aarlington heights - Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association

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ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
A.H.N.A.
N E I G H B O R H O O D
N E W S
N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E A R L I N G T O N H E I G H T S N E I G H B O R H O O D A S S O C I AT I O N
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M AY - J U N E 2 0 1 1
V I E W S
W W W. A R L I N G T O N H E I G H T S N A . C O M
THE SANGUINET HOUSE - A PIONEER HOME
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 470692
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
76147
A.H.N.A.
The historic Sanguinet house, built about 1894, sits on property at 4729 Collinwood at the corner of Collinwood Ave and Sanguinet St.
By Makenzie Carpenter
The striking Shingle style house on the corner of Collinwood Ave.
and Sanguinet St. is one of the most historic homes in Arlington
Heights. Not only is it one of the oldest homes in our neighborhood,
it was built by one of Fort Worth's most prominent architects for
his own personal family home. In 1981, the Sanguinet House was
designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and then listed
in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Architect Marshall R. Sanguinet was born in Saint Louis, Missouri
in 1859 and moved to Fort Worth when he was 24. He married
Edna P. Robinson in 1886 and the couple had three daughters. In
1890, the family moved into their new home "on the hill" west of
Fort Worth. For several years, Sanguinet practiced solo, but in
1891, he partnered with architect brothers Howard and Arthur
Messer as Messer, Sanguinet, and Messer. The firm built Ye
Arlington Inn in 1892, a legendary large, two-story resort hotel at
Crestline Rd. and Merrick St. which burned to the ground two
years later. Sanguinet also helped design most of the homes
constructed in Arlington Heights between 1890 and 1893.
In 1902, Sanguinet began a legendary partnership with Carl G.
Staats. Together they quickly became one of the state’s largest
architectural firms. In 1922, the firm expanded to include Wyatt
C. Hedrick as Sanguinet, Staats and Hedrick. This arrangement
lasted until 1926, when Sanguinet and Staats retired and sold
their share of the firm to Hedrick who maintained the practice
under his own name in Fort Worth and in limited partnerships in
Houston and later Dallas. By the time Sanguinet retired, his name
was associated with more than 1,800 buildings and projects
throughout Texas.
The original Sanguinet home was damaged by fire in 1893 and
Rebuilt using ruins of the earlier home and the same architectural
style—the only revision to the new structure was the use of a
(continued on Page 11)
Neighborhood Animal Concerns
Kelly Jo Nial
vicepresident@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-798-0349
Citizens on Patrol
Jan Bourne
janbourne@rocketmail.com
817-737-6019
Makenzie Carpenter
newsletter@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-703-3646
Code Compliance Officer
Carolyn Cummings:
817.475.8716
carolyn.cummings@fortworthgov.org
Newsletter Editor
Fort Worth Police
non-emergency number:
817.335.4222
Never Paint Again !
Dave Marshall
zoning@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-738-6815
City Councilman Carter Burdette:
817.392.8807
carter.burdette@fortworthgov.org
AHNA COMMITTEES
Zoning/Board of Adjustment
Neighborhood Patrol Officer
Ken Jacobs:
817.992-0187 (cell)
kenneth.jacobs@fortworthgov.org
Makenzie Carpenter
newsletter@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-703-3646
Tatiana Wicke
twicke@gmail.com
817-946-2949
Sanguinet made a number of major architectural contributions
throughout downtown Fort Worth, including the W.T. Waggoner
Building, Flatiron Building, Burk Burnett Building, Knights of Pythias
Castle, the Hotel Texas, the Neil P. Anderson Building, the Texas
Title Building, Thistle Hill and many other prestigious residences as
well as a number of schools, fire stations and churches. Sanguinet's
Land Title Building located at Commerce and Fourth Street in
downtown Fort Worth is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The
current tenant, The Flying Saucer Beer Emporium, retained much
of the original architectural flavor of the building during
renovation.
Sanguinet lived in the house until he died in 1936. At the time of
his death his firms were responsible for almost every tall building
built in Fort Worth prior to 1930, and for a time the tallest structures
in Beaumont, Houston, Midland, and San Antonio.
Sergio Yanes
s_yanes@hotmail.com
817-343-1018
Our neighborhood is full of remarkable trees. They're invaluable assets and play a vital
role in making Arlington Heights such a desirable place to call home. We're making a
special place on the AHNA website for our neighborhood trees. Take time to look in your
neck of the woods and send me a photograph of one of your favorite trees, along with the
address of where it's located and anything else you want to say about it. I've selected a
majestic elm to spotlight. Check it out at arlingtonheightsna.com.
Jason Sabotin
jsabotin@att.net
817-874-4726
Dave Marshall
zoning@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-738-6815
Today, their cursed droppings blanket the yard and are tracked throughout the house by
my dogs. And every day I face the backbreaking task of picking up endless fallen pecan
twigs and branches. But, my two pecan trees are still among the things I love the most
about my home.
Beth Kaufmann
bkaufmann@gwdgroup.net
817-377-4006
Directors at Large
Today, the first floor now contains a large entry hall, living room,
completely remodeled spacious kitchen and spacious dining room
featuring a built-in buffet. The second floor contains three
bedrooms including a large master and dressing room. The
Ehrharts converted the attic into an additional room and bath. In
1993, the home was featured as the Historic Preservation Council’s
Designer Show house.
In 1906, Sanguinet enlarged the house by adding a front porch
and altering the columns, constructing a porte-cochere, and
adding a Craftsman-style wood-paneled dining room. A back
porch on the south side of the house (now enclosed as part of the
kitchen) and a sleeping porch above it (also now enclosed) were
added at a later date. During this period the lot on which the house
stood covered nearly a full city block. Portions were sold off over
the years, but the home still sits on a lot that encompasses a third
of the block.
Renee Tidwell
treasurer@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-377-4775
My appreciation for these two beauties multiplied in mid-March when I was photographing
the super full moon peeking through the middle of their bare branches. I'd never really
noticed how sculptural a leafless tree is, but this night it really hit me—the two stark trees
were as beautiful as they are when they're in full summer dress.
Treasurer
Dana King
secretary@arlingtonheightsna.com
979-255-6927
Secretary
Kelly Jo Nial
vicepresident@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-798-0349
The trees have grown to more than 50 feet tall, double the size they were when we moved
into the house almost twenty years ago. Planted in the late 1940s by the original owners
of the house, the trees are at least 60 years old. Depending on the variety of the pecan,
the average life span of a pecan tree is between 75 and 100 years, although some live as
long as 200 years. I hope my trees outlive me because it would be a drastically different
backyard without them.
Vice President
Popular on the East Coast in the 1880’s, Shingle style homes were
out of character for this area because rather than relying on
decorative detailing, they were designed to blend into the
landscape of wooded lots with their wide, shady porches. They are
also known for their irregular profile clad in wooden shingles. In
fact, the roof and exterior walls were often covered with the same
type of shingles to create a continuous appearance. Although
today the roof of the Sanguinet House uses conventional materials,
it is presumed that at one time the wood shingling of the dormer
window blended with the varied outline of the original roofline.
President
Christina Patoski
president@arlingtonheightsna.com
817-738-0330
AHNA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Sanguinet's widow lived in the family home until 1948 when she
moved to Dallas to live with her daughter. She died in 1950, and
the family sold the house in 1952 to Harry and Eleanor Harris who
lived there for 27 years. In 1979, Donald B. and Melvia Ehrhart
purchased the property and began significant restoration efforts.
It was purchased in 1991 by Steven and D’Vorah Schiffman who
continued to maintain and restore the property. The current owners
have resided in the home since 1994.
veneer of pressed red brick on the exterior of the first floor instead
of shake shingles. Sanguinet was clearly fond of Shingle style
architecture as demonstrated by his firm’s design of the original
River Crest Country Club and the David Bomar/Amon G. Carter
House at 1220 Broad Ave., which drew on the Arts and Crafts
movement for inspiration.
A.H.N.A.
