Land acquisition no walk in park for SMU

[Cheesesteak]

Land acquisition no walk in park for SMU

Purchase of tract near probable Bush library site requires UP vote

Monday, September 4, 2006

By KRISTEN HOLLAND / The Dallas Morning News

A tiny sliver of city-owned land near Southern Methodist University has become a high-profile player – and potential design glitch – in the university's bid for the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

SMU wants to buy the Potomac Park tract from University Park, which values it at $1.6 million – a patchwork of land on less than one acre that might be pieced together for the presidential library. But it won't be as easy as cutting a check to the city.

University Park residents recently adopted a charter amendment requiring voter approval if the city wants to use more than 5,000 square feet of parkland for non-park purposes.

But the earliest the matter could be put to a vote is May, and some wonder whether failure at the polls could disrupt SMU's library plans.

People who have seen the initial library design that SMU gave the presidential site selection committee say that not having the land shouldn't cost SMU in getting the project. But, they said, it could create planning problems because the park stretches east to west across part of the possible library site between Airline Road and Dublin Street.

"It would definitely be a fly in the ointment," said one person familiar with the SMU package, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "It has to be dealt with in some way."

SMU officials declined to discuss their library proposal in detail. They also declined to specify their plans for the park.

They are battling Baylor University in Waco and the University of Dallas for the Bush library and archives, a draw for top-flight faculty, scholars and tourists. The winner is expected to be announced later this year or early next year.

SMU first asked about having a vote on obtaining the parkland in November but now is considering a May election. University officials haven't expressed alarm over that delay, appearing far more concerned over a lingering civil suit they now say is affecting the "race for the presidential library."

Lawyer Gary Vodicka has accused SMU of fraud and intimidation to oust him and other residents of a condo complex to make way for the library on university property north of Mockingbird Lane. SMU officials have denied that, saying they acquired the property fairly.

At a federal bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, John McElhaney, an attorney for SMU, said numerous delays in the lawsuit were troubling, according to the SMU Daily Campus newspaper.

"We are running short on time; we need to get this cleared up so we can be part of the race for the presidential library," he said.

A bankruptcy judge sent the case back to state court.

SMU has argued that Mr. Vodicka is purposely trying to delay the case with various legal maneuvers. He has rejected that, saying he is trying to protect his investment in the condos.

Master plan
The Dallas Morning News reported in March that SMU had retained Hillier Architecture of Princeton, N.J., to prepare a conceptual master plan of the library that tentatively placed it in the southeastern part of the campus, bounded roughly by Airline Road, Central Expressway and SMU Boulevard.

Under that idea, the presidential library probably would front Mockingbird Lane and feature a complex of buildings that could include a high-tech museum, archives and a public policy institute.

Potomac Park and three duplexes on Potomac Avenue are the only properties SMU doesn't own between SMU Boulevard and the southern edge of the former Mrs Baird's Bakery site at Mockingbird and North Central Expressway, according to SMU.

Leon Bennett, SMU's vice president for legal affairs and governmental relations, said Potomac Park is nothing more than another puzzle piece in its campus redevelopment efforts.

The park could be described as a greenbelt or oversized median strip, dotted with oak trees and shrubs behind the plaza, home to a La Madeleine bakery, an SMU bookstore and other retail shops.

University Park City Manager Bob Livingston said the city in early June received a written request from SMU to buy the tract. He said he never asked but assumed SMU needed it in connection with the library.

In the June 2 letter, SMU President Gerald Turner wrote, "In addition to payment of the fair market value of the property, the University will reimburse the City for expenses associated with the sale of said land, including appraisal fees, survey costs and election costs."

University Park City Council members discussed the request June 20. Mayor Blackie Holmes suggested the city hold a public hearing before placing the request on the ballot.

City and university leaders say that SMU backed off its request for a November election. They're now looking to put it on the May 12 ballot.

Mr. Bennett said the university would participate in the public hearing, promising to be "prepared and forthright with everybody at that time."

Mixed feelings
University Park residents – including those who live across the street from Potomac Park – have mixed feelings about SMU wanting to secure the land.

Ed Freeman said he would love to see SMU develop the property – but not until the university owns all of the contiguous property, including his family's Potomac Avenue home.

Mr. Freeman, an SMU alumnus, said the university has tried to buy his house. He declined to disclose how much SMU offered, but said the school "paid very nicely" for a lot of the rental properties on the block. SMU owns all but three of the 11 duplexes on Potomac.

Ruby Propst is in a similar situation. The retired English teacher said that she and her 82-year-old husband moved into their duplex on Potomac five or six years ago to be close to family.

Mrs. Propst declined to specify how much SMU has offered her. She said she'd love for SMU to get the Bush library, even if it means bulldozing her home.

"I hate to give up our home for it, but that's just selfish on my part," she said. "Someone has to give something. If they don't put the library here, the school will make good use of it, but I'd sort of like to see the library here rather than Waco or somewhere else."

Staff writers David Dillon and Holly K. Hacker contributed to this report.

[indianmustang]

it looks this might hurt SMU chances in landing library

[centexstang]

looks like the city could use this money to enhance a real park since UP said it was like a large median and be a win/win situation for both.

[The Q]

it looks this might hurt SMU chances in landing library

I doubt it. I've had a hunch this has been a done deal for months.

[smu diamond m]

I agree Q. I think this is done, and we just have to wait to hear it.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Well, if I gained anything from this article, it's knowing that my 3rd grade teacher is still alive. Geez, how random is that?

[mustangnation]

where is this park that is being talked about? all i remember is a bunch of old apartments being there.

[couch 'em]

where is this park that is being talked about? all i remember is a bunch of old apartments being there.

There is a small strip of land between the shopping center and Potomic ave, looks like about 10 feet wide. I'm assuming this is the "park".