April 2022 News and Updates
The Preservation Achievement Awards
Are Next Month At The National!
With less than three weeks left, anticipation is growing for our special celebration and you do not want to miss it! Spend the evening at dinner and a reception with hundreds of your friends and colleagues, and help us honor those who have contributed to preservation success over the last five decades.

We promise a great night and hope to see everybody out again with us on May 19th at Dallas' iconic First National Bank building. Our hosts Todd Interests recently completed a rehabilitation of the building and its historic spaces, bring it back to life as The National. A perfect celebration space filled with perfect guests will create an unforgettable evening and we cannot wait to share with you.

We appreciate the hard work of all our Preservation Achievement Award winners over the years. And, thank you to the support of our generous Sponsors and Contributors for making our 50th Anniversary celebration extra special. Make a night of your downtown adventure and stay at The National for a special Awards' guest rate. Visit our website to learn more about the Awards and make your reservations.
InTown Outing
Dallas Morning News Building
Join us for an exclusive tour of the “Rock of Truth” on Saturday, May 21, at 10 a.m.

Designed for Dallas’ oldest operating newspaper, this stately five story building of granite and sandstone originally housed the state of the art 650 ton presses that were nearly three stories tall. Built in 1949, George Dahl designed a building that perfectly expressed the forward thinking ideas of George Bannerman Dealey, civic leader and the newspaper’s early publisher. Etched in granite on the front elevation is Dealey’s call for journalists to “Build the news upon the rock of truth...” Dahl’s elegant, yet solid design echoes that. Our hosts Matthews Southwest and Robert Dechard will tell us about the iconic building’s past, present and future as we tour inside.

Reservations are limited for this members only event and a current membership is required for each attendee. Visit preservationdallas.org to join and for more information on membership levels.
The Wood Window Repair Workshop Was a Success!
On Saturday April 23rd we hosted a Wood Window Repair Workshop with our partners at Dallas Heritage Village. The workshop was taught by Ron Siebler of Siebler Historic Preservation & Remodeling and Landmark Commissioner Dr. Evelyn Montgomery. Attendees learned about the importance of saving historic windows, essential routine maintenance tasks, and techniques for repairing windows to keep them in good working condition. As many preservationists know, historic windows are often a point of contention within our field and in our advocacy work, and we welcomed the opportunity to educate the public about the importance of preserving these character-defining features in their homes. Plus, it is always fun to get our hands dirty! You can view all of the photos from the workshop by clicking the link below. Also, be sure to check out this fantastic article about the workshop by Candy'sDirt.com author Karen Eubanks!
Downtown and Deep Ellum Survey is Complete!
After nearly two years of work, HHM has completed the survey of all the buildings in downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum. They also created Context Statements which discuss the history and development of Dallas based on different themes such as Railroads, Civil Rights, Urban Planning and more. The work on the survey and context statements was funded by the City of Dallas with Preservation Dallas raising the match for the project from grants through The Summerlee Foundation, Hoblitzelle Foundation, Downtown Dallas Inc. and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The project results will be presented to the Landmark Commission on May 2 and will be presented later to the City Council. Below are the reports with the survey results and the context statements. Click on the image to download the report. The reports will also be uploaded to the City of Dallas web site and information on each of the buildings surveyed will be available through the City's GIS system where it will be easily searchable.
Historic Preservation League Becomes
 Preservation Dallas in the 90s
After the Meadows Foundation built their new headquarters in the Wilson Block Historic District, the Historic Preservation League moved their headquarters from the Arnold House to the much larger Wilson House in 1993. That was a crucial step in the goal of the organization to expand its outreach and provide more resource materials for preservation efforts.

In order to save the Awalt Building, the League successfully appealed the issuance of permit to demolish the building in the West End Historic District for a surface parking. That success led to the sale of the building for adaptive reuse.
The Awalt Building in the West End Historic District when it was threatened with demolition and
after it was saved and rehabilitated.
In 1994, the Historic Preservation League rebranded itself as Preservation Dallas to better reflect its work across Dallas and created a new logo for the organization, which is still used to this day. A year later Preservation Dallas opened the Intown Living Center in the Wilson House featuring cutting edge touch-screen kiosks featuring Dallas’ historic neighborhoods and a new 2,500 volume resource center with information about architecture, preservation and the history and development of Dallas.  
Dedication of the Intown Living Center
The Historic House Specialist seminar was created by Preservation Dallas in 1995 in an effort to help educate realtors about historic houses. The intensive two-day seminar featured topics related to the development of Dallas, styles of architecture found in Dallas, the architects who practiced in Dallas, preservation regulations, historic neighborhoods, researching of historic houses, and more. Since its inception, over 1,300 realtors have attended the seminar and have received continuing education credits and have been certified as Historic House Specialists. The seminar is now held twice a year and is open to anyone who would like to learn more about historic houses in Dallas.
 
