Now marked down: Dallas mansions

Now marked down: Dallas mansions
By Steve Brown / The Dallas Morning News

The French-style Highland Park house has limestone floors, a three-car garage, a swimming pool and guest quarters out back. But what's likely to catch a buyer's eye is the sign out front: "New Price."Now offered at $4.45 million, the 6,788-square-foot mansion has been marked down by close to $1 million since it came on the market last spring.

"It's one of those listings you are scratching your head," said agent Joan Eleazer. "You know that the market is bad, but why hasn't this great house sold?"

With the latest price cut, Eleazer, who works for Briggs Freeman, is finally getting some nibbles from potential buyers.

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Other districts may follow Highland Park's lead on class rank

By Lori Stahl and Tawnell D. Hobbs / Matthew Haag and Sam Hodges contributed to this report / The Dallas Morning News
July 2, 2009

Highland Park may be the first public school district in Texas to end the practice of ranking all high school students, but some suburban school districts say they may consider following suit.

Southlake's Carroll Independent School District has already begun studying the issue, and officials there will consider a similar recommendation during the coming school year.

"It's definitely something that we've been talking about," said Becci Rollins, coordinator of counseling.

Highland Park recently decided to stop ranking all but the top 10 or 25 percent of its students, saying the current system of ranking the rest of the students who fall below the line is a disadvantage when applying to colleges.

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Newsweek names HPHS among best in U.S.

Highland Park High School is listed this month among the top high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine. Newsweek includes HPHS, ranked number 23, for its students' participation on Advanced Placement exams.

This is the sixth year Highland Park High School has made Newsweek's "Top 100" listing. HPHS is the highest ranked comprehensive high school in Texas, outscored only by magnet and charter campuses.

Newsweek's article, "America's Best High Schools," compiled a listing of 1,500 high schools, with public schools ranked according to a ratio that divides the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests taken schoolwide by the number of graduating seniors in the school.

Using that ratio, Highland Park High School scored a 6.108, up from 6.035 in 2008, and 5.727 in 2007.

"We are excited to be named to Newsweek's list of the best high schools in America once again," said HPHS Principal Patrick Cates. "This recognition validates the work our students and teachers do every year in our Advanced Placement program. Our program is one of the largest in the country, and we believe that it prepares students for success in any college or university anywhere. This ranking brings honor to our school, our school district, and our communities."

Click HERE to read the article.

Highland Park Village Owner Wants To Keep Theater

By Sarah Scott / People Newspapers
5/21/2009

Ray Washburne wants Park Cities residents to know that the new Highland Park Village is going to look a lot like the old one.

The real estate investor and restaurateur said he wrapped up negotiations to buy the Village this week. As this article went to press Wednesday, Washburne said he was hammering out final details at a title company.

Washburne had a lot to say about the future of the Dallas’ oldest and most valuable shopping center. Its taxable value has been reported as being $80 million.

Washburne — who bought the center along with his wife, Heather; her sister, Elise Summers; and her husband, Stephen — emphasized that all four are lifelong residents of Highland Park and graduates of Highland Park High School.

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Judge declines Larry North's attempt to block Highland Park Village sale

A deal to sell the venerable Highland Park Village is scheduled to close Wednesday, despite a last-minute challenge from one of the center's high-profile tenants.

At a court hearing late Friday afternoon, a judge declined to grant a request for a temporary restraining order filed by fitness guru Larry North, a longtime tenant. He was trying to block investor Ray Washburne from purchasing the complex.

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Dallas designer's Sartel label building its repertoire

The first time we visited Dallasite Matthew Earnest's store, SARTEL, there wasn't a piece of the label's clothing in sight – save for the crisp, navy organza blouse worn by his co-designer, Lily Atherton Hanbury. But chic things come to those who wait. The Shops at Highland Park boutique now holds a small, tightly edited collection of the duo's highly refined wardrobe staples.

"We're establishing who Sartel is," says Earnest, noting that London-based Hanbury serves not just as co-designer, but as the prototypical Sartel woman, a highly polished someone who "goes to work, goes out, has a kid."

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Dallas luxury hotels reduce rates, focus on service

By SOPHIA DEMBLING / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Luxury? In this economic climate? Are we nuts?

