The Dallas City Council unanimously voted to renew the current terms of a specific-use permit that limits the hours and operations of the historic Aldredge House on Swiss Avenue.
District 14 Councilman David Blewett followed the City Plan Commission’s recommendation and motioned to approve the permit for another three years. It will expire in January 2024.
“This SUP is the result of numerous neighborhood conversations,” Blewett said. “There are still hard feelings on both sides, but the purpose of this renewal is to buy time for both sides to work together to figure out a more permanent solution. For now, it’s my belief [that] it’s the best option for the neighborhood and to maintain peace.”
Under the specific-use permit from 2018, the Aldredge House can operate as a house museum, meeting space and fundraising site within a Planned Development District. The permit also allows the house to open 36 times per year — three nonconsecutive times per month — for events from 5-10 p.m.
The Dallas County Medical Society Alliance agreed to the SUP after many neighbors complained about noise and traffic when the historic home operated as an event venue. Melanie Vanlandingham, president of Friends of Aldredge House, said there have been no violations since the SUP was implemented three years ago, but many neighbors still opposed a commercial property operating in a residential neighborhood.
“We’ve had a front row seat to what goes on there,” neighborhood opposition leader David Dean said. “We vehemently opposed the original application. They sought to expand the hours until 11 p.m. Who does that? Not a good neighbor.”
Dean was one of 66 people who registered to speak at Wednesday’s meeting. Many spoke in support, including David Preziosi, executive director of Preservation Dallas, and Mark Aldredge, the grandson of Rena Munger Aldredge, who gifted the home to the medical alliance roughly 50 years ago.
“My grandmother’s gift was the catalyst of Swiss Avenue being designated Dallas’ first historic district,” he said. “This will continue to fulfill my grandmother’s original wishes and share it with the city of Dallas.”
