Restoration of The Historic Knights of Pythias Temple is Significant For Dallas’ Black History

In honor of Black History Month, we asked David Preziosi, Executive Director of Preservation Dallas to tell us about one of the best success stories in our city.

By David Preziosi, FAICP

The stately Beaux-Arts style building with classical ornamentation at the corner of Elm and Good Latimer Streets in Deep Ellum is one of the most important structures related to African American history in Dallas. It was constructed in 1916 and served as the Grand Lodge of the Colored Knights of Pythias at a time when Deep Ellum was an important commercial center for African Americans.  

William Sydney Pittman, the first African American architect in Texas, designed the Knights of Pythias building shortly after moving to Texas in 1912 to pursue work. Pittman graduated from Tuskegee Institute and then Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, completing studies in architectural drawing and structural work. At Tuskegee, he met Booker T. Washington, who recognized and encouraged his architectural talents. Pittman went on to marry Washington’s daughter Portia in 1907.  

Established in 1884-85, the Colored Knights of Pythias was an African American fraternal organization that provided social activities, life insurance, and death benefits for the burial of its members. It grew rapidly, becoming the largest African American fraternal organization in the state. In 1912, a resolution authorizing the construction of a Pythian Temple in Dallas for $100,000 was approved by the Grand Lodge.

A piece of land at the intersection of Elm and Good Streets, just south of the Texas and Pacific rail line, was purchased for the building. After opening, the five-story Knights of Pythias building quickly became an important landmark in Deep Ellum.

It included retail and office space for African American professionals such as attorneys, insurance agents, realtors, and doctors (including the first African American surgeon and the first African American dentist in Texas). The two upper floors held an auditorium space, which was used for lodge rituals, social events, conferences, and political gatherings. 

The Knights struggled through the Great Depression as most members could not pay dues, and many of the insurance payments lapsed. The building was sold in 1944 for only $6,500 after legal woes mounted from non-payment of policies for burial expenses. The Union Bankers Insurance Company acquired the building in 1959 and made substantial changes obscuring its original design. 

Due to the significance of the building architecturally and to the African American history of Dallas, the City of Dallas designated it a Landmark in 1989 to protect it in perpetuity.

Union Bankers abandoned the building in the 1990s, and it was sold in 1995. Even though several redevelopment ideas were proposed, the building sat vacant until 2017, when Westdale and Vine Tower Development began the redevelopment of the building. They also placed the building on the National Register of Historic Places that year, which allowed them to take advantage of state and federal tax credits for the rehabilitation.  

The building’s proposed use was for a boutique hotel as no such hotel exists in Deep Ellum. To make the hotel project work, a seven-story addition was added to the rear of the original building. The architects sensitively designed the addition to be compatible with the historic building. They connected it via a glass-enclosed walkway on the first floor to preserve the exterior of the original building. The new addition houses the hotel lobby, business center, gym, and two-thirds of the guest rooms.

Paramount in the project was the desire to restore the façade as closely as possible to Pittman’s original design, which was no easy task. The original storefront had been completely removed, metal windows had replaced the original wood ones, cast stone features were missing, and the brick had been painted.

Working off of renderings of the building and old photographs, the project architects were able to recreate the original storefront design and replicate the missing cast stone pieces. The exterior lead paint was painstakingly removed to get back to the original brick color. Historically appropriate custom wood windows were installed, including the dramatic two-story arched windows from the fourth to fifth floors. 

The original auditorium on the fourth floor was the social center for the African American community when the building opened and served as the premier gathering place at a time when African Americans were not allowed to use such spaces at local hotels.

With the vibrant music scene in Deep Ellum, a variety of African American artists performed in the auditorium, such as Blind Lemon Jefferson. Originally two stories in volume, the space had been later carved into two floors for offices. The developers could have left that intact but felt it was more important to restore that space to its original size and use it to recall its importance.

The building’s first floor was converted into a restaurant and bar, with the other floors converted into guest rooms. 

Honoring the significance of the building’s original architect, the hotel was named The Pittman. The 164-guestroom hotel opened in June of 2020 and is operated by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant Group.

The interior of the hotel pays homage to the past while reflecting the current energy of Deep Ellum. Guestrooms are appointed with luxurious details and artwork that reflects Dallas and Deep Ellum.

The historic building has been fused with contemporary new construction designed to complement the restored Knights of Pythias Temple façade architecturally.

Thanks to Westdale and Vine Tower Development, this important African American landmark has been returned to its former prominence in Deep Ellum.