Park News

Neighbors of Reverchon Park meet to fight Dallas City Council deal

Reverchon Park, unspoiled and pastoral.

Photo by Conner Howell

On January 16, The Mansion on Turtle Creek hosted a hastily called meeting to discuss the steps needed to fight a decision by the Dallas City Council to enter into a partnership with Reverchon Park Sports and Entertainment LLC, a group led by Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson, to redevelop the Reverchon Park Ball Field.

If you’re the District 14 council representative and there are 160 angry constituents meeting at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, that ain’t good. If you’re the District 14 representative and you don’t attend said meeting, trust me, it really isn’t good. It’s simple math. Like Preston Hollow’s Districts 11 and 13, District 14 residents aren’t short on influence or cash.

District 14 council member David Blewett (who led the charge with council), Reverchon applicant Donnie Nelson, and Parks and Recreation Board President Calvert Collins-Bratton (Jennifer Gates’ District 13’s appointee) were all invited to listen to the group. None attended.

Leading the meeting was former Trammel Crow president Don Williams with help from Bruce Bowman — the Bowman in Godwin Bowman, one of the city’s largest law firms. The presidents of the Mansion Residences and Plaza condos were there, as were smatterings from Dallas’ most prestigious Turtle Creek and Uptown high-rises. There was more money in the room than a good-sized Powerball jackpot.

What’s With The Money Talk?
Why am I harping on money and influence? There’s a lot on both sides. But a flush opposition means that if there’s a hair out of place on the deal or the process, they’ll find it. To that end, the group intends to raise $100,000 to do just that. Last night, the group raised $20,000 in a matter of minutes.

Before you think this is just a bunch of rich anti-development NIMBYs, consider that these same people recently negotiated with and ultimately supported Prescott’s three-building project next to The Mansion and the Mandarin Oriental a few doors down.

Outspoken against the plan, District 7 councilmember Adam Bazaldua attended to show his support and listen to the group’s concerns. His comments to the group were similar to what he said at the council session. Namely that this began as a refurbishment project and now it’s an event venue.

What Did They Say?
One of the more serious issues they reported was the lack of assistance from City Hall in gaining documents. For example, finding out exactly what was approved at last week’s council meeting. Open government also needs to act with speed when time is an issue. It was said Christopher Caso, the acting city attorney, is taking a hands-off approach to controversial rulings as he’s in the running to be the permanent city attorney.

They claim the 2019 RFP was “developed by the Parks Department in direct consultation with the entertainment developer” and that it was issued with less than 30 days given to respond. The only respondent was the one designing the deal with the Parks Department. If true, this was less RFP and more of a negotiated deal behind the veil of city process.

The group also said the number of acres the project will use increased to “+/- 6 acres” while the current ball field uses less than two. It was also said that they’re hearing the existing recreation center would be torn down for the project and relocated to the tennis courts.They presented a briefing document given to city council says the events are planned each year. All totaled, the document claims there will be something going on in the park 350 days each year.

After hearing from multiple people in support of the plan claiming the adjacent Scottish Rite hospital is also in support, Williams said he’d reached out and their response was that they don’t take sides in these matters.

In addition to looking into the deal itself and its players, they’re also looking at those who supported it. The Friends of Reverchon Park has become a focus with claims that seemingly none of non-profit group’s monies were ever used to upkeep the park it’s named after (based on the group’s tax filings with the IRS). They’re also checking out financial and personnel ties between Friends of Reverchon Park and a group variously called the Trinity Nature Conservancy, Trinity Recreation Conservancy, or Trinity Coalition.

When the floor was opened for comments, it was said that there are many parts of the deal that constitute a “change of use” under Texas’ park statutes. Those use changes require their own meetings which never happened.

Others pointed to more inconsistencies.

In the end, time is of the essence for the group and they know it. Things like the “change of use” filings have to be done within 30 days and a week has already passed. But never underestimate how quickly money, and the will to use it, can speed things up.

Stay tuned.

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A version of this story originally was published on Candy's Dirt.

politics

Park news

New I-35 deck park in southern Dallas moves closer to spring 2026 debut

Courtesy rendering

Renderings for Halperin Park.

A massive deck park spanning Interstate 35E in southern Dallas is set to open in late spring 2026. Called Halperin Park, the five-acre community space has been under construction since 2017 and will be completed in two phases:

Phase One (finishing in late spring) will include the section from Ewing Avenue to Lancaster Avenue and will feature a pavilion, amphitheater, playground area, interactive fountains, a second level overlooking the Dallas Zoo and the highway, and a large event room for every dining and special events.

Phase Two (to be completed over the next five years) will add the park section toward Marsalis Avenue, with an additional pavilion and extra gathering space.

The project is being developed by the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation and built by the Texas Department of Transportation. Funding comes from the North Central Texas Council of Governments, as well as the private Halperin Foundation, which donated $23 million in 2024 and secured naming rights.

In January, the Dallas City Council approved spending up to $8 million to complete Phase One for spring completion.

The public-private initiative will create $1 billion in economy impact over the next five years, according to a study by UNT Dallas.

Rendering of Halperin ParkCourtesy rendering

A park with purpose
Developers say the park aims to integrate the west side of Oak Cliff, which was somewhat segregated with the construction of I-35 in Oak Cliff in the 1960s, leading to low-income communities and generational poverty.

The project started nine years ago, when the Texas Department of transportation planned a reconstruction of I-35 and began gathering neighbors’ feedback. The result was a plan to widen bicycle and pedestrian lanes in the service roads alongside the highway, and to build a deck over the highway between Ewing and Marsalis avenues, adjacent to the Dallas Zoo. (Similar Klyde Warren Park's "deck park" concept.)

While the project faced some skepticism at first, it later gained momentum as private supporters continued to join.

“Forty percent of the Dallas population lives in South Dallas, yet this segment only accounts for 15 percent of the tax base,” says April Allen, President and CEO of the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation, citing the opportunity to address the economic equality in the area through the development of the park and all the business it can bring.

Rendering of Halperin Park.Courtesy rendering

Neighborhood pride
For Allen, this project is personal. The Toronto-born executive first moved to Dallas 22 years ago to work at Neiman Marcus, after getting her engineering degree in Canada and her MBA at Harvard. Oak Cliff felt like the right place for her as an intown neighborhood, with a confluency of cultures, local pride and an entrepreneurial spirit, as she describes it. Her first Realtor told her Oak Cliff was “not the right place for her." Instead of choosing a different neighborhood, Allen chose a new Realtor.

She has lived on the same street in North Cliff since, now raising her two kids with her husband, an Oak Cliff native, whom she credits for her further understanding of the neighborhood, its roots and civic dynamics.

Under Allen’s leadership, Halperin Park is focused on a community-first approach that provides support to the neighbors through programs around health and wellness, after-school activities, local food trucks and markets, and educational workshops to help expand homeownership and financial acumen.

To highlight the history and culture of Oak Cliff, they will feature an annual Walk of Fame, lifting up the stories of those who contributed to Oak Cliff history, with the first one happening as part of the inauguration of the park, organizers say.

They will provide their own 24-hour security team to ensure a safe place for families and kids, with clean and well-lit crosswalks.

Given their proximity with the zoo, parking will be available on the East side of the park at the zoo site, with a walkway to the park. They are working on parking options for the West side.

“We want to create a space for community growth and more business in the area," says Allen. "We are already seeing this come to life with projects such as East Dock, and we are excited for future investment that the park will bring."

parks