In some ways, the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans puts the Heritage Society of Austin to shame. It marshals an annual budget in the range of $5 million, leverages many millions more in federal and state tax incentives and works with enforcement districts that heavily fine those who damage the city’s built heritage.
Sheryl Cole and Mandy Dealey
On the other hand, nature and society have handed the Resource Center an almost insolvable problem: Tens of thousands of historic structures in what was once among America’s largest cities now destroyed, abandoned or in need of critical care. The contrast could not be greater. Austin maintains its tiny legacy of 19th century structures while it argues about giving tax advantages to buildings from the 1960s!
Danielle Del Sol and Laura Pettitt
Yet again, the Preservation Awards Celebration at the Driskill Hotel ignored the elephant in the room: Our city, county and school district incentives that don’t reward the actual hard work and money it takes to keep up an historic building. But that’s another story. We were at the Driskill for lunch to hear Danielle Del Sol, speaking nimbly in place of Patricia Gay about the nation-leading Preservation Resource Center.
Sabita Reddy and Rochelle Miller-Naylor
But also to honor projects near and dear to our hearts: Commodore Perry Estate, Texas Governor’s Mansion, Hillside Farmacy, Hopkins House, Camp Mabry Buildings 10 &1, Top Notch Hamburgers and the Downtown Austin Plan.
Of these, I’m least familiar with the Camp Mabry renovations, completed by the Texas Military Forces’ Adjutant General’s Department. Gotta go check those out. Anybody got an inside source?