The Dallas History and Archives Division at the Dallas Public Library needs help to process the Pratt, Box & Henderson collection as there are around 300 boxes of drawings and materials from their architectural office which were donated to the library. In order to make them accessible to the public the documents need to be inventoried, sorted and cataloged. As this is such a large collection it would take library staff years to process the collection. To speed that up, starting in February there will be twice weekly volunteer sessions for those that would like to help with the collection. In order to volunteer at the library for this project a background check must be completed by January 30. If you are interested in helping please contact the library via email here to get your name on the volunteer list and to get the background check done. There will be an orientation for the work on Tuesday, February 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday February 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. After that volunteers can work the coming Tuesdays and Sundays during the same times to help with the collection.

t. howard + associates architects (th+a) is a full-service design firm that seeks opportunities to improve the lives of others. We accomplish this through responsible and sustainable environmental design and support of social justice initiatives which enhance the well-being of our society and community. It is our commitment to craft building elements that promote the success of the people who work, play, heal or learn within our designs.

Our clients represent both public and private institutions across civic, educational, recreational and healthcare industries. Their needs have varied from renovations and additions to new facilities to campus planning.

th+a believes the built environment should reflect the changing social expectations and needs of a community, which requires facilities be able to adapt and change fluidly. With this design practice in mind, the team at th+a, in collaboration with the developer, Prevarian Companies, reprogrammed historic Davy Crockett Elementary School in Old East Dallas. The facility, a designated Dallas Landmark, sat vacant for over two decades and has now become 52 multi-family units. The structure retains much of its original design and, more importantly, will have the opportunity to serve the community once again.

Learn more about the passion behind our projects at thaarch.com .

Happy New Year and I hope that 2019 has started off well for everyone! 

 

We are in the depths of planning events for the first half of the year including our awards event in May. The jury will actually be meeting next week to review the nominations and choose the 2019 project award winners. There won’t be as many as last year as that was an unusual one with so many excellent projects completed around the same time. We will also continue to partner on events this year including the one next week on the History of Tenth Street with Heritage Oak Cliff, which has sold out. We are also going to assist Dallas Heritage Village with a special event the end of next month at their site and to be announced soon. For National Preservation Month in May there are several events during that we are working on developing during the month. We will also continue our monthly InTown Outings and are getting those lined up, including the Marcus House on Swiss Avenue at the end of the month. 

 

The Dallas Legacies History Conference is also right around the corner and will be a great one this year with fantastic speakers, including one of our board members, Vanessa Baker. Her talk will focus on the Good Samaritan Hospital, its history, and her family’s involvement with the hospital. Vanessa has done an incredible amount of research on the hospital and it will be a great presentation. Click here to find out more about the Conference. 

 

Advocacy work will continue with holdovers from issues last year, like DISD Schools, and new ones coming up. Advocacy Alerts will continue to go out when needed to ask for your help to advocate for specific issues, which really makes a difference in the outcome of those issues. Contacting elected officials or attending public hearings to support a case really helps. Our friends at Preservation Texas will also be monitoring state legislation to see if any bills are introduced that might impact historic preservation and will let us know if we need to get involved. 

 

Here’s to a great 2019 and everyone stay warm this weekend as the cold front moves through!

SOLD OUT - Wednesday, January 23, 6:30 p.m.

Heritage Oak Cliff has invited Preservation Dallas members to attend their first Oak Cliff Live! program for 2019 on the history of the Tenth Street neighborhood, an extremely important African American community from the late nineteenth century. Dallas Landmark Commissioner and historian Robert Swann, who is a resident of the neighborhood, will give a presentation on the history and importance of the Tenth Street neighborhood which was listed as a local Landmark Historic District in 1993 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Thursday, January 24, 5:30 p.m.



Our Preservation Dallas Young Professionals will mingle with the Design Society, an affiliate of the Dallas Architecture Forum, for happy hour at the Statler Hotel’s SCOUT Bar. There will be drink specials for the first 30 minutes and a tour!

Everyone is welcome. New members can join Preservation Dallas at the event and "pay your age" for a reduced introductory price. Free for PDYP & Design Society members.

Saturday, January 26, 8 a.m.

The 20th Annual Legacies Dallas History Conference will take place at the Hall of State this year and feature a theme of Diversity in Dallas: Turning Points. There will be a wide range of sessions focusing on key events that shaped the city and region.We are proud to announce Vanessa Baker, Preservation Dallas Board member, as one of the featured speakers!

Wednesday, January 30, 6 p.m.



Built in 1919 for Theodore Marcus (Stanley’s Uncle), this house has a lifetime of stories attached to it. From its first decades to the 1950s when a man who kept active carrier pigeons lived here, to the 1960s when a hippy commune hosteled here, to the 1970s when both the Swiss Avenue Historic District and Historic Preservation League (now Preservation Dallas) formed in the living room, this home has hosted a slew of history makers. Join us as home owner and former State Senator Harryette Ehrhardt shares the stories.

Wednesday and Thursday, March 6 and 7



Become an authority of historic Dallas neighborhoods! This popular two-day seminar includes lectures from local experts on architectural history and styles of Dallas, the preservation ordinance, property tax incentives, how to research the history of a building, and more! It also includes a bus tour of historic neighborhoods in Dallas. Participants receive a signed copy of Virginia McAlester’s  A Field Guide to American Houses  and a complimentary one year Individual membership to Preservation Dallas. Don’t delay! Enrollment is limited to 25 people. The past sessions have sold out with a wait list!  

This newsletter is sent to all current and past members, and those interested in preservation in Dallas. To become a member or to renew or upgrade your membership, please click below.