Hall Street residents again try to take back spaces from clubgoers on weekends, while ilume tenants can no longer park free on lower levels
RESIDENTS ONLY | One block of Throckmorton Street adjacent to the Cedar Springs strip became an RPO zone in 2008. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
Residents along a stretch of Hall Street near the Cedar Springs strip are trying to prohibit club-goers from parking on their block on weekend nights, while a new parking plan at ilume has some residents frustrated.
Residents at the Reserve on Reagan, a complex of townhomes at Hall and Reagan streets, reportedly would like to see the street rezoned for Resident Parking Only or RPO. They’ve tried and failed in the past, but according to one neighbor who lives in a different building on the block, they’re trying again.
Jim Musick lives on Hall Street and said he was approached in June about the idea of turning the block into an RPO as he was walking his dog.
“I told them that I was tired of people moving into Oak Lawn and then trying to change it,” he said.
“Without free, close, safe parking, Oak Lawn would lose customers on the weekends.”
Musick said that because he supports the local businesses, he would not sign the petition.
The next day, he was approached again and told they, too, support the local businesses, but they were just trying to create additional parking for residents.
He told them they should have known the parking situation when they bought the property.
“I also said that if they want a suburban living experience, then there are a dozen different neighborhoods where they can find that experience in Dallas,” he said. “There’s nowhere else that I could move in Dallas to find a neighborhood like Oak Lawn.”
City of Dallas traffic engineer Kerry Elder said no petition has been submitted to the city yet. He said two-thirds of residents on the block would have to sign that they wanted an RPO on the street.
Once the petition is received, the office reviews it and does a parking study on the block to make sure residents are not already using the available spaces. If approved, residents would have to pay for signs and permits.
Each resident could purchase up to six permits at $6.50 annually, which may be used by residents or their guests.
One block of Throckmorton Street adjacent to the retail strip became an RPO zone in 2008.
According to former City Plan Commissioner Neil Emmons more than half the block must be zoned single family to qualify for an RPO. Townhouses count as single family if owners own the land under them, he said, but not if they are part of a condo association.
He said there’s a delicate balance to attract residents to the area and maintain retail, restaurant and bar business.
“The challenge is how to keep commercial vibrant without killing it,” he said.
Because providing additional spaces for Cedar Springs customers could be expensive, the street is one of several with a special status in Oak Lawn allowing them to charge for parking. A number of ideas have been floated including the possibility of a high-rise pay lot at the Melrose Hotel, but that is not currently in the plans.
Meanwhile, ilume resident Kyle Spence said the complex recently changed its parking plan for the fourth time in 13 months.
“Right now we have assigned, free parking spaces,” he said.
But to keep his assigned space, Spence said he’ll have to pay $50. If he wants to continue parking for free, it will be on a different floor than he lives.
He said management is catering to retail on the first floor. Spaces that residents formerly used are now reserved for valet parking.
Ilume property manager Andrew Croson said the biggest complaints have been due to the way the valet operated.
“They run. They drive fast,” he said. “People were afraid they were going to hit their dogs.”
And because they were parking beyond the residents’ gate and leaving the gate unlocked, the building wasn’t secure.
But he said those problems have been addressed.
Ilume developer Luke Crosland agreed the problem has been resolved.
“There’s plenty of parking for everyone, and it’s all straightened out,” Crosland said.
The property was designed with enough parking for the entire first floor to be restaurants. City code requires twice as many spaces for bars and restaurants as it does for other retail.
Inside the ilume garage, the first 245 spaces are for valet parking for the restaurants and retail. A gate separates that area from resident parking on higher levels.
Residents are assigned spaces past the gate. Some residents preferred lower level spaces because they live on lower floors. Crosland said they can reserve those spaces now for a fee. Parking below the gate was never in the leases, he said.
“If you want a space closer to your unit, you can have it,” he said. “We have extra parking.”
He called ilume and its residents very green. The property was built to accommodate 1.5 cars per unit.
“We’re only using 1.18 spaces per unit,” he said.
That’s because so many people use DART, walk to Kroger across the street and even walk to work.
While much of the parking below the gate is still not being used, that may change. Crosland said a new sushi restaurant is under construction and will occupy part of the former Monica’s space. He said leases for two additional restaurants are in negotiation. That will fill the complex’s retail space and, if successful, bring more vehicles into the parking garage.
Croson said during hours the valet is operating, anyone coming to ilume can have their car parked for free. During other hours, one gate is open for self parking.
Across the street at Kroger, store manager Norcona Doxey said a dispute with ilume involving the store’s parking lot has been resolved.
Doxey said the Kroger spaces closest to the store are reserved for customers until 1 a.m., but club-goers can park near the street and the library. She said the previous manager of ilume complained of noise, loitering and illegal activity in the parking lot, so Kroger added security until 4 a.m.
Doxey acknowledged there’s still some noise, but said that’s going to happen in a neighborhood where people are going to bars.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 19, 2013.
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