Here’s Our Favorite Preservation Wins of 2025
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Historic preservation quietly racked up some major wins across Dallas in 2025, from a rare Pueblo Revival saved by the right buyer to adaptive reuse projects breathing new life into long-neglected buildings. Maybe more importantly, neighborhood-led efforts like the Lakewood Conservation District expansion are proving how grassroots action can permanently protect architectural character. Together, these stories show how vigilance, vision, and the right stewards can turn near-losses into lasting preservation victories.
The Cutest Pueblo Revival in Dallas
We kicked 2025 off beautifully with the restoration and update of an adorable Pueblo house in Hollywood Heights. One of only two in Dallas, it had fallen into a very sad state. When it was listed as a great site for redevelopment, neighbors began watching it like a hawk because this is a conservation district and not a historic district. That means it is possible to tear a home down under the right circumstances.
When a dumpster appeared, concerned neighbors started texting their concerns. We were all on edge, not wanting to lose this historic Pueblo. Once I saw the Elyse Build sign in front of it, my heart skipped a beat because I knew it was in great hands. Elyse Build and A.J. Ramler, known for their dedication to the preservation of our historic buildings, were turning their talents to this residential project just blocks from my house. Of course, they did an absolutely brilliant job, and the home sold to a local family almost the moment it hit the market. It’s a significant win for history and for architecture.
East Dock Is One of a Continuing Series of Commercial Preservation Wins in Oak Cliff
A.J. Ramler has a unique ability to see beauty and purpose where no one else can. He has acquired quite a reputation for taking buildings most people would bulldoze and adapting them to vital community needs, from The Madison Hotel to The Oak Cliff Assembly. Now, he and the brilliant Proxy Properties team have revitalized a formerly vacant historic ice house dubbed East Dock. There are already five tenants, including Kunluntu Bakery, Abidadas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Lola’s Cantina and Snacks, and Bite Sushi and Tapas, with more slated for move-in every month. Now that is what I call a historic preservation success story!
The Lakewood Conservation District Expansion — One of the Biggest Preservation Wins in Years
The biggest preservation win of 2025 has to be the Lakewood Conservation District expansion. This was a hard-fought battle, and I still don’t understand why. People are attracted to Lakewood because of the historic homes. Yet it was a down-to-the-wire, knuckle-clenching fight to get this expansion passed.
When you think about what has been lost because there were no protections in place, like the fabulous Hutsell at 7226 Lakewood Blvd., it is heartbreaking. The lessons learned here are basic and should inspire everyone. It truly only takes one person to get the ball rolling. In this case, it was Summer Loveland, who realized the majority of our precious Hutsell homes were not within the original Lakewood Conservation District. Then it takes a village, the preservation-minded Lakewood neighbors, to create lasting change. Not only does this preserve our historic, architecturally significant homes, but it also creates incredible resale value. Bravo to Summer and to all of the Lakewood residents who made this happen.
A Lakewood Spanish Eclectic by Clifford Hutsell — a Preservation Win That Might Not Have Happened
A win that would not have been possible without this expansion is the preservation of one of the most beautiful Clifford Hutsell Spanish Eclectics in Dallas at 7026 Lakewood Blvd., which happens to be for sale!
This home has every feature buyers want in a Hutsell, including a Batchelder fireplace with a rare Mayan tile design, a staircase by Potter Art Metal Studios, a magnificent leaded stained glass window, and a barrel-vaulted ceiling in the living room with an interior balcony overlooking the living room. It even has beautifully intact original tile in one bathroom and all the other updates one would expect.
The success of the Lakewood Conservation District expansion has set the stage for more preservation success stories, as we now have a number of neighborhoods in the pipeline to be granted conservation district status. Homeowners are realizing this is one of the last ways to guarantee the integrity of their neighborhoods.
