The Drakestone was  designed by C.D. Hill and Company and was originally constructed in 1926  as the headquarters of Republic National Bank.  It was the second  tallest building in Dallas at that time, and a 1931 addition made it the  largest office building in Texas.  The original building with its 1931  extension is perceived as one building with a “Western Victorian”  aesthetic, and it forms part of a core group of historic buildings  within this area of downtown from a time when Dallas was emerging as a  major city. In its transformation into The Drakestone, the  building has been revitalized internally to create an elevated  experience for its users and externally to contribute to the vibrant  urban life of downtown Dallas.  In addition to upgrading the retail  space and modernizing the building’s 183 residential units and  amenities, a project goal was to transform the lobby into a public space  for art experience in a residential building, melding the original  building features with completely new design elements, creating an  apropos fusion of historic and modern that encompasses the building’s  nearly 100-year span.  Interior work was extensive at the lobby, retail  spaces, residential units, and amenities.  The work included the  remediation, preservation, and restoration of the historic ceiling and  interior columns, existing terrazzo and floor mosaics, and the highly  articulated exterior enclosures. The original cupola, which was  in a serious state of disrepair, had to be completely rebuilt using  Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) panels which were carefully  designed to match the original color and finish to preserve the same  aesthetic appearance as the historic cupola.  Around it, the rooftop  deck was provided with a new, modern swimming pool and a greenhouse  conservatory for the residents' lounge.  Below it, a private dining room  was carved into the found space within the existing foundation for the  cupola. We are grateful to Headington Companies for entrusting us with this assignment!

As we continue to  strategically expand our Adaptive Reuse portfolio involving historically  significant buildings, this award represents our second Preservation  Achievement Awards for projects in Dallas.

The Drakestone (Davis Building)