For Preservation the newsletter of
Volume 21, No. 2
www.ghpa.org
n
greater houston preservation alliance
Houston’s local partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Spring 2011
2011 p r e s e rvat i o n m o n t h lu n c h e o n
Discover ‘The Treasures Among Us’ during GHPA luncheon What do Rhett Butler, Johannes Gutenberg, William Shakespeare, Gloria Swanson and Edgar Allen Poe have in common? They are all represented in the diverse holdings of one unique institution: The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Learn about “The Treasures Among Us” when the Ransom Center’s director, Dr. Tom Staley, is the featured speaker at GHPA’s 2011 National Preservation Month Luncheon on Thursday, May 12, at River Oaks Country Club. Dr. Staley will share the history of the Center’s founding and impressive growth including a behind-the-scenes look at the archives and the amusing and interesting stories of the Center’s acquisitions. “The Treasures Among Us” refers not just
Historic districts update
Please see Districts, Page 2
ars, students and visitors to study and enjoy these collections, either by conducting research in our reading room or by attending our diverse exhibitions and programs, all of which are free and open to the public.” During the luncheon, GHPA will also recognize Randy Pace, City of Houston historic preservation officer, who is retiring after 16 years of service. Pace was hired in 1995 when Houston was instituting its first historic preservation ordinance. When he was hired by the city, he was working for Galveston Historical Foundation and had been personally involved in private preservation projects in Houston Heights and Galveston. Please see Luncheon, Page 2
By the book
Dr. Tom Staley: The director of the Harry Ransom Center at UT-Austin will be featured speaker at GHPA’s 2011 Preservation Month Luncheon.
Preservation briefs Local historian and author Betty Trapp Chapman will receive the second annual Mayor’s Citizen Preservation Award. Chapman is being recognized for her decades of scholarly research and writing, lectures and her service as chair of the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. The award will be presented during National Preservation Month in May on a date to be announced. The Friends of the Texas Room is accepting nominations for the Julia Ideson Award, which recognizes research projects that document Houston and Texas history and culture. Books, articles, theses and dissertations, film and video productions and websites are eligible for the award. Entries must significantly use the archival resources of the Texas Room/ Houston Metropolitan Research Center. Complete information is available on the Friends website at www. friendsofthetexasroom.org/ award.html.
joel draut
Houston City Council voted on March 23 to keep intact four City of Houston historic districts that had been up for reconsideration. Council approved retaining the existing boundaries of the Avondale West, Boulevard Oaks and Norhill historic districts. Council members also approved minor boundary changes for the First Montrose Commons Historic District. The vote means property owners in these districts will continue to benefit from the expanded protections in Houston’s historic preservation ordinance. The historic district re-
to the collections at the Ransom Center, but also to the Center itself. The Ransom Center is recognized throughout the world as one of the most important institutions for the study of 20th- and 21st-century literature and culture. The Center is home to 36 million manuscripts, one million rare or significant books, five million photographs and 100,000 works of art, including the archives of Tom Stoppard, Norman Mailer, Gloria Swanson, David O. Selznick, David Mamet, Robert De Niro, Arthur Miller and Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. “The Ransom Center’s collections capture the imagination, invigorate scholarly research and deepen our understanding of culture,” said Dr. Staley. “The Center welcomes schol-
Byron Galvez of Evergreene Architectural Arts applies paint to a detail in the Julia Ideson Building (1926) of the Houston Public Library. The building, designed by Cram & Ferguson, is undergoing restoration; a new wing containing the Houston Metropolitan Research Center’s archives and reading room opened in 2010. Gensler is the architect and SpawMaxwell Company is the general contractor for the restoration and expansion project, which is scheduled to be completed in August. For more information, visit www.ideson.org.
dow n tow n
1932 Wilson Co. Building slated for restoration
GHPA file
New owners are restoring the former Wilson Stationery & Printing Co. Building (1932) in downtown Houston. A private partnership, 500 Fannin LLC, has hired Ziegler Cooper Architects to design the renovation. Fretz Construction is the general contractor. The Downtown Redevelopment Authority has approved a façade preservation grant for the project. William Ward Watkin, supervising architect for the construction of the Rice Institute (now Rice University) campus, designed the historic building at the corner of Fannin Street and Prairie Avenue. The Wilson Building’s Art Deco design is a departure from Watkin’s usual classically inspired works. The Wilson Building has stood vacant for many years, but much of its original detailing has survived. The building is featured in GHPA’s book Houston Deco: Modernistic Architecture of the Texas Coast; more photos of the Wilson Building and its detailing are available on the Houston Deco website at www.houstondeco.org/1930s/wilson.html.
