ENVision, Volume 9, Issue 2, Summer 2003 Page: 4
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Page 4 Summer 2003
TxDOT-funded Parks & Wildlife Dept.
project to restore Roma wins awardBy Dr. MARIO L. SANCHEZ
Historical Architect
Environmental Affairs Division
Preservation Texas, Inc., gave its
2003 Curtis Tunnell Award to the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
for the Roma Restoration Project. The
project preserved the historic core of
Roma and was
financed in part by
TxDOT enhancement
funds.
Inextricably linked
to the history of -
Northern Mexico,
Roma was founded in
the 1770s as a ranch
serving the city of
Mier on the south
bank of the Rio
Grande. Upon its
incorporation into the
U.S. in 1848, Roma
developed as a
thriving river port.
As a result of this
lucrative trade, the
merchant class of
Roma built an elegant
city overlooking the -
bluffs of the Rio
Grande with
sophisticated
architectural styles Before and after
influenced by those door in Roma sho
of Northern Mexico detail of the rest
and Spain. Because
of its unique bi-national cultural and
architectural heritage, Roma was
recognized in 1993 as a National Historic
Landmark, the highest designation for
historic properties in the U.S.
It was also in 1993 that TPWD began
its long involvement in the Roma
Restoration Project. The department was
spurred to this endeavor because of two
executive orders issued by Governor
Richards (1991) and Governor Bush
(1995) calling on state agencies to assist
with the development of Los Caminos
Heritage Corridor Project along the
Texas/Mexico border.
The project was funded by a $500,000
grant from the Meadows Foundation and
$679,000 from TxDOT's Enhancement
Program. The restoration projectstabilized and rehabilitated eight of the
more exceptional properties on and near
the plaza. Extending through 1998, the
work undertaken was thorough,
methodical, challenging, and without
precedent in the field of preservation. It
began with a detailed report authored by
a professional team representing a variety
of disciplines to
. guide preservation
philosophy, and to
estimate the costs ofphotographs of a
ow the extent and
oration work
construction.
The Roma Restoration Project
preserved, for the first time, Hispanic
building traditions unique to the bi-
national heritage of the Lower Rio
Grande. Brick and sandstone banquetas
(sidewalks) were repaired; courtyards
were cleared of vegetation; fragile brick
roofs were reassembled; wrought iron
balconies were secured; complex brick
shapes were reproduced; and bright
colors that had faded long ago were
reintroduced to newly refurbished
facades. The intense search for
compatible construction materials even
extended into the Mexican interior,
where an active sillar (caliche block)
quarry was located to supply a building
material that has long ceased to be usedin the U.S.
Residents of the region were hired and
trained to assist in the restoration of these
nearly vanished historic building
traditions. Preservation efforts were also
complemented by a large exhibit on the
history of Roma, located in the lobby of
city hall, assembled by the TPWD
Interpretation and Exhibits Branch.
Today, the results of the preservation
and interpretive efforts of the Roma
Restoration project are nothing short of
dynamic. Visitors,
both individual and in
guided bus tours, flock
to visit the plaza; the
Roma Independent
School District
conducts tours of the
historic district for its
students; town
festivals use the plaza
as a venue for events;
extended family
reunions center around
the plaza; and nearby
communities, such as
Rio Grande City and
Mier, across the
border, undertake
ambitious preservation
programs inspired by
the work in Roma.
Once a place
marked by buildings in
disrepair, the Roma
Restoration Project
reclaimed the historic core and plaza of
Roma as the heart of the city. The project
continues to generate community pride,
to afford educational opportunities, and
to inspire ongoing preservation work - all
of which promote and preserve the
unique Hispanic heritage of Texas.
(Editor's note: With a doctorate in
history from the University of Notre
Dame, and a master's in architecture
from the University of Texas at Austin,
Dr. Sanchez works as an historical
architect in ENV/TxDOT, where he deals
with the impact of transportation and
enhancement projects on cultural
resources. While at the Texas Historical
Commission, Dr. Sanchez became
involved with the Lower Rio Grande
Heritage Project and TPWD.)ENW->~
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Texas. Department of Transportation. ENVision, Volume 9, Issue 2, Summer 2003, periodical, Summer 2003; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth606722/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.