Our annual holiday party is almost here!
Holiday Party
Friday, December 7
6 to 8 p.m.
2922 Swiss Avenue

Join us at the historic Wilson House for the annual Holiday Party! The halls will be decked for you to enjoy refreshments and beverages while catching up with friends. Participate in our dessert contest, raffle, and more! More details coming soon. If you would like to volunteer your time or a food item, please contact us .

The annual Holiday Party is a members only event but please consider bringing a new member guest with you!
DISD Strategic Facilities Plan
Proposes the Demolition of 19 Schools
On November 1, DISD staff gave a briefing to the DISD Board of Trustees on a proposed Strategic Facilities Plan for the district. The plan is a long-term vision for school facilities that makes recommendations for the future of numerous schools in the district. The plan calls for the demolition of two schools and the replacement of seventeen existing schools in an effort to reduce the average of schools in Dallas from 51.7 years to 46.0 years to get more in line with the national average of 44 years. The schools chosen for replacement, demolition and rebuild on the same site, were based on three factors of age, facility condition index, and enrollment. The majority of the schools proposed for demolition are historic and range in style from revivalist to mid-century, with many designed by significant architects. They are scattered all over Dallas and date from 1915 to the 1960s. The massive plan would require voters to pass a $2 billion bond in 2021 to make the project happen. 
 
Here is the break down from the plan on which schools are on the chopping block:
 
  • Replaced - Hawthorne, Peabody, Hall, Rhoads, Thompson, Kiest, Geneva Heights, DeGolyer, Hexter, Reilly, Walnut Hill, Urban Park, Pease, Atwell, John Q Adams, Longfellow, Marcus, and DESA.
  • Decision Points (where a decision will need to be made on their future) - Field, Hogg, Peeler, Twain, Miller, and Milam.
  • Sold or Demolished - Fannin (pictured above) and Estes.
 
The Preservation Dallas Education Committee has been working to document historic schools in Dallas for over a year now and will now focus on documenting the schools on the above list to make sure there is information about each of these schools that can be used in advocacy efforts moving forward. The Preservation Issues Committee of Preservation Dallas also discussed the plan at their November meeting and has started developing ideas on how to address the proposal. As this issue moves forward Preservation Dallas members will be alerted to how they can get involved; however, in the meantime please contact your DISD Board of Trustee member and tell them to not support the demolition of the historic schools in the plan. Click here to get contact information for the Trustees. Anyone may also sign up to speak before a DISD School Board meeting and the next one will be Thursday, November 14 (tomorrow), at 6 p.m. at 5151 Samuell Boulevard. There will also be community meetings on the issue in the four quadrants of the city for people to make public comment.

To view the DISD briefing presentation from November 1 with information on the process and the schools on the list click here.
Sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building before renovations began in the 1980s
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Corporate Partner Profile
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is a nonprofit historic site museum located on the sixth and seventh floors within the Dallas County Administrative Building, formerly known as the Texas School Book Depository. The iconic structure along with other historic buildings are part of the 1993 designated National Historic Landmark District in downtown Dallas.
 
On November 22, 1963, moments after President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade was passing through Dealey Plaza, the Texas School Book Depository building became the primary crime scene when key evidence of a shooting was discovered on the sixth floor.
 
Dallas County acquired the notorious building in the 1970s after much contested community debate and began a significant restoration project. The exterior of the building was returned to its 1901 appearance and in a phased restoration, the first five floors were converted to office space in 1986. The top two floors, the sixth and seventh floors, remained empty, fixed in time from 1963. 
 
On Presidents Day 1989, The Sixth Floor Exhibit opened John F. Kennedy and the Memory of a Nation . Over time, the institution transitioned from the original temporary exhibit concept into an internationally recognized permanent museum with the mission to chronicle the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy; interpret the Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza; and present contemporary culture within the context of presidential history.

Dynamic story-telling for 21st century audiences continues as the 55th anniversary of the death of President Kennedy is remembered with the opening of a new installation, 55 Years, an exhibit depicting President Kennedy’s image on national, regional and local magazine covers from 1963 through 2018. On display from November 13, 2018 through August 4, 2019, this captivating visual timeline pays tribute to the continuous influence of President Kennedy’s life and legacy on the nation’s conscience and popular imagination.
 
Dedicated to historic preservation and interpretation, the Museum will also mark its 30th anniversary with new community-based programming in February 2019, and a re-imagining of immersive interpretive learning experiences for audiences who did not live through the turbulent period of the 1960s. The Museum continues to honor the valiant preservation efforts of the civic leaders and volunteers of the Dallas community in the decades following the assassination of President Kennedy and to rejoice in all the positive outcomes that have helped shape a vibrant city that has not ignored its past. 
 
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and receives no operational funding from local, state or federal government sources. Learn more at jfk.org .
Dealey Plaza and the Texas School Book Depository building the weekend after the November 22, 1963 assassination.

Photography Credits - Interior - Eugene George Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Exterior - George Reid Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Charles Dilbeck In Dallas Tour
Our Charles Dilbeck In Dallas tour had a great team behind its success. From Katherine Seale welcoming guests and introducing speakers Jann Patterson Mackey and Willis Winters, to Nancy McCoy’s tour program text writing, to Carolyn Brown’s incredible photography, to an unparalleled selection of tour houses, the tour was a treat throughout the day.
Cocktails For Preservation At The Beck House
We have great admiration for the family that restored the landmark Beck House ten years ago and we have great appreciation for their opening up the house for our Cocktails For Preservation reception and tour last Saturday. We also have appreciation for Reed Hilderbrand for sponsoring Bites and Bellinis at the Beck House and to Mark Lamster for enlightening our guests on a guided tour of the house and vast grounds. Guests appreciated the delicious bites and beverages as well as their signed copy of Mark’s just released book on Philip Johnson, The Man in the Glass House .
Preservation Issues
Historic Designation and Appeal Process - The Quality of Life, Arts & Culture Committee and the Mobility and Infrastructure Committee both heard the recommendations on changes to the designation and appeals process from the Historic Designation and Appeals Committee last month as recommended by the Landmark Commission. Both committees supported the recommendations and added a couple more including using business days instead of regular days for the notice requirement and allowing other testimony during the appeal other than the appellant. The City will now need to codify the changes and bring it back to the Landmark Commission for review before going to the City Plan Commission and then to City Council for final approval. That could take up to a year to accomplish.

DART D2 – DART held a stakeholders meeting last month to study potential portal locations for the three underground station locations. Preservation Dallas staff attended the meeting and gave comments on the historic buildings in proximity to the three station locations and possible portal locations to the stations downtown including Metro Center, Commerce, and CBD East. Preservation Dallas staff also met with one of the consultants working on the historic preservation portion of the Environmental Impact Statement to discuss historic buildings surrounding the station locations and to pull information from Preservation Dallas files on those buildings.

Fair Park Management Contract - The City Council has approved a contract with Fair Park First (FPF) to manage Fair Park. They are then subcontracting with Spectra to handle the daily management and events management for Fair Park. The City is working on transitioning Fair Park over to FPF so they can take full control of the site in January. FPF is also in the process of working with the current employees at Fair Park to see if they would like to transfer to Spectra’s employment.

Historic Resources Survey – Funding for the survey project in the Demolition Delay areas was approved for $100,000 in the City’s new fiscal year budget. The City has also applied for a $50,000 grant from the Texas Historical Commission. The Preservation Solutions Committee is working on a strategy to raise the additional matching funds for the project which is expected to cost $250,000 to $300,000. The city will be soliciting bids from consulting companies to do the survey with the goal to approve a company next spring.
Director's Letter
David Preziosi
As Thanksgiving quickly approaches it is time to give thanks for family and friends. For Preservation Dallas it is time for us to give thanks for our wonderful members and volunteers! We cannot do all that we do without your support and we are so grateful to all of you who help us with our work and join us at our events throughout the year. Speaking of events, we sold out both recent events - the Fall Architectural Tour and Cocktails for Preservation at the Beck House, so thank you to all who purchased tickets for those! And then there are our event volunteers who help set up for events, check people in, get them where they need to go, and clean up afterwards. Thank you for the wonderful help in making our events run smoothly! We also need to thank all of our wonderful sponsors for our events as well as our Corporate Partners. They are critical in helping make our events a success and providing financial support throughout the year.
 