This spring I've put in a fair share of patio time. After a long day of work, there's nothing
more relaxing than kicking back and enjoying a balmy, mosquito-free evening in the
backyard. Watching the leafing out of the two enormous pecan trees towering over the
yard has been especially rewarding this year. What spectacular specimens these two
giants are and what a pleasure it is to watch them go through their annual imperceptible
spring transformation. By the time the summer heat hits, I'll be praising them all the more
for the comforting shade they provide.
(continued from Page 1)
By Christina Patoski
SANGUINET HOUSE
Letter from the President
NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS
Do you have some news you would like to see listed in our newsletter? Please submit it to: PO Box 470692,
Fort Worth 76147 or Makenzie Carpenter at newsletter@arlingtonheightsna.com and include your name,
address, phone, and e-mail address. Deadline for submissions is the 1st of each month. We reserve the
right to refuse any submission deemed inappropriate to the newsletter and may edit for content and length.
Views and opinions expressed in the newsletter are not necessarily those of AHNA or of its members.
Please send all correspondence to:
PO Box 470692
Fort Worth, Texas 76147
2
A R L IN GT ON HE I GHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEW S
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A D V E R T I S I N G R AT E S
Carol Berry
carol_berry@sbcgolobal.net
817-731-9523
Yard of the Month
Business card: $25, 1/4 page: $50,
1/2 page: $100, Full page: $200
Call 817.703.3646
MAY - JUNE 2011
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www.arlingtonheightsna.com
MAY - JUNE 2011
A R L I N G T O N HE I G H T S NEI GHBO R HO O D N EW S & VI EW S
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THE DILEMMA OF "IT'S EITHER ME OR THE CAT!"
THE BOTANIC GARDENS
FROM 1930S TO TODAY
The history of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden begins even earlier
than the 1930s, as we will learn at our membership meeting on
Monday May 16 at 6:30 p.m. Local historian and preservation
consultant Susan Kline will take us on a visual journey featuring
the development of one of our city's most valued municipal
treasures.
By Dr. James Davis, Arlington Heights Resident and veterinarian at Arlington Heights Animal Hospital
As the saying goes, "things always come in threes". Lately this
has rung true and has involved a topic that has plagued
veterinarians for years and still is considered somewhat of an
enigma at times. In fact, many who read this will have battled this
in their household or are currently amongst its frustration. The
topic is that of feline house soiling or what we term "inappropriate
urination".
There are two likely reasons for this to be occurring. The first
might be actual disease in the cat. There may be an underlying
disease process that prohibits "Fluffy" from being the good kitty
that he has always been. Disease conditions we have to consider
or rule out with a history of house soiling include diabetes,
urinary infections, kidney failure, bladder stones, sterile cystitis,
endocrine disorders, and other systemic diseases. What may
seem like a minor issue to some might actually be a serious and
long term issue. Many of these conditions can be diagnosed
through basic blood tests and a urine sample.
Treatment of the condition is most often multi-factorial. It may be as
simple as changing back to what was done before. However, some
things you can't take back. You can't send back a new baby, or
take your old job back for the cat. Although, some people might.
Environmental enrichment such as toys or a scratching post, for
example, is one avenue that we pursue in attempting to help
"Fluffy" cope with changes in his world. It is exactly what it sounds
like. The idea is to give them "outlets" to improve their overall
attitude. The last resort is to incorporate drug therapy for "Fluffy,"
to help achieve the same effect. I urge you to discuss the various
options with your vet as early as possible in hopes that the best
outcome can be obtained for you and for "Fluffy."
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AHNA, PO Box 470692, Fort Worth, TX 76147-0692
MAY • JUNE 2011 Membership Form
AHNA Meeting Schedule
PROTECTING
YOUR PROPERTY
Neighborhood property crimes are still on the rise, especially
daytime home break-ins. For our meeting on Monday June 20
at 6:30 p.m. we've invited some experts to tell us what we can do
to prevent break-ins.
A crime specialist from the Fort Worth Police Department will
present lighting systems that deter after dark burglars and discuss
other techniques you can take to protect your property.
