FORT WORTH -- Texas Wesleyan University is a step closer to tearing down one of the oldest homes on the east side.
Wesleyan officials persuaded Fort Worth's Zoning Commission this week to vote to remove the historic designation on the 90-year-old Dillow House, which is in the path of a development planned by the university.The prairie-style house, near the corner of East Rosedale Street and Vaughn Boulevard, was built by Samuel Dillow, a grocer and banker who lived in the two-story, 3,500-square-foot home until he died in 1931. His daughter, Audrey Dillow, graduated from Wesleyan and donated the house to the university in 1979. She lived there until her death in 1982.Wesleyan used the house, which received a historic designation in 1990, as its alumni headquarters and a meeting place until 2007. It has been vacant since then and deteriorated after being damaged by two fires.University officials sought the zoning change after the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission denied the school's request to demolish the Dillow House in August. The commission said the school did not show that the property had lost its historic significance or that the school would suffer an economic hardship renovating the 1912 home.On Wednesday, Wesleyan President Fred Slabach told the Zoning Commission that the university is proud of its heritage and has been a good steward of several historic properties on its campus, some dating to 1902. It plans to renovate the former Polytechnic Heights firehouse nearby for its use.But the university plans to develop a new office building for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church on its campus and needs the Dillow House property for a new campus entryway. About 25 employees from the conference office on the city's near west side will move to the new 15,000-square-foot building at Wesleyan, Slabach said.The university said that the Dillow House is valued at about $11,500 but that renovations could cost more than $800,000."It was a difficult decision," Slabach said of the commission's 6-3 vote. "In terms of revitalization of east Fort Worth, it was a good decision."The City Council will vote on the issue at its meeting Feb. 5.John Roberts, chairman-elect of the nonprofit Historic Fort Worth, asked commissioners to deny the request because the house is too important to the Polytechnic Heights neighborhood."Its loss would be a shame," Robert said.This was the first time the issue was brought before the Zoning Commission. Some commissioners said it was difficult allowing the removal of the historic designation, but it was not up to them to determine economic hardship on the university."We have a different responsibility than the Landmarks Commission," Commissioner Charles Edmonds said. "We need to consider what's in the best interest for the city of Fort Worth."Slabach said that if the request was denied, the school would keep the house boarded up and wait for a donor to fund its renovation.Community preservationist Libby Willis also opposed the request, saying it would set a "terrible precedent" and hamper the city's historic landmarks program by allowing any property owner with a historic designation to have it removed."This is not good for the city as a whole," she said.Sandra Baker, 817-390-7727Twitter: @SandraBakerFWSTHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
