An alert FrontBurner takes us to task for not sooner noting the passing of Tom Larder. Writes the FBvian:
I’m surprised to find no mention today on the FrontBurner blog of Tom Lardner’s passing. Tom isn’t merely a bit player in the redevelopment of the modern Uptown area of Dallas; he’s the man responsible for it. If one considers the blighted State-Thomas area of my youth in the 60s and 70s versus today, one grasps the power of the shovel. The first TIF (Tax Increment Financing District) was created in this area through his efforts, and the physical impact has been profound and permanent, not just there but echoing outward. Tom was a great Democrat, too, as a fundraiser and advocate. He wasn’t merely good with numbers that drove his success in real estate, but with ideas and a world-view that is often lacking in these parts.
When we did our “35 Biggest Moments in Modern Dallas History,” Robert Shaw, who played a large role in Uptown’s development, mentioned Lardner.
