Dallas

“We Made a Mistake”: 100-Year-Old Dallas Home Torn Down in Demolition Mix-Up

The home’s owners found out about the demolition from neighbors

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A home on Richard Avenue in Dallas was demolished Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, after JR’s Demolition confused the house with one about a block away.

A nearly 100-year-old Dallas home was demolished this week by mistake.

The home on Richard Avenue was confused with one about a block away, according to JR’s Demolition, which conducted the demolition.

Neighbors said they felt powerless Wednesday as they watched a bulldozer plow through the bright pink home that had been owned for decades by a beloved neighbor, Mary Ann Degataire, who died last year.

“She asked me that shortly before she passed, make sure my home doesn’t get torn down,” neighbor David Walkington said. “It was being preserved not only because it was a very nice home but it was a special home.”

A home on Richard Avenue in Dallas was accidentally demolished Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The bright pink home had previously belonged to a beloved neighbor who died last year, and was being restored by the current owners. (Jeremy Wenninger)

The home’s owners, who now live in Los Angeles, found out about the demolition from neighbors.

“We had plans, we had a future figuring out what to do with the house and it was going to be a fun project and suddenly that is just blown up,” Robb Hagestad said.

In a statement, JR’s Demolition said that the home did not have any house numbers on it and any street curb address was covered by water and debris from recent heavy rain.

"We made a mistake and thought we had the right property," the company said. "We spoke with the new owner of the property who acquired it in 2019 and will be working with him toward a resolution."

A spokesperson said the city of Dallas is investigating and would share more information when it becomes available.

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