Exciting Announcements
August 27, 2024
PT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
VICTOR HURTADO HIRED AS WEST TEXAS PROGRAM OFFICER
Preservation Texas is pleased to announce that we have hired Victor Hurtado to serve as our new West Texas Program Officer, based in El Paso. He will begin working with us on September 30th. A native of El Paso, Victor is passionate about preserving local cultural heritage. He is an alumnus of The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where he held full-time administrative staff positions from 2020-2024. He obtained a BA in art history and is completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UTEP.
"Victor will join our growing team and help us to expand preservation programs and advocacy in Far West Texas," said executive director Evan Thompson. "As a bilingual art historian and M.B.A. with a commitment to El Paso's history and a love of research, he will be a tremendous asset to Preservation Texas."
Victor recently served for two years on El Paso’s Historic Landmark Commission and completed internships with The Trost Society and the Texas Historical Commission’s Division of Architecture and Community Heritage Development Division in Austin. While with The Trost Society, Victor was involved in mapping all known buildings by leading El Paso-based architect Henry C. Trost (1860-1933).
He will work to develop the West Texas Heritage Center in El Paso, a major program being supported by a three-year grant from El Paso County. The Center will organize exhibitions, public programs, and walking tours while supporting heritage tourism in El Paso County and West Texas. The first exhibit will spotlight the 1936 photographs of El Paso County landmarks taken by architect Marvin Eickenroht (1898-1969) as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey.
Victor will also provide general preservation outreach services to areas west of the Pecos River, including the communities of Fort Davis, Fort Stockton, Marathon, Marfa, Pecos, Presidio, Sanderson, and Van Horn, as well as Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks.
WELCOMING DAVID MARTINEZ TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David D. Martinez of Corsicana has joined the Preservation Texas Board of Directors for a three-year term. With over 50 years of experience in the service industry in business development and operations management, he currently serves as Regional Manager with SBM Management Services, supporting the commercial real estate industry.
David served as Director, President and Chairman of the Board of the Texas Historical Foundation for over 15 years. He is also Chairman of the DFW Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy and serves as a Board Director of St. Paul Medical Clinic, Bishop Dunne Catholic School, Catholic Charities of Dallas Archangels, and the Diocese of Dallas Advisory Board.
PT AWARDED $125,000 IN GRANT FUNDING FROM STILL WATER FOUNDATION & THE BURDINE JOHNSON FOUNDATION
Preservation Texas has recently been awarded two significant grants: $50,000 from the Still Water Foundation and $75,000 from The Burdine Johnson Foundation. These grants will support operating needs, staff, and programs such as the Central Texas Regional Summit, scheduled for early 2025 in San Marcos. The summit will focus on strategies for preserving working-class residential neighborhoods. Preservation Texas is deeply grateful for the ongoing support of these foundations, which have played a crucial role in advancing historic preservation efforts across Texas. As a result, we can offer and sustain enhanced outreach as we work to implement our newly adopted Strategic Vision.
PT ESTABLISHES ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRESERVATION PROGRAM
The Board of Directors has approved Archaeological Site Stewardship Guidelines for Preservation Texas, establishing a process for acquiring and permanently stewarding significant archaeological sites across Texas. The new Archaeological Site Preservation Program is a key component of our Strategic Vision to permanently steward historic resources.
Preservation Texas will pursue fee simple ownership of significant archaeological sites through donations, transfers, or, in limited cases, purchases, and will implement measures to ensure their long-term protection. Our state charter empowers us to acquire, protect, and interpret archaeological sites and to conduct archaeological research. Looking ahead, we plan to employ a full-time professional archaeologist to lead our archaeological research and preservation programs.
THC archaeologist Jeff Durst led a preliminary excavation that located the original cistern behind the 1875 Basset House in November 2017.
HOPEWELL CEMETERY IS A RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC CEMETERY
Preservation Texas stewards the Hopewell Freedom Colony as part of our Center for Heritage Education at Bassett Farms in rural Falls County. This nearly 300-acre tract was once home to dozens of freedmen who established an independent community during Reconstruction. Last month, the Hopewell Cemetery was officially designated a Historic Texas Cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission.
STATEWIDE PRESERVATION NEWS
LUTHER HOTEL IN PALACIOS SAVED
After almost two years of uncertainty and the looming threat of demolition, the Luther Hotel has been saved thanks to the hard work of the Palacios Preservation Association (PPA) and their community allies! On August 19th, the Luther was sold to preservationist and philanthropist J.P. Bryan, who is committed to rehabilitating the historic landmark and ensuring that this treasured piece of coastal Texas history remains standing strong for generations to come.
The Luther Hotel was included on our Most Endangered Places List in 2022 as "the most endangered place in Texas". Since that time, we have been working with the PPA, offering technical support and assistance, and also serving as their fiscal sponsor.
NEW NPS PRESERVATION BRIEF
The National Park Service recently released a new Preservation Brief (no. 51) titled Building Codes for Historic and Existing Buildings: Planning and Maximizing their Application. The Brief provides guidance for meeting building codes while preserving or minimizing alterations to the character-defining features, spaces, materials, and finishes of historic buildings.
UPCOMING EVENTS
LUNCH & LEARN MEMBER WEBINAR SERIES
Preservation Texas has launched a monthly Lunch & Learn Member Webinar Series designed to provide educational content on preservation, architecture, and history-related topics as a benefit to our members. Our August webinar was held last week on the topic of incorporating oral histories into National Register Nominations, presented by Megan McDonald of Post Oak Preservation Solutions. We extend our sincere thanks to Megan for an excellent presentation! Current PT members can watch the recording of this webinar in their online Preservation Texas account portal.
SEPTEMBER WEBINAR
The City of San Antonio's Deconstruction Ordinance
With Jessica Anderson, Assistant Program Manager for Deconstruction & Circular Economy at the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation
September 18, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.
In 2022, the City of San Antonio adopted a deconstruction ordinance requiring that historic buildings slated for demolition be fully deconstructed instead. With the approval of this ordinance, San Antonio became the largest city in the nation to ensure that irreplaceable historic building materials are kept out of landfills and salvaged for reuse within the community. In this webinar, Jessica will explain how deconstruction fits within the goals of preservation, and discuss the environmental, cultural, and social benefits it brings to the community.
Current PT members can register to attend this webinar in their Preservation Texas account portal. Once logged in, click “Webinar Registration” in the left sidebar menu. If you are not a member, we'd love to have you join or renew!
PRESERVATION TEXAS HISTORIC LOG BUILDING SUMMIT
Don't miss our 2024 Historic Log Building Summit on Thursday, October 10th & Friday, October 11th in Nacogdoches! The Summit will kick off with an opening reception and keynote address on Thursday evening at the Fredonia Hotel. On Friday, attendees will hear presentations from a range of professionals on topics involving the stewardship of log buildings. Early bird discounted registration is $100 for Preservation Texas members and $125 for non-members through September 12th.
PRE-SUMMIT FIELD SEMINAR
In addition, a pre-Summit Field Seminar will be offered on Thursday, October 10th which will give participants an opportunity to visit log structures in the Nacogdoches area, including the privately owned, unrestored 1847 Forest Hill Log House.
BOOK YOUR ROOM AT THE FREDONIA
A block of rooms at the Fredonia Hotel (200 North Fredonia Street) has been set aside for Summit attendees the night of October 10th at a discounted rate of $159 + tax. This block will expire on September 12th. To make a reservation, call the Fredonia Hotel at 936-564-1234 and provide the group name “Preservation Texas.”
