Tax Credit Program Highlight: Plainview Hilton

History

Historic downtown Plainview highlights the commercial development of the Texas Panhandle during the early 1900s until the Great Depression. With the arrival of the railroad in 1906, the downtown district quickly bloomed into the primary retail center for the county. Locals and investors alike saw the need for a “modern” hotel to accommodate business travelers—one such investor was Conrad Hilton. Hilton, who would become a world-famous hotel entrepreneur, spent the 1920s constructing his flagship hotels across Texas. The Plainview Hilton was completed in 1929, only a few months before the Great Depression hit. The brick and stone hotel towered over the rest of Plainview at eight stories tall, and in its time was known as the grandest hotel for miles. Notably, each of the 125 rooms had its own bath.

Rehabilitation Project

The Hilton, still the tallest building in Plainview, loomed vacant over the city for many years before being brought back to life by this rehabilitation project. The former hotel was converted for use as an affordable apartment building, combining low-income housing tax credits with historic tax credits. The heavy concrete structure of the building remained in good condition despite its long vacancy, but the building required all new mechanical systems, as well as kitchens and bathrooms for each apartment unit. The historic windows were deteriorated beyond repair, so applicants worked with the review team to select modern windows that matched as closely as possible to the originals. The grand former public spaces—the ballroom and the double-height lobby—were brought back to their former luster.