The City of Dallas updated the public about work being done at Pioneer Park, Pioneer Plaza and Pioneer Cemetery a week after the Save City Hall Coalition formally requested an investigation into whether the historic cemetery was being used “for a new sports arena or convention center expansion.” Attorneys for the coalition filed the formal notice on July 16.
Pioneer Cemetery was established in 1849 and is Dallas’ first cemetery. Four Dallas mayors and other civic leaders are buried there and it is a designated landmark and has a state historical marker.
In a statement posted July 23, the city said Pioneer Cemetery is part of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Master Plan, a redevelopment effort the city says has been “publicly documented and underway for some time.” The city described the cemetery, Pioneer Park and Pioneer Plaza as a single, integrated project area, and said it is separate from other development discussions happening nearby.
In the master plan, the city says Pioneer Park is the number two most-visited location in downtown Dallas, and “serves as both a cultural touchstone and a connection to Dallas’ past.” The planned enhancements include improved pathways, upgraded lighting, refreshed landscaping and new visitor amenities.
“The reimagined Pioneer Park will honor the city’s beginnings while creating a vibrant, welcoming destination that connects history, art and community in the heart of a rapidly transforming convention and entertainment district,” the master plan says.
The city said surveyors recently spotted on-site are documenting gravesites, headstones and topography as part of preservation work, not preparation for construction, and stated there are “no plans to disturb any burial sites or remains.”
“This is foundational preservation work that ensures every historical detail of Pioneer Cemetery is accurately recorded and protected as this project moves forward,” the update says.
Officials said the work has been coordinated with the State of Texas and complies with historical preservation law.
“The work associated with Pioneer Park is aimed at preserving and honoring the history of Pioneer Cemetery while enhancing the park as a destination for residents and visitors alike. Pioneer Park is one of the most visited locations in Dallas and one of the most photographed parts of North Texas,” the city said in the update.
The coalition’s July 16 notice warned that disturbing the cemetery without following strict state procedures could expose the city to felony charges under the Texas Penal Code and civil penalties of up to $2,000 per day.
Dallas City Hall
In a separate move, coalition attorneys sent the city a formal request on July 22 demanding an investigation into whether Dallas City Hall is being “demolished by neglect.” The request points to problems city staff have already discussed publicly — like water leaking inside the building, a broken gutter system, leaks near electrical equipment in the parking garage, a broken storm drain, and cracked concrete that needed emergency repairs.
“The City of Dallas cannot be allowed to bypass its own laws by letting a historic landmark fall into disrepair through intentional neglect,” said Bruce Richardson, the coalition’s president. He said city law requires the Historic Preservation Officer to inspect the building, figure out how repairs would be paid for, and report the building’s condition to the Landmark Commission — and that none of that has happened yet.
The coalition says this request also counts as a legal warning under a city charter rule known as Proposition S. If the city doesn’t act on the investigation, the coalition says it could take legal action.
The disputes follow months of council action on City Hall itself. In June, the council voted 9-6 to reject a plan to repair City Hall and instead instructed the city manager to move forward with exploring other options for the site, after a meeting that included two council members suing their own city and multiple failed amendments.
The vote happened weeks after the Dallas Mavericks announced the team will leave downtown and head to North Dallas, ending months of speculation that the team would move into Dallas City Hall.
WFAA has requested a comment from the City of Dallas about the formal request from the coalition.