Sprouts Farmers Market wants to build its ‘first new standalone’ prototypein the Dallas area at Hampton Road and Fort Worth Avenue, but the plan recently ran into roadblocks at City Hall.

Cabbagewhich seeks financial incentives from the city, entered into a lease with Vista Property Co. last year which depends on zoning approval.

The Arizona-based grocer wants to demolish Elrod’s Cost Plus as well as the former Luby’s which is now a Chinese buffet. The 7-Eleven on the corner is not part of the development, nor is AutoZone.

The store would be built roughly where Elrod now stands, but angled diagonally. Two additional commercial blocks are planned for the corners of the property. The nearest AutoZone pad was leased to a pet store and a drive-thru cafe. It would include a bike rack and outdoor seating. The pad on the opposite corner has yet to be rented but is planned as a restaurant and may have drive-thru.

The Dallas City Plan Commission recently referred the case to the city Urban Design Peer Review Committee after rejecting the request to create a new subdistrict within the existing Fort Worth Avenue/West Commerce zoning.

District standards were adopted in 2005and they yearn for walkability, urban form and reduced environmental impact.

The peer review committee, made up of architects and engineers, said the plan does not come close enough to these ideals and makes recommendations for better design.

Sprouts wants to eliminate two vehicle access points on Remond Avenue and add an entry/exit point for delivery trucks with a pass lane to Fort Worth Avenue behind the store.

Narrower sidewalks, greater distances between building curbs and facades, and an increase in the allowed ratio of structure heights to nearby residences are among the differences requested.

12 foot sidewalks are required on Fort Worth Avenue and the retailer is requesting a 5 foot width. The map below shows the pedestrian accesses in orange, as well as the plan of the trees, car parks and retail areas.

Member of the panel Jessie Marshall Zarazaga said the design is “a squandered opportunity” and doesn’t look like the blueprint for a cutting-edge prototype store.

“It looks like a very traditional suburban supermarket,” she said.

Among its criticisms: The building overlooks a parking lot instead of the street. There is no plan for permeable parking materials, tree canopies or drainage swales. And it is not designed for the safety of pedestrians walking through the development.

It should be designed for pedestrians and trees first, and instead the design prioritizes delivery trucks, she said.

“The client is not Sprouts,” she said. “The customer is the people of Dallas who want a walkable environment. »

Two panel members, James Frye and Mark Meyer, offered sketches of how the retailer could build its store to face Fort Worth Avenue.

Vista vice president of development Colton Wright said Sprouts had considered more zoning-compliant designs before, but found them too expensive. He said Vista would forward the panel’s recommendations to Sprouts for review.

The retailer is working with the city’s office of economic development to seek funding through tax increases or other incentives to build its store in this corner, which is still part of Dallas’ food desert.

Find the presentation of Vista hereand watch the full reunion below.

The Dallas Urban Design Peer Review Panel made the following recommendations:

• Consider how stormwater is managed throughout the property and complete a stormwater survey of the current development.
• Increase forest cover and permeable surfaces throughout the site.
• Locate storefronts along Fort Worth Avenue “to create an active advantage.”
• Consider making it a mixed-use development that would also include apartments or condos. [Although Vista is a retail developer and doesn’t do multifamily.]
• Widen sidewalks to a minimum of 10 feet and improve pedestrian and walking safety throughout the development.
• Consider pedestrian facilities on Remond.
• Create a landscaped buffer between the sidewalk and Hampton Road.