Tax Credit Program Highlight: 207 W. Ennis Avenue

History

Constructed between 1890 and 1896, the two-story brick building at 207 W. Ennis Avenue is one of many commercial buildings built in the town’s building boom of the late 19th and early 20th century. During this period the city flourished due to the economic benefit cotton cultivation in the region, and its location as a major railroad town southeast of Dallas from which the processed cotton could be transported. At the time, Ennis was the headquarters for the Houston & Texas Central Railway’s Northern Division, giving it even greater notoriety among railroad towns in the region.

Rehabilitation Project

This building is a perfect example of a typical low-rise mercantile building in a Texas downtown. The building was used for a variety of retail establishments over time, in its prime location on the main thoroughfare of town. Throughout the building’s lifespan, its exterior has remained relatively unaltered, although the interior has been heavily altered through the removal of part of the second floor to create a double-height space. This rehabilitation project kept the building in its altered configuration, but focused on repairs and improvements for its new use as a pub. The exterior was spruced up with new paint and custom canvas awnings, the interior walls were re-plastered and the beadboard ceilings repaired, and the space was outfitted with all new mechanical systems, service spaces, restrooms, and a large built-in bar.