May Newsletter
MAY 7, 2025
PT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Registration Is Now Open for the Creative Spaces Summit: Revitalizing Old Buildings Through Art and Culture
Join us in Fort Worth for the Creative Spaces Summit on Thursday, July 24th and Friday, July 25th presented by Preservation Texas and MINDPOP.
The Summit opens with a reception on Thursday evening at Artspace 111, a beautifully repurposed 1910 warehouse now home to contemporary art galleries and sculpture gardens—an ideal setting to connect with fellow attendees.
On Friday morning, the event continues in the auditorium of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, where a range of speakers will share how communities across Texas are reimagining historic buildings as vibrant creative spaces for art and culture. We intend for some sessions to be eligible for AIA continuing education credits. The day concludes with a guided tour of the museum.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Early registration is $80 per person and includes the opening reception, Friday’s sessions, a boxed lunch, and the museum tour. Registration will increase to $100 per person after June 25, 2025. Visit preservationtexas.org/creativespaces to learn more and register today!
In addition, an optional pre-Summit tour is being planned for Thursday afternoon, which will give participants the opportunity to visit several inspiring arts-focused adaptive reuse projects around Fort Worth (further details are TBD).
Welcoming Zachary Sabota to the Board of Directors
Zachary Ross Sabota of Tyler has joined the Preservation Texas Board of Directors for an initial three-year term. Zach is the Senior Vice President of Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a financial advisor with a focus on asset allocation and portfolio construction.
A native of Tyler, Zach is deeply committed to historic preservation and Texas history. He has previously served on the boards of Historic Tyler and the Smith County Historical Society, and chaired the City of Tyler Historic Preservation Board for eight years. He is also a current member of the newly re-established Smith County Historical Commission.
Investigating a Mail Delivery Issue
It has come to our attention that some mail sent to our San Marcos P.O. Box is being returned to sender marked “not deliverable as addressed,” despite the address being correct. This issue appears to have started around November 2024.
We’ve reported the problem to the U.S. Postal Service, and they’ve opened an investigation. They’ve let us know that this issue is likely being caused by one or more mail sorting machines in Austin, and resolution may take some time.
To help us better understand the scope of the issue—and to assist the Postal Service in resolving it—we’d appreciate it if you could complete the brief survey below if your mail to us was returned. Your input will help us address this frustrating problem. Thank you for your patience and continued support!
WEST TEXAS PROGRAM UPDATE
West Texas Heritage Center Grand Opening May 29th
Our new West Texas Heritage Center, located at 201 E San Antonio Ave in downtown El Paso, will officially open on Thursday, May 29, 2025 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon! This event is fee and open to the public.
Made possible in part by a grant from El Paso County, the Center will display rotating exhibits highlighting El Paso and West Texas’ unique cultural heritage. It will also serve as the starting point for historical tours, office and retail space, and a hub for historic preservation inquiries and heritage tourism information.
We intend to showcase 2-3 exhibits per year at the West Texas Heritage Center. The first exhibit, Adobe at the Pass: Documenting the Mission Valley in 1936, is currently on view until August 30th. A subsequent exhibit will focus on high-rise architecture in El Paso, featuring several iconic downtown skyscrapers.
Welcoming Paulina Valdez-Tena
Preservation Texas has hired Paulina Valdez-Tena as our new part-time West Texas Heritage Center Associate. A native of the borderland, Paulina holds a double major in Art History and Graphic Design from The University of Texas at El Paso. In her role, she will support the daily operations of the Center and contribute to exhibit development, event coordination, and other initiatives. Her bilingual abilities will enable her to communicate effectively with a wide range of visitors. This position is made possible by a grant from El Paso County.
Connecting With the Mission Trail Alliance
Preservation Texas’s West Texas Program Officer, Victor Hurtado, has recently participated in several meetings of the Mission Trail Alliance, hosted by El Paso County. The Alliance is focused on implementing the 2019 Mission Trail Comprehensive Master Plan through economic development and business support, infrastructure development, legislative initiatives, and grant coordination.
Among the exciting topics discussed was the ongoing effort to designate the Mission Trail as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At one meeting, Victor was invited to make a presentation about Preservation Texas and its contributions to promoting the Mission Trail—highlighting our recent exhibit Adobe at the Pass: Documenting the Mission Valley in 1936.
Mission Trail Alliance meeting in Socorro. Victor Hurtado pictured second from left.
TEXAS RURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM UPDATE
For over two years, Conor Herterich, Preservation Texas’s Endangered Properties Manager, has been leading efforts to facilitate ten projects through our Texas Rural African American Heritage (TRAAH) Grants Program. Funded by a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service, the program provides up to $75,000 per project to support rehabilitation efforts.
To date, TRAAH grant-funded work has been completed at the following sites:
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church (Belton, Bell Co.)
Concord Rosenwald School (Mount Enterprise, Rusk Co.)
Mount Vernon AME Church (Palestine, Anderson Co.)
First Independent Baptist Church (Corsicana, Navarro Co.)
Palacios Colored School (Palacios, Matagorda Co.)
In addition, each site not currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places will be nominated, and all ten sites will be protected through preservation easements upon project completion. Preservation Texas will hold, monitor, and enforce nine of these easements over a ten-year term. We are currently preparing to file the first easement for the First Independent Baptist Church in Corsicana (pictured).
MAY LUNCH & LEARN MEMBER WEBINAR
2025 Most Endangered Places List Announcement
Join us on Thursday, May 15th at 12:00 noon CST for the official announcement of the 2025 Most Endangered Places (MEP) list! The MEP list is a signature program of Preservation Texas which has spotlighted imperiled places across the state since 2004. During this webinar, PT staff will share photos and stories of each of the remarkable sites included on this year's list.
Preservation Texas members can register now in their online account portal, or email us directly for the registration link. If you are not a current member, we'd love to have you join or renew today!
GENERAL NEWS
Phoenix 1 Restoration & Construction Hiring Marketing Position
Phoenix 1 seeks a Marketing Coordinator to manage the company's client/ subcontractor relations, bid preparation, qualification packages, website, and social media. Interested applicants are encouraged to send their resumes to Kyle Moncrief at kmoncrief@phoenix1.com.
Preservation Texas is grateful to Phoenix 1 for their support as a 2025 Platinum Level Business Sponsor. As Texas's premier historic preservation construction company, Phoenix 1 brings a highly specialized team to some of the most complex preservation projects across the state. With over 500 completed preservation projects in Texas, their expertise and commitment make us proud to have them as a partner.
Celebrate Historic Preservation Month With Historic Hotels of America
May is National Preservation Month! Historic Hotels of America invites you to experience history first hand by visiting one or more of their member hotels, all of which help preserve the stories, architecture, and culture of our shared past. Preservation Texas members can save up to 30% off the Best Available Rate at select historic hotels. Don't miss this chance to explore and support history!
Please email us if you need the member promo code.
Preservation Houston Names Jennifer Kapral as New Executive Director
Following an extensive national search, Preservation Houston has announced Jennifer Kapral as its new Executive Director. A longtime Houston resident, Kapral brings more than 20 years of experience in education, public policy, organizational leadership, and fundraising. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of Education and Outreach at Asia Society Texas Center, where she led educational initiatives, produced large-scale public programs and festivals, and oversaw the multimillion-dollar Explore Asia exhibition celebrating Houston’s global connections and Asian American communities.
