Tax Credit Program Highlight: Butler Brothers Building

Dallas, Dallas County

1911

Designation	Listed in National Register as part of the Dallas Downtown Historic District
Historic Use	Warehouse and Distribution Center
Current Use	Residential and Hotel
Total Rehabilitation Cost	$58,000,000
Qualified Rehabilitation Expenses	$51,000,000
Date Certified	October 28, 2016
	One phase certified for state credits. Also seeking Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits.

History

The Butler Brothers Company, one of the largest wholesale companies in the nation, expanded into Dallas during the early 20th century with significant economic impact. The 1911 construction of the company’s massive warehouse and distribution center resulted in a major downtown building boom. Rebranded as the Dallas Merchandise Mart in 1953, the Butler Brothers Building played a major role in the Dallas fashion industry, particularly in its association with the National Fashion Exhibitors of America. The Merchandise Mart was a boon to the industry providing clothing manufacturers showrooms for 500 tenants and displaying around 2,000 national clothing lines.

Rehabilitation Project

The building was originally designed in the Gothic and Romanesque Revival styles, but was covered in stucco in 1960. It was hoped that the exterior of the building could be fully restored, but the original brick was highly damaged during the installation of the stucco coating and would have been further damaged during the removal, so the stucco was retained. The first phase of the project has been completed, which included exterior repairs and paint, replacement of non-historic windows, and converting half of the interior into industrial-style loft apartments overlooking downtown Dallas. The second phase of the project will convert the other half of the building into a hotel with restaurant and retail spaces.