Keynote Vol. 24, No. 1
Winter 2014
the newsletter of
Preservation Houston
Houston’s Local Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
www.preservationhouston.org
2014 cornerstone dinner
Good Brick Awards mark 35th anniversary Community Pilllar Award will recognize Hermann Park Conservancy’s work
Please see Awards, Page 2
jim parsons
Preservation Houston will toast the 35th anniversary of the Good Brick Awards for excellence in historic preservation during the 2014 Cornerstone Dinner on Friday evening, February 21 at River Oaks Country Club. Former Good Brick Award recipients Nancy and Walt Bratic are chairing the anniversary event. The awards were first presented in 1979, just one year after Preservation Houston was founded as Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. Since then, more than 200 Good Bricks have been given to recognize outstanding historic preservation projects and the people who make them happen. Award recipients are selected by
Hermann Park Conservancy will receive Preservation Houston’s Community Pillar Award during the 35th Anniversary Cornerstone Dinner on February 21. The award recognizes exemplary leadership in the community and outstanding contributions to Houston’s growth and prosperity through historic preservation. Hermann Park Conservancy was established in 1992 as Friends of Hermann Park to address growing concerns about the park’s deterio-
The 2014 Stewart Title Award is being presented to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for Bethel Park, which incorporates the ruins of Bethel Baptist Church in the Fourth Ward.
No place like home
historic neighborhood resources
Education essential to preservation of Houston landmarks
jim parsons
A real parade of homes passed through Houston’s East End on January 12 when preservationists Michael Skelly and Anne Whitlock moved six Victorian-era houses to prevent their demolition for new townhouse construction. The historic houses are now safely located on property the couple owns surrounding the former Fire Station No. 2 (1909) on the corner of Sampson and Preston. All the historic buildings, including the fire station, will be renovated for residential use. The largest of the houses will be restored on its own lot, one of the smaller houses will be used as a guesthouse adjacent to the fire station and the remaining four houses will be connected in pairs to form two single-family homes. Past Good Brick Award winner Janusz Design is the architect for the project. According to Cherry House Moving, it was the first time the company had moved six houses at once.
astrodome
Historic designation for the Dome The National Park Service has recognized the significance of the Astrodome by including the iconic stadium on the National Register of Historic Places, the federal government’s official roster of important historic properties throughout the nation. Although listing is an honor, it is important to recognize that inclusion on the National Register does not protect a historic property
Please see Pillar, Page 2
from demolition. One potential benefit of listing is that properties on the National Register may qualify for substantial tax incentives for privately funded development that meets the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Preservation Houston will continue to update its members on Astrodome developments as they occur.
Although much of its work takes place out of the public eye, Preservation Houston’s Historic Neighborhood Resources program (HNR) is making a big difference in the city’s preservation landscape. HNR Director Courtney Tardy works with property owners, civic groups and institutions across Houston to protect and secure historic designation for significant structures and neighborhoods. In the past few years, Tardy has had a direct role in the creation of five of Houston’s 21 city historic districts: Audubon Place, Boulevard Oaks, First Montrose Commons, Germantown and the pending Starkweather Historic District. The process frequently requires a longterm commitment. “Starkweather is a shining example of our work with residents in historic districts,” Tardy said. “It took about five years of work in the Independence Heights neighborhood to arrive at the Starkweather Historic District.” In addition, HNR is working with Preservation River Oaks (PRO), a volunteer-driven group that encourages River Oaks property owners to have their homes designated as City of Houston landmarks.
Tardy’s work with PRO, funded by a grant from the Susan Vaughan Foundation, involves identifying historic homes and completing the paperwork required for their designation. More than 60 homes have been designated over the four years of the partnership. The work in River Oaks has helped T a r d y streamline the process of researching historic structures by building a database of architects Tardy and builders who were active in Houston in the early 20th century — a resource Preservation Houston has been able to use in its work in other historic neighborhoods. In all its work, HNR’s goal is to provide residents and neighborhood groups with the tools they need to understand and maintain historic protections. The goal is to encourage preservation while maintaining a neighborhood’s distinctive character. Please see HNR, Page 3
Keynote
2 Winter 2014 from the executive director: stephanie ann jones
Discovery Green chosen as first Future Landmark
A show of support
Working together to make history
Residents of First Ward hosted a block party on February 1 to support the neighborhood’s application to become Houston’s 22nd historic district. The community immediately northwest of downtown Houston was established in 1840 and contains an eclectic mix of vernacular, Victorian, Craftsman and industrial architecture. In recent years, First Ward has become known as a center of artistic activity, with major artist workspaces and many smaller independent artists scattered throughout the area. At the same time, the neighborhood’s proximity to downtown Houston is attracting new townhouse construction. Among those speaking at the event were State Representative Carol Alvarado, City Council Member Ed Gonzales and Preservation Houston Executive Director Stephanie Ann Jones. Good Brick Award winners Laura and Evan Michaelides are among those leading the designation effort. The couple won a Good Brick Award from PH in 2013 for restoring a Victorian-era house in First Ward.