The same year Preservation Dallas debuted its InTown Outings which has become one of its most popular programs. The monthly tours allow members to get inside incredible historic buildings in Dallas for a behind the scenes look and to hear a bit about their history. Members also get to see rehabilitation projects before, during or after completion. A wide variety of buildings are showcased during the InTown Outings including houses, churches, commercial buildings, and civic buildings.  
HHS Class
InTown Outing to the Lacy House
Preservation Dallas began its formal architectural tours in 1996 featuring the works of architects O’Neil Ford and Clifford Hutsell. Those initial tours proved very popular and were followed by a series of loft tours – Lofty Spaces – and visits to the works of Charles Dilbeck and Howard Meyer.
 
After three years of advocacy efforts by Preservation Dallas and nearby neighborhoods, the Dallas City Council unanimously designated the Dr. Pepper plant building in 1995 as a City of Dallas Landmark. Unfortunately, that was not enough to save the building since there were no legal means to prevent its demolition even though it was a City of Dallas Landmark. Demolition sadly started in 1996 and the building was replaced by apartments. Preservation Dallas won the Alamo award in 1997 from Preservation Texas for the valiant efforts to save a historic structure.
The Dr. Pepper headquarters on Mockingbird Lane after designation as a City of Dallas Landmark and during demolition.
Preservation Dallas advocated for — and saved — local historic preservation incentives in 1998 by co-sponsoring a Rutgers University study of economic benefits of historic preservation in Texas. Continuing its work with neighborhoods, Preservation Dallas published the “Preservation Dallas Neighborhood Handbook: A Resource for Neighborhood Associations” the same year and distributed it to neighborhood groups throughout Dallas and the rest of the country. In an effort to highlight the economic impact of historic preservation, Preservation Dallas co-published a report in 1999 called “Historic Preservation at Work for the Texas Economy.”
 
Another battle for an important endangered historic structure was undertaken by Preservation Dallas in an effort to save St. Ann’s in Little Mexico. The former school was an important part of the once thriving Hispanic area of Dallas and was scheduled to be demolished for an office tower. With the Hispanic community, Preservation Dallas fought to get it designated a City of Dallas Landmark in 1999 over the owner’s objection, the second time in the city. After it was Landmarked, the developers decided to incorporate a portion of the school into the new development instead of demolishing it.
The historic St. Ann' s School in Little Mexico was saved through City of Dallas Landmark designation and instead of demolition was incorporated into the new development on the site.
Closing out the decade, Preservation Dallas became one of the founding sponsors of the annual Legacies Dallas History Conference in 1999 noting that education about Dallas’ history is an important part of preservation. The annual conference has featured numerous presentations on different aspects of Dallas’ history and the buildings that are a part of that history. The conference is still held every year and also generates articles for Legacies: A History Journal for Dallas and North Texas

Stay tuned as we move into the new millennium with our preservation work in the next newsletter!
Office of Historic Preservation's Newest Staff Members
Last week we hosted a Meet and Greet with the new staff members from the Office of Historic Preservation and Preservation Dallas members. Attendees got to chat with senior planner Laura Groves van Onna, planner Carlos van Onna, planner Scott Bellen, Code Enforcement Officer Adrian McClendon, and OHP Director Murray Miller. We were also thrilled that Carlos and Scott, both highlighted below, participated in our Historic House Specialist seminar last month. We welcome all of the new staff members to Dallas and look forward to working together on our common goal to save Dallas' historic resources!
Carlos van Onna - Preservation planner Carlos van Onna grew up in Eindhoven in the Netherlands. While living in a city with buildings that are centuries old in many cases certainly influenced his appreciation for the historic built environment, his interest in architecture and historic preservation occurred early in life thanks to his father who is an accomplished architectural photographer. Carlos also practices architectural photography, and he has a B.A. in Arts History and an M.A. in Architectural History from Utrecht University. He worked for the City of Amsterdam for five years until 2016, when he moved to the United States. Since then, he has worked in Cultural Resource Management as an Architecture Historian in several U.S. cities - including Los Angeles, Fresno, and in South Florida. Carlos said that Post-WWII architecture is his favorite type, so he will find plenty of inspiration here in Dallas! “I was attracted to Dallas’ Office of Historic Preservation because of its high level of citizen-driven participation,” Carlos said, “and I hope my background in surveying and mapping can help expand our record of historic resources in Dallas.”
Scott Bellen - Preservation planner Scott Bellen comes to Dallas from the City of Fort Worth, where he worked as a Senior Planner with the Economic & Community Development and the Zoning and Subdivision Review Teams within the Comprehensive Planning Division of the Planning Department. In addition to his work with those groups, he also assisted the Historic Preservation Officer with the Preservation Steering Committee, Historic Schools Survey, and provided assistance to the Historic and Cultural Landmark Commission. Scott received his B.A. in History and Political Science from Greenville University and his Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University. He is an accomplished Project Manager, and his projects include the Urban Village Development Program, West Berry Street Revitalization Project, and the Magnolia/Hemphill Streetscape Improvement Project. He also managed the Master Plan development for the Historic Marine, South Main, and Six Points Urban Village communities. Scott says that his favorite architectural style is Art Deco, and that his primary interest “is in improving communities through economic development, and in identifying where historic preservation’s role fits in with other City departments and in people’s everyday lives.”
Ten Realtors Graduated from the
Advanced Historic House Specialist Class in April
Ten realtors obtained their Advanced Historic House Specialist certificates this past week! This was the first in-person offering of the Advanced class since 2019, and it was wonderful to be back in person. Attendees heard from six speakers who are experts in their field on topics ranging from pre- and post-WWII housing materials and methods, landscaping design for historic properties and neighborhoods, the economic impact of historic preservation on our city, and project review in designated Landmark and Conservation Districts at the City of Dallas. We also visited the Archives Division of the Dallas Public Library where participants were introduced to the various reference materials and resources used for historic research at the library.

