Where Dallas Is Investing

Hensley Field shows the costs and benefits of large master developments.

Toward the horizon outside of Dallas, Texas. By R K

Written By Vaneesha Patel

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In 2022, Dallas announced a groundbreaking decision regarding the redevelopment of Hensley Field, a naval airfield base that was decommissioned in 1998, with the Dallas City Council approving a $390-million master plan for the site. The City claims it will feature a “climate-smart, diverse, mixed-use, mixed-income, walkable community with a balance of jobs, housing, amenities and services.” On the surface, the decision to turn this land into a pedestrian oasis is monumental: Future residents of the area will get to experience life in a place that is well-connected, walkable, and safe. But by deciding to build this type of development on vacant land, Dallas is signaling another decision too: not to invest in pre-existing areas.

The move comes after years of deliberation around what to do with the largely vacant land. Situated on the north shore of Mountain Creek Lake, the old base has been “used for a patchwork of temporary storage, City functions, and unrelated leases” in addition to undergoing the process of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) removal. Having such land in such a prime location is a rarity, especially when you take into account the size of the base. Coming in at 738 acres, Hensley Field is any city planner's dream—an opportunity to build sustainable, pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented development from scratch. This is also a notable project given the lack of new housing in surrounding the area.

While the decision regarding redevelopment is indeed impressive, it is important to understand what excitement around this project represents—and what kind of precedent it could set.