January/February 1991 GHPA Newsletter

FOR PRESERVATION NEWSLEIIER OF lHE GREAlER HOUSTON PRESERVATION ALLIANCE

President's Column

Houston's National Register Historic Districts Part VI. Main Street/Market Square

by Barrie Scardino

W

e look back over the events of 1990 with mixed emotions.

While celebrating the reopening of the Pilott Building and Ritz Theatre and the designa路 tion of the Main Street/Market Square District as a Texas Urban Main Street Project, we lament the loss of the Brady House, the Washington Avenue commercial complex, and the Macate.e Building. Our frustration builds at the lack of progress on rehabilitating the Kennedy Comer Building, the stalemate at Allen Parkway Village, and the continuing decline of Fourth Ward.

Signs of hope are on our horizon, however. During the past summer's Economic Summit, the world saw Houston in a context composed almost exclusively of historic places: Bayou Bend, Rice University, Museum of Fine Arts, and the Kirby Mansion. If we can capitalize on the message implicit in this choice of places, we may be able to cultivate in Houstonians an unchallengeable appreciation of our historic resources. There is evidence of this in the proposed redevelopment plan for Fourth Ward. Although problematical, this plan recognizes the need to preserve a portion of that historic neighborhood.

Finally, zoning, the only legal means for fashioning preservation ordinances in Texas, is at least under consideration.

There is reason for hope.

The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance has a part to play in this community. Its achievements will rest squarely on the shoulders of its membership and the donors who support its efforts. The time and resources we invest in promoting preservation today will make a difference tomorrow. Thanks to all GHPA members who renewed your memberships and responded to our year-end fund drive. I hope we can count on your continued support in 1991.

Charles D. Maynard, Jr.

ouston's Main Street/Market Square Historic District, entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, contains the city's most nearly intact accumulation of historic buildings representing Houston's civic, commercial, and financial past. Located in the upper northwest quadrant of downtown Houston, the historic district spreads westward along the south bank of Buffalo Bayou from Allen's Landing at the foot of Main Street to Milam and southward to Texas Avenue, the southern boundary of the original townsite. Until well into the twentieth century, the public and business life of Houston was concentrated in this area where major wholesale, retail and financial enterprises were intermingled with municipal and county buildings.

The surviving architecture documents Houston's development between Reconstruction in the 1870s and the building boom of the 1920s -- the half century when Houston emerged from relative obscurity to become the largest city in the southern United States. Connected with many of these buildings and places are the personalities and institutions that were instrumental in promoting the city's political and commercial advancement.

The oldest structures in the district face Market Square, which was called Congress Square on the first Houston maps in anticipation of the new Capitol for the Republic of Texas. When the Capitol was built instead at the comer of Main and Texas (site of the Rice Hotel), this city block was dedicated for a public market and City Hall. Four successive City Halls stood in Market Square, the last of which was built in 1904. Stylistically outdated, this grand building was a twin-towered Victorian Romanesque structure that served in its last days as a bus station before it burned and was demolished in the late 1960s. Since then Market Square has stood as a twice-renovated public park.

Ambitious plans sponsored by the Downtown Houston Association and DiverseWorks will transform the grassy city block into a history lesson with sidewalk implants of old building materials from the area, and etched images of demolished structures that once surrounded the square. Plans call for landscaping, walkways, seating areas, entertainment spaces, and a James Surles sculpture.

Surrounding Market Square Park, and in its immediate vicinity today are several of Houston's most valuable historic buildings.

Kennedy Bakery (La Carafe) at 813 1880 Scholibo Building (left) and 1882 Brashear Building, 912 and 912 Prairie Avenue. Photo by Paul Hester, 1981.

Congress is believed to be the

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oldest commercial building still standing in Houston.

This narrow, two-story brick commercial row building was constructed about 1860 for John Kennedy, an Irish baker, miller, merchant and planter_ Kennedy also owned the building next door at 220 Travis which was probably built about the same time for his trading post where he swapped goods from the United States to local Indians for items such as furs and fresh game, which Kennedy in turn sold to local residents. Kennedy Corner, as the trading post is now called, was remodeled with a stuccoed facade, pedimented hood moldings over the windows and even a corner turret (now gone). This building served as the Confederate Armory during the Civil War, and the bakery next door supplied hardtack to the Confederate troops.

Kennedy's son-in-law, William L. Foley, located his drygoods store around the corner in the W. L. Foley Building at 214-218 Travis.

