The Dallas City Council vote on the Preston-Royal towers has been pushed again, this time to November 10, 2026. It is the second council delay since the City Plan Commission recommended the rezoning in August. For homeowners near Preston Road and Royal Lane, the outcome will shape traffic, height limits and what the corner looks like for the next generation.
What exactly was delayed, and why?
On October 14, 2026, District 13 Council member Gay Donnell Willis moved to defer the zoning case to November 10, according to People Newspapers' October 28 report. She said negotiations were not finished and that traffic remained residents' top concern. Engineers at Kimley-Horn needed more time to develop recommendations, and Willis said the city was looking at improvements that reach beyond the intersection itself to help east and westbound flow.
The case had already slipped once. A council hearing originally set for September 9 was moved to October 14 after the neighborhood group Preserve Preston Hollow asked for more time to review the proposal, People Newspapers reported on September 1.
What is actually being proposed at Preston and Royal?
The site is roughly seven acres at the southwest corner of the intersection, today a low-rise shopping center plus a vacant lot left from earlier demolitions. CandysDirt reported in February that the 2019 EF-3 tornado damaged the center and removed much of its tree canopy. Current zoning is community retail with a 54-foot height limit.
The developers, Burk Interests and Greenway Investment Company, have revised the plan more than once. Here is how it has changed:
- February 2026 version: about a $650 million project with a 28-story hotel, a 24-story condo tower, office and dining, and a request for buildings up to 325 feet (CandysDirt, February 19).
- August 2026 version: an $800 million planned development with a 19-story hotel, an 18-story multifamily tower that includes mixed-income housing, a 12-story office building and a restaurant village (CandysDirt, August 7).
- Current height caps: up to 240 feet for the hotel and residential tower, up to 210 feet for the second residential tower, and up to 190 feet for the office building (People Newspapers, September 1 and October 28).
The developers also lowered the tallest building by 85 feet and moved it to the center of the site. CandysDirt reported the closest home sits about 200 feet away. Earlier plans called for planting more than 100 mature trees.
Who supports it, and who is pushing back?
The disagreement is mostly about height, not use. Preserve Preston Hollow had gathered more than 4,400 signatures against the project by August, and members have said they support the developer's uses but not the scale. A resident who spoke in favor at the August 6 Plan Commission hearing cited housing options for downsizing families and walkable retail. During the commission debate, one commissioner said she would probably support something in the 160 to 180 foot range.
The politics have also sharpened. On October 9, the same day Willis announced she would seek a deferral, a new political action committee filed notice that it would circulate a recall petition against her. Organizers need signatures from 15 percent of registered voters in District 13 to put a recall on the May 2027 ballot, People Newspapers reported.
Could state law change what gets built even if the zoning fails?
CandysDirt reported that city planning staff estimated the state law SB 840 could in theory allow hundreds of apartment units on the site depending on parking, engineering and traffic. That is part of why some observers see a negotiated planned development as a way to lock in specific heights, setbacks and uses rather than leave the outcome open.
What does this mean for Preston Hollow homeowners?
Our agents at The Agency Dallas who work Preston Hollow hear the same questions from sellers and buyers on the streets around this corner. A few honest observations:
- Uncertainty is the real near-term factor. Buyers looking at homes within a few blocks of the intersection are asking about the vote. Clear disclosure of what is known, and what is not, tends to keep conversations productive.
- Traffic studies matter more than renderings. Whatever the council decides, the traffic plan Kimley-Horn is working on will affect daily routes along Preston and Royal. Residents should watch for that document.
- Construction is still a long way off. Even with approval, a project this size would take years of design, permitting and construction. Short-term impacts on nearby blocks are about decisions, not cranes.
- Walkable retail cuts both ways. Some households value restaurants within walking distance. Others value quiet streets. Both preferences show up in Preston Hollow buyers, and the same house can appeal to one group more than the other.
If you own nearby and want to understand how your home sits in the current market regardless of the vote, our home valuation page is a low-pressure place to start, and our Preston Hollow neighborhood page has broader context.
What should residents watch between now and November 10?
- Any revised site plan or height reduction filed before the hearing.
- The Kimley-Horn traffic recommendations and any related city commitments.
- Updates from Preserve Preston Hollow, D13 Together and the developer team on community meetings.
- Progress on the recall petition, which runs on its own track toward May 2027.
The Agency Dallas will keep following this case because it is one of the most consequential zoning decisions in Preston Hollow in years. Whatever happens on November 10, the corner of Preston and Royal is going to look different in a decade than it does today. The question the council is answering is how tall and how busy that difference will be.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Dallas City Council vote on the Preston-Royal towers?
The council is scheduled to take up the zoning case on November 10, 2026, after Council member Gay Donnell Willis moved on October 14 to defer it. It was previously set for September 9 and then October 14. Agendas can change, so residents should check the City of Dallas council agenda the week before the meeting to confirm the item is still scheduled.
How tall would the Preston-Royal buildings be?
The current proposal allows a hotel and residential tower up to 240 feet, about 19 stories, a second residential tower up to 210 feet, about 18 stories, and an office building up to 190 feet. Existing zoning on the site caps buildings at 54 feet. The February version of the plan had requested heights up to 325 feet.
What is on the Preston-Royal site today?
The roughly seven-acre southwest corner holds a small, low-rise shopping center and a vacant commercial lot left after earlier demolitions. CandysDirt reported that the 2019 EF-3 tornado damaged the area and removed much of its mature tree canopy. Tenants have included restaurants, a bank branch and health and wellness shops.
Will the vote affect home values near Preston and Royal?
No one can say with certainty, and we would be cautious of anyone who claims to. What we see is that uncertainty itself shapes buyer questions near the intersection. Sellers do best with clear, honest disclosure of the pending case, and buyers do best by weighing traffic plans and timelines rather than renderings alone.
What is the recall petition about?
A political action committee filed notice on October 9, 2026, that it would circulate a recall petition against District 13 Council member Gay Donnell Willis, tied to this and other zoning cases. Organizers need signatures from 15 percent of the district's registered voters to place a recall on the May 2027 ballot, according to People Newspapers.
Sources
- People Newspapers: Preston-Royal Tower Project Delayed Again (October 28, 2026)
- People Newspapers: Preston-Royal Zoning Hearing Postponed, Group Says (September 1, 2026)
- CandysDirt: Preston-Royal Towers Clear Key Vote Despite Strong Neighborhood Opposition (August 7, 2026)
- CandysDirt: Preston Hollow Residents Ready to Fight Proposed 325-Foot Tower (February 19, 2026)
