HISTORICAL
BUILDING RESTORATION
IN HOWE, TX.
Howe was a major grain shipping center by the 1880s — three elevators, a farmers bank, and a Union Pacific line that connected its agricultural economy to regional markets. The heavy masonry and concrete structures from that era still stand along the rail corridor. Preserving them requires more than standard repair: it takes conservation-grade materials, documented methodology, and the expertise to distinguish what must be saved from what can be stabilized.
What Historical Building Restoration Includes
Conservation-grade services for historically significant structures — from masonry stabilization to full compliance documentation.
Historical Masonry Restoration
Howe's 1880s-era brick and concrete structures require lime-based mortars matched to original composition — not modern Portland cement, which is harder than the historic masonry and forces moisture damage into the original units rather than the sacrificial joint. We perform mortar analysis, selective repointing, and consolidant treatment to stabilize deteriorating masonry without destroying the character that makes these structures worth preserving.
The grain elevator complex along the Union Pacific corridor represents heavy-load masonry construction designed for agricultural-industrial use — walls significantly thicker than typical commercial buildings, requiring specialized approach to repair and surface treatment.
Architectural Detail Preservation
Cornices, window surrounds, decorative brickwork, and cast elements are the visible markers of a building's historic period. When these deteriorate, the loss is irreversible — replacement moldings from modern suppliers rarely match the material density or profile of originals. We use consolidants, epoxy fills, and cast-in-place replication only when in-place preservation has been exhausted.
For Howe's commercial buildings along the US-75 Business Route where deferred maintenance has compounded over decades, our condition assessment distinguishes between elements that are stable, elements requiring immediate intervention, and elements that can be stabilized on a planned maintenance schedule.
Adaptive Reuse Envelope Work
Howe's rising property values — driven by its position as the southern gateway to the $35+ billion Texas Instruments and GlobiTech semiconductor corridor on US-75 — make adaptive reuse of its historic commercial stock financially compelling. Converting agricultural or early commercial buildings to modern use requires envelope work that meets current energy and moisture codes while preserving historic character.
We coordinate interior vapor management, window system upgrades, and insulation strategies that are compatible with historic masonry's need to breathe — avoiding the moisture entrapment that standard retrofit approaches cause in solid-wall construction.
Historical Documentation & Compliance
Federal historic tax credits (20% of qualified rehabilitation expenditures) require a documented Part 1/Part 2/Part 3 submission to the State Historic Preservation Office and National Park Service. We provide the scope narrative, photographic documentation, and materials specification package that supports these applications — and coordinate with the SHPO review process to avoid scope changes that jeopardize certification.
For Howe structures not yet listed on the National Register, we can provide a preliminary significance assessment to determine whether a listing nomination is feasible and whether the rehabilitation economics support pursuing tax credit eligibility.
Industries We Serve in Howe
Howe's Historic Stock Is at an Inflection Point
By the late 1880s Howe was a major grain shipping center — three elevators, the Farmers National Bank, and the Howe Herald all operating from a townsite platted around the Union Pacific line. The masonry structures from that era represent a significant piece of Grayson County's agricultural heritage.
Howe's population grew 37% between 2010 and 2020 as Sherman-Denison metro spillover reached its US-75 location. With Texas Instruments' semiconductor campus approximately 12 miles north, the commercial pressure on Howe's historic core will only increase. Buildings that were economically marginal a decade ago are now positioned for adaptive reuse investment.
Grayson County's expansive clay soils and the persistent ground vibration from active Union Pacific rail traffic compound the deterioration cycle on these structures. Howe's commercial buildings along the US-75 Business Route now average over 40 years old — the point where original masonry systems require professional intervention to prevent irreversible loss.
Howe's grain elevator complex and commercial buildings date to its major grain-shipping period along the Union Pacific corridor
Sherman-Denison metro spillover is raising property values on Howe's historic commercial stock
Texas Instruments' $30B+ Sherman investment creates commercial pressure that reaches Howe's historic core
Why Choose Griffin Restoration
Commercial exterior restoration since 2000
Licensed in TX, OK, AR, and LA
56' and 72' — self-performing capability
Full coverage for commercial projects
Historical Building Restoration FAQ
How is historical building restoration different from standard renovation?
Historical building restoration focuses on preserving the original character-defining features of a structure — its masonry patterns, ornamental details, material palette, and spatial form — rather than updating or replacing them. Standard renovation prioritizes function and code compliance with modern materials. For Howe's historic grain elevator complex and 1880s commercial core along the US-75 Business Route, that distinction matters: penetrating consolidants replace Portland cement patching, lime-based mortars match original joint composition, and cleaning methods preserve the patina that defines a building's age and authenticity.
What are the Secretary of the Interior's standards for historic preservation?
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation are four federal guidelines governing work on historically significant structures receiving federal tax credits or subject to preservation covenants. They require preserving original materials and character-defining features, using reversible repair methods, distinguishing new work from original fabric without mimicking it, and avoiding destruction of historic material that could be repaired. For Howe's agricultural-era structures — the grain elevator complex dates to an era when Howe was a major regional grain shipping center with three elevators by 1914 — these standards govern both the approach and the material specifications we use.
How do you balance modern code requirements with historical preservation?
The most common tension is between moisture management and vapor permeability. Modern code-compliant systems often trap moisture behind historic masonry — a critical problem for the heavy concrete and brick construction used in Howe's early 20th-century agricultural buildings. We resolve this through breathable consolidants, sacrificial lime-wash coatings, and mechanical systems that meet energy and life-safety codes without compromising original fabric. Where structural upgrades are required, we design them as clearly distinguishable new elements rather than concealing them within historic material.
What types of buildings qualify as historically significant?
Significance can be established through age (50+ years is the standard National Register threshold), association with important persons or events, architectural distinction, or cultural value to a community. Howe's grain elevator complex along the Union Pacific corridor qualifies on multiple grounds: it represents the town's agricultural-industrial heritage from the 1880s grain shipping era, it is architecturally distinctive, and it anchors Howe's identity as a historic rail-served agricultural community. Individual commercial buildings along the US-75 Business Route dating to the early-to-mid 20th century may qualify for local or state designation even without National Register listing.
How do you source appropriate materials for historical restoration?
Material matching begins with laboratory analysis — core samples or mortar specimens sent to a conservation materials lab to determine original lime-to-aggregate ratios, pozzolan content, and aggregate gradation. For brick and stone, we maintain relationships with regional salvage suppliers and custom brick manufacturers who can match color, texture, and nominal dimensions. In Howe, where the rail corridor historically connected to regional brick and stone production centers, period-appropriate materials are often recoverable through systematic sourcing. We document all substitutions for the project record, which is required for federal tax credit applications.
Related Services
Historical building restoration often works alongside these complementary services.
Commercial Masonry Restoration
Tuckpointing, crack repair, and masonry cleaning for commercial buildings. The foundation of most historical restoration scopes where original brick or stone must be preserved.
Learn more about our masonry services →Commercial Facade Restoration
Full envelope assessment and facade restoration for commercial buildings. Addresses the complete exterior system — masonry, sealants, windows, and coatings — in a single coordinated scope.
See our facade restoration capabilities →Exterior Building Repair
Concrete repair, spall remediation, and structural surface restoration. Often the first step in a historical restoration project before preservation and finishing work begins.
Explore exterior repair services →Preserve Howe's Historic Buildings
Whether you own a grain-era structure along the Union Pacific corridor, a commercial building on the US-75 Business Route, or a civic facility in Howe's historic core — we'll assess the condition and provide a documented scope of work.