ANDERSON – HART BUILDING
GRAND PRAIRIE SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK
Site Medallion No. 29
1502 Houston Street

The historical date on this building is 1915 and it is located at 15th and Houston Street in Old Dalworth Park

The two-story rectangular plan brick commercial building has a flat roof behind a raised brick parapet. The original fenestration is blocked with brick and/ or boards except for transoms on the first level; regularly spaced second level openings are separated by projecting brick pilasters and are flat arched. The south elevation has ten bays, the east has three bays with a round arch on the second level windows, ground level has ten bays and 2 bays on the east side. There is a commercial front, where the plaster and stone detail are in string courses, ornamental caps on pilasters and coping. Condition at survey time in 1982 was listed as “fair” with alterations “windows, doors boarded or bricked.” Survey Significance per Daniel Hardy: “Good example of early 20th century electric commercial architecture.

In the descriptive literature of the Dalworth Parks, “The Model City” brochure that is in the research file and the Grand Prairie Memorial Library, we find several photographs of this building. One photo is shown with a large commercial sign “Dalworth Business Collage” and the cut line: “Type of Business House with modern Apartments in the second story, now occupied by The Dalworth Business College. The College expects soon to begin the construction of its own buildings on its own Campus (Whole block 69).”

Two long-time residents, Sheridan Mobley and Lola Mae Swadley remember the building when it was The Rainbow Gardens, a dinner-night club and Mrs. Swadley hosted one of the Senior Classes there for their Senior Party.

Mr. Daniel Hardy, commissioned by the Dallas County Historical Commission, the Grand Prairie Historical Commission and Grand Prairie City Council to do a survey of our city recorded this on description card 3297-414, 685, 3624-11 and his remarks about the building are recorded on video tape that is in our archives.

Bill and Vicki Hart purchased the building in 1984, and its is their hope to completely restore this “three star” * rated structure. They presented a rendering of the proposed restoration at the Annual Awards of the G.P. Historical Commission in October, 1984

*Three star status was given by Daniel Hardy, Historian in charge of the survey.