The problems with limiting new construction to just five styles built 100 years ago are many:

  • The five styles don’t represent our neighborhood. Over half of our houses must be rebuilt to become one of those styles (see Inventory Errors).
  • It’s not easy to build in one of the five styles. The City showed examples of very expensive failed attempts in Neighborhood Meetings (see How easy is it to build a Contributing House?).
  • It is 2023, not 1923. It’s okay to lack education in architecture. But imposing that ignorance on others goes too far. We are lucky to have incredible architects working in Texas, most in our neighborhood, exploring ideas and technology that have evolved in the last 100 years.
  • We don’t have to choose between 2023 and 1923. We can encourage the preservation of salvageable historic styles while remaining open to a continued evolution of styles. A blend of old and new has made Lakewood one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Dallas. Let’s not lose that.

THE NEW HUTSELLS AND DILBECKS: RENOWN LIVING TEXAS ARCHITECTS 2023

If the CD2 Expansion goes through, we will lose the talent of award-winning living Texas architects who bring new technology to neighborhoods like ours. Non-contributing houses that could be improved will be mothballed, and that affects the entire neighborhood.

Would you rather look at this house forever?

Or allow these homeowners to remodel outside of their ranch style to something like this Lake | Flato?

https://www.lakeflato.com/houses/lasater-residence/

Or this Frank Welch on Lawther?

https://www.welcharchitecture.com/architecture#/white-rock-lake-i/

Or this house on Hillgreen by SHM Architects?

House on Hillgreen, East Dallas. https://www.shmarchitects.com/residential#/hillgreen-3/

Honoring Past AND Embracing Current Architects is the Best Path for Lakewood

You don’t have to like the modern Franch Welch, but he is one of our state’s most celebrated current architects. You can hate historic houses for their tiny rooms and dark spaces. Or you can embrace the wonderful evolution in our neighborhood and allow non-contributing residents to complete the best remodel for their property.