While the introductory and advanced Historic House Specialist seminars are designed for realtors who can receive MCE credit for taking the classes, they are also open to the general public and all who are interested in learning more about historic homes and neighborhoods in Dallas. We will offer both seminars again this Fall, so stay tuned for future dates!
Has your online research hit a brick wall?

Now that the public libraries are open again, patrons are able to schedule an appointment to do research in the Dallas History and Archives. Appointments will be required and you can set one up by emailing texas@dallaslibrary.org to start the process. They will send you information on how to make the appointment, preparing for your visit, what to expect with your appointment, and a form to fill out. For more information on the library openings go here.

You may also submit research requests online if you don't want to go into the library just yet. To do that, use the same email above and send in your research request with the information you are looking for and they will get back to you.
PRESERVATION ISSUES
Barrow Filling Station - Unfortunately the Barrow Filling Station was demolished last week by the owner of the site. The former Star Service Station was owned by Clyde Barrow's father and was a frequent location for planning the different crimes carried out by the Barrow Gang. The building was initiated for the Landmark Designation process in March of 2020 before the City shut down due to the pandemic. After the Landmark Commission initiated the Designation process, the case was to go to the Landmark Designation Committee so they could work with the owner on creating the Designation Report and Preservation Criteria for the site. In March of 2020, the City shut down all public meetings until they figured out how to let meetings happen virtually; however, they did not allow the Designation Committee to resume even though other boards, committees, and task forces were allowed to meet. The Designation Committee was not approved to start meeting again until earlier this year. In the meantime, the two-year protection period for the Barrow Filling Station that began when the designation was initiated ended in March of this year, allowing the owner of the site to legally demolish the building without further review.

Fair Park - The Mayor and City Council voted this week to approve a resolution which will place the initiative to increase the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) by 2% to help fund the rebuilding and expansion of the Dallas Convention Center and provide money for Fair Park improvements on the November 8 election ballot. If passed by voters, the money for Fair Park - about $300 million - would be allocated for the preservation and enhancement of the Automobile and Centennial Exhibition Halls, the Band Shell, the Music Hall, the Cotton Bowl, and the Coliseum. All of those structures are crucial to implementing Fair Park First's plan to have events year-round to Fair Park. They are also major attendance and revenue generators for the park. The potential money for Fair Park will be doubly effective in that it will preserve the historic buildings and make them more usable and desirable for all sorts of new events to come to Fair Park. With increased events, there will be more resources to help restore and preserve other portions of the historic Fair Park.

Atlas Metal Works – The rezoning case for the historic Atlas Metal Works property at the corner of Sylvan Avenue and Singleton Boulevard will be going to the City Plan Commission (CPC) on May 19. The developer that is interested in the property is requesting to change the zoning from Industrial Research to Multi-family and Retail in order to build a mixed-use development project with 440 apartment units. The developers are planning to save the original 1929 office building on the site, but would remove the metal sheds built in 1929 and expanded in the 1940s to make room for the apartments. Preservation Dallas met with the developers about the project to explore the possibility of incorporating more of the historic warehouse sheds into the development or reuse some of the historic materials in the development. It remains to be seen how much of that they will be able to do; however, they have committed to restoring the office building and installing a Texas Historical Marker on the site to highlight the important history of Atlas Metal Works to Dallas.
DIRECTOR'S LETTER
David Preziosi, FAICP, Hon. AIA Dallas
We are in the final push for the Preservation Achievement Awards and busy pulling everything together for what is going to be an amazing event! The awards are always exciting, and this year will be even more so as we celebrate Preservation Dallas’ work over the past 50 years. It is quite an accomplishment that we have made it this far and have had so many successes over the years. Through a lot of hard work, we have changed the conversation in Dallas from most people believing that old buildings just needed to be replaced to more and more people believing that old buildings are worth saving. In 1972 we had no historic areas of Dallas protected. Now we have 21 local historic districts, 18 conservation districts, and over 130 individual properties designated as City of Dallas Landmarks. That represents around 5,000 historic buildings in Dallas with some level of protection.

