The eighth annual Historic Homeowner Fair, hosted by the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP), will take place Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Pearl Stable and promises to be the best attended one yet.
The free event allows homeowners to network with preservation experts, City department representatives, and tradespeople to gather information on how to care for and maintain a historic home. Attendees will be able to tailor their experience by attending events from four different categories: DIY, The Economics of Preservation, Sustainability, and the heritage-minded ScoutSA. An activity zone will be available for children.
Shanon Miller, Office of Historic Preservation director, said she expects around 500 people to attend.
“The more (people) attend, the more we can teach (them) that historic structures are an asset to the community,” she said, adding that she encourages people to come early for the free tree adoption portion of the event.
Brent Hull, owner and president of Hull Historical and a leading authority on home preservation and historic design, will be the fair’s keynote speaker. Craftsmanship, Hull said, will be the cornerstone of his address.
“The loss of craftsmanship is a detriment to communities,” he said. “Luckily, young people over the last 10 years have started to care more about ‘craft,’ with craft beer and craft coffee. Hopefully, that will translate to caring about ‘craft’ homes.”
Hull emphasized that homeowners should strive for greater awareness regarding the history and stories that come with their historic properties. He and his team will be featured on a network television show that has yet to be named later this year.
Other topics of discussion at the Historic Homeowner Fair include historic tax incentives, the benefits of designation, retrofitting for energy efficiency, understanding the permit process, window restoration workshops, and a roofing materials seminar led by Councilman Roberto Treviño (D1).
For a full schedule of events, click here.
The free event is open to the public and will take place from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Top Image: A home in Dignowity Hill undergoing renovation. Photo by Scott Ball.
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