Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Hurricane Emily-No Sweat!

Yup, the much hiped hurricane made land fall about 70 miles south of Brownsville with only gusts of up 70 to maybe 80 mph here. No big deal! We survived without much problem. I went to sleep at about 2:00am and woke up at 7:00am to see the news. The eye was barely making land fall and there was a lot of wind and some rain. No major flooding at where I'm at.

I just hope that the downtown buildings were OK. I'll go to downtown as soon as is possible to see the extent of the damage. I don't expect much and will continue the fight to get the owners to fix their buildings so when the next hurricane comes thru, the buildings will be in much better shape to survive.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

The Fate of the El Jardin Hotel


I was walking to my car last Friday from work at UTB when I noticed something different about downtown. high above many of the short structures was a crane hovering above the El Jardin Hotel. I mused to myself, what's that crane doing there? Could it be possible that the old hotel is being repaired? There was only one way to find out. Go there.
So, I set out the eight minute walk to the hotel from my car. When I got there, lord and behold, there definately was a crane with a few people in a basket hovering next to the hotel. What were they doing, I asked myself. After a few moment of studying the situation, I realized that the people on that basket were tearing down the top roof molding along the side of the hotel. Why? I continued studying the moment watching as the workers carefully removed the molding from the hotel while aslo removing some of the ornate structures that once jut out of the building like little spears.
After a few minutes thinking about the hotel, I decided to go and talk to Mr. Goodman, Director of the Downtown District, located in the Old Market Square. I opened the door and found Mr. Goodman at his desk and asked him about the situation with the hotel. He said that a large chunk had fallen to the street from the roof and that it was determined that the best course of action was to remove the top molding to prevent any further deteriation and falling pieces. Although no one was hurt, these pieces tend to shatter upon impact. So then I asked, is the owner going to renovate it or at least stabilize the facade? With great dissapointment, he said no. That's it. No.
So, there I was thinking about the hotel and how much I loved that building and having to watch it slowly but surely, fall apart piece by piece and not knowing what to do. My heart broke knowing that there was nothing I could do but curse the owner of the hotel and wondered why he never sold it, even at a loss. How could such a magnificent building that once was the first "skyscraper of the Rio Grande Valley and an icon and symbol of Brownsville's growth during the 1920s to 30s come to a sudden halt. Now, it lays empty and in great disrepair waiting to die. Just like someone were to buy a pet and then leave it tied up and forgotten. That's what's called Demolition By Neglect!! in architect terms. The building was just left there to fend for itself.
What could I do? I asked myself again. What could a little person with no money or politiacal power like me do to rescue the once magnificent building? And at once an idea popped into my head. I called Ambrosio Villarreal (Co founder of the Preservation Brownsville, of which I am the current President) and told him about the situation. He said to talk to a Brownsville Herald reporter that he knows and tell this person about the stait of the hotel. Ah ha. That's it. Sure it doesn't mean that a reporter would somehow rescue the building but more importantly, it's the power of knowledge. Have the reporter do an article about the dire situation about the hotel and maybe, then maybe, the owner will listen. And that's what I did. I got the e-mail of the reporter and the following week, I e-mailed the reporter with what I saw that Friday afternoon and what could be done to force the owner to do something about it. The reporter e-mailed me back thanking me for the e-mail and that they would look into it.
So, there it is. The fate of the El Jardin Hotel lies in the hands of those who care enough to push the system to do something. Now, I all I can do is sit and wait to see what happens. Meanwhile, the hotel sits there falling into dispair with no hope in site. What fate does the stars have for this once beautiful and majestic building? Only time will tell.
TonyL

Friday, July 01, 2005

Brownsville Finally Looking Up

Ah, wouldn't it be nice to drive through B'ville on the expressway and see not just towering palm trees (which happen to be tallest than most of the structures in B'ville) but towers four to eight stories along side the expressway in the Morrison Crossing Shopping Center. Well, it could happen and very soon if the developers of Morrison Crossing get their way.
Today in the Brownsville Herald's story: Bernard brothers envision four towers at new development is an article but towers rising over the small skyline of B'ville. According to their story, the Bernard Brothers are looking into building foru towers composed of a bank/office, upscale hotel, medical, and condos. They will vary from 4 - 8 stories adding a much needed skyline to Brownsville's north side.
I've always said that B'ville needs a decent skyline in order to attract larger companies. The reason is because high-rise buildings are a symbol of power and prestige. It shows the world that the city is not just a sleepy town but a town that means business, literally and figuratively. Currently, B'ville is trying to catch the eye of the NFL League but may have a hard time selling the B'ville image in part because of its skyline (there are other factors for sure). Imagen the Goodyear Blimp flying over and showing the US a land mostly of agriculture and low-rise buildings. It just wouldn't be attractive and the rest of the nation would laugh. Read the story about the RGV vying for the NFL League on the Borwnsville Herald: Group faces major obstacles in luring franchise.
Hopefully, if the towers do get built, even one of them, this could lead to other developers to rethink their 2 to 3 story buildings and think taller. B'ville is coming of age where land should not be gobbled up to build one-two-three story buildings and intruding into the wildlife habitat. Land is finite while the sky offers more room to build. Really, the sky is the limit.
Predictions
1. B'ville will surpass McAllen as the #1 city of the RGV in terms of higher salary employments, bank deposits, high-rise construction, and attracting large corporations before McAllen within the next 15 years.
2. The first high-rise (12 stories or more) will be built within the next 10 years since the Villa del Sol (14-stories and only high-rise) was built in 1971.
3. B'ville will have its first skyscraper (500ft or more or roughly 42 stories or more) within the next 25 years.
If the booming construction continues at a steady pace, all this may be possible and B'ville will once again be the powerhouse of the RGV.
TonyL