Lakewood Heights Neighborhood Association

THE POWER OF NEIGHBORHOOD

East Dallas Neighborhood Residents & Groups Join Forces to Help

Back in August, representatives from Wachovia Bank asked to meet with me to discuss their plans for building a new bank in Lakewood. My first reaction was: “Another bank in Lakewood?!”, but I tried to keep first reactions in my hip pocket until I saw the plans. Wachovia intends to re-develop the properties along Abrams from Belmont all the way to Richmond. Their first plans, which were also presented in a neighborhood meeting at Lakewood Library (well-attended by LHts. residents-thank you!), showed that they were demolishing all existing buildings on the full block facing Abrams – including the old historic filling station at Belmont (presently Lakewood Furniture). They showed a rather modern building that matched many of their suburban branches. It was positioned about where the old Caf?© Brazil is today. The new building did not match anything in Lakewood and was surrounded by a sea of concrete for parking and a 6-lane drive-through/ ATM. As you can imagine, their plan was not well-received by residents who know the value of the Lakewood character and were very concerned about traffic! During the same timeframe, a new coalition of neighborhoods, Old East Dallas Area Neighborhoods – “Old EDAN”, including Lakewood Heights, met with common and similar concerns to discuss potential solutions to better fit within the character and retail-driven needs of the Lakewood Shopping Center. Neighborhood leaders, myself included, communicated to Wachovia all the residents’ concerns related to parking, traffic congestion onto and from Abrams, building architecture, historic value of the old filling station (one of the last of its kind in Dallas) the need for mixed-use as required by Dallas codes for these Lakewood properties (not singular use by one business), and over-all vitality and sustainability of Lakewood. Perhaps to even our own amazement, Wachovia designers went back to their drawing boards! They addressed our issues to better meet the development requirements that many of our own neighbors worked so hard on in the 1980’s in order to create what Lakewood is today (thank you Don Wilmarth). Wachovia encouraged meeting attendees, many who are designers and preservationists, including LHts neighbor and architect, Sally Johnson, to roll up our sleeves to help with their solution and meet city requirements. Wachovia’s fully-redesigned plans will be presented to the City late October. The plans will include preserving the front portion of the filling station which will be incorporated into the new bank building. Parking has been reduced and placed behind the bank - out of sight. Drive-through lanes have been reduced to 3 lanes – also behind the building. The bank, its parking and its drive through now take up only HALF of the full area as it did before. The best part: the other half is proposed for a mixed-use development right along a wide sidewalk – much like the rest of Lakewood! The architectural style has been changed to reflect existing older Lakewood Shopping Center buildings with parking in the rear!
The new plans were well-received by residents! What a welcome change by the Wachovia Bank folks. From the beginning, Wachovia stressed their commitment to the neighborhoods where they “live”. Much to my delight, this seems to have been demonstrated by their response to all of you who participated in this effort! You became a part of the solution by insisting that this project meets the spirit and character and vitality of Lakewood. You were not deterred by “big business” or the idea that improvements were not possible. Your participation and its results are proof that neighborhoods working together are powerful and that we count!