A new H-E-B store planned for the corner of Hillcrest Road and LBJ Freeway in Dallas is drawing mixed reactions from nearby residents after a packed City Council meeting Wednesday night.
Some neighbors said the beloved Texas grocery store is a dream come true, is long overdue and will bring convenience to the area.
“I know I hear they have really great products that are unique and specific to them, so I’m excited to check it out and see what they offer,” said Arielle Rosson, who lives nearby. “I think it will be great. If I can walk to it, I think that will be great.”
But for others, the store’s walkability is part of the concern.
“I fear that putting a store right in our backyard is going to hurt our property values. There’s going to be noise,” said Diane Glaser, a neighbor.
“For the older folks who’ve lived here for years, we’re very concerned about our neighborhood becoming a retail area,” said Gaylynn Spencer, another neighbor.
The project calls for a 127,000-square-foot store with a parking garage on 10 acres.
Neighbors worry the construction could decrease property values, change the character of the neighborhood and, most of all, worsen traffic congestion.
A look at the intersection on a typical Thursday afternoon showed traffic already stacking up on LBJ at Hillcrest.
H-E-B officials told NBC 5 the company plans to add turn lanes and make other upgrades to help ease congestion, including a new right-turn lane from northbound Hillcrest to eastbound LBJ.
But some residents want stronger guarantees.
“H-E-B is saying to us that we’ll fix this and we’ll fix the traffic, we’ll fix the lights, the entrance and exit. But they’ve put nothing in writing. So we have nothing to hold on to. Once it’s a go, it’s a go,” Glaser said.
H-E-B said it will continue working with the city on additional improvements as the project moves forward.
A timeline for when the grocer will break ground or open the store has not been provided.