A.H.N.A.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
6:30pm-7:30pm
Every 3rd Monday
Arlington Heights United Methodist Church
4200 Camp Bo w i e B l v d . ( e n t e r o n H i l l c r e s t )
AHNA FINANCIAL REPORT
Total Cash Balance as of 1/01/11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$6,312.07
UNRESTRICTED DONATIONS
Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,800.00
Business memberships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50.00
Individual memberships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,030.00
Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $22.82
TOTAL UNRESTRICTED DONATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,902.82
TOTAL DONATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,902.82
UNRESTRICTED EXPENDITURES
League of Neighborhoods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35.00
Postage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $84.90
Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $690.25
Meeting Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $205.62
Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $166.80
TOTAL UNRESTRICTED EXPENDITURES . . . . . . . . . . .$1,182.57
Often times the inciting cause for a behavioral issue revolves
around a change within "Fluffy's" environment or routine. Again,
history is very important and can uncover the root of the problem.
For instance, a new animal or family member may have been
introduced. Sometimes it's as simple as a litter or food change.
I've seen cases where there is a new cat in the neighborhood that
is now sitting on the front porch or in plain sight of "Fluffy" as he
watches out his window. Owner job change and schedule
change may have recently occurred, leading to a change in
routine. There are many different factors to consider when this
problem arises, making a diagnosis and cure sometimes difficult
to obtain.
A R L I N G T O N H EIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
At the end of her presentation, Kline will sell and sign copies of
her recently published book "Fort Worth Parks" ($20.00) which
features the Botanic Garden.
AHNA member Gene Reed has been in the security business for
27 years and will share with us what he thinks works and doesn't
work to protect your property. He will discuss a variety of
different home security systems with an eye on affordability.
The second reason and the most difficult to navigate through is
that of a behavioral problem. This is where a thorough history
leading up to the first offense and thereafter is extremely
important in reaching a potential cure. Once we've determined
that "Fluffy" is free of the aforementioned diseases, then we can
work our way through the behavioral aspect. The frustrating
thing about behavioral "inappropriate urination" is that often it
takes time to reach a solution. Sometimes complete resolution
can't be achieved.
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The garden is not only the oldest botanic garden in Texas, its rose
garden is considered by landscape historians to be one of the
best classic rose gardens in the United States. In 2009, the Fort
Worth Botanic Garden was awarded a place on the National
Register of Historic Places, the nation’s official list of historic
properties deemed worthy of preservation.
Become a member
The boundaries of
Arlington Heights
Neighborhood Association
are the triangle of
Camp Bowie Boulevard on the north,
Montgomery Street on the east,
and Interstate Highway 30
on the south and the west.
RESTRICTED DONATIONS EXPENDITURES
Feral Cats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40.00
National Night Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30.82
TOTAL RESTRICTED EXPENDITURES . . . $70.82
TOTAL EXPENDITURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,253.39
RESTRICTED CASH BALANCE
AS OF 04/30/11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,575.63
RESTRICTED DONATIONS
Feral Cats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250.00
National Night Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $342.04
Western Ave. Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,983.59
TOTAL RESTRICTED DONATIONS . . . $5,575.63
UNRESTRICTED CASH BALANCE
AS OF 04/30/11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,385.27
TOTAL CASH BALANCE AS OF 04/30/11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,961.50
MAY - JUNE 2011
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www.arlingtonheightsna.com
MAY - JUNE 2011
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
3
UPCOMING VOTE ON AHNA BYLAWS REVISIONS
APRIL YARD OF THE MONTH
garden and stress relief.” She
added that both a garden and a
front porch—everyone should
have one—encourage neighbors
to stop and chat for a few minutes
while out walking. It also provides
an opportunity to get acquainted
with others who live in Arlington
Heights.
What Gail likes least about
gardening: “Picking up large
bags, it hurts my back.”
Gail Berky’s yard at 4609 Pershing Avenue was selected at the April 2011 Yard of the Month. Berky notes
that gardening is the best stress relieve available and we couldn’t agree more!