Pillar
continued from Page 1 ration due to high attendance and insufficient funding. In 1993, the group commissioned a master plan for Hermann Park that was later adopted by Houston City Council and has been used as a guide for improvements ever since. The nationally recognized public-private partnership is now close to
completing the master plan’s goals in time for the park’s centennial celebration later this year. The Conservancy has received two Good Bricks in the past under the group’s previous name. In 2002, Friends of Hermann Park was recognized for restoring McGovern Lake. In 2006, the Friends received the Stewart Title Award for the “Heart of the Park” capital improvement project.
Pier & Beam, Preservation Houston’s next-generation member group, will honor Discovery Green with its first Future Landmark award during the 2014 Cornerstone Dinner. P&B members selected Discovery Green (2008, Hargreaves Associates, PageSoutherlandPage and Lauren Griffith Associates) as the inaugural recipient of the award, which recognizes new construction that is architecturally distinguished and has had a significant impact on Houston. Helen Bechtel and Alexis McKinney chaired the Pier & Beam Future Landmarks Committee.
‘Fair Park Deco’ wins TSHA award Preservation Houston staff members Jim Parsons and David Bush are the recipients of the Texas State Historical Association’s Ron Tyler Award for Best Illustrated Book on Texas History and Culture for Fair Park Deco: Art and Architecture of the Texas Centennial Exposition. The book, published by TCU Press, examines the built environment of Fair Park in Dallas, site of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. Fair Park Deco is the authors’ third book on modernistic architecture after Houston Deco and Hill Country Deco. The award will be presented during the TSHA Annual Meeting in San Antonio in March.
Awards
continued from Page 1 an independent jury of preservation and design professionals, community leaders and former Good Brick Award winners. Ten projects were chosen to receive awards this year: n The Stewart Title Award goes to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for its development of Bethel Park, which encompasses the ruins of historic Bethel Church in Freedmen’s Town. n Doug Lawing will receive an award for the renovation of his Tudor Revival-style Museum District house (1926). n Trinity Episcopal Church in Midtown is being recognized for the restoration of its stained glass windows. n The restoration of the John Staub-designed C. Milby Dow House (1926) in the Broadacres Historic District is being recognized with a Good Brick Award. n Summer Ventures, LP, earned its award for rehabilitating the former Cook Paint & Varnish Co. Building. n A Good Brick will be presented to Harris County, Precinct 2, for its restoration of the Sylvan Beach Pavilion (1956) in La Porte. n Diane and Ray Krueger will receive their Good Brick for the renovation and sympathetic addition to their mid-century modern commercial building. n Gayle and Arlen Ferguson are being recognized for the renovation and sympathetic addition to their Victorian house (1904) in the Heights West Historic District. n Houston Audubon Society will receive a Good Brick for the restoration of the Edith L. Moore Log Cabin (1932) in the Edith L. Moore Sanctuary on the west side of Houston. n David Hille is being recognized for rescuing and renovating a Craftsman bungalow in the Brooke Smith Addition. This year’s winners were first introduced on October 25 during a special kick-off party hosted by the Esperson Gallery in the historic Esperson Buildings. The 2014 Good Brick jury was co-chaired by Preservation Houston board members Madeleine M. Hamm and Kate McCormick. Jury members were Tim Beeson, Lynn Kelly, Charles Ligon, Raj Mankad, Monica Savino, Bart Truxillo and Kimberly Wolfe.