When it comes to advocacy issues, the help we get from members by showing up at City meetings or sending in e-mails is crucial to tackling those issues. It makes a huge difference and we thank you for giving up your time to do that. That help has paid off in the past few years by protecting such buildings as the Lakewood Theater, Forest Theater, Meadows Building, Struck House, Eagle Ford School, and more through initiating the Landmark designation process. It also has helped with getting preservation related items passed like the Demolition Delay Ordinance, money for Fair Park in the 2017 bond, a historic tax exemption for the Knights of Pythias building and much more.
 
I am also thankful for our hard working staff and board at Preservation Dallas. Even though staff gets paid they work quite a bit of extra hours with all of the events and special programs that we do during the year. The board members put in a great deal of time serving on the board, attending events and meetings, and working with our various committees. Speaking of committees, we have many volunteers on the Education, Preservation Issues, and Membership committees who help with the projects each of those committees takes on, and there are a lot of them! Thank you to all of them for helping out!
 
I hope that everyone has a most enjoyable and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday this year with family and friends! I will be spending Thanksgiving with my sister and her family up in Alaska. Yes, I will need to pull out my heavy clothes as it will be cold up there and they'll have snow! .
 
And don't forget to put the Holiday Party on your calendar for December 7th as it will be coming up fast after we return from Thanksgiving break! 
Events
Preservation Dallas Holiday Party
Friday, December 7, 6 to 8 p.m.
Wilson House

Join us at the historic Wilson House for the annual Holiday Party! The halls will be decked for you to enjoy refreshments and beverages while catching up with friends. Participate in our dessert contest, raffle, and more! More details coming soon. If you would like to volunteer your time or a food item, please contact us .

The annual Holiday Party is a members only event but please consider bringing a new member guest with you!
InTown Outing - Aldredge House
Tuesday, December 11, 6 to 7:30 pm OR
Tuesday, December 18, 6 to 7:30 pm

Join us for our last InTown Outing of the year which will be offered on two dates! Tour the Swiss Avenue icon as it is dressed for the holidays, inspired by the designs that Rena Aldredge created for the house when she lived there. She was an avid gardener and particularly enjoyed creating elaborate floral displays throughout the seasons for special occasions and for entertaining. Completed in 1917 and designed by architects Hal Thomson and Marion Fooshee, the house was purchased by George Aldredge and his wife Rena (nee Munger). In 1974, the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance Foundation was bequeathed the family home by Rena to use as the Alliance headquarters. Space is limited to 30 people in each tour.  We are opening this up to current Preservation Dallas members first and will open space up to the general public on December 3rd. Make your reservations now before they fill up!
Please Welcome our New Members!
Sustainer
Charisse Beaupre
Daniel Cohen
Tery DeShong & Barbara Abercrombie
Christian Elberson
George Keaton
Nancy Leib-Knuff
Tery DeShong & Barbara Abercrombie
Joella Phillip
Daniel Shearer
David Cervantes Vera

Young Professionals (PDYP)
Frank Harker
Audrey Ward
Thank you to the following members for renewing!
Catherine Blair
Sally Branch
Daniela Cantu
Deborah Dobson-Brown
Steve Grice
Claire Hill
David Gravelle
Cyntha Greco
Jamika Nicole Jackson
Larry Lee Johnson
David Klempin
Jon Lewis
Jeanne Shelton
Michael Varnes
Jennifer Wakefield
Linda Willson
J Mark Wolf & Lynda Calkin
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.
Corporate Partners
Presevation Dallas | 2922 Swiss Avenue | Dallas TX 75204 | 214-821-3290