We’ve added a short essay from our resident historic preservation expert, Norm Alston, to the Back Talk Extras feature on the sidebar on the right.

Norm doesn’t think preservation is a lost cause in Dallas, despite the setbacks we’ve suffered over the past several years (the Hard Rock on McKinney, the Dr Pepper plant, and the like). In fact, he sees quite a few silver linings, including an increased commitment from the city.

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It also includes one of the best explanations I’ve ever seen about why developers and builders have so much trouble with the concept. They’re not necessarily opposed to preservation, says Norm. It’s just not something they do often enough to understand.