Even with the past successes, we still have immense challenges when it comes to preservation in Dallas; however, we have come a long way and now have a seat at the table because of the work that so many dedicated staff, board members, and members of Preservation Dallas have done over fifty years to advance historic preservation in Dallas. Elected officials, city staff, and even some developers now come seek our input and involve us in planning for the future of the city, which is a huge shift and shows that preservation is really gaining in importance in a city that is so focused on new development. Bigger, better, bolder has been the drive in Dallas and we want that to change to bigger and better with older!

At the Awards event we will be showcasing a special film looking back at the work of Preservation Dallas as told by past Executive Directors and those directly involved with the organization over the years. Award winning film maker Mark Birnbaum is creating the film for us. He is a brilliant film maker and has produced numerous films for us over the years featuring the honorees at our Awards events. He has also worked on many documentaries of historic buildings in Dallas including most recently the restoration of the Hall of State, both restorations in the past couple of years.

I am also very excited that the Awards will be held at The National. It is one of the most incredible preservation projects in Dallas. The former 52-story First National Bank building, designed by Thomas Stanley and George Dahl, was transformed into a vibrant mixed-use project with hotel, apartments, retail and fabulous restaurants. After several failed attempts by other developers to redevelop the 1960s office tower, Todd Interests was able to make the project work. Merriman Anderson Architects did the design work for the project and Andres did the construction work. It was no easy task to transform the massive, vacant building that occupies a whole city block in downtown into a jewel for Dallas. They even went so far as to restore the original vertical light strips on the tower, which now shine brightly at night once again. Some believe that those light strips were originally meant to represent a banker’s pin stripe suit. The rehabilitation was so outstanding that we gave them a Preservation Achievement Award last year. It is also the largest preservation project to date in the state of Texas using historic rehabilitation tax credits, no small feat.

The former banking lobby, which takes up one full side of the building, has been converted into the ballroom space and this is where the Awards event will be held. It is an incredible two-story volume space with windows that wrap around three sides of the room. We have also secured a special hotel rate for those who want to make a night of it and stay at the luxurious Thompson Dallas. Guests of the Awards event can get a special rate of $299 for the night of the event, which is a steal for such an incredible hotel. So, make a staycation out of the Awards and enjoy an overnight in downtown Dallas! 

We look forward to celebrating our 50th at the Preservation Achievement awards and the outstanding preservation projects and people receiving awards this year. We hope you can join us for what is sure to be a most memorable event! 
The former First National Bank lobby which is now the ballroom and one of the hotel rooms at the Thompson Dallas hotel.
Membership News
Please welcome our newest members:
Preservation I

Nina Beutel
Deborah Carter
Nicole Foster
Scott Lamberty
Susan McBride
Adrian McClendon
Merrily Moss
Lisa Nelson
Paula Smith
Veronica Tripoli
Ruth Ann Tripplehorn
Peter Zapffe
Community Partner

Masterplan

Preservation II

Alan McClung
Erin McClung
Lisa Sides

Guardian

Lael Brodsky
Thank you to the following members for renewing:
Michael Arbour
Lorlee Bartos
Ashley Browning
Kathleen Carney
David Chandler
Gary & Bonnie Coffman
Chuck Daneil
Margaret Dear
James Fairchild
Constance Harris
Don Kingston
Robert Kucharski
Michael McCue
Allen McReynolds
Donald Moxley
Betty Murray
Robert Puckett
Paul Ridley
George & Nancy Shutt
Glenna Taite
Laura van Onna
Emily Williams
Zachary & J Wolf
Our work is made possible by the support of our members, donors, and volunteers. To join or upgrade your membership, please visit our website!
Support Preservation Dallas While Shopping!
Did you know that when you shop through AmazonSmile, 5% of your total is donated to Preservation Dallas at no extra cost to you? Click on the logo above to get started!
Preservation Dallas participates in the Tom Thumb Good Neighbor program. Link our Good Neighbor number to your Tom Thumb loyalty card and a percentage of your purchases will be credited towards us! Our number is 11352. Enroll your card here!
Preservation Dallas participates in the Kroger Community Rewards program. Enroll your Kroger Plus card with Preservation Dallas as the benefactor. Our number is TX617. Enroll your card here!
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Legacy Corporate Partner
Corporate Partner Level II
Corporate Partner Level I
Funding has been provided to Preservation Dallas from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by Preservation Dallas does not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Preservation Dallas | 2922 Swiss Avenue | Dallas TX 752518