David Preziosi, FAICP, Hon. AIA Dallas
David Preziosi likes to think of himself as a preservation storyteller. For nearly 30 years, he has worked to advocate for the historic places that define our communities. He believes that historic buildings are more than just wood, masonry or glass; they are the vessels that hold the stories of the people that have come before us and the events that have shaped our cities. It wasn’t until he came to work in Dallas as the Executive Director of Preservation Dallas that he started writing regularly about historic buildings. His work has consistently demonstrated how storytelling—through media, exhibitions, lectures, and digital innovation—can galvanize public support and protect our built heritage.
Preziosi has been interested in architecture since he was a child, building Lego houses in the days before you had detailed instructions. However, it was a study abroad program to Italy while studying architecture at Texas A&M that opened his eyes to the importance of historic preservation. As he traveled through Europe, he marveled at how people there treasured their centuries-old historic buildings and how they were a part of their normal everyday lives. When he returned to Texas, he saw just the opposite, especially in Dallas, where buildings deemed “old” were being regularly demolished for new development. Disheartened with the loss of so many buildings designed by prominent architects and of such unique design and craftsmanship, he focused his studies on historic preservation. After obtaining a master’s degree in urban planning with a historic preservation certificate from Texas A&M, he moved to Mississippi to start his career in historic preservation. He worked in city planning for six years and then ten years at a statewide historic preservation nonprofit before returning to Texas to work for Preservation Dallas.
Local Impact
During his decade-long tenure as executive director of Preservation Dallas (2012–2022), Preziosi launched innovative programs that increased the awareness of historic preservation and made it more accessible to new audiences. From reviving Preservation Dallas’ “Most Endangered Historic Places” list to helping to create the Pegasus Urban Trails mobile app—a digital guide to downtown Dallas’s historic architecture—his work emphasizes preservation as both a civic responsibility and a cultural joy.
When DART proposed the D2 surface line through downtown Dallas, Preziosi led Preservation Dallas’ 2016 advocacy campaign to reroute the light rail expansion underground as the proposed line threatened historic buildings along the route. Through coalition building with affected property owners and developers, they convinced the city and DART to move the line underground. However, that was not the end. The new plan proposed to route the underground line through Dealey Plaza, a National Historic Landmark, which would require cut and cover damaging the historic resource. Using his deep knowledge of federal preservation law, Preziosi let DART know that it would not be feasible, saving one of the city’s most historically sensitive areas from potential harm.
Preziosi has created meaningful public experiences, like co-curating the Historic Architectural Styles of Dallas exhibit at the Old Red Museum in 2015, which drew nearly 5,000 visitors. The exhibit was adapted into a booklet and distributed to libraries and schools in Dallas. It provided a visually compelling education on Dallas’s architectural evolution and underscored Preziosi’s commitment to civic literacy.
Media as Advocacy
Since 2013, Preziosi has served as a contributing writer for AIA Dallas’ Columns magazine, spearheading the popular “Lost + Found” series. These articles explore the fate of Dallas’s lesser-known buildings—saved, lost, or repurposed—and have sparked important public conversations about the role of preservation in shaping identity and place.
In 2023, the “Lost + Found” series was celebrated with a retrospective exhibit curated by Preziosi in partnership with the Architecture and Design Foundation. It featured updates on the buildings from past articles and QR code access to the original articles for interested viewers.
With more than 40 published articles on platforms ranging from Legacies: A History Journal for Dallas & North Central Texas, Texas Heritage, and Authentic Texas to the CandysDirt.com real estate blog, Preziosi’s byline has become synonymous with preservation storytelling. His work combines archival research, cultural insight, and accessible prose to appeal to both lay readers and professionals. Topics have ranged from the avant-garde branding and architecture of Braniff Airways to the architectural legacy of William Sidney Pittman, Texas’s first Black architect.
Beyond Dallas
As President and CEO of the Texas Historical Foundation, Preziosi now stewards statewide efforts to preserve Texas history and support nonprofit preservation projects through grants ranging from archaeological investigations, building preservation, to documentary filmmaking.
He has helped produce educational videos on historic architecture across the state, capturing stories of rural schoolhouses, cultural centers, and endangered landmarks. He has also served as a subject-matter expert for state and national media and testified before a congressional subcommittee on the importance of preserving historic structures after Hurricane Katrina during his earlier role as Executive Director of the Mississippi Heritage Trust.
Preziosi has spotlighted the work of significant architects such as O’Neil Ford, David Williams, Charles Dilbeck, George Dahl, and others, ensuring their contributions are not forgotten. He has authored more than a dozen National Register of Historic Places nominations in Mississippi and has supported preservation grants for important but overlooked places in such locations as Wheelock, Cuero, and Castroville. The College of Architecture at Texas A&M University recognized him with an Outstanding Alumni Award in 2020 for his work. In October 2024, Preziosi’s efforts were further recognized by the Texas Society of Architects, who presented him with the Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Architecture through the Media in Honor of John G. Flowers.
Service and Mentorship
Throughout his career, Preziosi has embraced opportunities to educate the next generation of preservationists, architects, and planners. He has taught graduate-level classes at Jackson State University in Mississippi, presented multiple times at Texas A&M’s College of Architecture Historic Preservation Symposium, and has guest lectured at universities and professional forums.
Preziosi has a strong commitment to volunteer work and has also served on numerous boards and committees, including the Dallas Landmark Commission, Dallas Landmark Commission Designation Committee, the Greater Dallas Planning Council, the Architecture and Design Foundation, and the North Texas chapter of Docomomo. Appointed earlier this year, he now serves on the State Board of Review for the Texas Historical Commission, which reviews Texas nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. AIA Dallas honored his service to the profession with the Community Honors Award in 2019 and an Honorary AIA designation in 2021.
Preziosi said he still has many more stories to tell and looks forward to researching and writing about historic places across the state. It is his mission to continue raising awareness about the places that have shaped Texas in an engaging way that highlights why those places are unique and important. David Preziosi’s legacy lies not just in the buildings he has helped save, but in the public’s growing appreciation of why those buildings matter. In a city driven by progress, he has made the case—eloquently and relentlessly—for memory, continuity, and place. He believes that a mix of old and new buildings makes Dallas a more vibrant and interesting city and that we must save as many of the historic places that remain, which tell the story of Dallas. Preziosi continues to inspire Dallas and beyond to look both backward and forward, ensuring the preservation of our inherited architectural stories for the future.