Wilson Stationery & Printing Co. Building (1932, William Ward Watkin)
Houston History Association has issued a call for papers to be presented during the inaugural Houston History Conference on Saturday, October 29, at the Hilton-University of Houston Hotel and Conference Center. The event is being held in conjunction with the city’s official 175th anniversary celebration. The theme of the conference is “Milestones and Arrivals: 175 Years of Coming to Houston.” For information on submitting papers, e-mail info@houstonhistoryassociation.org.
For Preservation
2 | Spring 2011 fr o m t h e ex e c u t i v e d i r e c to r: RAMONA DAVIS
Candace Garcia for Swamplot.com
Peter Hurd’s fresco “The Future Belongs To Those Who Prepare for It” is readied for its move from the former Prudential Building (1952) on Holcombe Boulevard. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is demolishing the skyscraper.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is in the process of razing the former Prudential Building (1952), 1100 Holcombe Boulevard. Kenneth Franzheim designed the finely detailed modernist skyscraper. During the first phase of demolition, workers removed a massive mural by celebrated western artist Peter Hurd from the building’s lobby. After demolition plans were announced, GHPA representatives met with M.D. Anderson officials in an unsuccessful
effort to preserve the building. GHPA later contacted art experts and encouraged potential donors and local developers to keep the mural in the Houston area. The 16-by-46-foot fresco, “The Future Belongs To Those Who Prepare for It,” is being moved to Artesia, New Mexico, near Hurd’s hometown of Roswell. The mural is in storage in Midland and will eventually be installed in Artesia’s new public library. An anonymous donor in New Mexico funded the $500,000 move.
Free program A walk through early Houston will highlight sustainability in preservation
wa l k i n g to urs
The GHPA Walking Tours Program will continue its yearlong celebration of Houston’s 175th birthday Sunday, May 15, with an all-new walking tour that explores the city as it existed in its earliest days. “The Town of Houston” tour will look at some of the people and places at the center of activity in early Houston. Among the stops will be the sites of the Capitol of the Republic of Texas, the home of the Republic’s president, Houston’s old city market, its first theater and one of its most popular saloons. Though the structures themselves have been lost, GHPA’s docents will bring them to life through stories and historical accounts of life in Houston in the 1830s. “Houston was an interesting place in those days,” Walking Tours Program Chairman Jim Parsons said. “It could also be a little horrifying. I think people who come to this tour will be happy they’re living in Houston in 2011 rather than in 1837.” Tickets will go on sale at 1:30 p.m. May 15 under the canopy of the former Rice Hotel at Main Street and Texas Avenue. Admission is $10 per person ($7 for students with valid ID and GHPA members). The last tour group will leave at 2:10 p.m. Reservations are not required. For more information, visit www.ghpa.org/tours.
Architect, planner and historian Barbara Campagna, FAIA, LEED AP, will discuss “Sustainability & Preservation: The Perfect Match” during a free public program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, at the University of St. Thomas’ Jones Hall, 3910 Yoakum Boulevard. Her presentation will focus on the important links between historic preservation and sustainability. Campagna is the National Trust for Histor- Campagna ic Preservation’s liaison with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). She has been assisting in the effort to incorporate preservation into the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The program is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. Paid parking is available in the Moran Center Parking Garage on West Alabama at Graustark. The program is being presented by GHPA, USGBC-Texas Gulf Coast Chapter, AIA Houston and Houston Mod with additional support from the Association for Preservation Technology International-Texas Chapter and Preservation Texas.
Luncheon
continued from Page 1
courtesy of harry ransom center
Original costumes from the classic film Gone With The Wind (1939) are among the diverse collections of the Harry Ransom Center at UT-Austin. Dr. Tom Staley, Ransom Center director, will speak at GHPA’s Preservation Month Luncheon on May 12.
The Ladies of the GHPA Board of Directors are co-chairs for the event. Luncheon reservations start at $150 per person; $1,500 for a table of 10. Please call GHPA at 713-216-5000 for reservations or information. The deadline for reservations is Monday, May 9. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has designated May as National Preservation Month to focus attention on preservation efforts across the country. The theme of Preservation Month 2011 is “Celebrating America’s Treasures.” GHPA is Houston’s Local Partner of the National Trust. Additional information about the Harry Ransom Center is available online at www.hrc.utexas.edu.