courtesy of shau lin
Please see Director, Page 3
stephanie ann jones
What an exciting time it is to live in Houston if you are preservation-minded! The opportunities continue to grow in meaningful and creative ways that allow us to participate in the dialogue about the future of our city, and we are stepping up to help lead the way for education about reusing, repurposing and reinventing spaces for modern experiences. The Preservation Houston team worked very hard this fall when we, along with other like-minded architecture, preservation and design groups, undertook the education efforts to demonstrate the value, both economic and cultural, of adding new life to the Astrodome. While the results of the election can be seen as disheartening — we choose to embrace this as an opportunity to strengthen our efforts, communicate more, engage more and prepare for future challenges in the world of preservation. In many ways, it takes an iconic structure such as the Astrodome to raise awareness about reuse, repurposing and the environmentally and fiscally responsible aspects of preservation. But we don’t want the big stage — and the slight majority — to take away from the fact that nearly half of the voters chose to support Proposition 2. We also don’t want the election loss to diminish the important dialogue that came about because of the larger arena and higher visibility of this structure. Most importantly, we don’t want this to take away from the meaningful work that is being done on a daily basis in our neighborhoods. It was because of our face-toface interactions with Houstonians during the final six weeks of neighborhood meetings leading up to the Astrodome election, that we better understand the opportunities that we have as an organization to educate Houstonians about the benefits of historic preservation. In the months ahead, you will continue to see us hard at work with neighborhood associations, schools, civic groups, architects, Realtors, developers, homeowners and also presenting a monthly preservation topic at the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. We serve as an important resource in the community — and hope that you will call upon us to help in your neighborhood. Access, openness, dialogue, talent, technical agility, and creativity are all keys to our success. Rigidity can oftentimes work against us and be perceived as an enemy to those we are hoping to engage — and while there is obviously a necessity to maintain standards, it is important for all of us to know that nationally, preservation groups are becoming more flexible and willing to explore opportunities with partners in their communities who may not be traditional preservationists, but who value heritage, culture, architecture and reuse in meaningful and powerful ways. Our biggest challenge, as with any advocacy non-profit, is to create the revenue generation necessary
The restoration of the 1956 Sylvan Beach Pavilion in La Porte is among the projects being recognized with Good Brick Awards this year.
The Cornerstone Dinner
Preservation Houston will present the 2014 Good Brick Awards during the 35th Anniversary Cornerstone Dinner at 7 p.m. Friday, February 21, at River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Boulevard. Deborah Duncan of KHOU-TV’s “Great Day Houston” and Preservation Houston Board Member and former KPRC-TV weather anchor Doug Johnson are emcees for the event. For reservations or more information, call (713) 510-3990 or e-mail events@preservationhouston.org.
Good Brick Tour
Preservation Houston will present the first Good Brick Tour showcasing select award-winning historic properties, Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, 2014. Tickets for the weekend tour will be $25 per person. Patron tickets will be available for $50 that will include admission to the Kick-off Party on Friday evening, May 2. Preservation Houston members will receive detailed information closer to the event or check the tour insert in the April issue of Houston House & Home magazine.
Keynote
Cornerstone Dinner Chair Nancy nancy Bratic, BetterHouston Director Peter H. Brown, Cornerstone Dinner Chair Walt Bratic
Winter 2014 Winter 2014 3
University of St. Thomas Special Assistant to the President Michael michael Lewis, PH Board member Diane Ofner ofner
Hermann Park Conservancy Executive Director Doreen Stoller, PH Leadership Society member Lucia Benton
Co-chairs Walt Bratic Bratic hosted hosted the the Co-chairs Nancy Nancy and and Walt Underwriter Reception for the Cornerstone Dinner Underwriter Reception for the Cornerstone Dinner in their beautiful historic home on February 6. The in their beautiful historic home on February 6. The couple won a Good Brick Award in 2012 for restoring couple won a Good Brick Award in 2012 for restorthe house, which was designed by architect Hamiling the house, which was designed by architect ton Brown in 1941. Brown’s son, former City Council Hamilton Brown in 1941. Brown’s son, former City member Peter H. Brown, was on hand to give a brief Council member Peter H. Brown, was on hand to talk about his father’s work. The Cornerstone Dinner give a brief talk about his father’s work. The Cor- Hermann Park Conservancy Board of Directors Chair Ann Kennedy, 2014 Good Brick Award winner Ray Krueger will be held Friday, February 21. nerstone Dinner will be held Friday, February 21.
