Tax Credit Program Highlight: Laguna Hotel

History

Cisco, Texas originally formed in the late-nineteenth century as a small but rapidly developing railroad town. An 1893 tornado destroyed much of the old town, but the discovery of oil at Ranger Field in 1917 led to a building boom in the 1920s. As a result, the Cisco Historic District largely reflects a well-preserved 20th century oil boom town with a scattering of earlier railroad development. The Laguna Hotel is a prominent example of the boomtown-period expansion. As existing hotels in Cisco failed to keep up with demand, the Cisco Hotel Company built the modern high-rise hotel. Designed by Thompson and Swain Architects from Dallas, the hotel features a blond –brick tower, a stone parapet around the perimeter of the 7th floor, and a metal cupola at the peak of the penthouse roof. The Laguna was listed as one of Preservation Texas’ “Most Endangered Places” in 2015.

Rehabilitation Project

The Laguna has been abandoned for multiple decades, and suffered considerable deterioration as a result. The rooftop ballroom was in especially bad condition with trees growing in the space. The building has now been redeveloped and converted into low-income rental housing, using the low-income housing tax credits in addition to historic tax credits. The lobby has been restored, including decorative painting on the ceiling. Retail spaces off the lobby serve as community rooms. The single-story portion of the building was converted to interior parking with false storefronts. The tower houses 30 units, in the former hotel rooms and ballroom. Lost historic features were uncovered during the rehab, including copper on the storefronts and a tile floor in the penthouse conservatory.