KERA’s Shelley Koffler  files this report:

• KERA Radio story:

• Online version:

Well-known Dallas attorney and civic leader Tom Luce has agreed to mediate a high-stakes dispute between the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Museum Tower, which is under construction next door.

The dispute is over a glare of light coming from the tower, a 42-story luxury condominium development.

The problems surfaced last September when developers began installing reflective glass on the exterior of the tower.  The Nasher noticed reflections that altered the indoor exhibit space.  Beams of light were also raising the temperature indoors and in the sculpture center’s outdoor gardens.

The Nasher, developers and the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System, which owns the $200 million tower, could not agree on how to fix the problem.  So, they approached attorney Tom Luce to mediate the impasse.  On Monday he agreed.

LUCE:  “The Nasher Sculpture Center and the Museum Tower and the developers have jointly asked me to serve as facilitator to resolve all the open issues between the parties.  And they have affirmed to each other and to me that they want to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.  They have asked to help them do that and I’m pleased to undertake the mission.”

Luce declined to outline the open issues and says he has asked those involved not to publicly comment during negotiations.

One change suggested by developers in a published report calls for moveable screens at the Nasher that would block offensive light.  A study by the Nasher suggests replacing the tower glass with less reflective glass or treating the tower glass with a diffusing film similar to what’s used to reduce glare on smart phones.