I just spoke with Jon duPerier, a general partner here in Dallas who owns the Lower Greenville block that burned.  He told me that he and his partners are history buffs who feel strongly that their building is one of the most historically significant on Greenville Avenue.  He acknowledged that while it would be cheaper to scrape and rebuild, they would rather make the investment and keep a part of Dallas’ history alive.  They are going to preserve the facade and rebuild in the same footprint asap.  The city will be expediting permits for the project, and I told Jon that I would work with him if any issues arose.

This is great news on so many levels.  Jon was very sensitive to the loss to the business owners and their families and wants to get them back in business as soon as possible.  The reconstruction also means that we won’t be looking at a burned out building for months, and will get to see a part of our history revived in short order.

It’s so great to know there are property owners who are invested in our community, not just their small piece of it.  Many thanks to Jon and his partners for their commitment to Lower Greenville and our businesses, residents, and history.

From the Lakewood Advocate Backtalk Blog, here’s a great picture of original plans for the building back in 1931 versus today (pre-fire).  The sketch appeared in the June 14, 1931 edition of  The Dallas Morning News along with the caption, “J. T. Piranio is erecting the modern store building at Greenville avenue and Goodwin street at a cost of $25,000. This will provide six large store-rooms, designed in the latest style.”

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