Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum - University Gardens being torn down

12-27-2006, 11:05 AM	#1
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	University Gardens being torn down I just got some photo of University gardens apartments being torn down. They are in the begining stage of demolition. Here is one of the complex from the front they haven't touched this yet. __________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

12-27-2006, 11:09 AM	#2
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	here is another showing the demo in progress they started on the back side of the complex. __________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

12-27-2006, 01:55 PM	#3
Insidetheloop Done Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,280	I think they had planned to tear them down much sooner but asbestos was found in the complex. The removal took most of the fall. The old Cinco Center site across the street and tennis courts will be the new home of a muti-million dollar basketball training facility. One other note on SMU- I noticed a chain link fence go up around one of the east side dorms last week. This is the large dorm that backs up to Hillcrest across from the 7-11. I forget the name of the dorm. Either it's a top to bottom facelift or the beginnings of a demo. Hard to tell. Letterman's Hall was torn down in the same manner last winter.

12-27-2006, 02:08 PM	#4
Lakewooder Lakewooder Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lakewood - Junius Heights Posts: 5,047	That's Shuttles Hall - which was all female back in my day...I lived in Snider, the oldest. Most of the dorms have been extensively renovated on a building- by- building basis for the last few years. It seems what was good enough for generations is now not considered plush enough for today's students.

12-27-2006, 02:23 PM

SDORN

Urban/Street photographer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Location: Carrollton Texas

Posts: 2,962

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insidetheloop

I think they had planned to tear them down much sooner but asbestos was found in the complex. The removal took most of the fall.

The old Cinco Center site across the street and tennis courts will be the new home of a muti-million dollar basketball training facility.

One other note on SMU- I noticed a chain link fence go up around one of the east side dorms last week. This is the large dorm that backs up to Hillcrest across from the 7-11. I forget the name of the dorm. Either it's a top to bottom facelift or the beginnings of a demo. Hard to tell. Letterman's Hall was torn down in the same manner last winter.

Yeah I saw that too!!!
Better get some pix soon!!!
Thanks
Scott

__________________
Scott Dorn
Hitting the streets with the cam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/
http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots
http://www.myspace.com/177586541

12-28-2006, 12:22 AM

F4shionablecHa0s

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Location: Deep Ellum

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

It seems what was good enough for generations is now not considered plush enough for today's students.

I live in Peyton Hall. Believe me, SMU's dorms are OVERDUE. Neither radiator in my room works (lots of blankets, sweaters, and scarves), you never know when a fuse will burn out and your power will be cut off, and the fire alarm system is so badly designed that about half of my dorm didn't even wake up during the last fire drill. The elevator in my dorm is the oldest operational elevator in the city of Dallas. When it needs to be worked on, they have to bring a technician out of retirement.

It's not just Peyton, either. All of the unrenovated dorms are pretty bad. At the beginning of this semester, a girl was nearly killed when she fell down an elevator shaft in Shuttles. I lived in Boaz Hall for a few months and there was graffiti in my desk drawer from 1956. Friends who lived in Shuttles this year told me it was like living in a bomb shelter.

Honestly, for what we pay to go to SMU, we deserve better than this.

12-28-2006, 12:07 PM	#7
CTroyMathis Sea™ Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: New London.CT Posts: 4,873	For Dornerator: http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/200...ns-condo/#c6032

12-28-2006, 12:55 PM

freewaytincan

is gone.

Join Date: Jul 2002

Location: 77023

Posts: 5,267

Quote:

Originally Posted by F4shionablecHa0s

At least you have elevators at all.

12-28-2006, 03:39 PM

RobertB

the-young-and-the-bright

Join Date: Jul 2004

Location: Official Mesquito

Posts: 5,851

Quote:

Originally Posted by F4shionablecHa0s

I live in Peyton Hall. Believe me, SMU's dorms are OVERDUE. Neither radiator in my room works (lots of blankets, sweaters, and scarves), you never know when a fuse will burn out and your power will be cut off, and the fire alarm system is so badly designed that about half of my dorm didn't even wake up during the last fire drill. The elevator in my dorm is the oldest operational elevator in the city of Dallas. When it needs to be worked on, they have to bring a technician out of retirement.

It's not just Peyton, either. All of the unrenovated dorms are pretty bad. At the beginning of this semester, a girl was nearly killed when she fell down an elevator shaft in Shuttles. I lived in Boaz Hall for a few months and there was graffiti in my desk drawer from 1956. Friends who lived in Shuttles this year told me it was like living in a bomb shelter.

Honestly, for what we pay to go to SMU, we deserve better than this.

Holy crap. I'd pay *extra* to live in a dorm like that.

__________________
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals... Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. - B. Obama 1/20/09

12-28-2006, 03:55 PM	#10
grantboston Incoherent Rambler Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 1,138	I think colleges work like this: Better college= crappier dorms Eh college= better dorms When you're trying to attract top students and need a tool to do so, dorms tend to help. Of course, University Gardens are/were not actual dorms, just "off campus" apartments. __________________ "The world is a book; those who do not travel read but a single page." -St. Augustine

12-28-2006, 09:20 PM	#11
Insidetheloop Done Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,280	The 2800 block of SMU Blvd(NW corner of SMU/Yale and US75) looks ready for demo too. I would give those homes a week, tops. SMU owns the 2900 block too. There are actually a few very nice homes on that block. Anyone have an idea of the plans for this area? I have heard it will be something along the lines of a massive fancy entrance...but that's just rumor. The 2800 block is worth $2 million so I imagine they would not tear down those homes only for road improvements.

12-28-2006, 11:18 PM

#12

SCARLETandBLACK

Low-Rise Member

Join Date: Oct 2006

Posts: 190

Quote:

Anyone have an idea of the plans for this area? I have heard it will be something along the lines of a massive fancy entrance...but that's just rumor.