By Gloria (Glo) Thompson
The Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association (AHNA) Yard of
the Month (YOTM) returns now that spring is here and plants,
flowers and trees are blooming brightly. The April 2011 YOTM
belongs to Gail Berky at 4609 Pershing Avenue.
Gail, a Detroit, Michigan native, came to Texas in 1985. She has
a Master’s degree in social work and is the Case Manager and
Director of Social Work at Life Care Hospital.
When Gail purchased her home, there were many areas that
needed attention, both indoors and outside. An avid outdoors
person, Gail opted to start with her yard first. She believes design
is especially important and began experimenting with it first and
then followed up with learning about her soil and perennials,
eventually developing an English Garden theme for her yard.
When asked what she likes best about gardening, Gail noted two
major reasons: “1) I love the beauty of the natural world; and 2)
gardening is the best stress-busting activity there is!” It is her love
of nature and the joy of being outdoors that first piqued her interest
in gardening.
Currently Gail has a variety of plants in her yard. They include
Japanese maple trees, Chinese fringe flower, pink Knock Out
roses, both May Night and Lipstick salvia, rudbeckia, Tangerine
Beauty crossvine, wood fern, esperanza, columbine in yellow,
orange, and purple, Rose of Sharon, and lavender.
Gail’s one gardening tip
for someone just starting
to garden: “Before you buy,
get to know your soil, sunlight
and shade and what will survive
in Texas.”
As the YOTM for April, Gail had
the AHNA Yard of the Month sign in her front yard during April
and received a $25 gift certificate to Archie’s Gardenland.
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817-377-2963
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Member SIPC
AHNA members will be voting on proposed revisions to the
AHNA bylaws at the monthly meeting on Monday May 16. The
meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Arlington Heights United
Methodist Church, 4200 Camp Bowie Blvd. (enter on Hillcrest
St.).
The proposed revisions were sent to AHNA members at least
10 days prior to the date upon which they will be voted, as
required by current AHNA bylaws. The association saved
$500.00 in printing and postage costs as a result of the vote
taken on April 18, 2011 to send out the bylaws revisions via
email to those members who are on the association's email
list.
On March 3, thirty concerned neighbors watched a power point
presentation at Stripling Middle School that focused on solutions to
the recurring flooding problem in central Arlington Heights. At the
end of the presentation, city staffers from the Storm Water
Management Department asked the attendees to rate the solutions,
even though almost half of the neighbors had already left.
The group's least favorite fix involves the city buying and tearing
down an estimated 7 to 30 homes in the middle of the
neighborhood. Even though staff has said buyouts would be
voluntary, many people who live on the potentially affected streets
find this solution to be "drastic" and "unacceptable".
Miriam and Dave Hermann bought their home on Western Ave.
sixteen years ago and routinely experience flooding. Even though
water has never risen high enough to flood inside their home, their
cars have sustained water damage multiple times. The Hermanns
want the city to fix the flooding problem, but in the meantime, they,
like many of their nearby neighbors, have learned to live with it.
MAY - JUNE 2011
www.arlingtonheightsna.com
Whenever rain is in the forecast, the Hermanns move their cars to
higher ground. They oppose any flood solutions that involve
tearing down houses; they've told staff they'd be happy with
several small fixes even if they don't add up to a 100% solution.
More than fifty affected property owners sent letters of opposition
to the buyout/teardown solution to City Hall in early May.
Neighbors have suggested that staff considers buying and tearing
down nearby commercial properties instead of private homes.
Staff says no flood solution recommendations will be made to City
Council until there's another public meeting of the people who live
on the streets that are prone to flooding. Stay informed by signing
up for the AHNA e-mail list at arlingtonheightsna.com if you're not
already receiving e-mails.
To view the city's March 3 power point presentation on Arlington
Heights flood solutions go to http://www.fortworthgov.org/tpw/
stormwater/forestpark/?id=81384.
