Neighbors Upset Over Trinity Groves Development

A street runs through a man's existing home in a new plan approved by the Dallas City Council Wednesday.

The street realignment for the Trinity Groves development calls for widening Hebert Street into the former warehouse building on Bedford Street where David Jensen lives.

The art and antiques dealer said he purchased the property years ago with the plan of making it his permanent home and art studio.

"I retired in January with the thought that I'd finally be able to build this up the way I wanted it, finish my living space inside," he said.

Lines he painted on the building mark the path of the expanded street.

Jensen complained about the plan at Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting along with several neighbors and friends.

"Soon, you will be left with a nice, homogenized development devoid of anything that is unusual, a shining example of progress and the demise of the individual," artist Chase Yarborough said.

Right now, Trinity Groves is a collection of restaurants along Singleton Boulevard at the west end of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge across the Trinity River from downtown. Developers plan thousands of apartments along with new shops and business space for the area. Dallas voters approved money for new streets for the West Dallas neighborhood in a bond election several years ago.

Monica Alonzo, the West Dallas City Council member, asked for approval of the street realignment Wednesday and other members went along.

"It's not going to really create some of the problems that were anticipated here," said Councilman Lee Kleinman. "I'll be supporting this Miss Alonzo, and I look forward to continuing the redevelopment of West Dallas."

Developers already own most of the land around Jensen's building. He said the realignment could have swung through land the developers already own across the street instead of widening the road on his property.

"I've had an offer on it, and it's just not enough to get me a comparable property," he said. "I've got to move. I've got to change my thinking about my future."