No ‘straight answer’: Why Pioneer Cemetery is the latest battleground at City Hall

A historic downtown cemetery has found itself in the crosshairs of a group skeptical about the direction of development in downtown Dallas. 

The Pioneer Park cemetery is home to the graves of Dallas’ founders. Nearly every major Dallas myth hero and corresponding street name can be found etched into the stones — many of which date back to the 1800s. But the burial site also sits in the heart of downtown, tucked between the convention center and City Hall building. 

It’s that location that worries the Save City Hall coalition, a group of organizers who have stood opposed to plans for Dallas’ municipal government to abandon the I.M. Pei-designed building on Marilla Street. According to a notice the coalition sent to the city on Thursday, surveyors have been spotted at the cemetery in recent weeks, and rumors have begun to emerge that the graves may have been included in the latest plans to develop the convention center and surrounding area. 

“Pioneer Cemetery is hallowed ground, not a real estate opportunity,” the coalition said in a statement. “The law is crystal clear: you cannot simply pave over the founders of this city to build a basketball arena or a convention center hall. Any attempt to disturb these remains without strict adherence to state statutes is not just a civil violation — it is a jailable felony.”

The notice is the seventh that the coalition has sent to the city in recent months, and each threatens litigation if Dallas’ government fails to comply with various codes and ordinances. In reference to Pioneer Park, the coalition claims that the cemetery’s status as a historical landmark protects it from demolition or tampering. The notice also outlines an extensive process that must be followed when moving remains. 

A city of Dallas spokesperson confirmed to the Observer Thursday afternoon that the city was aware of the notice, but stated that any work being done at the cemetery is above board and planned. The city declined to comment on the notice itself. 

“Pioneer Park is currently under a plan to refurbish the steers and rider, fix the drainage and replant. There is no plan to change the site into something different,” the statement said. 

Still, this is not the first time that the cemetery’s downtown location has been questioned. 

The Dallas City Council approved the construction of a new convention center back in 2022. At the time, the state-of-the-art facility came with a $2 billion price tag. (Four years and two construction delays later, we’re looking at a $3.8 billion total.) 

Some council members opposed the plan, in part because of the cost. But the Pioneer Park cemetery was cited as a challenge for the site plan, with council member Cara Mendelsohn stating that “across the nation,” people in the events, convention, and hospitality industries “make fun of Dallas for having a cemetery outside of its convention center.” 

On Thursday, Mendelsohn declined to say whether she’s heard of any plans involving the redevelopment of the cemetery, but said she’s asked about the burial site “probably 10 times” during various council meetings, and has never been given “a straight answer.” 

Still, the staunch supporter of City Hall said she could be persuaded into endorsing a cemetery relocation, with one major stipulation. 

“I could support moving Pioneer Cemetery to Old City Park or combining it into one of the historic cemeteries in the city limits if the agreement included a provision to not abandon [or] relocate City Hall,” Mendelsohn said.