What Would UP do With 7406 Turtle Creek Boulevard?
At tonight’s University Park City Council meeting, council members will select an appraiser for the vacant lot at 7406 Turtle Creek Boulevard after a 4 p.m. closed session in which they’ll discuss “the possible acquisition of real property located at 7406 Turtle Creek Blvd.”
The property is owned by Henry S. Renz and Annice B. Renz. If Google Maps is to be trusted, it shows that the Renzes own the adjoining property.
Here’s the big question: What would the city of University Park do with this triangular parcel?
That is a terrific small plot of land similar to the small plot that became the Children’s Park off Hanover and Boedecker. I hope the city does pursue this as a small park. It would make a much better small park than that at Lovers/Hillcrest. Perhaps some people would really use this one, much like Children’s Park.
who knows what the value would be? I can’t imagine anyone would really want to raze the existing and put up a new house there. It’s just not a very good home property.
Acquiring this property would be money much better spent than some of the money Park’s Follies that have been discussed on this blog before. Please just don’t name it after another ex-Mayor.
Why would they purchase it? There is already a “park” on the opposite corner (between Turtle Creek/ Purdue/ Thackery).
So they would purchase the property, no longer receive any property taxes on it, and pay to upkeep the property, for what? Am I missing something here? Why spend the money at all? Oh, wait, this is University Park, where spending money for spendings sake seems to be the norm.
That’s the Stagg Renz place. The city should buy it and park an inexplicable collection of wood-paneled station wagons there.
If they purchase this lot, would the assumption be that the city would then pursue an option to purchase the adjoining property also owned by the Renz family at a later date?
@Adam, so you are suggesting that the city build a “Parking Plaza” at that location? ((note: question is asked tongue-in-cheek)).
If they make it a park, perhaps a bronze statue of the infamous wood-paneled station wagon would be appropriate…
Surely I’m not the only one who remembers the station wagons. Does anyone know the story behind them? Of all things to collect–I’ve always hoped there was some great explanation.
I only know the plot due to Adam’s funny comment. Has this blog ever covered the topic of those station wagons? Seems we could fill pages and pages…
Took this photo in February of 2005, before they disappeared: http://bit.ly/biIUkN
@pigskinnie- I have written about the wagon collection and the decade long circling of the property by area realtors. The old blog content is no longer available online. But trust me, it’s been covered in style.
I’m with Adam. We could use the station wagons as play equipment. We have enough slides and monkey bars. 🙂 The statue idea could be nice. It certainly give another story to tell visitors.
Cmon, someone has to help a brother out. I am intrigued by this station wagon “thing”. Can someone tell me what the deal was? Why were all of the same old school station wagons parked there?
It is a great property for a home. Just think, you have your own block and no next door neighbors to bother you. We really don’t need another “park” that can only be used to sit in and watch the grass grow. We really need bigger parks in which kids can play sports and local teams can have a place to practice and play games.
Hey: Before they start that one, let’s try and finish the project started next to Germany Park. That one was supposed to be finished in March/April and, 4 months later, it appears to have been abandoned. Wasn’t there supposed to be a park/playground there also? What happened to all that money from the sale of Potomac Park to the Bush Library?
T-Bone
Residents who live close to the Booster Pump Station (including you) recently received a letter from the City regarding the status of that project & Germany Park South.
Here is that update:
Despite the recent look of inactivity at the site, there is a concerted effort underway to correct software problems for the pump controllers, the pump motors and the SCADA system. This software allows the station’s pumps to be remotely controlled by the Park Cities Municipal Utility District. During the past month, although each of the station’s four pumps has operated independently, the controllers have not allowed two or more pumps to run simultaneously. The contractor, MUD staff, representatives for the manufacturer and the design engineer are all working to resolve these issues. City staff expects to be in a position to accept the pumping station for permanent operation shortly. When that occurs, the contractor will immediately begin demolishing the old underground pump station. Once the old facility is demolished, the contractor will remove the construction fencing and do final grading.
