Honors For Preserving Dallas’ Past

by Hardy Haberman

I am lifelong Dallasite. Growing up here, I watched as building after building was torn down and replaced by something newer. I am old enough that some of those replacement buildings have also fallen to the wrecking ball. Because of this, as I matured, I saw Dallas as a city that was constantly trying to erase its history.

Luckily about 50 years ago a group of Dallasites who saw the same trend moved to do something about it. Preservation Dallas is that organization and they are dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the city’s historic buildings, neighborhoods and places.

Part of that mission involves rewarding people and organizations that contribute to that mission. For the past 24 years the group has presented their Preservation

Achievement Awards and along side those awards are their Special Recognition Awards.

Back in May, at their ceremony they recognized individuals and businesses who made key contributions to the Dallas preservation community, both over the past year and the past several years.

“The winners are a cross section of the hardest- working and most-committed preservationists in Dallas,” said Norman Alston, FAIA, President of Preservation Dallas.

While we are honoring them, really we are the ones who feel honored, by having the chance to publicly recognize our honorees, and thank them for their service to our community. Preservation Dallas, and Dallas as a whole, are in their debt.