Tearing down art and vision
Re: “Mushroom is no more — Car dealer Cooley mows down landmark house,” Friday Metro & Business story.
As a retired CEO of an architectural firm that designed public buildings (including city halls) across the country and partnered with my wife in building/restoring homes in the Park Cities for 20 years, I feel the need to comment on the demise of two iconic buildings in the Dallas area.
The Mushroom House in Highland Park was a true delight to experience as a whimsical statement that existed somewhere between myth and legend. The couple who designed this home offered us an opportunity to see how art can bless our world.
The second iconic building is Dallas City Hall. This building along with the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center provide us a vision of greatness that previous leaders demanded.
Opinion
Dallas City Hall has been offered up for demolition over the last several months by an endless stream of people who have no actual professional studies to back up that conclusion.
The City Hall decision seems to have been made. However, a study by a city-related organization is currently underway and I only hope that the current owner of the Mushroom House is not one of the members of that committee.
Hal Sargent, North Dallas
Mavs can help downtown
Re: “Downtown and out,” Sunday Business story.
Can downtown Dallas be saved? If a patient, it’s in critical condition in the ICU in a medically induced coma.
Downtown Dallas (the patient) has had some of the best medical care (Dallas’ network of private developers and real estate companies) for years. The patient improved for a decade, but now it appears all medical options have been exhausted. Despite the heroic efforts of the doctors, the hospital (Dallas City Hall, infrastructure, mayor and leaders) slipped into disarray.
AT&T is now leaving. More office and retail departures will happen. We can’t convert downtown Dallas into all residential — why would anyone want to live there?
Which means the only answer — as Ray Washburne and Jack Matthews stated — is to demolish I.M. Pei’s City Hall, locate the Dallas Mavericks there and create an entertainment district in conjunction with the planned convention center.
Failing that, the patient dies and the hospital closes.
Guy Mercurio, Dallas
Dallas police and ICE
Re: “Dallas police oversight board seeks routine reports on officers’ work with ICE,” online story.
Thank you for this story on the police oversight board’s request for regular reports on the Dallas Police Department’s interactions with ICE. We need to know if DPD is merely observing or facilitating ICE’s activities.
There are other things we need to know as well: Can DPD protect Dallas residents when we are being assaulted by ICE agents? Should we call DPD when ICE is demanding warrantless entry into our homes? Is DPD even allowed to tell us if the masked gunman on our street is even from ICE? Can DPD be counted on to protect volunteers in immigration courts from ICE intimidation?
I agree with board chairman John Mark Davidson that more information is “necessary for transparency and community trust.”
Rob Peebles, East Dallas
Listen to father of DART
Re: “Father of DART fighting — Forty years after campaigning for it, he still supports the vision,” Jan. 11 Metro story.
If we had listened to Walt Humann several years ago, the Great Hall and surrounding areas at Fair Park would be resembling their “former glory.” And now, it’s DART.
“When will we ever learn?” Repeat.
Ruth B. Mason, Dallas
Thanks for supporting health
Re: “A Comeback We’re Not Celebrating — Why are officials silent when illnesses not seen in decades are spreading again?“ Sunday editorial.
Your editorial regarding vaccination rates was excellent. Thank you for supporting public health and evidence-based medicine.
W. Stephen Love, Irving,
President and CEO,
Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council
AT&T out, City Hall in
The sad news that AT&T is off to Plano comes with a thank-you to their CEO for the timing of this announcement. The city leadership has a great opportunity to move into their building for the future of Dallas City Hall.
Arguments for the renovation of the I.M. Pei building need to be set aside. The freeing up of the property currently housing City Hall opens up a tremendous redevelopment opportunity. Time to strike a deal with the Stars or Mavericks, or other developers.
Arthur Harding, University Park
Hello? Congress?
President Donald Trump blatantly violated Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution with his invasion of Venezuela. He did not have a declaration of war from Congress, much less a consultation with the Gang of Eight committee.
Trump also says that the United States will run Venezuela, but he does not even have an operation plan. It is time for Congress to grow a spine and impeach the president.
Andrew L. Norton, Mesquite
Venezuela false equivalency
The takedown of Nicolás Maduro and his wife inures to the benefit of the Venezuelan people who for far too long have been denied their God-given right to freedom and liberty, while greatly reducing a threat to the United States from Russia and China in our own backyard.
It is a false equivalency to argue that our actions in Venezuela only embolden Russia and China to act in similar fashion, as we overthrew Maduro to set a nation free whereas Russia and China would act for the purpose of subjugating the target of their ire.
Venezuela today, and God willing, Cuba tomorrow.
John Riggs, Highland Park