Districts
continued from Page 1 consideration process began in October 2010, when City Council amended Houston’s preservation ordinance. At the same time, Council passed a temporary measure that allowed for the repeal of existing City of Houston historic district designations. The March vote means the repeal process has ended for fourteen historic districts. Near Northside Near Northside has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s official roster of historic resources worthy of preservation. The National Register district includes only the west end of what is usually considered the Near Northside. Most of the district’s historic properties are modest homes built
david bush
As an advocacy organization, GHPA walks a fine line to provide you with timely, accurate information without filling your inbox with constant e-mail alerts. This has been our particular concern during the ongoing debates over the future of Houston’s historic districts. We have made a conscious effort to send our members no more than one email a day and no more than two or three per week unless there have been significant developments that you need to know about. You may have noticed a lull in the e-mails recently, but in the weeks ahead, City Council will consider requests for designation from property owners in three pending City of Houston historic districts: Glenbrook Valley, Heights South and Woodland Heights. During the recent historic district debate, some at-large council members said they had not received any feedback from their constituents about the city’s historic districts. Although all Houston voters elect the at-large council members, many people only contact their specific district representative when an issue arises. It is very important for GHPA members to contact all of the at-large council members when preservation matters are being considered. It is also important for those of you who live in areas that do not have historic districts to contact your representative. Council members whose districts don’t include historic neighborhoods often feel they can vote against preservation because it doesn’t impact their constituents. You can help them understand that historic preservation is a quality of life issue that affects the entire city. GHPA staff contacts public officials on behalf of the organization and its members, but to have a real impact, we need you to contact your representatives, identify yourself as a GHPA member and tell City Council that you want Houston to enjoy the benefits historic preservation can bring our city. It takes time and energy to write letters, make phone calls or send emails, but, with a little effort, you can make a big difference and help create the kind of city we want for ourselves and for future Houstonians. Working together, we can create a historic preservation ethic for Houston.
Prudential fresco sent to New Mexico
Lee Elementary School (1919, Alfred C. Finn)
from the late 1800s through the 1920s. The listing identifies two buildings as individually significant. Harris County owns the now-vacant Robert E. Lee Elementary School (1919), 2101 South Street, designed by Alfred C. Finn. A subsidiary of the Southern Pacific railroad built the former Sunset Hospital (1911), 2015 Thomas Street, for its employees.
The county hospital district operates the building as Thomas Street Health Center. Harris County funded the historic resources survey and National Register nomination under the auspices of former Precinct 2 Commissioner Sylvia Garcia. Texas Historical Commission coordinated the district designation. National Register listing can have significant economic impact. Approved rehabilitations of income-producing historic properties in the district can qualify for federal preservation tax credits. National Register districts are distinct from City of Houston historic districts. National Register districts do not benefit from the protections afforded citydesignated historic districts under Houston’s historic preservation ordinance. It is possible for a neighborhood to be both a National Register district and a City of Houston historic district.
For Preservation
Spring 2011 | 3
2011 Cornerstone Dinner The arctic blast that shut down much of the city on February 4 did not put a chill on GHPA’s Cornerstone Dinner at River Oaks Country Club. More than 300 guests gave a warm reception to the winners of the 2011 Good Brick Awards. Phoebe and Bobby Tudor and Susan and Gene Vaughan co-chaired GHPA’s largest fundraising event. Phoebe Tudor also served as a last-minute emcee with local broadcasting legend Doug Johnson when weather coverage kept Dominique Sachse on the air at Channel 2. GHPA President Larry E. Whaley and his wife Charlotte hosted Mayor Annise Parker at the Haynes Whaley Associates table. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett was among the guests at the Tudors’ table. During the event, Larry Whaley presented Bob Fretz, Jr. with the GHPA President’s Award for
outstanding personal and professional contributions to historic preservation in Houston. Stewart Morris, Jr., president of Stewart Title Co., presented Alex Brennan-Martin with the Stewart Title Award for rebuilding Houston’s landmark Brennan’s Restaurant after the devastating fire that occurred during Hurricane Ike. The art department at Sylvan Rodriguez, Jr. Elementary School received the Martha Peterson Award for its fourth- and fifth-grade project, Houston: Urban Landscapes in Watercolor. GHPA has presented the Good Brick Awards since 1979 to recognize excellence in historic preservation. The complete list of this year’s award winners, along with information on past winners, is available online at www.ghpa.org/awards.