SCHOOL PROGRAM SPARED FROM BUDGET CUTS
By Jason Sabotin
Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) has had to make
some serious cuts to next year’s budget. One program that was
under review was the Advancement Via Individual Determination
(AVID) program. I have been an AVID Site Team member at
Arlington Heights High School (AHHS) since its introduction onto
our campus four years ago, and I am happy to report that AVID
will be around for another school year! .
AVID is a national program designed to prepare students for
college. The difference between AVID and any other college
preparatory/honors type program is that AVID targets students
who would be the first in their families to attend college. This is not
a program for “at risk” students, nor is it meant to be any sort of
remediation. AVID is designed to ensure that students, especially
middle-performing students, will succeed at even the most rigorous
subjects, participate in school activities, and ultimately attend a
four-year college or university.
The program teaches students how to study, read for content, take
A R L I N G T O N H EIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
On April 11, the Bylaws Committee presented their recommended
bylaws revisions to the AHNA Executive Committee. The final
step is the vote by the membership of AHNA on May 16.
FLOOD AND STORM WATER OPTIONS STILL
UNDER STUDY
What Gail likes best about gardening: “The beauty of a
4
The AHNA Bylaws Committee made up of John Morris (chair),
Deborah Roszek and Jeff Coolidge were charged in January
2011 by the AHNA Executive Board to study the association's
bylaws which have not been updated for five years. The
committee looked at the bylaws of a number of Fort Worth
neighborhood associations and also consulted with the City of
Fort Worth Neighborhood Office, the Fort Worth League of
Neighborhoods, and the Fort Worth chapter of Texas State
Association of Parliamentarians.
www.arlingtonheightsna.com
MAY - JUNE 2011
notes and manage time. Students also learn how to fill out a college application as well as how to apply for financial assistance
and/or scholarships. The typical AVID student is a minority female
who wants to attend college and has at least one parent who did
not attend any college. One of the reasons that AVID has been
around for more than 20 years is that it works. Research shows that
students who participate in AVID for at least three years complete
their four-year college entrance requirements at more than two
times their peers. Additionally, of those who graduate from the
AVID program, 89% succeed while in college.
I have taught and mentored dozens of AVID students. My proudest
moments for them are not only seeing them walk across the stage
to receive their diplomas (and knowing they will be a successful
college student), but also seeing their family’s reaction knowing
that their child will be the first in their family to attend college.
Jason Sabotin is an English teacher at Arlington Heights High School and this
year received the “Best in Texas Education” award, one of forty teachers recognized in the state of Texas, in H-E-B's Excellence in Education competition.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
9
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS ROAD CONSTRUCTION
MAY YARD OF THE MONTH
By Beth Kaufmann and Dave Marshall
By Gloria (Glo) Thompson
Road, sewer and water construction
continues on Crestline and Frederick and
on the adjacent streets of Sutter and
Lafayette. The end appears in sight for
residents of Crestline, while folks on
Frederick will have to continue with the
inconveniences and frustrations of ongoing
street construction.
There must be something in the
air…the May Yard of the Month
(YOTM) is also on Pershing
Avenue, at 4416 Pershing.
Owner Lori Katz was very
surprised, but delighted, when
she heard that her yard was
selected as the May YOTM.
Crestline should be finished within the
next three to four weeks, if all goes as
planned. Half of Crestline has been
poured and Conatser Construction
anticipates pouring the other half in early
May. Water meter boxes will be installed
after that, along with new driveways. The
city determines the down time for driveway
access on a case-by-case basis after the
cement has been poured; it can take up to
seven days for the cement to cure.
Lori is a native-born Texan who
hails from Fort Worth. She has
two Labrador Retrievers and two
cats. All of her pets are rescue
animals. Lori is employed as an
administrative assistant at CTI
Foods and is also a student at
TCU where she plans to major in
Communication Studies.
Road crews continue to work on road, sewer and water construction on Crestline and Frederick.
