Here we go again!

The developer has resubmitted essentially the same proposal that was denied by the city council in December.

As a reminder, this proposal is to remove the old Baptist church and annex, and build six 30-foot tall mixed use, live/work type buildings, on the corner of W. Bethel Road and Main Street. The gateway of Old Town Coppell.

What is new in the developer’s latest proposal, is that he has requested an additional permit to demolish the two buildings, erasing an important part of Coppell’s history forever. This developer, in a Fox 4 News interview, said that he never had any intention to tear the buildings down. Finally, we see his true colors.

There is a Planning & Zoning Committee meeting on the evening of Thursday, March 16th. Please join us again to voice your opinion on this proposed development. On March 30th, there is an Old Town Coppell meeting where the Council will discuss its existing stance on Old Town and their plans for its future. Your attendance and participation are highly encouraged!

While a new building may be appealing to some, on face value, there is a lot more at stake for Old Town Coppell business and residential property owners, and ultimately, Coppell residents. The entire area has been marketed by the City and is known as Old Town Coppell because of its old buildings. Shoppers, diners and patrons to the area are drawn there because of the atmosphere and charm it offers, unlike your run-of-the-mill strip center. This will be all but gone if this proposal goes ahead as the developer has plans for the north-west corner as well, tearing down the Cottage Salon, putting them out of business too. If we lose the concentration of the old and historic buildings, the buildings left behind will start to look out of place, lose their appeal and value, leading to financial hardship for those businesses as they will ultimately have to sell to developers for land value only.

Additionally, their property values will increase substantially leading to an increase in property taxes, adding an additional financial burden. Whether these structures are built as they sell, or constructed as empty shells, neither option is appealing or inviting, as the corner will either have gaping holes, or will look like a city that can’t support its businesses. Afterall the developer hasn’t sold his other live/work buildings that have been on the market for almost a year!

We need to encourage the City of Coppell to value and invest in it’s Old Town, like many neighboring cities and Texas towns, who have realized the potential these areas offer. To attract retail and restaurants when you have Grapevine and Cypress Waters on your doorstep, you simply have to think out of the box.

If YOU have ideas and input please come to the meeting on the 30th March at the Senior Center. Here’s the link to the petition if you have not yet signed and would like to show your support. https://www.change.org/oldtowncoppell

We would like to thank you all for the overwhelming support and messages of encouragement as we try to save the charm of Old Town Coppell and continue to improve the area. I think we can all agree – there is still much to be done here.

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY.