From Preservation Online, the online magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.preservationonline.org

Dear Preservation 911,

We are in the process of trying to convince our city council to preserve the old water tower in Kyle, Tex., rather than demolish it. Since the cost for demolition alone is $25,000 and the cost of retaining it a mere $50,000, we think we have a good shot at this.

Yet money is tight in a small community of only 5,000. It will cost $5 per person to demolish it and $10 per person to save it.

A potential problem, however, is the lead paint on the tower. It will need to be repainted. Does anyone have any suggestions or pointers or potential pitfalls for us to consider?

If anyone has experience with this, please give us an idea how often it will need to be repainted in the future. We think the engineer has come up with figures that are too high. Any and all information will be appreciated.

We have also discussed lighting it: Any suggestions?

Lila Knight
Hays County, Tex.

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Preservation 911 is a message board open to all readers. While National Trust staff will respond to the extent feasible, this will not be possible in all cases. We encourage other readers involved in state or local preservation to respond with advice or assistance. To contact either a regional office of the National Trust, a statewide or local nonprofit organization, or your state's historic preservation office, click here for a state-by-state list.

The National Trust's regional and field offices bring the programs and tools of the Trust to communities across the country. They offer technical assistance through consultations and field visits and financial help through small grants. They hold educational programs for professional preservationists and work to foster policies that help historic places. They also provide leadership on issues that concern entire regions, such as saving historic schools, fighting sprawl, and revitalizing cities.

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