Meanwhile, it will be another month
Look for more reconstruction projects to come throughout Arlington Heights.
before repaving starts on Frederick. Crews
are still working on the sewer lines on
Lafayette and Sutter and cannot finish the remainder of the sewer utilities under these streets. Underground utilities consist of water
line on Frederick until those streets are done. The good news is mains and sewer lines, but could also include gas lines and
Frederick will not be widened, so trees in the parkway (or tree communication lines.
lawn) should be fine. The city has the final say on this, so it’s a
good idea to pay attention to the construction and contact the city’s The city has not yet determined the extent of the reconstruction. It
lead project manager and Conatser Construction if you have any could include trenching followed by a simple road patching, or it
concerns. The city project manager can be reached at 817-392- could include repair/replacement of severely damaged curbing, or
7949 or Gopal.Sahu@fortworthgov.org. The Conatser Construction a total resurfacing of the roadways after the work is complete on
contacts are Dale Gatewood and David Rolls, 817-534-1743.
the utilities aspect of the job.
Future reconstruction plans involve property owners on Ashland
between Camp Bowie and El Campo, Birchman between Clover
and Ashland, and El Campo between Sutter and Clover who
recently received a notice from city contractor Burgess & Niple. The
Ohio-based engineering firm was hired to conduct street surveys
as part of a Capital Improvements project to replace all underground
Construction is estimated to be nine months to one year away.
Once the design phase of the program is 60 percent complete, a
neighborhood informational meeting will be scheduled to allow
affected property owners to review the plans and timelines, and to
ask questions. Stay tuned.
COMMUNITY GARDEN STARTING TO SPROUT
By Tatiana Wicke
Thanks to volunteers, the community garden at Thomas Place
Community Center is very tidy and all the raised beds have been
adopted for the season. If you can, swing by and take a look at
how great the gardens look. There are already many veggies and
other edibles poking up their green little heads.
A very special thank you to Karen Stumher, director at the
Community Center for financially supporting our efforts in cleaning
up the community garden—she ensured we had enough mulch,
edging, and weed barrier to get the job done.
Thanks to all who participated in the community garden clean-up events
held on March 26 and April 9.
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A R L I N G T O N H EIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
There is still more work to be done, but we’ll pick things back
up again when things cool off in late summer. If you are
interested in adopting a raised bed for next season, just let me
know at twicke@gmail.com or 817-946-2949.
MAY - JUNE 2011
www.arlingtonheightsna.com
Lori’s front yard features a large
agave plant near her front
entrance. It took several years
Lori Katz at 4416 Pershing Avenue is the proud recipient of the May 2011 Yard of the Month. Her yard is a
for the pyracantha to completely
wonderful example of how native plants and organic gardening can showcase our beautiful homes.
cover the front face of her house.
She is an organic gardener and
if there was a specific theme, Lori notes that it would be something
akin to the patio area of Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant.
Although she does have some assistance from a landscaping
company, Lori enjoys doing her own gardening as well. Her yard
includes mountain laurel, yucca plants, a Japanese maple tree,
pecan tree and a variety of potted plants in colorful containers
along the side of the house.
When asked how she became interested in gardening, Lori said
she started with a small cacti garden and discovered that
gardening is therapeutic and also gave her a sense of
accomplishment. She credits Shelly Whelchel, a long-time friend of
her parents, for sharing her passion for plants with her.
Lori enjoys cooking with home-grown herbs and vegetables and
loves to entertain outdoors as much as possible. She is an organic
gardener and has planted fruits, vegetables and herbs in her yard
including parsley, dill, chocolate mint, and basil. She also has ten
different varieties of peppers and a prickly pear cactus which she
uses with chicken. Strawberries and other fruits are also planted in
the back.
In the future, Lori intends to add more vegetables and fruits to her
garden and more perennials to her yard.
What Lori likes best about gardening: “I am an outdoor
person and I love being outside and working in my gardens.”
What Lori likes least about gardening: “Bugs – especially
spiders!”
