McDoux Preservation LLC

Here at McDoux, we’re all about helping you achieve your goals. Whether you’re in the public, private, or nonprofit sector, we understand where you’re coming from and the types of challenges you face. Our data-driven, community-driven approach results in outstanding products that help you be more effective and make you look good.

While we have broad experience in historic preservation, our practice currently focuses on  qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis, program and policy development and evaluation, long-range planning, and historic documentation (National Register, HABS/HAER/HALS, state and local designations, historic context studies, etc.). We specialize in robust community engagement, particularly in contentious situations. Want more details? Check out our Services.

Principal consultant Steph McDougal and her able associate Jenn Beggs are an efficient, effective team, and we partner with top colleagues to assemble the best-qualified, right-sized teams for your particular project. Learn more about our team and our partners on the About page.

McDoux is committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA).

Since 2007, McDoux has worked across Texas and the United States. Many of our clients are repeat customers, in some cases for a decade or more. That’s because we’re easy to work with and dependable, we turn in great work, and we anticipate what you will need to get your project approved or adopted and build every project with that in mind. See who we’ve worked with and what they have to say about us in our Portfolio.

Ready to have a conversation? We’d love to get to know you and learn how we can serve in support of your goals. Contact us via email or phone to get started.

Steph McDougal founded McDoux Preservation LLC in 2007 after moving from Ohio to Texas, earning an MSHP at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, and refocusing her existing consulting practice from training and performance improvement to historic preservation. Since then Steph — occasionally with other team members — has developed a broad portfolio of work and a reputation for excellence in historiography, research and data analysis, planning, creative problem-solving, community engagement, and generally figuring out what the story is and how to tell it.

Steph also holds a B.A. in Organizational Communications and a Master of Technical and Scientific Communication, both from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and she is pursuing a PhD in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University. Steph’s major field is the history of the Jim Crow South, and her dissertation focuses on strategies for pursuing equitable treatment of city-owned African American cemeteries.

From spring 2019 through summer 2021, McDoux was a slightly larger team, but we’ve scaled down once again to a lean, efficient and effective duo. Jennifer Beggs joined McDoux in July 2020, transitioning into historic preservation after a 25-year career in hospitality that was ended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jenn holds a Bachelor of Music, Music History, and Acting from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a Master’s in musicology and acting from City University of New York/Brooklyn College. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in historic preservation from the University of Kentucky.

McDoux, a woman-owned business, is registered with the State of Texas as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB).

Here at McDoux, we’ve done a lot of different kinds of historic preservation projects.

Today, we’ve narrowed our focus to the following professional services. If you are interested in working with us on something else, let us know.

Historical research and documentation

• National Register of Historic Places nominations
• State Historical Marker and Recorded Texas Historical Landmark applications
• Local Landmark and Historic District designations
• HABS/HAER/HALS historical reports
• Other historiography

Long-range planning

• Preservation plans
• Strategic planning, business planning, and financial strategy for nonprofit organizations
• Cemetery vision plans
• Cemetery maintenance management plans

Ordinance review and revision

Community engagement

• Outreach and communication
• Stakeholder interviews
• Community opinion surveys and data analysis
• Community meeting planning and facilitation

Grant-writing and fundraising

For tax credit projects, we recommend Macrostie Historic Advisors.

For historic resource survey projects, we recommend Cox McLain Environmental Consultants.

We’re pleased to present this list of our current and past work.

MARKERS AND DESIGNATIONS

Cisneros House, Corpus Christi, Texas. National Register of Historic Places (co-author with Dr. Isabel Araiza), in progress

Evergreen Cemetery, Austin, Texas. National Register of Historic Places, in progress

Eldorado Ballroom, Houston, Texas. National Register of Historic Places (co-author with Macrostie Historic Advisors), in progress

Bayou Brae Historic District, League City, Texas. National Register of Historic Places (first 1960s subdivision to be listed in the State of Texas), completed by high school intern John Falavolito under my supervision, 2021

Old Bayview Cemetery, Corpus Christi, Texas. National Register of Historic Places, 2020

Gage Hotel, Marathon, Texas. National Register of Historic Places, 2020

Park-to-Park Residential Historic District, Fort Madison, Iowa. National Register of Historic Places, 2014

Eldorado Ballroom, Third Ward, Houston, Texas. State historical marker (co-author with Harris County Historical Commission), 2014

Downtown Round Rock, Texas. State historical marker, 2010

Emancipation Park, Third Ward, Houston, Texas. State historical marker, dedicated June 2009

First Evangelical Church, Houston, Texas. City Protected Landmark designation, 2009

Richardson House, Houston, Texas. City Protected Landmark designation, 2008

Emancipation Park, Third Ward, Houston, Texas. City Protected Landmark designation, 2007

Commercial Historic District, Eagle Lake, Texas. National Register of Historic Places, 2007

HISTORIC CONTEXT STUDIES

Handmade grave markers in 20^th century African American cemeteries, in progress

African American History in Conway, Arkansas, 2021

HABS/HAER/SECTION 106

1956 Gulf service station, Goldthwaite, Texas. Historical Resource Survey Report prepared as part of Section 106 process for Texas Department of Transportation (subconsultant to Cox McLain Environmental Consulting, Austin, Texas), 2021

Pump Station/Waterworks Tank #2, City of Galveston, Texas. Historical report prepared as Section 106 mitigation (subconsultant to Cox McLain Environmental Consulting, Austin, Texas), 2018

Marks L7 Ranch, Houston, Texas. Interpretive signage prepared as Section 106 mitigation, 2012

Union Pacific Railroad Bridge 15.6, Freeport, Texas. Section 106 facilitation and Memorandum of Agreement prepared for Union Pacific Railroad. Mitigation included historical report, photography, videography and a working model of the bridge for the City of Freeport’s historical museum, 2010

Union Pacific Railroad Bridge 184.80, Refugio, Texas. Historical report prepared as mitigation (subconsultant to Bailey Architects, Houston, Texas), 2007

Union Pacific Railroad Bridge 207.0, Vidaurri, Texas. Historical report prepared as mitigation (subconsultant to  Bailey Architects, Houston, Texas), 2008

DESIGN GUIDELINES/STANDARDS

The Hill Neighborhood, Sugar Land, Texas, conservation district design standards, 2020–2021

City of Houston, Texas

• Houston Heights Historic Districts East, West, and South, 2015–2018
• High First Ward Historic District, 2014
• Starkweather Historic District, 2014
• Germantown Historic District, 2013

HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEYS

City of Marathon, Texas: reconnaissance survey of entire unincorporated town, in progress

City of Paris, Texas: Pine Bluff-Markham Historic District (survey update), 2021

City of Paris, Texas: Downtown Commercial Historic District (survey update), 2020

City of Belton, Texas: Downtown Historic District, Central Historic District North Central Historic District, Leon Heights Historic District, and South Pearl Historic District, 2012

City of Round Rock, Texas: Downtown Master Plan area, Phase I and Phase II, 2010–2011

PRESERVATION AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

City of Houston, Texas: Historic Preservation Manual (web content), 2010

City of Round Rock, Texas: Preservation Education program, 2009

• “Places and Spaces That Matter” community photo contest, traveling exhibit, and open house during Preservation Month
• Brochures for City preservation program and tax exemption program
• Interpretive signage for downtown buildings
• Re-launched Local Legends Awards
• State marker for downtown historic district
• Presentation for area Realtors
• “Preservation Minute” interstitial videos for local cable access channel: https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/departments/planning-and-development-services/historic-preservation/preservation-minute-videos/
• Monthly press releases

ORDINANCE REVIEW/REVISIONS

City of Belton, Texas: Historic Preservation ordinance (existing), ordinance revisions and commission training, 2012

City of Round Rock, Texas

• Historic landmark relocation ordinance, 2012
• Landmark and historic district designation application and process revisions, 2013

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION

Texas Historical Commission: Cemetery Preservation Program evaluation, 2018–2019

City of Austin, Texas: Historic façade improvement feasibility analysis, 2018–2019

City of Belton, Texas: Tax exemption program (new), research, recommendations, and draft language, 2016

LONG-RANGE PLANNING

City of Corpus Christi, Texas, historic preservation plan (in progress)

Texas Dance Hall Preservation, long-range strategic plan and annual workplans, 2017–2018

Museums United/Council of State Museum Associations, business startup/financial plan, 2015–2017

City of Austin, Texas, Historic Cemeteries Vision Plan, 2013–2015

Preserve Arkansas, long-range planning and implementation guide, 2013–2015

Historic Houston, strategic plan, 2007–2008

Questions? Comments? Let’s have a conversation!