PH Historic Neighborhood neighborhood Resources Director Courtney Tardy, Mayor’s mayor’s Assistant for Cultural Affairs Minnette minnette Boesel
GOOD good BRICK brick UNDERWRITER underwriter RECEPTION recePtion
Cornerstone Dinner supporters gather at historic home jim PARSONS PARSonS ALL: JIM
PIER Pier & BEAM beam
Almost 100 help launch Pier & Beam, PH’s next-gen group
Nicole nicole Laurent Romano, Pier & Beam Chair Claire Cormier Thielke, Ian ian Rosenberg
vationhouston.org, is a way onstrate to encourage othersthe to learn continued from Page 2 about us and join online. value, to provide this overarchTogether, weboth have the preservation ing support to a variety of opportunity to make “history constituents, but we are in progress” — our tagline economic continuing to identify key Preservation Houston and design for partners in this effort — and — and we are eager to work and cultural, are quickly acquiring new together with all of you to groups uninterest and support. We also accomplish this. Thank you rely on you, our members, for your ongoing support of of adding dertook the to help us share our mission Houston’s history, culture with others — and invite your and built environment. friends and colleagues to education efsupport our efforts through memberships and giving. Our forts to demnew website, www.preser-
Director
HNR
AnniE TRIANA TRiAnA ALL: ANNIE
Alexis McKinney, Sophie Akben Helen Bechtel, Audrey Cochran
Almost Almost 100 100 spirited spirited individuals individuals spent spent a a lively lively evening November November 20 20 celebrating celebrating launch evening thethe launch of of Pier & Beam, Preservation Houston’s nextPier & Beam, Preservation Houston’s next-generageneration preservationists group. Claire Chairs Claire tion preservationists group. Chairs Cormier Cormier and Thielke Dave Morris welcomed Thielke Daveand Morris welcomed fellow fellow members who share a for passion for Housmembers who share a passion Houston’s architon’s architecture, art, history and culture. tecture, art, history and culture. Celeste Byrom, Pier & Beam Chair Dave Morris, morris, Ryan Price Guests Guests filled filled the the bar bar area area at at Mongoose Mongoose versus versus Cobra, 1101 1101 McGowen McGowen Avenue, Cobra, Avenue, which which was was gragraciously provided provided by by owner ciously owner Ian Ian Rosenberg. Rosenberg. The The Midtown nightspot nightspot was was an Midtown an appropriate appropriate location location for the kick-off; Mongoose versus Cobra, housed for the kick-off; Mongoose versus Cobra, housed in aa restored restored 1915 in 1915 building, building, won won Preservation Preservation Houston’s Good Good Brick Brick Award excellence in Houston’s Award forfor excellence in hishistoric preservation in 2013. toric preservation in 2013. Pier Pier & Beam will serve as a foundation for Pres& Beam will serve as a foundation for ervation Houston’s future work. During the party, Preservation Houston’s future work. During the members signed up for a range of interesting volparty, members signed up for a range of interestunteer opportunities, including identifying future ing volunteer opportunities, including identifying landmarks, developing a guide future landmarks, developing a guideto to Houston’s Houston’s heritage restaurants restaurants and and bars, heritage bars, and and coordinating coordinating partnerships and and projects projects centered centered around sigpartnerships around signifnificant buildings and neighborhoods. icant buildings and neighborhoods. For For more information on Pier & Beam, or to join more information on Pier & Beam, or to join Josh online, visit www.preservationhouston.org. josh Cincinnati, Kenny Tsai, Janae janae Tsai online, visit www.preservationhouston.org.