Co-chairs Gene & Susan Vaughan and Phoebe & Bobby Tudor
Dimitri Fetokakis, Kathy Hubbard, Scott McClelland, Mayor Annise Parker, Soraya McClelland
GHPA Board Member Jane-Page Crump & James Crump, GHPA Board Member Madeleine Hamm
GHPA President Larry E. Whaley, Faith Morris, Alex Brennan-Martin, Stewart Morris, Jr.
Ty & Lynn Kelly, Paul Homeyer
Lori & Doug Johnson
Gwen Emmett, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett
Roy Hill & GHPA Board Member Susan Hill, Jim & Betty Key
For Preservation
4 | Spring 2011
Greater Houston Preservation Alliance 2010-2011 Board of Directors Officers Larry E. Whaley President
Lynne Bentsen Treasurer
Madeleine Hamm Secretary
Nancy Ames VP/Special Events
Al Calloway VP/Communication
Bill Franks VP/Development
Jane-Page Crump VP at Large
Eileen Hricik VP at Large
Patricia Laurent VP at Large
Rick Walton VP/Museum of Houston, Parliamentarian
d i r e c to r s Michelle Barnes Minnette Boesel Rosario Boling Lucky Chopra
David Cottrell III John Cryer III Carlo M. Di Nunzio Diane Gendel
Benito Guerrier Karen Henry Susan Hill
Janita Lo Louis H. Skidmore, Jr. Nancy McGregor Manne William W. Stubbs Patty Porter Phoebe Tudor Mary Ann Reynolds Bob Wakefield
ex officio Charles D. Maynard, Jr. Legal Counsel
Randy Pace City of Houston Historical Preservation Officer
Marlene Gafrick Director, Houston Department of Planning and Development
Bart Truxillo Director Emeritus
b u s i n e s s a n d n ot - f o r - p r o f i t m e m b e r s 1940 Air Terminal Museum Adept Word Management AGC Houston AIA Houston Amilee Wendt, ASID / Wendt Design Group Bailey Architects, Inc. Baker Botts LLP Bering’s Bill Fisher Benefits Specialists Boulevard Oaks Ladies Club Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral Services Brick Restoration, Inc. Bridgeway Capital Management Bud Light / Silver Eagle Distributors, LP Canyonlands Corp. Central Houston / Houston Downtown Management District Cisneros Design Studio Coat & Evans, PC Colquitt Court Civic Association Cooke + Skidmore Consulting Corp. David Cottrell Investments FRAMEwork design LLC Fretz Construction Company
Gabriel Architects, Inc. Gensler Gilbane Glassman Shoemake Maldonado Architects Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. and Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation Madeleine M. Hamm / Design Communications HarrisonKornberg Architects HawesHillCalderon, LLP Haynes Whaley Associates, Inc. Karen Henry + Associates Public Relations The Heritage Society Jerry Hernandez / Russo Services, Inc. Hines HistoryConsultants.net Houston Mod Houston House & Home Peggy Hull, ASID / Creative Touch Interiors Jane-Page Crump / Jane Page Design Group JD Miner Systems, LLC JPMorgan Chase & Co. Kirksey Architecture The Lancaster Hotel Landmark Houston Hospitality Group
Charles W. Ligon, AIA, Architects The Lionstone Group Martha Turner Properties Matrix Spencer Architects PageSoutherlandPage REHKA Engineering, Inc. R.N. Wakefield & Co., Antiques Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc. Daphne Scarbrough / The Brass Maiden Silvestri Investments / SILCO, Inc. Smith and Company Architects, Inc. South MacGregor Civic Club Stern and Bucek Architects Stewart Title Studio RED Architects SWCA Environmental Consultants Tellepsen W.S. Bellows Construction Ward & Ames Special Events William Reaves Fine Art, LLC William W. Stubbs & Associates Winlow Place Civic Club Wulfe & Co. Ziegler Cooper Architects
About GHPA The mission of Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GHPA) is to promote the preservation and appreciation of Houston’s architectural and cultural historic resources through education, advocacy and committed action, thereby creating economic value and developing a stronger sense of community. GHPA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. GHPA is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. GHPA is a member of Preservation Texas and Partners for Sacred Places.
GHPA online www.ghpa.org www.museumofhouston.org www.houstondeco.org
For Preservation David Bush, editor Jim Parsons, designer Copyright 2011, Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. All rights reserved.
2011 National Preservation Month Luncheon The Treasures Among Us featuring Dr. Tom Staley, director, Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin Thursday, May 12, 2011, River Oaks Country Club For reservations, call (713) 216-5000 or e-mail info@ghpa.org
Greater Houston Preservation Alliance 712 Main Street, Suite 110 Houston, Texas 77002-3207 Return service requested
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