This three-story brick and cast iron building is actually two buildings. The smallest, dating from the Kennedy Corner era, was remodeled in 1889 to match the new building designed for Foley by Eugene T. Heiner that year. Foley employed his two nephews, Pat and James, who learned the business then left in 1900 to open their own store called Foley Brothers -- now Foley's Department Store. Kennedy Corner and the Foley Building were severely damaged by fire in February 1989. Today these historic and architecturally interesting buildings stand in poor condition awaiting restoration. In a less serious state of disrepair, but likewise endangered is the Hermann Estate Building at 204-212 Travis, occupied for a time by the Salvation Army. Erected in 1916-17 to designs

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The Paul Building, now known as the Republic Building (1907, Sanguinet & Staats, architects) at 1018 Preston (right) is one of the few early Houston skyscrapers still standing. Early 20th century postcard view courtesy of Tom Mene.

by F. S. Glover & Son, architects, this eight-story, neoclassical office building was erected to provide office space next door to the Houston Cotton Exchange and Board of Trade.

The Cotton Exchange was organized in 1882 to take advantage of Houston's importance as a center of the Texas cotton trade.

This influential institution commissioned Eugene Heiner in 1884 to design an appropriately impressive edifice for them.

Standing at the corner of Travis and Franklin, the Cotton Exchange sports a highly

ornamental, polychromatic facade with Italian Renaissance Revival decorative elements. This handsome building is one of those in the Main Street/Market Square Historic District that has undergone careful rehabilitation.

Graham Luhn was the restoration architect.

Although the western and southern perimeters of Market Square have lost their historic buildings, the east side is almost entirely intact. When the city market was located in the square, it was surrounded by two-story commercial buildings, like the ones

CALENDAR Jan. 7 Jan. 8 Jan. 14 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 20 Jan. 21 Feb. 1 Feb. 11 Feb. 14 Feb. 17 Feb. 18 Feb. 20 Feb. 21 Feb. 27 March 7

12:00 noon, Endangered Buildings Committee Brown Bag Lunch 12:00 noon, Main Street/Market Square docents meeting GHPA Executive Committee 12:00 noon, GHPA Walking Tour, Main Street/Market Sq. Historic District 3:00 p.m., Houston Archeological and Historical Commission, Julia Ideson Building, Houston Public Library 2:00 p.m., GHPA Walking Tour, Main Street/Market Sq. Historic District 12:00 noon, GHPA Board Meeting 12:00 noon, Endangered Buildings Committee Brown Bag Lunch GHPA Executive Committee 7:00 p.m., Bellaire Historical Society 2:00 p.m., GHPA Walking Tour, Main Street/Market Sq. Historic District 12:00 noon, GHPA Board Meeting 12:00 noon, GHPA Walking Tour, Main Street/Market Sq. Historic District 6:00 p.m., Allens Landing Forum, Sponsored by GHPA and Buffalo Bayou Coalition, Magnolia Building Preservation Texas A\1iance Preservation Day, Austin GHPA Annual Meeting

within the Historic District were built in the Building, at the foot of Main Street, is a good still located on Travis Street, that housed 1920s, but architecturally they are of the same example of the taller and more restrained businesses ancillary to the market. The Fox lineage as their predecessors: The State architecture that was most successfully adapted Kuhlman Building (305 Travis; 1862-66), the National Bank (412 Main, 1922-24, A. C. Finn, in Houston for a series of new, stylish bank Larendon Building (309 Travis; ca. 1890), the architect); Public National Bank (402 Main; buildings that were lined up on Main Street Altmont Building (311 Travis; ca. 1878; 1892), 1924, James Ruskin Bailey, architect); and the and the Baker-Meyer Building (315 Travis, ca. after the tum of the century.

The six-story Commercial National Bank Houston National Bank (202 Main; 1928, 1870) are all contributing structures within the historic district. Although the structure that (1903; Main at Franklin, Green & Svarz, Hedrick & Gottlieb, architects). The latter, also known as the Franklin Bank, is a architects), with its gracefully rounded comer until recently stood at 319 Travis and Preston handsome, columned structure recently used in bay, was the first large Main Street bank was old enough to qualify as an historic building, it was listed as non-contributing to designed with a banking hall and bank offices the locally filmed movie "Robocop II." These the district because of incompatible on the first floor and office suites above. The structures once housed not only Houston's First National Bank Building (Lomas & premier financial institutions, but provided remodeling. If preserved and sympathetically Nettleton Building, 201 Main) was built in restored, buildings such as this one, which offices for its most influential law firms, three matching sections in 1905, 1909 and 1925. unfortunately was demolished in November, insurance companies, etc. Some of them are Designed by Sanguinet & Staats, a prominent could be reclassified and included in the partially occupied today, some have been National Register.

