City Of Fort Worth: Historic Site Tax Exemption Saves Last Building From WWI Camp Bowie

Dallas TX

20 December, 2021

5:57 PM

Description

Press release from City of Fort Worth: December 20, 2021 Historic preservation tax incentives continue to be one of the most effective means of encouraging investments in historic preservation and revitalization of neighborhoods throughout Fort Worth. One example of a recent successful preservation tax incentive project in Fort Worth is the rehabilitation of the World War I Camp Bowie Hospital Ward in Arlington Heights. Fort Worth resident Gail Landreth purchased the property at 4730 Pershing Ave. in 2018 with the vision of saving the structure from demolition by neglect. Landreth pursued a local historic Highly Significant/Endangered designation for the property before beginning work, with the goal of participating in the city's Historic Site Tax Exemption program. View a video about the preservation project.        The World War I Camp Bowie Hospital Ward is the last remaining building from Camp Bowie, a U. S. Department of War military training facility for members of the Thirty-sixth Infantry Division after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917. After the camp closed in 1919, the camp's infrastructure boosted the development of the city's west side once the war was over and the camp was dismantled. This structure appears to be the only surviving building from Camp Bowie remaining in Fort Worth. Landreth was able to successfully save and adaptively reuse the World War I Camp Bowie Hospital Ward for residential use. Original materials were saved and repaired, such as wood windows, helping to keep them out of the landfill and creating a positive environmental impact. Modern features, such as new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, were added to make the structure livable and comfortable. The Historic Site Tax Exemption encourages substantial rehabilitation of designated properties, such as the World War I Camp Bowie Hospital Ward. The HSTE freezes the taxable value of a property at prerenovation levels for 10 years. The local HSTE can be paired with state and federal preservation tax incentives to provide a substantial financial incentive to save and adaptively reuse historic buildings. To learn more about how to apply for the Historic Site Tax Exemption or whether your rehabilitation project qualifies, contact the City of Fort Worth's preservation staff at 817-392-8000.     Photos: Before and after the rehabilitation of the World War I Camp Bowie Hospital Ward.     Get articles like this in your inbox. Subscribe to City News.   This press release was produced by City of Fort Worth. The views expressed here are the author's own.