Property owners all over “The Houston landmarks fabric,” Tardy said. Houston are choosing to seek program offers unique flex“As we work in these neighborhoods, Prescontinued from Page 1 designation and more preibility that is ervation appealing to historic Houston has seen the need for serve their homes this process,” property owners education in neighbor“Education is theTardy key in said. this process,” Tardy and resources thatsignificant can help people “Part of our mission is educathoods people that are maintain not historic and buildings, and looking those said. “Part of our mission is educating historic structures. They’re ing about important districts but that contain sig- with landmarked add aboutpeople important historic fabric in their comfor guidance appropriatebuildings materials and historic fabric in their com- nificant original fabric,” Tardy immeasurably to the city’s munities.” repairs.” munities.” rich cultural fabric. Houston now has more than said. 350 city-desProperty owners all over Houston are ignated Houston now has more to those “As in we in these If you own a historic landmarks in addition citywork choosing to seek historic designation andhome prethan 350 city-designated landneighborhoods, Preservation or building that you think is historic districts. Yet those protected prop- serve their significant homes and buildings, marks in addition to those Houston has seen the need for eligible for listing as a City of erties cover only a fraction of the city, which and those landmarked buildings add immeain city there historic districts. Yet opportunity more education and resources Houston landmark, means is tremendous for surably to the city’s rich cultural fabric. e-mail those protected properties Tardy home at cktardy@preserthe landmarks program to grow. that can help people maintain If you own a historic or building that cover a fraction of the program historic offers structures. They’re vationhouston.org “Theonly Houston landmarks you think is eligible for listing as aor Citycall of city, which means there is trelooking for guidance Preservation Houston at (713) unique flexibility that is appealing to property Houston with landmark, e-mail Tardy at cktardy@ mendous for that the are appropriate and 510-3990.or call Preservation owners inopportunity neighborhoods not historic materials preservationhouston.org landmarks program to grow. repairs.” districts but that contain significant original Houston at (713) 510-3990.
Keynote
4 Winter 2014
Preservation Houston 2013-2014 Board of Directors Officers
Jane-Page Crump President
Patty Porter Immediate Past President
Larry E. Whaley Past President
Chip Werlein Treasurer
Penny Jones Secretary
Nancy Ames VP/Special Events
Eileen Hricik Vice President
Patricia Laurent Vice President
Kate McCormick Vice President
About Preservation Houston The mission of Preservation Houston 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.
directors
Mickey Ables Neal D. Carlson John Cryer III Bill Franks
Diane Gendel Benito Guerrier Elizabeth Husseini Madeleine Hussey Doug Johnson
Deborah Keyser Nancy McGregor Manne Sarah McMullen Diane Ofner Miranda Sevcik
Claire Cormier Thielke Philip A. Williams Bradford A. Wyatt
advisory board
Lynne Bentsen Minnette Boesel Betty Chapman
David Cottrell III Madeleine M. Hamm Beth Madison John L. Nau III
Louis H. Skidmore, Jr. Bill Stubbs Phoebe Tudor
ex officio
Charles D. Maynard, Jr. Legal Counsel Patrick Walsh Interim director, City of Houston Planning and Development Department directors emeriti
Al Calloway
Bart Truxillo
35th anniversary leadership society *
Dorothy & Mickey Ables Dene Hofheinz Anton Lucia Benton Nancy & Walt Bratic Eileen & George Hricik Elizabeth & Richard Husseini
Betty & Jim Key Kate McCormick & Champ Warren Bobbie & John Nau Stewart Title Lee Vela / Clear Channel * Anniversary Giving of $3,500+
Preservation Houston is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. Greater Houston Preservation Alliance dba Preservation Houston. GHPA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
Thanks and congratulations
Contact us
We would like to thank Madeleine M. Hamm for her many years of service as a Board Member and Officer of Preservation Houston. She is moving to our Advisory Board, where she will continue to share her many talents with us on key projects that require her unique grace and wisdom.
Stephanie Ann Jones Executive Director sajones@preservationhouston.org
Congratulations to our newest officer, Penny Smith Jones, who will serve as Secretary of the Board — a position held for many years by Madeleine Hamm.
Preservation Houston online www.preservationhouston.org @preshou
David Bush Deputy Director dbush@preservationhouston.org Jim Parsons Director, Special Projects jparsons@preservationhouston.org Courtney Tardy Director, Historic Neighborhood Resources cktardy@preservationhouston.org
Keynote David Bush, editor Jim Parsons, designer © 2014, Preservation Houston. All rights reserved.
The Cornerstone Dinner presenting the 2014 Good Brick Awards 7 p.m. Friday, February 21, 2014 River Oaks Country Club Reservations: (713) 510-3990 or events@preservationhouston.org
Preservation Houston 3272 Westheimer Road, Suite 2 Houston, Texas 77098-1008 Return service requested
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