Historic District Contractor on Swiss Avenue
Swiss Avenue became Dallas's first local historic district in 1973, so most outside work here needs a city certificate first. S&L Good Fellas is an insured, family-owned contractor from Irving. We quote remodels, paint, fences and yards.
Work on Swiss Avenue's 1910s and 1920s Homes
Swiss Avenue was the centerpiece of Munger Place, which opened east of downtown in 1905. Most of its roughly 200 houses went up in the 1910s and 1920s, nearly all of brick. As a Swiss Avenue Historic District contractor, we quote remodels, paint, fences and yard work for these big two-story homes.
S&L Good Fellas is a family-owned team based in Irving, and we work across the district. Text or call (469) 340-2030. We chat on the phone, take a look at the job, and send a free quote.
Quick Answers
What Swiss Avenue homeowners ask before they ask for a quote.
Which streets are in the Swiss Avenue Historic District?
Swiss Avenue from the 4900 to the 6100 block, plus parts of Bryan Parkway, La Vista Drive, Live Oak Street, Bryan Street and Beacon Street.
Who approves outside work in the district?
City preservation staff can approve routine upkeep and some small changes. Bigger changes go to the Landmark Commission at a public hearing, after a neighborhood task force gives its advice.
Does a kitchen or bath remodel need district review?
Not for inside work on a private home, though regular city permits may apply. If the job changes a window, a door or anything else you can see from outside, ask the city's preservation staff first.
Fitzhugh Avenue to La Vista Drive
The district covers about 117 acres of East Dallas, from Fitzhugh Avenue to La Vista Drive, between Live Oak Street and the alley between Swiss Avenue and Gaston Avenue. Addresses use ZIPs 75214 and 75206. Savage Park sits at the midpoint of Swiss Avenue. Ask the city's preservation staff whether your lot is inside.
ZIP Codes We Serve
- 75214
- 75206
- Google Rating
- 5.0
- Google Reviews
- 76
Services for Swiss Avenue Homes
Interior · Exterior · TrimPainting
Interior and exterior painting. Outside, staff can approve a new color in the district's approved range.
Tile · Trim · ClosetsHome Remodeling
Tile, trim, carpentry and built-ins for the district's 1910s and 1920s homes.
Counters · Cabinets · TileKitchen Remodeling
Countertops, backsplashes and full kitchen remodels inside large two-story homes.
Tile · Showers · VanitiesBathroom Remodeling
Shower remodels, bathroom tile, vanities and fixtures for homes built in the early 1900s.
Additions · Rehabs · FramingGeneral Contracting
Whole-home rehabs and additions. An addition must fit the house's scale, roof form, materials and color.
Install · Repair · GatesFencing
Fence installation, repair, gates and staining. Front-yard fences are not allowed here.
Sod · Mulch · MakeoversLandscaping
Sod, mulch and yard cleanup. Parkways may hold only grass, trees, ground cover and flowers.
Trimming · Removal · StumpsTree Service
Trimming, removal and stump grinding on a tree-lined boulevard.
Pergolas · StructuresOutdoor Living
Storage sheds and pergolas. Outbuildings go in the back yard and must fit the house in scale and materials.
Custom Decks · Built to LastDecks
Custom decks behind the house. Ask the city whether your deck needs a certificate first.
Explore These Services
Big Brick Homes on Deep Front Lawns
R. S. Munger planned Munger Place as an upscale neighborhood. He required two-story homes of brick or masonry, none facing a side street. Swiss Avenue began as two roadways split by a 40-foot park and is now a tree-lined boulevard with a parkway down the middle. On Swiss Avenue itself, houses must sit at least 65 feet back. So outside work here has to fit the house and the block.
Request a Quote
Before You Change the Outside
Call the city's historic preservation staff first. Ask whether your job is routine or needs a full review.
Paint in the Approved Range
Repainting the same color is routine upkeep, and staff can approve a new color in the district's approved range. Fluorescent and metallic colors are banned.
Brick That Was Never Painted
Before painting bare brick or stone, ask preservation staff about the strict exceptions. The applicant must prove that the work qualifies.
Front Porches Stay Open
A front porch or entry may not be enclosed with anything, including glass, screen mesh or iron bars. Carpet is not allowed on porch floors or steps.
