Park News

DART Rail stop at Dallas' Victory Plaza gets green space upgrade

Behold the green space. Also, how about that office building.

DART

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Victory Park station, where you get off for events at American Airlines Center, has a new greenspace. Called Victory Station Plaza, it's a one-acre public green space adjacent to the DART Victory Station and across the street from the American Airlines Center.

More pertinently, it's adjacent to Victory Commons One, a new Class-A office building from Hillwood Urban, part of Hillwood, Ross Perot Jr's development company.

Hillwood Urban partnered with DART to build the greenspace, which was completed on November 19 — simultaneously to the completion of the Victory Commons building, which btw they say will offer a unique urban office environment, with outdoor rooftop terrace providing views of the Dallas skyline, plus a ground floor tenant lounge and coffee bar. Tenants only? Boo.

The plaza is the size of a football field and occupies land that was previously a parking lot. It's wedged between the above-mentioned new office building and a parking garage.

It's not much more than a patch of green with a few trees, but it's an improvement over the previous sea of cement that faced commuters as they got off the train, even if it comes to us only as the byproduct of a Hillwood new build.

A release says the green space can be used by DART commuters, arena sports fans, office workers, and Victory Park-area residents.

DART’s Victory Station opened in 2001 and hosts a larger-than-usual number of lines including DART Light Rail Green and Orange Lines, Trinity Railway Express, as well as DART Light Rail Red and Blue Lines used for special events.

The station did feature art, namely unique elements by local artist Pamela Nelson; as with all of DART's art, it reflects the neighborhood and residents it serves.

In a statement, Nadine Lee, president & CEO at DART calls the Plaza "a fantastic opportunity to provide much needed green space to the area while ensuring our passengers have enhanced access to Victory Station."

Ken Reese, executive vice president of Hillwood Urban, calls it "a terrific partnership with DART where together, we were able to bring a great new public park into an urban environment," and says it's been in the works ever since AAC was built.

"This Park space was always part of DART’s plan for this land going back 20 years to when Hillwood originally built the AAC," Reese says. "We are excited to help make this happen and enhance the neighborhood, not to mention provide great views from the office space overlooking the park."

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Animal News

Wills Point, Texas man charged with cruelty for abandoning 18 animals

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Lucas Wayne Penrod, charged with animal cruelty

Another animal cruelty case has emerged from Van Zandt County, resulting in the arrest of a Wills Point man: Lucas Wayne Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

It began on Friday, October 24, when the Wills Point Police Department performed a welfare check at a mobile home within the city limits. Officers became concerned when they heard multiple dogs barking along with a foul odor of animal waste.

On October 25, after obtaining a search warrant, Wills Point PD and the SPCA of Texas ACI Unit entered the residence and found multiple animals living in deplorable conditions.

The mobile home was filled with trash and animal feces. The team discovered a total of 8 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 4 adult dogs, and 4 puppies, cruelly confined to the unsanitary living conditions on the property.

Two dogs were confined to filthy crates with no access to water.
Three puppies were in a small bathroom covered in urine and feces; one of the puppies was deceased and decomposing.
The guinea pigs were found in a cage without access to food or water.

Most of the animals showed signs of long-term neglect and were in dire need of urgent medical intervention. The animals were seized by the SPCA of Texas and transported to the organization's Dallas location for veterinary care.

Dog in cage Wills Point Lucas Wayne Penrod Dog abandoned in Wills Point by Lucas Wayne Penrod.SPCA

On October 26, Lucas Wayne Penrod, the owner of the animals, contacted an SPCA of Texas Investigator regarding the animals. The Investigator determined that Penrod had unlawfully allegedly abandoned the animals, failing to provide them with proper care, resulting in the death of one of the puppies and the critical state of the surviving animals.

On October 28, the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Penrod, who was apprehended by Tyler Police Department and booked into the Smith County Jail with a $50K bond. Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

On November 1, at a civil custody hearing at the Van Zandt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 courthouse in Wills Point, Penrod relinquished custody of the 18 allegedly abandoned, cruelly treated animals to the SPCA.

"The squalid conditions these beautiful animals were living in were abhorrent--locked in spaces without food or water, in their own excrement," said SPCA of Texas ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA. "This is some of the worst mistreatment of domestic animals I've seen in my extensive career in animal cruelty investigations. In no small part, these pets owe their lives to the Wills Point Police Department. If it wasn’t for their quick thinking to involve us right away, I don't think the animals would have made it."

"This case perfectly illustrates the team effort that investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases in Texas is," Burns added. "We are extremely thankful to the Tyler Police Department for their efficient assistance in apprehending Penrod so that he can be brought to justice in the timeliest manner possible. And we are especially grateful to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and court system with whom we continue to partner to get justice for abused animals in their jurisdiction."