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Dallas, TX
South Dallas’ proposed ‘Winners Tower’ loses at city planning hearing
A proposed 25-story high rise in South Dallas was denied by the city planning commission Thursday, a significant roadblock for the project.
Winners Tower, at 1709 Martin Luther King Blvd on the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd and Colonial Avenue, is planned to include a hotel, condos, retail and parking. The project was proposed by Raphael Adebayo, the pastor at Winners Assembly Christian Church and the property’s current owner.
The sign of Winners Plaza is seen past Dallas Pastor Raphael Adebayo as he gives a tour of the complex, on Thursday, July 3, 2025 in Dallas. He is after the zoning commission for permission to redevelop his church into a 25-story luxury tower with a 150-160 room hotel, 60 condos and ground floor retail.
Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer
The tower needs a significant zoning change to the land parcel, which includes the church and surrounding retail strip, to move forward.
The commission heard public comment, including from associates of Adebayo, but they ultimately passed a motion to deny the zoning change request with prejudice.
The tower’s proponents voiced support for what they perceived as a radical new vision for the underserved South Dallas community. They cited job creation and innovation as reasons for the board to approve the project.
“When we talk about the revitalization of the South Dallas community, we wanna do things from ground up,” said Christopher Walker, the community engagement manager of Abounding Propserity, a non-profit that is currently a tenant of the land in question.
“As a tenant, and as someone who’s seen the spirit of Winners Assembly by being connected to Pastor Raphael and the staff, I’ve seen their passion and the purity they have to create these opportunities for those folks of this area,” he continued.
“This is an opportunity to create something new, to be innovative, and to create something different that’s needed.”
The two available renderings of Winners Tower, which is the 25-story high-rise being proposed at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Colonial Avenue.
Winners Development Corporation
However, board member Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan, who initially motioned to deny the proposal, cited a lack of community engagement from the applicants. She challenged the idea the project was actually for South Dallas residents.
“There are services that you offer that are beneficial to the community. But this project does not serve this community. This project serves other communities,” Wheeler-Reagan said during the hearing.
Concerns were raised about the height of the building, the price of the condos inside and how it fit in — or didn’t — with the historic character of the neighborhood.
“I cannot support this proposal, not because I’m not against growth, but because I believe growth must be rooted in respect, accountability and community,” according to board member Darrell Herbert, who seconded the motion.
“This structure is out of scale and out of step with the neighborhood’s historic character. It threatens to overshadow, not just physically, but symbolically, the homes, families and culture that define South Dallas,” he continued.
The initial plan for the project was 25 stories, but the applicants were willing to bring it down to 15 to quell concerns over the height of the building. City staff recommended granting a zoning change that would have allowed a multi-use project to move forward but that limited the tower to about five stories.
The applicants cited a 13-story apartment building less than a half-mile away as precedent for approving such a project, but Winners Tower would be a first-of-its-kind undertaking in the surrounding area because of its size and scoop.
Still, the applicants argued that it was in line with certain plans for the area.
“The proposed height will not be out of character with the evolving skyline of the area and will create a visual gateway to the MLK corridor,” said Esther Adebayo, daughter of Raphael Adebayo, and a representative of the project at the hearing.
“We believe that this project supports multiple goals of the South Dallas Fair Park Economic Development Plan [of] 2001 and the Forward Dallas comprehensive plan,” she added.
The proposal has an estimated cost of around $250 million, and Adebayo has previously announced his plans to get funding partly from EB-5 visa holders, who must invest a minimum of $800,000 in the U.S. and create 10 jobs. He has been buying up land since 2007, and Winners Assembly opened 21 years ago.
At the hearing, Adebayo and others tied to him said that several retailers and prospective tenants were already on board with the project.
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Adebayo spoke at the hearing, but could not be reached for additional comment following the denial.
The applicants can still appeal, including an appeal to City Council. The Council would need a three-fourths supermajority to overturn the planning commission’s denial and approve the rezoning.
DALLAS – Slow-moving thunderstorms brought localized flash flooding to parts of North Texas on Tuesday evening, blocking highways near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and dropping several inches of rain in portions of Tarrant and Parker counties.
Flash Flood Warnings
Local perspective:
Flash flood warnings are in effect for Hopkins, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt counties until 7:45 p.m.
Flooding was reported along Texas 183 near Valley View Lane south of DFW Airport, where stranded vehicles and water-covered roadways created hazardous travel conditions.
A flash flood warning remained in effect near the airport, although rainfall rates had begun to diminish as the storm weakened.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
The National Weather Service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Hood County, citing the potential for gusty winds and small hail. Forecasters reported hail ranging from pea-sized to marble-sized in parts of Hood, Parker and Denton counties.
Forecasters attributed the weakening storms in Denton County to an outflow boundary, a meteorological feature that can disrupt thunderstorm development.
The warning area was reduced as the storm weakened near sunset.
LIVE RADAR
What they’re saying:
FOX 4’s Kylie Capps said the storms moved unusually slowly from east to west, allowing heavy rain to accumulate over the same areas for several hours.
Rainfall estimates showed some locations in eastern Parker County and western Tarrant County received nearly 5 inches of rain during a six-hour period, while areas near DFW Airport recorded more than 2 inches.
Elsewhere in North Texas, northern Rains County received nearly 5 inches of rain.
7-Day Forecast
What’s next:
Forecasters expect a quieter overnight period, with only isolated showers lingering into the evening. Additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon, though coverage and the threat of severe weather are expected to remain limited.
Temperatures are forecast to reach about 90 degrees Wednesday.
Rain chances are expected to continue through the remainder of the workweek and into the weekend as an upper-level low-pressure system sends multiple disturbances across North Texas.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Weather Team
Monday was a wild day for the NFL with two blockbuster trades. First was Myles Garrett, who both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were rumored to have interest in.
Cowboys fans never bought into these rumors, knowing that Jerry Jones was unlikely to make such an investment. The Eagles, however, have been known to get aggressive. Thankfully for Dallas fans, they didn’t make the move as the Cleveland Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of picks.
Not long after that trade was finalized, the Eagles did wind up making a trade. After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots, the two sides made it official as Brown was reunited with Mike Vrabel in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Dallas Cowboys could take the NFC East crown in 2026
The writing has been on the wall all offseason regarding Brown, who has been unhappy with the Eagles for a while. His departure seemed confirmed when they traded up with Dallas in the 2026 NFL draft for USC receiver Makai Lemon.
While Lemon has the tools to be a difference-maker, he won’t be able to perform at the same level as Brown during his rookie season. The Eagles do still have DeVonta Smith at receiver as well as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That said, there’s no denying that they’re weaker this season than they were with Brown. Just as important, however, is the fact that general manager Howie Roseman didn’t pull off a shocking move for Garrett, which would have made them the overwhelming favorites in the division.
Cowboys chances hinge on defensive changes
Another reason the Cowboys are confident they can hang with Philadelphia this season is the presence of Christian Parker, who they hired as their defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Eagles.
Parker brings in a new scheme and plenty of confidence, but more importantly, he has several new weapons at his disposal. Dallas traded for veterans Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant, and selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the draft.
Those are just some of the moves they made on defense, and they’re banking on that to be enough to help propel them past the team that has won the division the past two seasons.
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