Sheds Behind the House
Outbuildings go only in the back yard. On Swiss Avenue they sit at least 15 feet from the house and fit its scale, roof form, materials and color.
The Certificate Comes Before the Work
The district's rules live in Planned Development District 63. A certificate of appropriateness is needed to build, to change the outside of a house or outbuilding, or to add a yard structure or a landscape item that is not a plant.
Staff can approve routine upkeep, such as repainting the same color, and some small changes. Other work goes to the Landmark Commission at a public hearing. Call the staff member who covers Swiss Avenue first, then apply online through DallasNow. Full reviews follow a monthly hearing calendar.
- Small changes staff can review include paint in the approved range, storm windows and doors, screens, and a wood fence that is not painted or stained.
- The front must keep at least the original total of window and door openings. The number of front door openings may not increase.
- Tinted, mirrored and plastic window panes are not allowed. Frosted glass is allowed only in a bathroom window.
- Bryan Parkway lots have a few different rules for wall materials and windows, so check which area of the district your lot is in.
Rules for the Front Lawn and the Fence Line
Fences may not stand in the front yard. An interior side-yard fence goes in the back half of the side yard, behind the house's rearmost side wing. The city can allow the back three quarters if the fence hides no key feature of a house. Corner lots have their own rules. Fences top out at 9 feet, and Dallas also requires a fence permit for one over 6 feet.
- Allowed fence materials are wood, wrought iron, metal-coated or plastic-coated chain link, brick and stucco. Exposed concrete block is not.
- A wood fence shows its finished side to the street. A painted metal fence must be black, dark green or dark brown.
- Parkways hold only grass, trees, ground cover and flowers. Beds may fill half the parkway at most, and parkway trees go in an evenly spaced row.
- Plants along the foundation may not rise more than 2 feet above the first floor. Vegetable gardens are not allowed in front yards.
More Neighborhoods Near Swiss Avenue
Other Dallas neighborhoods we serve, nearest to Swiss Avenue first, then the closest ones in nearby cities.
What DFW Homeowners Are Saying
Swiss Avenue FAQ
Answers to common questions. Don’t see yours? Text or call and we will walk you through it.
Still Have Questions?
Send a text or give us a call. We are happy to talk through your project.
Call (469) 340-2030Do I need a certificate to repaint my Swiss Avenue house?
Yes, but the path depends on the color. Repainting the same color counts as routine upkeep, and a new color inside the district's approved range is a small change staff can review. Each house gets one main color and up to three trim colors that suit each other and the district. We quote interior and exterior painting.
Does a back-yard fence on Swiss Avenue need a certificate?
Yes. The ordinance requires a certificate for fences and other yard structures. Some rear-yard provisions are legal defenses, not exemptions from approval. Ask preservation staff about your fence before building. We quote fence installation, repairs, gates and staining.
Can I screen in or enclose my front porch?
No. The district rules do not allow a front porch or entry to be enclosed with any material. Front porch railings, moldings, tile and other details must fit the style and age of the house, and transoms and sidelights stay where they are. We quote porch carpentry, trim and paint.
What should I know before remodeling an older Swiss Avenue home?
Most homes here date from the 1910s and 1920s, in styles from Prairie and Tudor Revival to Mission Revival, Georgian and Craftsman. Inside, we quote kitchens, baths, tile, trim and built-ins. Tell us which original details to keep. If the job reaches the outside, such as a new door, ask the city first.
Can I add a shed, pergola or deck behind my house?
Outbuildings may only go in the back yard and must fit the house's scale, shape, roof form, materials, detail and color. On Swiss Avenue they sit at least 15 feet from the house, while Bryan Parkway lots may build closer. Ask the city's preservation staff about your plan. We build custom decks, pergolas and storage sheds.
When should trees on a Swiss Avenue lot be trimmed?
If the tree is an oak, Texas A&M Forest Service advises against pruning from February through June because of oak wilt, and says to paint every oak wound right away. Dallas runs its own oak wilt program. We trim limbs, remove trees and grind stumps.
Planning Work on Swiss Avenue?
Paint, porch, kitchen, fence or yard work? Text or call (469) 340-2030. We take a look at the job and send a free quote.
- Free quotes
- Insured
- Family owned
