This study seeks to understand how residents of the South Dallas neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, a rapidly developing area, frame the changes occurring in their community. Applying Erving Goffman’s (1974) “frame analysis,” I interviewed seven South Dallas residents to hear how they constructed the realities of a neighborhood “on the cusp of change.” Using qualitative analysis, I find that residents struggle with internal contradictions between what they value in the neighborhood and what they wish they saw. Although residents often frame their community in positive terms, they also demonstrate an awareness of the less desirable aspects and propose ways to improve them. By examining these tensions, this study contributes to existing literature on urban development and challenges the frequently over-simplified definition of gentrification. The study ultimately suggests that the conversations around urban development and gentrification are limited both in academic settings and popular cultural and argues that further in-depth, qualitative research is necessary to understand how residents create meaning amidst change.