Ft. Worth architectural firm, this bank was restored or rehabilitated through the years, and Other nineteenth century commercial preceded on the site by the T. W. House Bank, all seem to be in good condition from their buildings in the Market Square area include one of Houston's earliest banking institutions. exterior appearances.

The Union National Bank erected its the Baker Building (401 Travis; 1875); Scholibo The banks were not the only buildings to Building (912 Prairie; 1880); the Stegeman twelve-story steel-frame building at 210 Main occupy prominent Main Street sites; office and Building (914 Prairie; ca. 1877); and the in 1910-1912. Impressively, the architects, commercial buildings were interspersed. Today Brashear Building (910 Prairie; 1882, Eugene Mauran, Russell and Crowell, were brought the 300 block of Main remains intact even Heiner, architect). All of these have housed an from St. Louis to design this building. The though the facades of several buildings have interesting variety of shops and services over three other historic bank buildings that remain been remodeled with no thought given to their the years and would make fine restoration r::~ :::::~ :::::~ :::::~ :::::~ :::::~ :::::~ :::::~ :::~~ ::,:~~ ::: ~ ::!::~ :}~ ::::::, -.,-." ." ~--,,->:,,. -,,:..., :. ~ :::::"" :::::~ :}"" :":", <,,,, /,,. :,,::,:,:::,,. ,,, :::::,:.:.: ,.,,..... ,.,,.. .. "....,,,....,,,....,-----..-.,"..., "',.",'"....., "',.-.,"'.""' ..,-""'.,:,:, ,.,":,:,: '"",:,:, "'":,:'":":::,, "-:::::-:: ,,-, ,:"::::. ",":.:,: ,"",:,.,",.,,,,,", ,, , - - , projects today. For example the Scholibo Building, first a bakery and grocery, was leased for many years to E. C. Crawford for his coffee, tea and spice house. Later it served as Houston's first steam laundry employing 41 people who finished 1,000 shirts daily. The Brashear Building is one of the few remaining examples of the work of Eugene T. Heiner, one of Houston's foremost architects of the 1880s and 1890s.

Within this historic district, we can trace the evolution of Houston's commercial architecture from the small, relatively utilitarian brick structures like Kennedy Bakery (the ironwork balcony was added later in the twentieth century) to more ornate "Victorian" structures like the Houston Cotton Exchange, the turreted Sweeny, Coombs and Fredericks Building (310 Main; 1889, George Dickey, architect), and the Burns Building (421 Main; 1883, Edward J. Duhamel, architect) to the neoclassical Dorrance Building (114 Main; 1903, Green and Svarz, architects). The Dorrance

bought the old Capitol Hotel erected in 1883 historic appearance. The comer Kiam Building (320 Main; 1893, H. C. Holland, architect) is a on the site of the 1837 Texas Capitol. He changed the hotel's name to Rice, and in 1900 fine example of a remodeling project wi thin the bequeathed it to Rice Institute. In 1911 the district (Barry Moore, restoration architect).

This interesting Romanesque Revival building Rice trustees leased the property to Jesse H. had electric lights when it opened and had Jones, who commissioned St. Louis architects Kiam Mauran, Russell & Crowell to design a new Houston's first electric elevator. operated a men's store on the lower levels and seventeen-story Rice Hotel, which opened in 1913. Architect Alfred C. Finn added a third rented out forty· three offices in the floors (west) wing in 1925 that matches the two above. Sakowitz occupied the structure from original sections of the hotel. The Rice was 1918 until 1929.

Houston's foremost downtown hotel for more Scattered among the neoclassical bank than 50 years and has been closed since 1978. buildings, a number of Modeme style office buildings were erected in the 1930s. These Although many of the historic buildings within the Historic District, like the Rice buildings, like the Wilson's Building (1010 Hotel, are in desperate need of repair, some Prairie, 1932-33) and McCrorys (507 Main; 1030-31) are a testament to Houston's businesses in the area thrive in support of the continued architectural evolution -- keeping preservation of the buildings in which they are housed. The Magnolia Room, La Carafe and pace with national trends and technological innovations. The Main Street/Market Square Treebeards continue to flourish. Office space in the Republic Building .is fully leased and Historic District serves as a museum of buildings reminding us not only of the historic there is a waiting list. Significant progress associations from Houston's birth in 1836 at toward revitalization of the area is being made through several new projects.