Lori’s one gardening tip for someone just starting to
garden: “Pruning—it is really important and organic garden as
much as possible.”
www.arlingtonheightsna.com
MAY - JUNE 2011
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
5
NEIGHBORHOOD BRIEFS
NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL OFFICER
KENNETH JACOBS
The 6th annual District Walk sponsored by FitFuture and Fort
Worth ISD takes place Saturday, May 14 from 9-10am at all 13
By Makenzie Carpenter
FWISD high school tracks. For more information, call Georgi Roberts
We welcome Officer Kenneth Jacobs as our new Neighborhood
Patrol Officer (NPO). Officer Jacobs has been with the Fort
Worth Police Department (FWPD) for 26 years. Jacobs was
previously the NPO for the Chapel Creek/Westpoint area,
located in far west Fort Worth where he will continue serving
until a replacement is hired. His notable commendations
include the 1986 Reserve Officer of the Year and the 2009
Thomas R. Windham Community Policing Award, an award
given by the citizens of Fort Worth.
at 817-814-2595…Several new businesses are popping up along
Camp Bowie Blvd. The Cup, a modern European-style coffee bar and
market will nestle in at 3903 Camp Bowie. This modern bistro will
feature a back patio area and serve coffee, tea, sandwiches and to-go
items. Next door will be Smart Barre, a studio designed to provide
women a total body workout by fusing principles of ballet, Pilates, and
yoga. Leah’s Sweet Treats which specializes in custom cakes/
As the Arlington Heights NPO, Jacobs will act as the community
liaison between our neighborhood and the FWPD, as well as
enforce local traffic and criminal laws. Jacobs strives to see a
problem through completion, and is determined to make a
difference in our community. He recognizes the hard work of
his predecessor Officer Teri Majors and echoes her cautions:
Don't leave anything in your car, call 911 if you see anything
suspicious, and keep your porch light on all night.
cupcakes will locate at 4910 Camp Bowie…Concerts In The
Garden Summer Music Festival offers 16 nights of outdoor
concerts June 3 - July 4 at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. For more
information, contact the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra at 817-6656000… Ballet Concerto’s 28th Annual Summer Dance Concert
will be held at 8:30 p.m., June 23-36 at the outdoor stage at Trinity
Park. This years theme, Dancing Under the Stars will surely delight
and entertain audiences of all ages. For more information, call 817989-7168… Don’t forget about the AHNA Yard of the Month
awards. If you’d like to nominate a yard, please contact Carol Berry at
817-731-9523 or carol_berry@sbcglobal.net.
Meteorologist Rebecca Miller of Channel 33 will be at Walgreen's
on Hulen and Camp Bowie on Saturday May 14 from 10 a.m.
until 2 p.m. for a special parking lot event on storm preparedness. Sponsored by the American Red Cross Chisholm Trail
Chapter as well as AHNA and The 33 News, the event will feature drawings for free giveaways, including Midland weather
radios.
Jacobs is described by the Chapel Creek/Westpoint
neighborhoods as dedicated—he works closely with residents
and Citizens on Patrol groups to maintain order and improve
quality of life for all residents. An example of his dedication
can already be seen in the detailed notes of his offense activity
reports which he emails out regularly.
During his free time, you’ll find Officer Jacobs working on his
1969 Camaro Z28. He owns a fully restored Camaro SS
396/375. Currently, he’s in the market for a 1967 Camaro
that’s restorable. Zoom-zoom!
Receive Officer Kenneth Jacobs' informative daily neighborhood crime
report via email by signing up at kenneth.jacobs@fortworthgov.org
If you see anything suspicious going on in the neighborhood,
like door to door solicitors, Officer Jacobs encourages us to call
911, not him, to request that a patrol car come out to
investigate. Don't wait and call Officer Jacobs the next day.
Proudly serving Arlington Heights!
Quality beyond necessary®
Renovations Additions
Repairs Maintenance
817.680.3446
Ginger Coolidge, REALTOR®
Arlington Heights Resident
Direct 817.454.1567
ginger@coolidgeteam.com
www.817Realty.com
Mitzi M. Gray, Broker
EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm NAT-93683-1
© 2011 Howell Homes, LLC
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A R L I N G T O N H EIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
MAY - JUNE 2011
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MAY - JUNE 2011
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS
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