Updates on Most Endangered
Places
 Old Denison High School
Denison, Grayson, County
By mid-October 2007, the demolition of the 1913 Denison High School was completed except for the clock tower. The clock tower was purchased from the demolition contractor by City and it remains on the site of the former high school building.
The demolition of the historic school came after months of organized protests of the Denison City Council’s decision by the group known as Save Denison History. Preservation Texas along with the Southwest Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Texas Historical Commission, and individuals across the country wrote letters urging the city council to consider the benefits of preserving the Old Denison High School. At a September 4, 2007 City Council meeting, the Council voted to continue with the demolition of the school. This surprised the community since on Monday, August 20, the Denison City County voted to give the Save Denison History group until September 4, 2007 to negotiate an ownership/lease agreement with the city and to provide $550,000 in guaranteed funding. The group has until the end of the year to set goals for the three phases of the renovation project. The restoration of the historic school was estimated to cost $5 million.
For more information: http://www.savedenisonhistory.com/main.html
 Mercer
House – 2007 Most Endangered Places List
Port Aransas, Nueces County
The Mercer House was built from a Sears and
Roebuck kit by Robert A. Mercer and is one of the oldest buildings
in the city of Port Aransas. In 2006, the house was purchased by an
out-of-town developer who planned to demolish it to construct a town
house complex.
The Port Aransas Preservation and Historical
Association (PAPHA) recently reported that the house will be moved
to a new site on the grounds of the Community Center. The Community
Center, built in 1939, will be restored by the Boatman's Association
and new landscaping is being planned by the garden club. The move
will take place as soon as the water table goes down in order to
construct the piers for the foundation.
The relocation of the house would not have been
possible without the work of PAPHA and its partners. Funds to move
the house were raised by PAPHA and many skilled craftsmen
volunteered their time to do the actual work. PAPHA enlisted the
help of the City of Port Aransas to ensure that the move would be
possible. PAPHA has also contracted with Southwest Museum Services
for the restoration of the interior and for exhibit design.
 Texas
Capitol Views – 2007 Most Endangered Places List
Austin, Travis County.
Efforts driven by local development desires
threaten the existing Capitol view corridors (CVCs) are
unprecedented in scope and come on a number of fronts. For a full
quarter century, responsible developers have respected the view
corridors when pursuing their development projects in Austin.
Unfortunately, the CVCs are being targeted in various venues, from
local to state.
On May 10, 2007, 140 members of the Texas House
of Representatives sent a letter to Will Wynn, Mayor, City of
Austin, and the City Council expressing their concern about the
potential elimination of the Capitol view corridors. In June, the
Downtown Commission voted to forward the report, "Downtown
Development and Capitol View Corridors" to the Austin City
Council." The report recommends possible revisions and the
study of 11 of the 30 view corridors. The Downtown commissioners
plan to present their report to the City Council at the October 11
meeting. In addition, the commissioners plan to meet with the Austin
delegates to the state legislator.
Local preservation organizations across the state
have voiced their opposition to wholesale revisions to the CVCs. The
San Antonio Conservation Society, Preservation Dallas, Victoria
Preservation, Inc., Greater Houston Preservation Alliance,
Williamson County Historical Commission, Historic Waco, Historic
Tyler, Galveston Historical Foundation, Historic Fort Worth, El Paso
Historical Commission, Abilene Preservation Alliance, Historic
Amarillo, Historic Mesquite, Historic Houston, and others have
joined the Heritage Society in opposition to the proposed revisions.
For more information please visit the following
websites:
http://www.heritagesocietyaustin.org/CapitolViewCorridors.html
http://www.capitolviews.info/
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