David Preziosi, the Executive Director of Preservation Dallas since 2012, is making a move. He’s been tapped to be the Executive Director of the Texas Historical Foundation.
The organization works to preserve the history of Texas through grants for the preservation of buildings, documents, and records. They also provide money for archaeological sites and put together videos and films on the history of Texas.
It’s an excellent opportunity for both Preziosi and the foundation because he will make a terrific impact on the state. I don’t think the foundation could have selected a better person to fill the role.
Preziosi has patiently, gracefully, and tactfully guided individuals, organizations, corporations, and politicians through challenging obstacles to ensure the history of Dallas remains somewhat intact. In doing so, he successfully led Preservation Dallas to national prominence in 2020 when they were selected for the National Trust for Historic Preservation Trustees’ Award for Organizational Excellence. This was significant for a city that had not been known for its attention to historic preservation.
I asked Preziosi about some of the highlights of his tenure at Preservation Dallas.
“One of the biggest was ensuring the new DART D2 line would be put underground, so it would not impact historic buildings, “Preziosi said. “That was a huge effort.”
Another accomplishment came in response to the 2014 demolition of four historic buildings on the National Register, located between Main and Elm streets. Historic building protection happens on a local level regardless of national recognition. There was no local historic district that protected those buildings. The public outcry was significant, so Preservation Dallas coordinated public meetings and served on the Mayor’s task force.
“We came up with nine recommendations, one being a demotion delay overlay,” Preziosi said. “That means buildings would have to be reviewed, public meetings held, and alternatives to demolition discussed. The other significant recommendation from the task force was the recently completed resurvey of downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum for historic resources.”
There have been celebratory highlights as well.
“The Architectural Styles of Dallas” exhibit in 2015 at the Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture brought close to 5,000 people through the doors to see 27 architectural styles showcased.
“We turned the exhibit into a booklet and donated it to public libraries, middle school, and high school libraries. And last week, our celebration of 50 years was an incredible accomplishment. I was pround to work on the film and the booklet,” Preziosi said.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is how small the Preservation Dallas budget is and therefore how small their staff is,” President of the Preservation Dallas board Jason Harper said. “We now have three full-time people, which is a big step forward. David works nights and weekends. Think about how many events Preservation Dallas puts on and all of the community events. He represents the entire preservation community. David is always there, and he is tireless.”
Preziosi has thoroughly enjoyed his role at Preservation Dallas. Never one to accept accolades easily, Preziosi always defers any kudos to his staff and supporters.
“I have a great staff and board and many dedicated members working together to save historic places,” he said. “I think of myself as the conductor, organizing people and putting together the symphony. This new role is exciting because I’ll work across the state and have the funds to preserve places, objects, and sites related to Texas. It’s a great opportunity.”
Preziosi is not going far. I’m happy to report he’s remaining in Dallas for his new role so we are looking forward to putting a broader stroke on our historic preservation reporting.