Allen's Landing, but also of the financial and The Ritz Theater (911 Preston, 1926, William Ward concomitant architectural success that this city Watkin, architect) has just has enjoyed. recently been restored. The When the 18-block reconstructed Pillot historic district was created, it contained 72 buildings, Building on Courthouse Square was opened in one structure (Main Street viaduct) and two historic October after more than a sites (Market Square Park decade of controversy over I:'i:~si~ationAlliance conducts and Allen's Landing). its preservation.

Several '· a· one-hour'Walking tour ·of the Seven of the 52 historically other new businesses have ·Main Street/Market Square significant buildings and at recently opened in the Historic District twice each district. least four of the month on the third Wednesday non-contributing buildings Long-term efforts of at 12:00n()onand on:tbe . th~~ preservationists advocating have since been demolished.

Sunday · at 2:00 :P:rii. . M6st · ~I . the importance of protecting If demolitions are allowed the historic bUHd.irig~ill / this irreplaceable collection to continue, Houston will . ~ouston:s C~~}.r~l :~llSihiss firid itself without any of buildings representative District.,'. ai:e .· covered by this remnant of its early history of Houston's early history -- without its soul. are finally beginning to bear Of all the endangered results. The 1990 GHPA brochrifequtiirutii 'iliformation historic buildings in Heritage Education project k68titeath :·: of the historic downtown Houston, funded by the Brown .:'. bUiJ(iings in ·thedismct. perhaps the best known and Foundation and headed by .. Specially scheduled tours most in need of Pam Wheat is nearing ·:Jor groups of eight or more can redevelopment is the Rice completion. This project is .be arranged.

For more developing educational Hotel, at the comer of ih!ormation, Contact the GHPA Main and Texas. In 1886 materials to be used in office af236-S000.

William Marsh Rice had Houston schools to provide

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local children, the future leaders and decisionmakers of the community, a preservationoriented look at the Main Street/Market Square Historic District. The most exciting and promlsmg development is the establishment of a new Texas Urban Main Street project in the district. Although earlier attempts at economic revitalization in this area have been made, they 'were primarily singleinterest, piecemeal efforts. The new Main Street project marks the first time a coalition of public and private interests has joined forces to work for the preservation of our city's birthplace.

Fate of Houston Light Guard Armory Still Unsettled he Texas National Guard Armory Board postponed action on the future of the Houston Light Guard Armory (3816 Caroline Street) at the board's December 7 meeting in Houston. Preservationists understand that the board is considering selling the Armory when the Guard completes its move to new facilities at Ellington Field.

Designed by Alfred C. Finn, this landmark has since 1925 been the headquarters of the military unit that traces its origin to the 1873 Houston Light Guard, organized as the first volunteer company in Texas after the Civil War. GHPA President Charles Maynard and Executive Director Margie Elliott presented several letters of support to the Armory Board at the December 7 meeting requesting consideration of the preservationists' request that a protective deed restriction be placed on the property prior to its anticipated sale and that the board sign an application to designate the building as a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark.

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In Memoriam

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he Houston preservation community lost two of its most active and dedicated members with the recent deaths of Nia Becnel and Michael Wilson, both of whom were members of our advisory board and former members of the board of directors.

Nia Dorian Becnel

Michael Wilson

by Vicki List

by Barry Moore

Tributes to Nia Dorian Becnel have been nwnerous and yet there remains a very special debt to acknowledge. The untimely loss of an ardent preservationist at the height of her career, energy, and effectiveness will be felt by the entire community. The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance benefitted from her efforts in support of many diverse issues.

Elected to the board of directors in 1986, Nia was first involved with projects in the Main Street/Market Square Historic District. She was instrwnental in preparing the application that resulted in the placement of Allen Parkway Village (San Felipe Courts) on the National Register of Historic Places. Most recently, as a member of the advisory board, she represented the Alliance on various committees concerned about the impact on Freedman's Town of proposed re-development in Houston's Fourth Ward.

Nia's contribution to heritage education was unique. Although one might asswne an appreciation of our architectural heritage to be elemental in the education of professional architects, a lack of emphasis on preservation has existed and, to some extent, persists. Nia worked to fill this educational gap by instituting the study of preservation at the College of Architecture at the University of Houston. The enthusiasm and dedication she communicated to her students prompted them not only to become knowledgeable on preservation concepts but to become actively involved in local preservation projects.

When preservation was at issue, Nia's stance was uncompromising. And whether or not one entirely agreed with her, one always had to respect her position, her commitment, and her determination to further by her actions the causes in which she believed路. She was greatly admired and will be greatly missed.

