Closing Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park

Back in July I was assigned to cover a protest by residents regarding the closing Dallas West Mobile Home/RV park on Commerce St. just down the street from The Dallas Morning News office. A Dallas-based real estate investment company, Cienda Partners, has contract to sell the property. Residents joined together to refuse an offer of up to $2,000 in moving expenses for an early move out date. Since then, I wondered what happened to the residents who didn't move out and what the park looked like in its last few days. For the past month I've been dropping by. It seems different every time I go. There are rarely people outside and most of the residents vacated before winter. I spent some time with the last few people and tried to show clues of a once vibrant community. As DMN photo editor Michael Hamtil said, quoting an assignment by the great David Rees, showing people without people. Here are a few of my favorites. You can read more about the story by DMN reporter Roy Appleton here.

Violeta Sebastian, left, and her son Juan Valdez, 9, walk out of the the empty trailer they have been staying in at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on December 26, 2013 in Dallas. Sebastian and her husband have lived in the park since the early 2000s. In November they moved their trailer to Irving with their nine-year-old son but their gas has not been turned on so they lived in the pictured trailer with permission from by another resident who left. The residents have been told to vacate by January 31, 2014. In summer of 2013 residents faced an August deadline to vacate but after a request from a letter by residents they were granted to stay until Jan. 31. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Violeta Sebastian looks out into the empty trailer at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on December 26, 2013 in Dallas. Sebastian and her husband have lived in the park since the early 2000s. In November they moved their trailer to Irving with their nine-year-old son but their gas has not been turned on so they lived in the pictured trailer with permission from by another resident who left. The residents have been told to vacate by Jan. 31. In summer of 2013 residents faced an August deadline to vacate but after a request from a letter by residents they were granted to stay until Jan. 31. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Stairs are left behind at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 29, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Brian Bucklew plays with his dog Vandora at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 15, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Brian Bucklew crawls under an abandoned trailer to collect and recycle scrap metal at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 9, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

The Dallas skyline can be seen from inside an abandoned trailer at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 29, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014.  (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

A speed limit sign is posted at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 30, 2014. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Eyes peek out of the windshield of Brian Bucklew and Wesley Hazelton's mobile home at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 30, 2014.  The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Gilberto Gutierrez, left, and Jose DeLeon prepare to haul off a trailer from West Mobile Park, on January 16, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014.\

Jose DeLeon is thrown a safety vest from truck driver Gilberto Gutierrez who was hauling off a trailer from West Mobile Park, on January 16, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014.

Violeta Sebastian, left and her son Juan Valdez, right, look out into the empty trailer at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on December 26, 2013 in Dallas. Sebastian and her husband have lived in the park since the early 2000s. In November they moved their trailer to Irving with their nine-year-old son but their gas has not been turned on so they lived in the pictured trailer with permission from by another resident who left. The residents have been told to vacate by Jan. 31. In summer of 2013 residents faced an August deadline to vacate but after a request from a letter by residents they were granted to stay until Jan. 31. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Stickers remain on a kitchen stove in an empty trailer at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 29, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

A tiara is left on the kitchen counter of an empty trailer Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 30, 2014.  The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Anna Vega (right) and her mother Lupe Vega prepare food at the family trailer at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park located on W. Commerce St. in Dallas on Jan 24, 2014. At far left is their cousin and former trailer park resident Andrea Rodriguez. The residents have been told to vacate by Jan. 31.

Anna Vega heats tortillas on the stove at the family trailer in Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park located on W. Commerce St. in Dallas on Jan 24, 2014. The residents have been told to vacate by Jan. 31.

Resident Wesley Hazelton wipes his brow while cleaning up Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 9, 2014 in Dallas. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

Juan Yanez-Valadez, friend of the Vega family, left, assists resident Lupe Vega, right, with tearing down her roof at Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 30, 2014. The Vega family are some of the last residents living in the park. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)

The sun sets over Dallas West Mobile Home/RV Park on January 30, 2014. The park will close on Jan 31, 2014. (Sarah Hoffman/The Dallas Morning News)



You can watch a short video showing the park during its last 24 hours here: