The Stars Are Aligning For Deep Ellum to Join The National Register of Historic Places

In the constellation of historic placemaking, the stars could be in alignment for Deep Ellum, which could be added to the National Register of Historic Places. Although there are over 20 individual buildings in Deep Ellum on the National Register, the neighborhood is not. 

However, the road forward isn’t without complications.

If you want to delve into the requirements for a district to qualify for the National Register of Historic Places, you can find them in this 54-page PDF on the National Park Service website. If you don’t have enough wine on hand to get through that, here it is in a nutshell:  

A District possesses a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united historically or aesthetically by plan or physical development,

A Missing Piece

It sounds like a no-brainer for Deep Ellum to be included, so why has it taken so long? It’s certainly not for lack of interest. 

“There have been talks about being on the National Register as a district for over a decade,” Stephanie Keller Hudiburg, the executive director of The Deep Ellum Foundation, said. “We lacked the knowledge and understanding about what it takes to qualify. We have created a strategic plan and a cultural plan, and one of the pillars of the cultural plan is to celebrate our history. Last year we partnered with Preservation Dallas to work on the assessment piece and see if we had the assets to qualify for the National Register.” 

That assessment piece is the recently completed Historic Resources Survey of Downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum, which Preservation Dallas’ Executive Director David Preziosi wrote about for us in early February.

A Bevy of Historic Buildings

As it turns out, there are more than enough buildings to qualify.

Technically, you need 50 percent. Deep Ellum has 76 percent. So, with historic factors and buy-in from business owners, the next step in the process was engaging a consultant to write the Determination of Eligibility paperwork. Preservation Dallas engaged the services of HHM and Associates once again in January, and in February received a grant from The Summerlee Foundation to cover the costs.

Do you see what I mean about stars aligning?

The Economics of History

Why is it important to gain this sort of recognition for a neighborhood? Of course, it’s about honoring the history and maintaining the integrity of these buildings. But it’s also about economics.  

“We are the No. 1 entertainment district in the region,” Keller Huidiberg said. “We have over 100 bars and restaurants and are almost operating on a 24/7 basis. Deep Ellum is a huge visitor destination. People love historic districts, so having that designation enhances the importance of the district. Recognition provides an opportunity to showcase the history and richness of the neighborhood.”

As of today, the Determination of Eligibility paperwork is in the hands of the Texas Historical Commission, and approval is expected any day now. There is a state review and then the national park service review. The entire process should be complete in 18 months, just in time for the 150th anniversary of Deep Ellum.