DART Too Close to NorthPark?
An Overheardian tired of hearing that DART is not to blame for the crime at NorthPark Mall sends this link to a chilling jailhouse interview of James Broadnax who claims he took the train to Garland to commit a random murder becuase “that’s where all the rich white folks stay at.”
Mentally applying the rich white folk thing to a DART stop nearby, the Overheardian was frightened.
So if we stick to ridiculous standard operating procedure for Parkieville, maybe we should make NorthPark a membership only mall and you have to live in 75225 or 75205 to shop there or get a special pass voted on by a board of only Park Cities residents. Then the DARTies couldn’t come in and we’d just have to really beef up the parking lot security. Or maybe we could all chip in and pay to have the DART station moved further away?
I realize these plans need some fine tuning but you get the idea.
I get the sarcasm here, but I’ve been going to that mall my whole life and don’t live in either of those zip codes (although I’m probably closer to the mall than many in those zip codes), so I’ll be voting against this proposition. I’m not so sure I believe that DART is the problem. Exit the Nordstrom’s parking lot, take a right on Park and cross Greenville. This little corridor may be the problem…
Didn’t the station open in 1996? I don’t recall hearing any/many crime reports from Northpark between 1996 and the most recent incidents. Perhaps it is more a function of the weak economy and the Vickery apartments area.
Last year, there were 258 crimes reported at NorthPark, according to a KDFW report I saw last night, which jibes with a story in D Magazine a couple of months ago.
This year, so far, there have been 257 crimes reported at NorthPark. In 2005, there were 157. Obviously, as A.B. pointed out, the station has been there fair longer than that.
I don’t think the blame can be laid completely at the light rail station’s feet. For one thing, we’re comparing a disparate situation. The Garland Downtown station, in terms of making the shooters’ (in the story) destination accessible, was close to downtown, and walkable. The DART station by NorthPark is a scary sprint across Central’s access roads. You might make it there, but back without being caught?
You’ve just got this perfect storm of perception (rich people shop there), bad economy, and easy accessiblity to Central. In reality, I think anyone with nefarious intent is not going to ride DART to NorthPark - they will drive there - because taking Central as a getaway is a far more desirable option than playing frogger across Central on foot.
If anything, the merchants and people on the other side of Central, on Greenville have more to worry about than NorthPark, I would think.
If you read the article, they rode the train to commit the crime because they did not have a car. They stole the victim’s car. That was part of their plan: ride the train to where “rich white folk” live, rob them, kill them, steal their car. Yes, Central is a great escape route after stealing a car, but they have to get there first.
NorthPark is not really the issue here. It doesn’t have to be NorthPark - you are correct, crossing Central is probably too much work for them. But, other popular spots are very accessible - Central Market, Tom Thumb, Sam’s, etc.
The fact is that they chose to ride DART to an affluent area with the sole purpose of robbing and killing. Read the article. It is chilling. If you think that they couldn’t have just as easily exited at the Lover’s Lane station, you are naive.
The link to the article is http://www.foxnews.com/story/0.....1,00.html#
If Bethany’s (& Fox4’s) stats are right, that’s a pretty scary increase in crime.
2005: 157 crimes
2006: unknown #
2007: 258 crimes
2008: 500+ crimes (roughly 257 in only 6 mos)
Maybe the food court and movie theater are not a good idea for Northpark. I used to go to movies at Cityplace, and it was always packed, possibly by people who rode in on DART. Yet once that theater got the reputation as an unsafe place, it was razed. Interesting parallel to me: DART plus theater equals young thugs.
I think it will have more to do with how seriously NorthPark takes those numbers. More security - on foot, in carts patroling, and using security cams in more plentiful locations - will help more than anything. The CityPlace theater was easier to walk up to, for one, and there was a complete absence of security.
The other mistake, IMO, that NorthPark is making is being so secretive about this. It’s only perpetuating some armchair crime statisticians, where a simple, “We know these numbers exist, and this is what we’re doing to take this seriously and keep our shoppers safe,” would probably go a long way. Instead, it’s complete radio silence and chasing off reporters.
B,
If you do not believe that the UP police force keeps a constant watch on individuals on foot crossing 75 westbound at Lovers Lane, then you are naive.
In all the years I have lived in this town, I don’t think I can recall ever seeing a UP patrol car sitting at the intersection of Lovers & Central. Down the road towards Boedecker, yes, but not near the highway.
I think the problem has always been there, however, it greatly escalated when they closed the Loews Theaters on 75 and Haskell (talk about a ghetto area, there were frequent shootings reported there) and the AMC and United Artist’s theaters by 75 and Walnut Hill. Think about it, there are really no other movie theaters for this whole area but the Northpark AMC Theaters. Teens sometimes just gather around the theaters and never go in, that makes them a major hangout place for gangsters and criminals. Instead of moving the DART station, build some movie theaters east of 75, that should help….
I’m sure the fine folks that did the ATM heist walked up, or decided to do so after watching a movie.
Across North Central Expressway from Northpark on Park Lane is arguably one of the worst areas in Dallas, coupled with the weakening economy, and think about it. Who shops at Northpark mall? Usually very wealthy Highland Park/Park Cities people. Would you rather go there or to a Tom Thumb parking lot to steal a car? Also, I’ve been following the numbers online through the Dallas interactive maps and the numbers are wrong. They haven’t changed since November of last year so they are hardly accurate.