Page 1 - Plano, TX Heritage Preservation Plan

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE OF THE HERITAGE

PRESERVATION PLAN

Plano is perhaps best known for its rapid suburban growth in the last half of the
20th century. Less known, however, is that it also boasts a richness of cultural
resources that represent the span of the city’s history back to 1840, when the
first settlers arrived in the area. Over many years, the community has taken
substantial steps to protect and preserve its historical, architectural, and cultural
heritage. The city’s first Heritage Preservation Plan, which was adopted in 1981,
established an inventory of historic structures and recommended individual
properties for designation as local landmarks. Since that time, the city has
experienced significant investment in the restoration and rehabilitation of its
heritage resources. The city’s two designated heritage districts, Haggard Park
and Downtown (which is also designated as a National Register Historic District),
continue to evolve with a mix of new infill development while balancing the
preservation of their historic and cultural resources.

While Plano continues to value its historic resources, there are many factors
that threaten to diminish their preservation. Redevelopment pressures often
encourage incompatible and irreversible alterations, or even demolition.
Increasing maintenance costs and rising property taxes make it increasingly
difficult to care for historic buildings, leading to deterioration and neglect. And a
social, cultural, and political environment that has to balance preservation with
other city priorities can be discouraging to preservation advocates. Responding
to these factors in strategic ways is the key to an effective preservation program
and a primary reason for this Plan.

While challenges will continue, this is a particularly opportune time for
preservation in Plano due to new, exciting trends and topics, including:
A An increasing understanding of the roles that preservation and
neighborhood conservation play in sustainability and how they
complement many other community development objectives.

A Use of new tools to protect heritage resources, such as conservation
districts, are being explored and more recent architectural styles, such as
mid-century modern, are being studied as potential heritage resources.
A The formation of new partnerships in which a variety of groups promote Why 150?
historic properties in their work programs, such as healthcare providers,
cultural institutions, educational groups, and parks departments. The City of Plano was founded in
A A large increase in the number of buildings that meet the 50 year old 1873, meaning that in five years,
minimum threshold for historic eligibility, due to Plano’s rapid growth Plano will celebrate its 150th
that began in the mid-20th century.
anniversary! This update to the
Heritage Preservation Plan outlines
goals for the next five years and
beyond, and its accomplishments
should be praised at Plano’s
sesquicentennial celebration.

november 2018 chapter 1: Introduction 1