Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert released a report on Friday detailing the city’s failures related to the infamous “Lemon on Stemmons” debacle.
Tolbert said she wanted to get out in front of an upcoming report by the Office of the City Auditor and be open and transparent about the mistakes that led to many millions of dollars in taxpayer spending on an office tower that was and still is unfit for occupancy.
As previously reported by CandysDirt.com, Dallas City Council approved the purchase of the 11-story building at 7800 N Stemmons Fwy in 2022 with the intention of updating it to serve as a “one-stop-shop” for permitting services. Ironically, when staff started moving into the new office in December 2023, it became apparent the building did not have the necessary permits and suffered from dozens of code violations. Staff were ordered to move back to their old offices in early 2024.
Now, it seems, Tolbert is acknowledging the city has not been equipped to handle real estate deals, despite it managing an extensive portfolio of properties (5,800 real estate assets, per Dallas Business Journal). New acquisitions that haven’t been previously approved by Dallas City Council or voters are now on pause, and the city will be undergoing a revamping of its processes when it comes to real estate…