Pictured: Late 19th century adobe Palace Hotel in Sierra Blanca (Hudspeth County).

2026 West Texas Regional Preservation Summit

Thursday, January 29 & Friday, January 30, 2026 in El Paso

Join Preservation Texas in downtown El Paso for a two-day event exploring historic preservation in Far West Texas. Sessions will cover Preservation 101, incentives, planning strategies, and regional case studies, offering valuable insights for professionals, advocates, and volunteers alike.

The event begins Thursday evening with a networking reception at Preservation Texas’s West Texas Heritage Center. On Friday, the program continues with a full day of presentations and discussions at the Downtown El Paso Visitor Information Center. Registration details below.

An optional hard hat tour of the historic Kress Building, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation, will also be offered on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. This tour is ticketed separately from the Summit.

Sponsored By

HISTORIC LODGING, LLC

Summit Overview

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026
West Texas Heritage Center (201 E San Antonio Ave)

5:00 - 6:30 p.m. OPENING RECEPTION & NETWORKING
Refreshments will be provided. Remarks at 5:30.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2026
El Paso Visitor Information Center (1 Civic Center Plaza)

8:00 a.m. CHECK-IN & STUDENT POSTER SESSION
Posters will feature student work from the Texas Tech University School of Architecture and El Paso Community College Valle Verde Campus. Coffee and pastries will be provided.

9:00 a.m. WELCOME & WEST TEXAS UPDATE
Victor Hurtado, West Texas Program Officer, Preservation Texas
Veronica Castro, Visit El Paso

9:10 a.m. PANEL A: WHAT IS PRESERVATION?

  • CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PLACE
    Stephen Rabourn, Founder, Remote Architecture

  • HISTORIC PRESERVATION: WHY AND FOR WHOM
    Dr. Mahyar Hadighi, Director of Historic Preservation, Texas Tech University

10:10 a.m. PANEL B: HISTORIC TAX CREDITS

  • HISTORIC TAX CREDITS 101
    Valerie Magolan, Tax Credit Program Coordinator, Texas Historical Commission

  • HISTORIC TAX CREDIT CASE STUDY: THE 1930 BASSETT TOWER
    Geoffrey Wright, Principal, Wright & Dalbin Architects

11:00 a.m. PANEL C: PRESERVING LOCAL HERITAGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL

  • CHAMIZAL NATIONAL MEMORIAL CULTURAL LANDSCAPE DESIGNATION INITIATIVE
    Dr. Mark Calamia, Cultural Resources Program Manager, National Park Service

  • MAINTAINING READINESS: HISTORIC PRESERVATION AT FORT BLISS
    Donald Sevingy, Historic Preservation Specialist, Fort Bliss

12:00 p.m. LUNCH
Boxed lunches will be provided.

1:00 p.m. PANEL D: DOCUMENTATION & DIGITIZATION

  • DOCUMENTING EL PASO’S POST-WAR ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE
    Christian A. Mijares, Project Manager, Mijares-Mora Architects, Inc.

  • HAND-MEASURED DOCUMENTATION OF SMALL-SCALE BUILDINGS
    Jesús Najar, Architectural Programs Manager, Preservation Texas

2:20 p.m. PANEL E: PRESERVING EL PASO’S ADOBE HERITAGE

  • RESTORING THE MAGOFFIN HOME
    Danielle Brissette, Site Manager, Magoffin Home State Historic Site

  • SAVING RIO VISTA FARM: CITY OF SOCORRO’S LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
    Victor Reta, Director of Historic Preservation, City of Socorro

  • SAVING RIO VISTA FARM: PRESERVATION PLANNING AND ADAPTIVE REUSE
    Vance Kelley, Principal, Treanor Architects

3:30 p.m. CLOSING REMARKS & RECEPTION

Detailed session descriptions coming soon!

Summit Registration

Preservation Texas Member Registration: $40

Non-Member Registration: $50

Student Registration: $20

Sorry, no refunds.

If you are unsure of your current membership status, please email hunick@preservationtexas.org.

Register for the Summit

Optional Pre-Summit Tour of the Kress Building

Join us on Thursday, January 29 at 3:30 p.m. for an exclusive hard hat tour of the historic Kress Building led by Jordan Foster Construction and In*Situ Architecture. Completed in 1938 and designed by Edward F. Sibbert, this iconic Art Deco landmark anchors San Jacinto Plaza at the corner of W. Mills and N. Oregon Streets. Once a department store, the building is currently being rehabilitated as a vibrant mixed-use space which will feature dining, retail, event venues, and a luxury spa.

Preservation Texas Member Registration: $20

Non-Member Registration: $30

The tour is SOLD OUT at this time.

Pictured: The 1938 Kress building in downtown El Paso, photographed in 1980 for the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) program.

Become a Sponsor!

Your support as a sponsor will make it possible for Preservation Texas to deliver this important educational program, while demonstrating your commitment to protecting our state’s unique cultural heritage. We would be honored to include you as a partner!

Sponsorship payment must be received by January 19, 2026.

SPONSOR BENEFITS (all levels)

  • Sponsor name or logo inclusion on event signage

  • Sponsor name or logo inclusion on the Summit webpage

  • Exposure on Preservation Texas’s e-newsletter mailing list of over 5,000 Texans

  • Opportunity to include a sponsor-provided giveaway to attendees

$2,500 Level

  • Four complimentary Summit registrations

  • Opportunity to set up an exhibitor booth

  • Opportunity to make an announcement during the program

$1,000 Level

  • Two complimentary Summit registrations

  • Opportunity to set up an exhibitor booth

$500 Level

  • One complimentary Summit registration

Online Sponsorship Form
Mail-In Sponsorship Form