Post Oak Preservation Solutions

Check this out! Rachel recently checked in on a couple of the historic tax credit projects we're consulting on in New Bedford, MA. This one, the Strand Theater, is well underway! The first image shows a drawing of the original theater design. The second image shows what the building looked like at the start of this project. And the third image demonstrates the painstaking facade restoration currently underway. Wow! Can't wait to see this one through to completion!

We've just submitted the first draft of our historic context for the historically Black neighborhood in Fayetteville, Arkansas variously known as "The Hollow" and "The Valley" and, simply, "southeast Fayetteville". Some call it "Spout Spring" due to a 1970s ethnographic study of the neighborhood, but this isn't a name used historically. Part of the work of crafting a complete and compelling historic context, especially in systemically marginalized communities, is telling the stories of the remarkable humans who lived and persevered in the community. Let's tell one of those stories today: The first photo shows part of a 1926 panoramic photograph of students at the Henderson School, which was founded immediately following the civil war by northern missionaries (later incorporated into the public school system). Henderson school only went up to grades 8 or 9 (depending on the year) so, if parents wanted to further their children's education, they were forced to send their teenagers to other towns (and even other states!). Because there was so little occupational opportunity for Black residents in Fayetteville, many students never returned. One of the boys in this photo, however, did come back. Sherman Morgan, highlighted in the second image, was the grandson of a formerly enslaved man, one of the community's early settlers. Sherman finished his education outside of Fayetteville and served in the Navy before returning home. He opened a tavern that became one of the few integrated spaces in town and a community hub. Among his regular clientele was a University of Arkansas professor named William "Bill" Clinton. We're so honored to be able to tell Sherman's story among others in this resilient community. We thank the community for the trust they've placed in us and their participation in our research. Thank you to Megan Warley McDonald for her dedication to telling the complete story of these remarkable people. Image credits: University of Arkansas (Henderson School photo) Shiloh Museum (Navy photo)

Come say 'hello' at the Texas Downtown Conference next week! Irene & Ellis will be at our booth and would love to chat with y'all about historic districts, preservation plans, design guidelines, historic tax credits, and more!

Great coverage of our efforts in Alpine based on an interview with partner Ellis Mumford-Russell in the Big Bend Sentinel last week. https://lnkd.in/gDY6VNYb

Built in 1947, Kokernot Field is a miniature Wrigley Field in the middle of far West Texas. This field was home to the semi-pro Alpine Cowboys as well as the collegiate Sul Ross Lobos for decades. The Cowboys eventually became a farm team for the Boston Red Socks making Alpine the smallest town with a pro baseball team. Built of native stone quarried from the Kokernot Ranch, the field features an incredible attention to detail seen in the custom iron work, light fixtures, and signage. And it's almost perfectly in tact! The field was the vision of local rancher Herbert L Kokernot, who donated the land, built the ballfield, and sponsored the Cowboys. The field was vacant for a time but has been recently reinvigorated by a new Alpine Cowboys team (in the Pecos League) as well as the Sul Ross Lobos once again. Next time you're in Alpine, be sure to stop by for a game and take in the view of the mountains in the original stadium seating. Tickets are an affordable $6. Post Oak is so excited to be writing the National Register of Historic Places nomination for Kokernot Field on behalf of the City of Alpine. There's a lot more to share, but here's a peek at some of the extraordinary details.

Would love to work with someone to reimagine this incredible building! On 2 acres of land, good opportunity for new construction or creative outdoor usage. Could be eligible for state & Federal historic tax credits to cover almost half of the rehab costs! https://lnkd.in/gWs2JTET

It's conference season, y'all! We're glad to be able to connect with so many of our colleagues recently at the Novogradac Historic Tax Credit Conference this week and the Texas Society of Architects last week. Shown here is our booth at Novogradac and Alison (far right) participating in the HTC Hot Topics panel. One more conference to go for the year! Will we see you in Abilene for Texas Downtown?

Being a part of this project was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. ?? First off, thank you to all my colleagues, especially Sean Jacobson, for their leadership and assistance on this plan. Secondly, a BIG thank you to Mend Collaborative and their partners - Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Post Oak Preservation Solutions, William Fulton, FAICP, Jude Landry, and Catalyst Urban Development - for their dedication to the Denton community and this plan over the past year. The next 20-years for Downtown Denton look bright! ?? To read the final plan, visit DiscussDenton.com. #dentontx #designdowntowndenton #urbanplanning #comprehensiveplanning #communityplanning #downtowndenton

This has been a challenging and rewarding project to work on. Finding new uses for cold storage buildings has been a perennial preservation problem but this one has proved successful!

Let's meet up at the Novogradac Historic Tax Credit conference next week in Kansas City! Rachel and Alison Dunleavy will be at our booth (come get the latest swag). AND come check out the HTC Hot Topics panel on Friday at 10am where Alison will be a panelist!