Try the George Walker Bush Presidential Library.

These are the buildings that SMU allegedly strongarmed residents and owners to sell. They supposedly bought every unit that became available and eventually became majority owners of the complex. During the process, the buildings are said to have become delapodated. It is also said that this delapodation was to purposely lower the price of the remaining properties and to give public support to the private university.

Besides these things, it has been speculated that some other buildings in the area could be demolished to build a parking garage for guests Bush 43 Presidential Library.

Of course, since I have Texas Tech connections, I would only know all of the negative things about these situations. I know that SMU has recently announced that it has sole negotiations with Mr. Bush, despite the fact that Mr. Bush has made no statements as of yet to knock The University of Dallas and Baylor University out of the running. However, it is my belief that SMU was chosen as the site of the library at least as early as the mid 1990's, possibly before SMU bought the old Mrs. Baird's Bread factory.

I have seen Texas Tech's secretive bid for the library. Publicly, I know that in 45 days, West Texans donated over $100,000,000 toward the library to be built on the Texas Tech campus. I know that it tried to appeal to President Bush's West Texas values - on which he campaigned for office, and to Mrs. Bush's literacy program with a Literacy Institute in Midland. Lubbock will soon be home to the Collegiate Baseball Hall of Fame, and Texas Tech even offered to name it in honor of the Bush family in an appeal to Mr. Bush's love of baseball. I know that it would have been a hard deal to beat, especially since the total donations were estimated to have been around $1,000,000,000 (One BILLION) if built.

However, I know that Dallas will benefit greatly from the library and I know Texans do not like driving west of Fort Worth, especially once they've been to Austin or Washington D.C. It might as well be two states.

The demolition of these buildings must mean that Mr. Bush must be another step closer to retiring to his library. It must mean that the library must be in Dallas.

12-29-2006, 12:14 AM

#13

SDORN

Urban/Street photographer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Location: Carrollton Texas

Posts: 2,962

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTroyMathis

For Dornerator:

http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/200...ns-condo/#c6032

Thank man I just sent an email to sign up for that You are the best!!!!

I got more photos to put up I took later that day.
i will take more tommorow.

Got to get to posting more University garden photos

__________________
Scott Dorn
Hitting the streets with the cam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/
http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots
http://www.myspace.com/177586541

01-03-2007, 11:32 AM	#14
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	__________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

01-04-2007, 03:45 AM

#15

SCARLETandBLACK

Low-Rise Member

Join Date: Oct 2006

Posts: 190

This is an article from today's DallasNews.com .

Quote:

Man suing SMU may be evicted

School to ask marshals to serve notice to lawyer fighting condo purchase

12:00 AM CST on Thursday, January 4, 2007
By HOLLY K. HACKER / The Dallas Morning News

Gary Vodicka, the lawyer suing Southern Methodist University over a condominium complex that could become the site of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, could be evicted soon, an attorney for SMU said Wednesday.

SMU will ask the U.S. marshals to serve Mr. Vodicka and two other people still living in the complex with eviction notices Monday, SMU attorney John McElhaney said. That's the first day SMU is allowed to do so, barring any legal challenges, he said.

Mr. Vodicka sued SMU in 2005, alleging the university used fraud and intimidation to get owners of University Gardens condos to sell. SMU, which denies the charges, bought the complex in December 2005 and could put the George W. Bush Presidential Library there.

Last month a federal judge ruled that SMU has clear title to the condominiums, despite objections by Mr. Vodicka and fellow plaintiff Robert Tafel. Mr. Vodicka bought four units years ago and still lives in one.

On Wednesday, the judge rejected Mr. Vodicka's request to reconsider the Dec. 7 ruling in SMU's favor. The judge also refused to grant a motion that would put the eviction process on hold while Mr. Vodicka files an appeal in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

"We think the rulings were entirely proper," Mr. McElhaney said.

Mr. Vodicka said he wasn't surprised by the judge's decision and hopes for a different outcome with the 5th Circuit.

Mr. Vodicka has two tenants living in other units he bought. He said he won't fight an eviction, which will be effective immediately, because if a higher court rules in his favor, "then I can sue [SMU] for wrongful eviction."

SMU started tearing down the condominiums last month, and the work continues. Campus officials say they are considering several uses for the site, in addition to the library, including student housing or intramural fields.

SMU became the lone finalist for the library right before Christmas and will work with the library selection committee to find a good site for the library and related facilities.

Meanwhile, the condominium lawsuit is set for trial in May. Mr. Vodicka alleges that SMU-appointed members to the condo board were not acting in the best interest of other condo owners. He also has sued for damages.

It's possible SMU will ask a judge to dismiss the rest of the case before it goes to trial, Mr. McElhaney said, "because we don't think there are any substantial issues left."

E-mail hhacker@dallasnews.com

01-04-2007, 05:22 PM	#16
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	from Today Shot this from Potomac and the 75 access road. __________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

01-04-2007, 05:29 PM	#17
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	I actually had security guard tryed to keep me from taking pix when I tried to go behind the remaining units So I shot from public sidewalks after that This is from Dublin and Potomac __________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

01-04-2007, 05:39 PM	#18
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	These sign are history since the property will be rezoned I am sure. Sad!!! __________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

01-04-2007, 05:50 PM	#19
SDORN Urban/Street photographer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Carrollton Texas Posts: 2,962	Here is what is left of the first complex!!! __________________ Scott Dorn Hitting the streets with the cam http://www.flickr.com/photos/70886669@N00/ http://homepage.mac.com/sdorn/dallas_shots http://www.myspace.com/177586541

04-01-2007, 09:29 PM	#20
Insidetheloop Done Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,280	Demo has started again, I would guess that another 30% has been demolished this week.

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