No, really. Everyday luxury is a thing of the past for most of us, but even so, if you have a special occasion warranting a luxury break, now is a great time because luxury hotels are feeling the pinch, too, and they want you.

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Highland Park Yoga Studio Boasts New Kind of Flexibility

By Sarah Scott / People Newspapers

Audrey Woods is what you might call a yoga sampler.

During her eight years of practicing yoga, she’s been to a number of studios and learned from even more teachers.

“I found myself driving from studio to studio trying to find teachers I like,” she said.

But after taking her love of the art with her on the road to Los Angeles and practicing at Bryan Kest’s studio in Santa Monica, Calif., she got an idea.

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Pending Sale of HP Village Confirmed

By Sarah Scott / People Newspapers

The current and future owners of Highland Park Village confirmed the shopping center’s pending sale after being named as co-defendants in a lawsuit this week.

The deal, which has been rumored for months, is at the heart of a 13-page petition filed Monday with Dallas’ 116th Civil District Court by fitness guru Larry North. Highland Park Village owner Henry S. Miller III and buyer Ray Washburne confirmed their negotiations in phone interviews Wednesday.

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Water Restrictions Take Effect in Highland Park

By Sarah Scott/ People Newspapers

It’s shaping up to be a big month for water in the Park Cities.

Last week, Highland Park and University Park were officially in the first stage of their drought contingency plan.

And the cities’ watering restrictions (no irrigation between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.) went into effect Wednesday and will remain until the end of October.

The first stage of the drought plan, which is based on water levels from the Grapevine Reservoir, is largely dependent on voluntary cooperation from residents and businesses.

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Custom-built Luxury in Old Highland Park

The Ravello, a luxury mid-rise residence to be constructed on the northeast corner of Lomo Alto Drive and Fairway Avenue, will consist of six units, two on each of three floors, averaging about 5,000 square feet each. The homes are expected to sell for between $3.5 to $4 million. (People Newspapers)

Mockingbird Construction on Schedule

By Cassie Clark / People Newspapers

As crews remain hard at work reconstructing Mockingbird Lane, Park Cities drivers can rest assured they won’t be inconvenienced any longer than originally promised. Despite a few hiccups, the $13.9 million project to reconstruct Mockingbird Lane between Hillcrest Avenue and the Dallas North Tollway remains on schedule. Full Story

HPISD Looks to Fill Up to 90 Teaching Slots

The district hopes to hire between 60-90 more teachers like Bogdovitz from an expected pool of more than 400 applicants as at this year’s job fair, which will be held March 29 at the middle school.

The annual event allows applicants to meet face-to-face with principals and teams of teachers from every campus that come to screen applicants to fill positions at their schools. (People Newspapers)

Park Cities News Sources

• Highland Park Local News: Topix - Local, regional, and statewide news collected from diverse sources on the web.
• People Newspapers - Newspapers for Highland Park, University Park and the Northside of Dallas, Texas. Includes local news, calendar, and classifieds.
• The Daily Campus - Student newspaper of Southern Methodist University
• University Park Local News: Topix - Local, regional, and statewide news collected from diverse sources on the web.

SMU offers Job to June Jones

SMU offers job to June Jones
SMU offered Hawaii coach June Jones between $1.7 million and $2 million to become its football coach, according to two sources.
Jones became a candidate in late December, and SMU's interest has intensified since Hawaii ended its 12-1 season with a 41-10 loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Hawaii has not yet extended Jones' contract, which ends June 30, though Hawaii's chancellor reportedly confirmed the school's intent to do so. Dallas Morning News, Thursday, January 3.

Highland Park Real Estate

Highland Park High - Pep Rally for State Championship

The Highland Park Scots held a pep rally Friday, December 21st to celebrate their football team going to the state playoffs. The Scots go into the State Championship game against 14-1 Austin Lake Travis with a perfect 15-0 record.
Sponsored by Preston Hollow Real Estate

Holding Kids Back a Year for School Common in Affluent Areas

Enrollment records show that holding children back a year is more prevalent in affluent school districts, a process called "Redshirting." This gives the child an extra year to learn and still allows them to play sports for three years.

Redshirting - November 2, 2007 Topix - News 11