One of the great and delightful experiences many of us as preservationists shared was the opportunity to v.Qrk with Michael Wilson in the architectural archives of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center that small, rare enclave of scholars in city government.

Michael's unparalleled enthusiasm for the history of the built environment was always leavened and elevated by a lifetime of professional scholarship. In fact, many times in our headlong dash to save and preserve as much as possible with too little time and never enough money, Michael would stress, by example, the importance of solid research and the factual record.

His empire at the top of the stairs in the Julia Ideson Building was a heaven of lost treasures and vanishing crafts. There, under his detailed eye, a cadre of volunteers learned what it means to be an architectural archivist.

We thought a little about being his clones there, but soon gave it up as an unattainable goal.

Michael brought other avocational interests into our intellectual world, including the vanishing examples of motion picture theater palaces. All of this was for sharing and the mutual enlightenment and amusement of all of us.

Michael always had time for students, a proclivity tested to the extreme by an unmercifully long string of young architects sent his way by the University of Houston; and nobody came back to class empty-handed.

Often redirected, but never empty路 handed!

All of us who knew Michael Wilson, the archivist, researcher and friend, will always associate the sound of his voice, his unselfish nature, and his scholarly research with preservation in Houston.

From the Director

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lot happened in 1990, and sometimes the pace didn't allow time to report on all of it. I don't expect the pace to be any slower in 1991, but before we get too far into the new year, I'd like to identify one of last year's experiences that will influence some of this year's activities.

In September, along with other preservationists from around the country, Vicki List and I attended a week-long Preservation Leadership Training Workshop held in San Antonio, sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and hosted by the San Antonio Conservation Society. The Trust brought in outstanding speakers on every imaginable subject relating to historic preservation and to preservation organizations: leadership, management, resource development, legal and economic tools, downtOwn revitalization, heritage education, and more. Attendees v.Qrked together throughout the week on team projects focused on preservation at San Antonio's Fort Sam Houston. We toured historic sites, visited private historic homes, and took a side trip to see the San Marcos Main Street project.

It was a tremendous opportunity to share preservation experiences, collect suggestions from colleagues who've spent a lot of time in the trenches, and pick the brains of some outstanding experts in the field. During 1991, GHPA will be implementing some 路 of the ideas from this workshop. Be on the lookout for a membership survey that will arrive soon in your mail. The survey is part of a self-assessment guide developed to enable local preservation organizations to assess their effectiveness and set future priorities.

Your participation in this process is extremely important; please do your part by completing the survey form as soon as it arrives and mailing it back to us. Let's make 1991 a great year for historic preservation in Houston!

MaJgie C. Elliott

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NEWS CLIPS Among the courses offered this term by the Houston Seminar is Houston: The City and Its Architecture, which will include three lectures and four tours with GHPA Advisory Board member Stephen Fox. For information, call 729-6044 or 622-6362.

~ The 1991 Annual Meeting of the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance will be held on March 7. Registration information will be mailed to all members.

~ The Awards Committee is now considering recommendations for the 1991 Good Brick Awards. Members may nominate (a) individuals they feel are deserving of recognition for outstanding leadership in historic preservation or (b) noteworthy preservation projects that merit recognition.

If you have a recommendation, please call the GHPA office, 236-5000 before February 11.

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Jane' Ellen· Cable JOhriQaJa:v,ay :

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Conferees attending the 1990 Annual Preservation Conference in Charleston adopted a set of objectives, known as "The Charleston Principles," as the finale of a conference track that brough t mayors who are graduates of the Mayor's Institute for Design together with the preservation community for a day of discussion. These eight principles set

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objectives for community historic preservation efforts and serve as a framework for municipal programs in historic preservation by calling on local leaders to: l.

Identify historic places, both architectural and natural, that give the community its special character and that can aid its future well-being.

2. Adopt the preservation of historic places as a goal of planning for land use, economic development, housing for all income levels, and transportation.

3. Create organizational, regulatory, and incentive mechanisms to facilitate preservation, and provide the leadership to make them work.

4. Develop revitalization strategies that capitalize on the existing value of historic residen tial and commercial neighborhoods and properties, and provide well designed affordable housing without displacing existing residents.

5. Ensure that policies and decisions on community growth and development respect a community'S heritage without displacing existing residents.

6. Demand excellence in design for new construction and in the stewardship of historic properties and places.

7. Demand excellence in design for new construction and in the stewardship of hist oric properties and places.

8. Recognize the cultural diversity of communities and empower a diverse constituency to acknowledge , identify, and preserve America's cultural and physical resources.

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