Dallas, TX

Save downtown Dallas building destroyed by squatters? No, thanks

Published

15 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Save downtown Dallas building destroyed by squatters? No, thanks

Summer was just getting started when Dallas City Council member Jesse Moreno set off alarm bells about a vacant city-owned building that had been vandalized and ravaged just blocks from City Hall.

That this happened under the noses of city leaders was embarrassing, but even worse, it was expensive. The building at 711 S. St. Paul St. was no longer suitable for public use, covered in graffiti, with its plumbing and wiring ripped out and its rooms reeking of feces and urine. It required a cleaning company to remove the biohazards throughout.

By Aug. 28, after intense debate, the City Council voted to sell the building at auction.

If you interact with City Hall regularly, you know that glaciers move faster. By those standards, the council’s decision to liquidate the property three months after the squatting and the vandalism came to its attention is, well, progress.

So we couldn’t help but sigh in frustration when Dallas preservationists stepped in to say this building that no one but squatters paid any mind to for so long — not city officials, not the preservationists — is in a historic district recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. Wouldn’t it be a shame if it were demolished? The leader of a preservation group suggested the city advertise the availability of state and federal preservation tax credits along with the property.

Why complicate the matter? The city was right to stick to a basic advertisement for an auction Oct. 2. Find out what the market wants and sell off the property. Take care of this nuisance to residents and business owners.

Under the council’s chosen two-tier bidding process, potential buyers will offer a price for the property as-is and one for just the land, with the understanding that the city would demolish the building before transferring the property.

As for this historic building, we’re not talking about John Neely Bryan’s original cabin here. The low-slung structure was built in 1947 and served as a regional plant for American Optical, an eyewear company. Not exactly the stuff of postcards (or city manager recruitment brochures).

Perhaps there is a developer out there who would pay top dollar for an anonymous building that has been stripped of the infrastructure that made it functional — maybe someone who is passionate about the history of American eyewear manufacturing. That developer would have to apply for and agree to the strings attached to preservation tax credits, which require that properties be rehabilitated according to meticulous federal standards. That seems unlikely.

The city’s economic development department is right when it says that a one-story building is not the highest and best use for the land. This is an area that is set to be transformed by the redevelopment of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and where higher density is planned.

We often lament how the city doesn’t take care of its history, but the drama with 711 S. St. Paul St. is a chapter that City Hall should be eager to close.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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Dallas, TX

Diamond Dallas Page Calls This WWE Personality The Greatest Character In Wrestling – Wrestling Inc.

Published

7 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Press Room

Diamond Dallas Page Calls This WWE Personality The Greatest Character In Wrestling – Wrestling Inc.

Omar Vega/Getty Images

Diamond Dallas Page is a professional wrestling veteran who’s watched many personalities throughout the years. However, while he’s a big fan of modern stars like Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes, he believes the best character around at the moment is someone he worked with in WCW early on in his career.

“Who’s better than Paul Heyman? I mean, really,” DDP said on the “Drinks with Johnny” podcast. “I think the greatest character in professional wrestling right now is Paul Heyman.”

DDP has been impressed with Heyman’s work with The Bloodline, where he’s served as the “Wiseman” to Roman Reigns’ “Tribal Chief.” However, he believes that Heyman is destined to form a faction or faux company of his own someday.

“I’m going to predict something — this is totally off the wall… Paul Heyman gets fired [in storyline] and starts his own, can’t call it ECW anymore, but whatever the hell the name of it is and goes into opposition with WWE.”

It remains to be seen when Heyman will return to WWE television, as he’s been missing since The Bloodline powerbombed him through a table on the June 28 episode of “SmackDown.” The personality will undoubtedly be aligned with Roman Reigns when he returns to action, which should allow him to showcase more of the great character work that DDP — and many wrestling fans — have grown fond of.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Drinks with Johnny” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Dallas, TX

Cowboys vs Ravens: Dallas opens as 1.5-point favorites for Week 3

Published

22 hours ago

September 15, 2024

Press Room

Cowboys vs Ravens: Dallas opens as 1.5-point favorites for Week 3

There is no rest when it comes to the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys just got absolutely crushed by the New Orleans Saints, 44-19. It was a very disappointing effort by the home team, especially after looking elite in their Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. Now, they get the Baltimore Ravens at home for Week 3.

The Ravens were supposed to be legitimate contenders this year, but they have struggled to get their season going. They will come into AT&T Stadium next Sunday without a win. They lost in Week 1 to the Kansas City Chiefs, then lost to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

So you will have two desperate teams coming into Week 3. The Cowboys will be trying to erase the memory of the beatdown from the Saints, while the Ravens will be fighting to save their season. Coming back from an 0-3 start can be very difficult.

If you watched the Saints game, you might be surprised that the Cowboys are favored in Week 3 by 1.5 points. But when you consider they are at home, and the Ravens are struggling to win, it makes a little more sense.

What’s your take BTB? Would lay money on the Cowboys as the favorites against the Ravens.

Check our our partner FanDuel for all your betting needs.

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Dallas, TX

Here is our recap for all things Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints

Published

1 day ago

September 15, 2024

Press Room

Here is our recap for all things Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints

1st Quarter

The Cowboys won the toss and elected to defer which is a mindset that many people agree with generally.

Unfortunately the Saints showed up to AT&T Stadium ready to rock. They marched 80 yards across 7 plays and in just 4:10 for an opening touchdown from Alvin Kamara.

Dallas began to move and was experiencing a fair amount of success. Plenty of different people touched the ball, but then penalties began to happen. Sort of.

There was questionable no call against CeeDee Lamb (as in he was interfered with) and a horrible non-call on what was clearly a facemask against Rico Dowdle. Ultimately the Cowboys settled for a 52-yard field goal which Brandon Aubrey converted. It marked his 13th (out of 13 attempts) since joining the team in 2023.

Derek Carr and the Saints got back to work though… quickly. On the first play of the next drive he fired a dot to Rashid Shaheed for a 70-yard touchdown.

Dallas got back to work on offense and began putting together a drive and were well past midfield when the period ended.

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Notable Recent News

The Cowboys won every home game at AT&T Stadium last year, obviously only in the regular season, and are looking to pick up where they left off in that sense.

Injury Updates

As of Sunday morning it seems unlikely that Jake Ferguson will play for the Cowboys, but thankfully the week revealed that he seemed to have avoided a serious injury last week in Cleveland.

[UPDATE]: Jake Ferguson is out, as is New Orleans corner Marshon Lattimore.

NFL News Relevant To The Cowboys

On Saturday the San Francisco 49ers placed running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve. He is set to miss at least the next four games which takes him out through Week 5. The Cowboys visit San Francisco in Week 8, the first game out of the bye for Dallas.

Also on an injury note, Philadelphia wide receiver A.J. Brown was officially listed as questionable on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.