Downtown Dallas' Statler Hotel Gets Shout Out From Preservationists

One of Dallas' largest redevelopment projects is getting accolades from preservationists.The National Trust for Historic Preservation is giving a shout out to downtown's $175 million Statler Hotel project.The 61-year-old Commerce Street hotel is being transformed into a mixed-use project.The Statler was previously on the National Trust's list of the country's most endangered landmarks.Now that the 19-story mid-century hotel has made it back from the brink of demolition, preservations are celebrating."The Statler Hilton Hotel was a crown jewel of Dallas that will now once again serve as a vibrant center of community life for people in the Metroplex," Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in a statement. "The successful transformation of the Statler Hilton is a poster child for the power of the historic tax credit and a significant example of the ways that older and historic buildings can contribute to the vibrancy of their communities."Texas is a place that loves its superlatives, and as the largest historic tax credit project in the state of Texas, this one has definitely earned its bragging rights."When it opened in 1956 at a cost of $16 million, the Statler was one of the largest and most elaborate hotels in the country.But after sitting vacant for many years, there were called for the building's demolition.Centurion American Development purchased the landmark in 2014 and began an ambitious project to convert the building to a combination of apartments and hotel rooms."The saving of the Statler Hilton is an exemplary reuse of mid-century modern buildings that are often overlooked in large urban areas," the National Trust said.When finished the building will include 7,800 square feet of retail space, 19,000 square feet of restaurant space, a 2,200-square-foot hotel bar and 2,900 square feet of meeting space. The building will also house apartments and a Hilton Curio Hotel.The building starts opening later this year.Here's a list of the other saved landmark's the Washington, D.C.-based National Trust for Historic Preservation is honoring:The 2017 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places Success Stories: Angel Island Immigration Station - San Francisco, Calif.Antietam National Battlefield - Sharpsburg, Md.Cathedral of St. Vibiana - Los Angeles, Calif.Governors Island - New York, N.Y.Historic Boston Theaters - Boston, Mass.Little Rock Central High School - Little Rock, Ark.Nine Mile Canyon - Utah.Penn School - Frogmore, S.C.President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home - Washington, D.C.Statler Hilton Hotel - Dallas, TX.Travelers' Rest - Travelers' Rest, Mont.  Continue reading...