and retail space.
What’s next
The commission voted 4-3 to recommend approval of the special permit. The request will be considered by City Council at a later date.
