On January 12 at 1:12 p.m., the Dallas City Council unanimously approved Lakehill Preparatory School's zoning request for a planned development district and new facility enhancements.
"Today is truly one of those historical moments in the history of the school," said Headmaster Roger L. Perry after the vote. "The successful conclusion of the zoning process is an example of our neighborhood working with us to make this part of East Dallas a special place."
The vote is the culmination of nearly two years of preparation, including feasibility studies of space needs, legal issues, and funding requirements, numerous meetings with neighbors and members of the community, and ultimately approval by the City Planning Commission and City Council.
"We are extremely fortunate to have the support of our neighbors," said Perry. "We are grateful to all of those residents who participated in the process and gave their time, making this a great neighborhood.
Perry says that these dramatic enhancements will offer increased opportunities for all Lakehill students. Work with the contractors on the plans for 16,000 square feet of new space and 8,000 square feet of renovated space will begin in the next few weeks, with the hope of breaking ground in late spring or early summer. Perry plans to open the new facility for the fall semester of 2017. "Improving our school will have a positive effect on our entire neighborhood."
"I am so appreciative to those donors to the Opening Doors Capital Campaign who showed their commitment to our school early on," Perry said. Everyone will have the opportunity to be a part of this exciting effort and to have an impact on our students for generations to come."
"I also want to offer a special thanks to Michael Jung, our City Planning Commissioner, and Gloria Tarpley, Chairman of the City Planning Commission, for their time and efforts to help make this possible, and for guiding us through the zoning process. I am also grateful to our City Councilman, Mark Clayton, for his efforts to make East Dallas an exceptional place to live and go to school."