DART criticized over weeds

Gary has been trying to get the lot adjacent to the Annex cleaned up for months.  It is a storage yard that DART has neglected, allowing trees, weeds and even stray dogs to take up residence there.  He finally contacted David Schechter at WFAA and they came out and did a story on the situation.  DART immediately cleaned up the mess and looks much nicer now!  Thank you WFAA and DART!

DART criticized over weeds

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

With the largest light rail construction project in North America, DART is really growing its system.  But it turns out, it's also growing some weeds.

A Dallas developer says DART has failed to clean up an overgrown property right next to his.

The Hickory Street Annex is a little oasis in Deep Ellum.  But it sits right next to a DART storage yard that has not been kept up.

Gary Kaelson's banquet hall is supposed to be an elegant place.  But he's not happy with what he sees out his window.  "Overgrown weeds, lumber and shopping carts and stray dogs," he said of the view.  Kaelson says the yard has been overgrown for years.

Recently, he started asking DART to clean up the yard, where the agency stores concrete cross-ties.  He has been trying to get it cleaned up for a year and a half.  This morning we forwarded Kaelson's complaint to DART.  By noon, DART was cleaned up.

"We want to make sure we're good neighbors.  We didn't do that in this case, we're sorry and we're going to get it taken care of," a DART spokesperson said.  DART is building almost 30 miles of rail, so there's bound to be some construction impacts on neighbors.  But it works hard to stay in touch with community concerns.

Click her to see article at WFAA.com