A trip to Hensley Field last Wednesday revealed a site long abandoned and in decay.
The former Naval Air Station, located just a short drive from Dallas, has been largely left to the elements since its closure in 1998.
The property, spanning 738 acres near Mountain Creek Lake, is now a landscape of abandoned structures and contaminated land, creating an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a world after human habitation.
After the city of Dallas and the U.S. Navy began to engage in disputes over the site’s environmental issues, it seems that progress toward cleanup and potential redevelopment remains stubbornly slow.
Hensley Field, previously under Navy control, is marred with hangars and buildings falling into disrepair, with the extent of deterioration evident in rusting metal and crumbling concrete.
Street signs like West Leatherneck Place and Iwo Jima stand forgotten, hanging precariously over empty lots.
Despite occasional signs of activity, such as city garbage trucks parked nearby, the atmosphere is overwhelmingly desolate.
Decades of contamination from toxic substances, including notorious “forever chemicals,” have made the land a complex challenge for remediation efforts.
Three years prior, Dallas City Council approved a master plan for Hensley Field, aiming to transform the site into a much-needed housing area filled with new homes and apartments.
However, the hope for revitalization seems distant as cleanup efforts linger unresolved due to legal wranglings concerning the site’s status.
The latest legal developments emerged from a lawsuit filed by the City of Dallas against the United States in August 2023.
The suit alleges that the Navy failed to meet its environmental cleanup commitments from a 2002 settlement agreement, adding further complexities to the situation.
In response, the Navy claimed in May 2024 to have invested more than $92 million in environmental remediation efforts at the site, significantly surpassing the original agreement made in 2002, which was set at $34 million.
The Navy contended that it had completed its work, citing circumstances that rendered fulfillment of the original agreement impractical.
The ongoing communication between the city and the Navy now revolves around the evaluation of recent sampling data from the area.
A Joint Status Report filed on June 30 revealed that extensive soil and groundwater sampling is underway, with the Navy collecting over 1,000 samples from the northern region of Hensley Field.
This data, shared with the city and others between March and May, forms the basis for additional discussions regarding cleanup strategies.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirmed it is currently awaiting a technical report from the Navy, which is due in August.
Over the years, the presence of harmful substances has been a significant concern, marked by continuous sampling that has detected PFAS in all tested groundwater locations.
This challenging contamination complicates any hope for immediate redevelopment of the area, as detailed investigations continue to reveal the scope of the pollution.
In light of the legal negotiations, the city and Navy have scheduled virtual settlement conferences in the coming weeks, fostering hope for a resolution without further litigation.
The lengthy legal process surrounding Hensley Field might appear almost absurd, characterized by red tape and slow progress.
In comparison, the redevelopment timeline for other similar projects provides little comfort.
The former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin transitioned into a vibrant $1.5-billion urban space, with real development occurring within just a few years of its closure in 1999.
An air of frustration lingers around the Hensley Field site, especially for District Council Member Zarin D. Gracey, who has been closely monitoring the situation.
His experiences in City Hall before becoming a council member have cultivated an understanding of the bureaucratic challenges involved.
Though the future of Hensley Field remains uncertain by the time his term ends in 2031, Gracey expressed a desire to see substantial progress before that conclusion.
He articulated a wish to witness development and cleanup proceed in tandem, viewing any movement towards that goal as positive progress.
Despite the inherent challenges, Gracey’s perspective remains cautiously optimistic, noting that the negotiations are a sign of forward momentum.
“We’re getting somewhere,” he stated humorously.
“I take that as we’re moving closer. Will we break ground? I don’t know. But we’re getting there.”
Such humor reflects a resilient attitude in the face of uncertainty, as hope continues to exist for a future where Hensley Field can be reclaimed, transformed, and utilized to support the surrounding community.
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