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johndaugherty.com Continued On Page 3 JD: What is the most important thing you would like the public to know about Preservation Houston? DB: We're here to help. The process of preserving a historic building can be intimidating, and we are a resource to guide people through the process and help them succeed. JD: Preservation Houston has achieved many successes. What do you feel is the most important to date? DB: Crafting and facilitating the passing of the City of Houston Historic Ordinance in 1995 and its subsequent amendments. I wasn't with Preservation Houston in 1995, but I have been part of the amendment process that followed. It's been extremely difficult to go from no regulation to any regulation. JP: We've helped raise awareness on preservation issues. A recent example is the inappropriate renovation of the Mecom Fountain. When Houstonians found out about it, they banded together to ask the mayor to stop the work until a better plan can be put in place. There's conversation about preservation in the culture now ― and it wasn't there just a few years ago. JD: What has been the biggest challenge in getting preservation issues resolved? DB: Eliminating the fear of the unknown that surrounded the original preservation ordinance and establishing historic preservation as a part of Houston's culture. Much of the success we've had has depended on strong leadership from the mayor. Bob Lanier, Bill White and Annise Parker all supported historic preservation and worked hard to shepherd the ordinance and amendments through city council. Once the original ordinance was established, people grew used to it, and the amendment process has proven less contentious than the fight over the original ordinance. But it can still be challenging. JD: Why do you think Houston has more of a tendency to tear down in comparison to other cities? DB: The city was founded by developers, and that developer mentality has predominated and made the city very "development-friendly." Also, unlike other Southern cities whose economies were destroyed in the Civil War, Houston came out of that conflict in pretty good shape. Houstonians never got used to having to make the best of living with old buildings. The Houston Gargoyle, a newspaper in the 1920s, once ran an article about the "horrible old houses" on Crawford Street and suggested that they should be razed and "tourist courts and filling stations" be put in their place to "serve the people of today." Parking space has been an issue in Houston almost since the invention of the automobile. Houston has been demolishing historic Downtown buildings and replacing them with parking lots as far back as the 1920s. We also have many people in Houston who came from somewhere else and consider that place their true home. They seem to keep an emotional distance from preservation issues here ― although many actively support preservation in their hometowns. JD: How do you think Houston's lack of zoning laws has impacted the current landscape of the city? DB: You can pretty much build anything, anywhere in Houston. Deed restrictions are the only regulators, and when they are allowed to lapse, a neighborhood's character changes dramatically. Look at much of the area along Montrose Boulevard which was once lined with impressive houses. Also, the land-evaluation process here works against historic structures. Appraisals set value by the land, not the structure. The old Foley's building Downtown was valued at nearly nothing, but the land was valued in the tens of millions. No surprise that it is gone. In an odd circumstance, however, our lopsided evaluations can sometimes work in preservation's favor. To obtain preservation tax credits (city, state or federal), a certain percentage of a structure's value, minus the land's value, must be invested in rehabilitation and restoration. A low value on the structure means that a lesser monetary investment is required to obtain tax credits. JD: How does Preservation Houston help property owners and commercial developers make the most of historic preservation tax credits offered by the city, state and federal governments? DB: We work with a number of property owners, and mostly we help them understand the processes involved and, most critically, follow the procedures in place. If I could tell one thing to everyone interested in earning tax credits for restoring a historic property, it Historic Preservation, Houston Style David Bush and Jim Parsons discuss Houston's unique challenges for Preservation Houston. Presented by John Daugherty, Realtors Houston came late to the historic preservation table. In the 1970s, as other cities were establishing historic districts and putting procedures in place to encourage the restoration and preservation of historic structures, Houston was still freely demolishing its physical history for parking lots and apartments. In 1978, concerned Houstonians banded together to form the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. Getting the fundamental tools in place required a grassroots community effort, and Greater Houston Preservation Alliance, which changed its name to Preservation Houston in 2012, provided an umbrella organization for like-minded people to come together to affect change. Over the next 38 years, Preservation Houston spearheaded a movement that changed the culture ― and the landscape ― of the city. In 1995, Preservation Houston was the driving force behind the creation of the city ordinance that laid the groundwork for today's protected historic districts, the City of Houston Landmark Designation for individual properties and city tax credits for the restoration work performed on historic properties. Recently, John A. Daugherty, Jr., sat down with David Bush, Acting Executive Director of Preservation Houston, and Jim Parsons, Director of Special Projects, for a wide-ranging discussion on the unique challenges our city presents to historic preservationists. The Bendit House was featured in the Q. John Daugherty, Realtors: John A. Daugherty, Jr., Chairman and CEO, John Daugherty, Realtors A. Preservation Houston: David Bush, Acting Executive Director, and Jim Parsons, Director of Special Projects Photo by: Benjamin Hill Photography January 1954 edition of Good Housekeeping. Steve and Martha Curry are the recipients of three awards for their masterful renovation of this home. See Page 3.