Haythem Dawlett - Land Development Hub

How time flies when you're having fun! It has been 20 years since the Lakeway Historical Society was incorporated. It was really fun when the Board members gathered around the big table at noon in our small building for the monthly meeting and lunch. We usually brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and beverages. Dorothy Kizer often sent snacks with her husband Milton, both longtime residents of Lakeway. At that time, we all realized that the rapid growth of the community should be recorded. It all began in 1988, when the Lakeway Civic Corporation formed a Historical Committee to make plans for the 25th anniversary of Lakeway. Local historian Byron Varner was appointed as chairman of the committee. Charles and Nancy McCoy, life-long friends of Byron and Bonnie Varner, donated two commercial lots to the Historical Society - lots that were later sold, the proceeds of which were used to purchase the 2.1 acres of land which is now the site of Heritage Park and the Spirit of Freedom Monument. At that time, there was an old run-down building on the lot and a portion of the original rock house that was the home for ranch hands in the 1930's. The building was later demolished to make room for the new Heritage Center and the rock house restoration. The early days of the Society weren't all fun. Funds were slowly being reduced to pay for utilities, yard maintenance, and such things as replacing the roof and paving the parking lot. Membership was open to the general public, who paid annual dues and participated in numerous fund raising projects. Yet, we even worried about the price of stamps. The old building had only one window air conditioning unit and the temperature was never constant. We knew that these conditions were not ideal for preserving historic documents and such. We despaired when the ceiling collapsed on our only computer system. There was always the possibility of fire due to the antiquated electrical system. It was always damp, termites chewed through an outside wall, attacked a picture frame, and made a meal of a photograph of the members of the first Quarter-Century Club. The final blow came when we couldn't flush the toilet and had to rent a Porta-Potty because of a bad septic system. City officials condemned the building in 2004, and the loyal supporters of the Heritage Commission faced a crisis. Questions were overwhelming: what should we do...ask for room at City Hall...replace the building...what do we really need...how much room is needed...how much will it cost...how do we get the money...? While we had about $120,000 in the treasury, back then it seemed like a lot of money since there was no need to purchase a lot. Talk about wishful thinking! Yet it seemed that help was coming in from everywhere. Local architect, Jim Little, voluntarily drew up plans for 150 square-foot building, now the Heritage Center. Donations began to flow in; yet, even with the funds in the treasury, there was a short-fall of some $26,000 plus the requirement for a mandatory $15,000 in contingency funds. Following some serious contemplation, the City of Lakeway came to our rescue. With only a few days before the ‘best-bid' for construction of the new building would expire, the Commission was advised by city officials that repayment o the required funds could be made when it was possible. At the same time, local developer Haythem Dawlett pledged $10,000 to insure that the new building would be first-class. He also donated the time and materials to complete the landscaping efforts once the building was completed. It was not only heartwarming but refreshing to realize how many people in the community were behind the Heritage Commission and preservation of our relatively young but developing history. During the demolition phase of construction, we were pleasantly surprised when the crew revealed that the original one room building made mostly of rocks very likely dated back to the early 1930's, making it one of the oldest structures remaining in the Lakeway area. People passing by during the construction efforts often wondered what the little building was all about. Local researchers were able to determine that historically the building was part of the Mauermann ranch house - a line shack used by ranch hands or cedar croppers who worked the land and livestock nearly 80 years ago. This treasure was preserved as best as possible based on construction codes and is now formally known as the Heritage Center Rock Room. Restoration of the Rock Room was made possible by a $20,000 donation from Lakeway Civic Corporation. The Heritage Commission's goal is to continue the task of preserving the history of Lakeway. Although the original Historical Society treasured its independence, it was with heavy-heart (mixed with relief and a lot of paperwork), that in 2001, the Historical Society dissolved its charter, donated its considerable monetary and other assets to the City of Lakeway and became an appointed entity of the city officially titled the Lakeway Heritage Commission. Yes, Heritage Park, the Heritage Center, and the Spirit of Freedom Monument are the complications of a dream come true, with much progress made on many fronts. Byron Varner's original book on our community, "Lakeway - The First Twenty-Five Years & Earlier Times around the Colorado River," has been reprinted with some additional photos and supporting information. Had Byron not displayed the initiative, much of the local history - and the subsequent development of Lakeway - might have been lost forever. Copies of the reprint are available to the general public for a nominal fee, with the proceeds going to the Heritage Center's donations account managed by the city's finance director. Progress is being made on a second book - a chronology that goes beyond 1988 up to the present. A permanent part-time archivist and coordinator has been hired to manage the Heritage Center, which now includes all of the city archives, as well as copies of newspapers, civic organization records, social club archives, special event records and photographs, and audio and video personal history recordings that are available for public review when requested. A 500 square-foot meeting room is also available for public or private use at the Heritage Center for a fee by reservation, based on the Lakeway Activity Center for general policies and procedures. When Lakeway celebrates its Golden Anniversary in the year 2013, the Lakeway Historical Society/Heritage Commission will concurrently celebrate its Silver Anniversay. These past two decades have seen community leaders come forward with dedication and tenacity to ensure that the history of this place is preserved for future generations to enjoy. At noon on the second Monday of each month, those appointed to the Heritage Commission meet at the Heritage Center in public session to discuss and plan upcoming events for the enjoyment of the community. They don't usually bring food and drink, but the dedication, sense of purpose, and camaraderie is as it was in 1988. Come join us during our year of celebration - and beyond.

Haythem Dawlett bring decades of planning, construction, sales and marketing experience to diverse recreational, master planned residential and mixed use communities featuring lake and golf course amenities, as well as retail, office and multi-purpose commercial projects in California, Texas and Colorado.

With offices in Austin, Texas and California, Dawlett and his affiliates have earned recognition from a number of highly-regarded local and national industry associations including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Urban Land Institute (ULI), National Association of Home Builders and the City of Austin Green Builder Program. As a developer, he has placed a great emphasis on giving back to the communities where they operate through business, civic and charitable contributions.

Dawlett is active in the Central Texas community, with an emphasis on supporting Lake Travis civic, business, education and sports initiatives. His support has contributed to the growth and enhancement of facilities and programs involving the Lake Travis Education Foundation, Lake Travis Elementary and Lake Travis High School. Dawlett currently serves on the board of TexArts, and is involved with other non-profit organizations including Any Baby Can, A World for Children and Green Santa.