In 2004, Dallas initiated a citywide comprehensive plan under the direction of John Fregonese of Fregonese/Calthorpe Associates of Portland, Oregon. The city's planning staff and local consultants serve as facilitators for the myriad of meetings being held on special topics throughout the city. Forward Dallas! is the slogan and unifying philosophy for the plan.

Where does the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods fall under the citywide planning effort? In the October 2005 issue of Planning, issued by the American Planning Association, Robert Ward and Norman Tyler, argue for the integration of historic preservation into comprehensive plans. This idea is not new and, frankly, not newsworthy except for the fact that the subject earned its place in a planning journal.

The preservation of historic buildings and areas deserves its rightful place in the consideration of how Dallas will grow. A number of neighborhoods, such as Junius Heights, are still worthy of designation and should be identified. The city has invested millions of dollars in tax incentives over the past ten years in order to rehabilitate historic buildings in the Central Business District. That alone should demand attention to how these will be maintained for the common good of citizens. In addition, city leaders have entrusted hundreds of buildings to the oversight of the Dallas Landmark Commission as well as its supporting task forces. This is a responsibility that no other public board holds.

With all that said, our city needs to use its history more effectively in land use and in economics; the comprehensive plan can help identify opportunities and focus goals. For example, heritage tourism has never been developed to strengthen our economy, and some of our earliest historic neighborhoods remain threatened by encroaching development. Several South Dallas neighborhoods should be designated as historic districts where significant collections of irreplaceable architecture can be the catalyst for reinvestment and community revitalization. Hundreds of early 20th century neighborhood shopping facilities remain underutilized or abandoned that could be the focus of small Main Street revitalization programs.

We have thirty years of accomplishments in historic preservation, but we have only begun to take advantage of our architecture and history. Urban planners, Ward and Tyler, sum up their thoughts with this: “It is important for all communities, urban and rural, to recognize the value of preserving their physical heritage through historic preservation, which can provide economic and social benefits and give residents a sense of place.”

Share your thoughts for incorporating historic preservation into the Forward Dallas! plan as the process continues.

W. Dwayne Jones
Executive Director
Preservation Dallas

Photos: Streetscapes in proposed Junius Heights Historic District