An associated project to construct a 24” water supply line along Roland, from Mockingbird to the pumping station is expected to begin in September. Once installed, this line will provide an emergency connection to the City of Dallas, so that in the future, should something interrupt the supply of water from MUD, University Park will continue to receive water. Installation of that emergency water line should be completed early next year. The replacement of the south parking lot in Germany Park is included in this supply line project.
In the meantime, after developing plans for landscaping, permanent fencing, and playground equipment for the area surrounding the pumping station, the Park Department bid those improvements earlier this month. Staff is now reviewing the bids that were received. Park construction should begin late this fall. Park construction is slated for completion next spring.
Concerning the $2.2 million the City received from SMU in the sale of Potomac Park, as promised, all of that amount was directed to Park improvements. Most of that amount was used to complete renovations at Coffee Park and the Holmes Aquatic Center. What remains will be used for Germany Park South.
Question on the sale of Poo-Poo Parkway, I mean Potomac Park. SMU bought it because it was between the shopping center they were tearing down, and the houses on Potomac that they bought & were supposed to tear down. I heard that after this 2.2 mil. sale went thru, SMU was told that they didn’t own the alley between Potomac Park and the shopping center, the city did. Then, post sale, the city created a stink about the lost tax revenue from the shopping center as well as not forking over the alley – so now the whole thing, including the sale of Poo-poo park, was for nothing. Is any of that true? Thanks for being here Mr. Mace, and answering our questions!
And I would LOVE to hear the story behind the station wagons, we’ve wondered about that for years!
K-Mom,
There are several parts to the July 2009 agreement with SMU.
As a part of the sale of the street and alley rights-of-way, the City required SMU to provide an in-lieu property tax payement of $2.3 million (paid out over a period of two years) specifically for the loss of future property tax revenue on the residential properties that SMU was acquiring.
A formula to minimize or eliminate any potential loss of future sales and property tax revenue for the Shopping Center is also part of the agreement.
The alley NORTH of the homes on Potomac was part of the $15.8 million sale of rights-of-way by the City to SMU. That money is held in a special reserve in the City’s General Fund.
In addition to these amounts, the City received $2.2 million for the sale of Potomac Park. As referenced above, that money was allocated to finish renovations at Coffee Park and the Holmes Aquatic Center. What remains of that figure will be used for coming improvements at Germany Park South.
So, I guess I’ll never know the story behind the station wagons.
@D: We’ll look into the station wagons. Fear not.
15.8 MILLION POOL REPAIR/RENOVATION FUND!
Amen to D’s comment below. U.P. residents need to stay close on these matters and to not allow our city council to waste our money any more. Nearly all of our taxes already go to Robin Hood; the remainder are being spent irresponsibly on eyesores like the fountain at lovers/hillcrest (not to mention the complete waste of over $1,000,000 to first destroy the northeast corner of that intersection, then to re-do it within a year)and all those Plano-like stone wall structures with names of parks being slapped up. What is THAT all about?
And while we are on it, can anyone guess how much those grotesque obelisks marking our city limits cost? Anyone?
@Merritt – please report your article somewhere – would love to read it!
Renz family member weighing in here – the station wagons were Stagg’s “mobile warehouses”. He was a hoarder and not only were all the vehicles full of stuff, the house was full and he had 17 storage units that were full, too.
My cousins lived directly across from the station wagon house. Stagg was a hoarder as suzy mentioned, but he was still pretty with it. He used them as storage, but he also just liked that style of car and was finding it harder and harder to find the parts he needed to keep them running. So he did what any normal person would do and just bought a couple more over the years in case he ever needed spare parts. I can’t remember the exact reasons why but apparently he had to move them around every so often. I remember helping the cuz’s recarpet a room and when we took the roll of old carpet out to the street, Stagg immediately came over and asked if he could have the carpet to “put down in his garage and to recover some surfaces in his wagons”. Not an exact answer and this is just what I remember from about 10 years ago.