Preservation Houston Helps Keep the Bayou City’s History Alive With Good Brick Awards

What: Preservation Houston‘s Cornerstone Dinner

Where: River Oaks County Club

PC Moment: Highlight of the annual dinner is presentation of the Good Brick Awards to 17 individuals and projects that meet the nonprofit’s criteria of outstanding contributions to the preservation, restoration and enhancement of Houston’s architectural and cultural heritage. The winning entries range from the very familiar such as Rothko Chapel to the little recognized such as a 1907 craftsman style house tucked away in the First Ward.

Bill Franks, vice president of the Oxberry Group, received Preservation Houston’s President’s Award for his long years of work in the repurposing and preservation of many of the city’s historic structures. In remarks to the gathering of 350, Franks allowed that his grandmother was the one who stoked his interest in architecture and preservation by taking him on exploration of historic Catholic churches in the Central Texas area.

Others accepting awards were Steve Zimmerman and Dan Zimmerman for repurposing of the 1923 Fondren Mansion into  La Colombe d’Or Hotel and Sherry and Tom Lott, who provided major funding for revitalization of the 1933 Hermann Park Clubhouse which is now named Lott Hall in honor of the couple.

Emceeing the program were former KTRK Channel 13 news anchor Katherine Whaley and ABC13’s news reporter Briana Conner.

In the able hands of dinner chairs Gayle and Bob Eury, the evening raised $225,000 for Preservation Houston’s neighborhood-based education, advocacy and community outreach programs.

PC Seen: Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Carol Isaak Barden, Jay Monroe, Laura Bellows, Jack Bellows, Minnette and Peter Boesel, Dorothy and Mickey Ables, Nancy Ames and Danny Ward, Kristy and Chris Bradshaw, Elizabeth and Richard Husseini, Charlotte and Larry Whaley, Lainie Gordon and David Mincberg, Anne Schmidt and Mark Tabolsky, Ali and Frank Donnelly, Lucia Benton, and Catherine and Andrew Kaldis.