Published: May 09, 2008 01:55 am            

Conference provides good information

PALESTINE — Members of the Palestine Historic Landmarks Commission and the Anderson County Historical Commission attended the Texas Historical Commission's 2008 Annual Historic Preservation Conference, Explore the Sites and Stories of Texas. The conference was held May 1-3 at the Omni Bayfront Hotel in Corpus Christi. The Conference largely focused on Heritage Tourism and how counties and communities should work together within the state. With gasoline prices in the $3.50 per gallon range, tourists are seeking more destinations within a smaller driving radius and communities can work together to attract them.

Bus tours and workshops were available on May 1. The “Welcome Aboard Dinner and Awards Presentation” was held aboard the USS Lexington the evening of May 1st and featured a patriotic tribute to the Veterans of Armed Forces in attendance. Anderson County Historical Commission Chair, Carol Herrington, accepted a Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the Commission at the dinner. An 84 year old award recipient said, “You can get a lot accomplished when nobody takes credit”; wise words to remember.

Friday's agenda included workshops, the Preservation Marketplace, and “Ask the Staff'”, which was an opportunity for attendees to discuss their challenges and projects with the staff of the Texas Historical Commission. The Celebration Luncheon, “10 Years of the Texas Heritage Trails Program”, was held on Saturday, May 3rd.

The Historic Palestine, LLC project passed another milestone at the May 28th City Council meeting when rezoning was approved for 4 tracts of land in the South Side Historic District. Some of the neighbors near the proposed project expressed concerns about the design and the placement of the proposed apartments.

The proposed project is located in the South Side National Register Historic District and the Palestine South Side Historic District. One person said, “How can you put a new apartment project in a historic district?” The answer is, the Palestine Preservation Plan, adopted by the Palestine City Council in January 2002, clearly addresses the need for infill projects within Palestine Historic Districts and the proposed project is an infill project. The previous zoning on all but one lot was C3, which meant that virtually any type of commercial project could have been built in the neighborhood; from an office building to a quick lube to a convenience store. Of course, none of those projects would be appropriate for the neighborhood or the Historic District and now a project of that type of project cannot be built on those lots.

The fact that the proposed project is receiving federal funding and is located in a National Register Historic District requires that the design and the placement of the proposed project be approved by the Texas Historical Commission and the National Parks Service. The fact that it is located in a local Palestine Historic District requires the approval of the Palestine Historic Landmarks Commission. Additionally the design of the project must reflect and adhere to the City of Palestine Design Guidelines for Palestine Historic Districts and Palestine Historic Landmarks. Those guidelines follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines as do the Texas Historical Commission and the National Park Service.

There is a plethora of information and photographs of houses and buildings that were both on the lots and in the neighborhoods surrounding the proposed project that will provide the elements of design for the new buildings. The project will be appropriate and help to stimulate the growth and revitalization of the area, more particularly the South Side Historic District and the Main Street area. All of those resources will be considered prior to the approval of the project. There are also dozens of historically designed projects in historic districts throughout the country that are suitable and appropriate for the neighborhood and the South Side Historic District and those resources will also be considered prior to approval of the project.

The Annual Anderson County History Forum was held April 26 at the Museum for East Texas Culture. The event was sponsored by the Palestine Public Library and co-sponsored by the Anderson County Historical Commission, the Museum for East Texas Culture, and the Palestine Historic Landmarks Commission. Presentations were made by local historians including Carl Avera, that lasted approximately 15 minutes each. Lunch was served to the participants by Old Magnolia Sandwich Shop. This year's History Forum was an exceptionally interesting, informative, and enjoyable event that focused on local families and lifestyles of Palestine and Anderson County.

The Texas Music Awards was a huge success for Palestine and its performers. The talent exhibited was nothing less than fantastic. The TMA was sponsored by several local Palestine businesses and merchants. The Academy of Texas Music, Inc. presented awards to some of Texas' most promising and talented artists, performers, and songwriters. My Texas Music.com, Lucky and Jinelle Boyd, and the performers put on a show that proved that Texas is not just one star! We hope the event becomes an annual Texas Music Festival event in Palestine and we thank them for bringing the TMA to Palestine.

Don't miss the May session of the “Your Old House…or Building” series at the Palestine Public Library is May 22 at 5:30 p.m. This May topic is “Are Historic Construction Materials Different Than Today's?” The May session is timely because the “Greener Than New” concept will be explored in more depth.

All folks who love old houses and buildings including owners, residents, and business and property owners in Palestine are invited to attend The Improving Palestine Downtown Neighborhood Association (IPDNA) monthly meetings. The May meeting is tomorrow, Saturday, May 10th at 8:30 AM in the Carnegie Building on Queen Street. The meetings are normally held on the first Saturday of the month, but the May meeting was postponed for the Texas Music Awards and the Texas Historical Commission's 2008 Annual Historic Preservation Conference. Meetings are held at 8:30 a.m. to encourage and assist those who have businesses in the downtown area that open at 10 a.m.

A joint, called public meeting of the Palestine Historic Landmarks Commission and the Anderson County Historical Commission will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the City Council Chambers at Palestine City Hall, 504 North Queen Street. The Commissions will discuss the Texas Historical Commission's 2008 Annual Historic Preservation Conference and how they will work together to implement the strategies gleaned from the Conference.

You may also contact Neely Plumb at (903) 731-8442, (903) 724-3052, or via E-mail at nplumb@palestine-tx.org for if you have questions or need assistance with your project.

———



Neely Plumb is the City of Palestine's Main Street Manager and Historic Preservation Officer.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.