The former Statler Hilton Hotel
in downtown Dallas, named last week as one of the most endangered properties
in the nation, tops this year’s
list of eleven other endangered buildings and neighborhoods announced
by Preservation Dallas.
“It was a timely and fortunate coincidence that the continuing
threat to the Statler is recognized by both the National Trust for Historic
Preservation, Preservation Texas, as well as our organization,”
said Chris Culak, president of Preservation Dallas. “Across the
nation there is growing awareness, appreciation and support for the distinctive
Mid-Century Modern architectural style we see with the Statler.”
Culak says the back-to-back listings may boost the prospects for renovation
of the historic hotel, especially among city leaders and staff as well
as from the foreign-based owners of the property and potential buyers.
Other Dallas commercial and residential properties classified as Mid-Century
Modern are threatened with demolition, and Preservation Dallas notes
that the city has some of the best examples of the sleek architectural
style in the nation.
“The strength of this style in Dallas is due to the tremendous
growth in city during the 1950's and 1960's,” says Katherine Seale,
Preservation Dallas executive director. “Dallas is receiving national
attention and admiration for these buildings, even though our recent past
is not always valued locally. Downtown Dallas has some notable recent
successes in adaptive reuse in mid-century buildings, but there continues
to be a perception that these properties are ‘dated’ and should
just go away.”
This marks the fourth consecutive year that Preservation Dallas has issued
its list of historic buildings, sites, places and programs that are significant
to protecting the city’s past.
For a second year in a row, the Deep Ellum area is listed as endangered.
The closing of multiple businesses in recent years, increased development
pressure spurred by the construction of a new Dallas Area Rapid Transit
rail station, and the lack of a historic overlay designation has several
historic buildings in Deep Ellum ripe for demolition.
An example is perhaps Deep Ellum’s most significant historic building,
the Knights of Pythias Hall, also known as the Union Bankers Building.
Designed in 1916 by William Sidney Pittman, Dallas’ first African-American
architect, the building was an important social and commercial center
for the African-American community in Dallas. The Knights of Pythias is
designated a City of Dallas historic landmark, affording protection from
demolition as well as potential preservation tax incentives. But the building
remains vacant.
Nearby, the former Dallas/Crozier Tech High School returns to
the 2008 list. The city’s oldest high school buildings (1907 and
1911), the Dallas historic landmark was the subject of six years of litigation
between the property owner and the City of Dallas. While the building
is legally protected from the wrecking ball, the building sits vacant
with no plans for redevelopment. Until a new owner is in place the building
continues to be threatened.
Opened in 1917 and designed by William B. Ittner, an icon of American
public school architecture, Adamson High School has been designated
to be “replaced” as part of the recently approved DISD bond
program. While it is clear that Adamson requires updating, a successful
local model already exists of integrating historic and new educational
facilities – the recently completed Booker T. Washington High School.
Such an approach to rehabilitation could provide a state-of-the-art Adamson
High that retains its historic features.
Likewise, there is a vanishing Neighborhood around Adamson High School
that is threatened by further destruction of its historic structures,
trees and residential street patterns. The proposed additions to Adamson
High School and the purchase of additional property for athletic fields,
parking and related purposes could result in an insensitively designed
campus that results in further deterioration of its surroundings. Originally
a vibrant residential community, the neighborhood suffered from the intrusion
of large, multi-family buildings following WWII; however, many of its
historic Victorian and Craftsman homes and other structures remain.
In the last year, city bond money has provided new sidewalks, curbs and
drainage for the Tenth Street area of Oak Cliff. Located between
Interstate 35 and Clarendon Drive, several Tenth Street Historic District
homes have been renovated but additional attention and resources are needed
to save the oldest relatively intact freedmen’s town in Dallas.
The last remaining business from Little Mexico, Dallas’s earliest
Hispanic neighborhood, the Luna Tortilla Factory faces increasing
pressure from the development occurring in the immediate area and a sharp
rise in property values. Built in the Spanish Eclectic-style in 1938,
the building is in good condition but is vacant and for sale. The Little
Mexico neighborhood is fast disappearing with only a few physical reminders
remaining.
Unlike most major cities in Texas, Dallas retains many of its Historic
Streetcar Shops. These small, one-story commercial buildings were
built at prominent stops along streetcar routes from the late 1800s through
the 1930s. Examples are found near residential neighborhoods in historic
South Dallas, Oak Cliff, and East Dallas, such as the unusual crescent-shaped
shops at the southeast corner of Swiss Avenue and Hall Street where the
infamous Bonnie Parker reportedly waited tables. Sensitive redevelopment
of these largely unprotected buildings can help support Dallas’
increasingly desirable urban neighborhoods.
As part of its Endangered List, Preservation Dallas also notes the city’s
Lack of Demolition Review for Historic Properties. Other Texas
cities have procedures that allow city preservation staff to review demolition
applications for properties of probable historic merit. This allows the
city and property owners additional time to explore alternatives to demolition
and the availability of tax incentive programs for rehabilitation. The
City of Dallas Long Range Planning Division and city volunteers are already
investigating possible solutions, but political support for such a review
is necessary.
Preservation Dallas uses the Endangered List to raise awareness with
the public, development community and city officials about the threats
to historic properties. The nominations are solicited from citizens and
hundreds of Preservation Dallas members.
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