After the fire: How rebuilding where Preston Place Condominiums means for our neighborhood

For years, the corner of Preston Road and Northwest Highway stood as a reminder of a neighborhood tragedy. The site behind the Pink Wall, where the former Preston Place Condominiums burned down in 2017, is now home to a high-rise apartment building, marking the end of a chapter of uncertainty and possibly the beginning of a new phase of development for the neighborhood.

On March 3, 2017, Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a call at 6255 W. Northwest Highway. The three-story condominium complex Preston Place was ablaze. According to a release from DFR, the incident soon became a seven-alarm fire that killed one resident, sent two to the hospital and displaced over 100 more. The fire was not officially declared extinguished until almost two days later. Once the smoke had cleared, the question was left of what could rise in its place.

That discussion became part of a larger zoning debate involving Planned Development No. 15, the approximately 12.6 acres bounded by West Northwest Highway, Pickwick Lane and Baltimore Avenue. At the time, the area was already home to Preston Tower, The Athena and several low-rise condominium properties. Just a couple months before the fire, the City approved the Northwest Highway and Preston Road Area Plan, which laid out a vision for the area that included encouraging redevelopment to deal with the area’s aging infrastructure.

In 2019, the City Plan Commission approved changes to PD-15 that would allow greater height and density than what already existed in the area in accordance with the plan. The changes drew vocal opposition from neighbors, including a group that later formed the association Citizens Advocating Responsible Development.

The issue came to a head on Sept. 11, 2019, when City Council passed the zoning amendments. The vote was unanimous despite the opposition voiced by neighbors. A survey sent out to 854 nearby property owners received 599 responses in dissent and 162 in support. Fifteen neighbors, many dressed in white, spoke at the meeting in opposition.

“I have supported the authorized hearing process from the beginning as it is the only viable option to redevelop the site because of the shared rights of six parcels contained in PD-15 with zoning rights dating back to 1947,” then-District 13 Council member Jennifer Staubach Gates told the Advocate ahead of the meeting. “My only goal has been to achieve a footprint to allow for quality development that protects the neighborhood from deterioration. I envision this area maintaining a residential atmosphere and incorporating more green space and pedestrian-friendly amenities to attract new residents to accommodate a growing Dallas.”

Other supporters argued that redevelopment was not just inevitable but necessary. Mary Ann Scott, one of three neighbors who spoke in support at the meeting, told council members that the building she lived in and the neighborhood at large needed new development.

“Preston Place burned, and if these buildings are allowed to stay, there may be a similar tragedy,” Scott said.

Others focused on what the zoning change would and would not guarantee.

Neighbor David Chortek argued that allowing higher-density buildings would not ensure more attainable housing. At the time, he said most residences in the area rented for about $1 per square foot — a relatively affordable price for the neighborhood — while The Laurel, a newer development nearby, was already leasing for more than $2 per square foot. A future project built under the new zoning could command even higher rents, he warned.

Despite City Council’s approval, the vote did not immediately translate into new construction. For several years, the Preston Place site remained vacant until the Houston-based Hanover Company bought the property in 2022.

Now, the lot is home to Hanover Preston Hollow, a luxury apartment building that rises over 20 stories and includes hundreds of apartment units. As Chortek predicted, average rents at the property exceed $3 per square foot.

Hanover Preston Hollow marks the end of a long chapter for the former Preston Place site. But the conversation about development is far from over, as the residents continue to grapple with how new and affordable housing should be incorporated into the neighborhood.