Durant House in Dallas Restored via "Adaptive Restoration" by Russell Buchanan
In the Cedars neighborhood of Dallas, the 1903 Durant House was at risk of collapsing due to significant water damage and decay. Co-owners Shannon Wynne and Casey McManemin, along with architect Russell Buchanan, chose an "adaptive restoration" approach, resulting in a "building within a building." The updated structure showcases a modern exterior with gray siding and expansive glass panels. Original bricks from Abilene were meticulously removed and stored for future reconstruction by RenPro General Contracting, overseen by Eddy Burchell. By 2022, one sidewall had shifted six to eight inches, and the load-bearing walls were missing a standard foundation. Built by Owen Hughes, recognized for the Praetorian Building, the Durant House has had a diverse ownership history. Sarah Crain from Preservation Dallas commended the creative design for its historic preservation efforts.
Key facts
- Durant House, built in 1903 by mason Owen Hughes, is located in the Cedars neighborhood of Dallas, Texas.
- The house was dismantled from the top down; original Abilene bricks were removed one by one, cleaned, and stored off-site.
- By 2022, one sidewall had leaned six to eight inches away from the structure, and load-bearing brick walls sat directly on the earth without a conventional foundation.
- Co-owners Shannon Wynne and Casey McManemin partnered with architect Russell Buchanan on the project.
- The reconstruction was executed by RenPro General Contracting, founded by Eddy Burchell, using Buchanan's documentation drawings.
- The original front elevation masonry featured belt courses, corbels, dentil courses, split-faced lintels, and parapet gables.
- Owen Hughes also constructed the Praetorian Building, Dallas's first skyscraper and the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at the time.
- Sarah Crain, executive director of Preservation Dallas, endorsed the project in a statement released this past summer.
Entities
Artists
- Russell Buchanan
- Shannon Wynne
- Casey McManemin
- Owen Hughes
- Eddy Burchell
- Sarah Crain
Institutions
- RenPro General Contracting
- Preservation Dallas
Locations
- Dallas
- Texas
- United States
- Cedars
- Abilene
- Mississippi River