Posted: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 10:16 AM - 9,231 Readers
By: Mike Ward
With a decision fast approaching on whether to add onto the fire-gutted Texas Governor's Mansion as part of its restoration, a growing chorus of state historical officials has joined opposition to the plan.
On Monday, Texas historian T.R. Fehrenbach and Larry Oaks, the recently retired executive director of the Texas Historical Commission, called the addition "wrong-headed" in an opinion column distributed to Texas newspapers. They called on state officials to ditch the plan.
And several former members of the commission made public a letter they sent to commission Chairman Jon Hansen of El Paso. The letter objected to the proposed addition on grounds that it contradicts historical preservation principles and would make it difficult to resist efforts to change other historical structures. They also said the mansion should not be designed to accommodate specific tenants.
The public opposition, the first to surface after weeks of private grumbling by notable historians and preservationists, represents a rare schism in Texas' historical preservation community — and increases the stakes for the Texas Historical Commission staff, which must approve a permit for the addition before the restoration work can proceed.
An arson fire gutted the mansion in June 2008, and state officials are poised to begin a $26 million restoration of the oldest continuously occupied executive mansion west of the Mississippi River.
In a letter written in late November, 10 former members of the Historical Commission formally objected to the State Preservation Board's proposed two-story addition to the north side of the 153-year-old mansion, which is just across from the Capitol.
"Such an addition would irrevocably alter the view the public had historically had from the Capitol," the letter states. "Generations of Texans have approached the Mansion from the Capitol and future Texans should be able to see the same view."
In addition, according to the letter, "the plan would destroy a magnificent Live Oak tree of approximately a diameter of three feet, further altering this historic view."
The former commissioners said that the mansion can be restored to its historical nature without adding on. The preservation board's proposal would add about 3,000 square feet to the approximately 8,900-square-foot building, much of which is public space.
Restoration officials earlier said the additional space is necessary to alleviate cramped living quarters, to meet current building and fire codes and to make the mansion accessible to people with disabilities.
"Many Governors have lived with their families in the Mansion and have not attempted to alter its historic form as does the proposed plan," the letter states.
"We believe that anyone who runs for Governor should accept this House of the People on the same terms that other Governors have. It should be an honor to be elected and live there and become a part of the continuity of the governorship, regardless of whether it is an ideal dwelling for a specific temporary occupant."
First lady Anita Perry has endorsed the addition. Gov. Rick Perry has drawn a re-election challenge from fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, a U.S. senator who has not taken a position on the addition.
In their letter, the former commissioners state that allowing the mansion addition would cause the historical agency problems with other preservation projects across the state. In past years, commission officials have held firm against several requests to build additions onto historical courthouses, arguing against altering the original structures.
"We fear that the Commission would not be able to pursue accurate historic restorations of any type if the precedent promoted by the State Preservation Board is approved," states the letter, signed by Gail Loving Barnes of Odessa, Jane Cook Barnhiull of Brenham, Shirley Caldwell of Albany, Lareatha Clay of Dallas, Jean Ann Ables-Flatt of Terrell, Frank Gorman of El Paso, Alberet Hausser of San Antonio, Dr. Eileen Johnson of Lubbock, Juan Sandoval of El Paso and Linda Valdez of Rockport.
Eight were initially appointed to the commission by then-Gov. George W. Bush, and two were appointed by Perry.
"I don't know of anyone I've talked to who thinks this addition is good idea," Barnhill said Monday. "It's hard to stop a freight train ... but we are hoping that the people who think this is such a good idea will reconsider."
Another former commissioner, J.P. Bryan of Alpine, said he did not sign the letter but agrees with the concerns about the addition.
"It's an appendage that makes no good sense," he said. "It would be like building onto the Alamo."
In their opinion column, Fehrenbach and Oaks echoed the concerns.
"The proposed addition not only interrupts the continuum of history that is every Texan's birthright ... it is unnecessary to achieve its hazy objective."
Mansion project manager Dealey Herndon , a respected historical preservationist who oversaw the restoration of the Texas Capitol more than a decade ago, said alternatives were closely studied before the addition was chosen. The need for additional space, she added, "is the one position that's immovable.
"To restore it without adding the needed space will mean (the mansion) will be clearly less functional than when it burned," she said.
photos by Austin-American Statesman
