Clay Cooley of Clay Cooley Auto Group and his wife, Lisa, have acquired two new properties adjacent to their home in Dallas’ wealthiest neighborhood, prompting speculation about their plans for the properties.
The three connecting properties give the couple ownership of a generous 2.5 acres of uninterrupted land not far from the home of Jerry Jones.
The Cooleys have owned their home on Armstrong Parkway in Highland Park since 2020. After buying the two additional homes, they took out a total of $13 million in loans against the properties, the exact purpose of which remains unknown.
With the large and contiguous piece of acreage, some speculate the couple could be working to eventually build a massive dream home. However, a project like that might entail demolishing one or two of the homes just purchased and could run into hurdles from city preservationists.
Founded in 1982, Preservation Park Cities is an organization that aims to maintain Park Cities’ character, of which the neighborhood of Highland Park belongs. The group is reportedly worried that Cooley could move to take down one of the homes that the organization sees as a historical artifact worth saving.
The property in question is the Tudor-style home on Bordeaux Avenue, which dates back over 100 years and was built by famous local architect Hal Thompson. While the preservationists are not as concerned with the two other homes, they would still prefer they remain standing where they are or be moved elsewhere intact.
No remodel, building, or demolition permits have yet been filed with the City for any of the three properties the Cooleys now own. That fact has provided some hope for Larry Good, a retired architect and spokesperson for Preservation Park Cities.
Good said that Cooley even dropped into a Preservation Park Cities meeting in February and had productive conversations with the group’s members.
“It’s unprecedented for someone to come to one of our board meetings and say, ‘I don’t want to make any enemies,’” Good said, per The Daily Mail. “We’re doing what we can to be a good friend to him too. … I’m optimistic.”
At the very least, Good hopes that the Bordeaux Avenue home will be spared. To help, Good even gave Cooley some ideas.
“I did a little drawing for him, and I showed him how he could leave [the Bordeaux home] as a guest house [and] build the home of his dreams on the two Armstrong lots,” said Good.
The move would also ensure the Cooleys’ compliance with the current Highland Park ordinances, which prohibit combining more than two lots.
“There’s really no reason to tear it down. … You can do one hell of a house without taking that lot,” Good explained.