Houston Mod Tours Tyler’s Historic Modernist Buildings | For subscribers only

Houston’s architectural community is interested in the preservation and adaptive reuse of notable modernist buildings in downtown Tyler.

“We haven’t always been able to keep our history, and our architectural heritage, with us as we grow up,” said Houston Mod President Steve Curry. “(In Tyler), the growth isn’t the kind that forces things to be replaced so easily, so there’s a lot more architectural legacy left.”

About 20 members of Houston Mod, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the preservation of mid-century modern architecture, toured the history-rich downtown Tyler locations on April 26.

Houston Mod’s advocacy includes sponsoring conferences and authors, publishing books, and organizing area tours throughout Texas.

Curry said midcentury architecture is what some call “recent history” because it was built between the post-war period and the 1970s. It was a time when the United States had an optimistic and expansive attitude, seeking to blend European and American styles.

“It was a special time in architectural history,” Curry said. “It represented a new way of living. It was a break with the traditions of the past.”

The group toured Tyler locations undergoing restoration including the Greyhound Inn, The Wilcox, The Carlton, The Fair and Lindsey Buildings, toured the Tyler Museum of Art and drove through the Azalea District.

“We saw a range of historical styles at Tyler,” Curry said.

He highlighted the impressive variety of architectural styles and spaces renovated for adaptive reuse, the term used to describe the reuse of buildings.

“It’s about finding a function that works for a building, different from its original program or purpose, let’s say, but in doing so you find new life for the building, and the building remains an integral part of the community fabric “Curry said.

He said Tyler is unique because of the scale of the downtown projects and the pride and connection residents have with each other and the structures. In Houston, it took a long time for people to warm up to the idea of ​​rejuvenating downtown for residential use, as is the case in Tyler.

“It’s creative in that these buildings were creative in their time to find a new use for them,” Curry said. “It’s environmentally preferable, I would say, and it keeps the architectural heritage where it would otherwise be lost.”

The organization is open to members from anywhere, not just Houston. People can visit the Houston Mod website at houstonmod.org.