TexasMetroForum

I've been noticing a lot of enthusiasm about B'ville's growth and especially the new high-rise coming soon. I have received a lot of e-mails about inquiries on the latest info on B'ville's current and future projects and for those of you who are really interested in this kind of stuff, please go to the TexasMetroForum. I go hear everday and check out the latest in the RGV and Texas. There is also a forum on the TexasmetroForum on Brownsville-Harlingen/McAllen-Edinburg where people like myself post the latest devlopments in town with pics and info. There are also other people from across Texas that comment and like to talk about our area.

Please join us and become a member in this forum. Check it out!

TonyL

Brownsville’s Skyline Is About to Change

At left is the design of the proposed Lone Star National Bank/Condo

Sometime before the end of the decade, a new high-rise will make its presence known to all Brownsvillians and alike. Pending second approval from the city commission, this new tower will rise above its surrounding at the intersection of FM 802 and Country Club Rd (where it intersects with McAllen Rd). It will be the tallest outside of downtown at 11-stories and will be a mix use building with a bank, retail, and condominiums.

The building will be owned by Lone Star National Bank, which will be housed on the first floor as well as the retail stores. The upper floors will be condos overlooking the nearby resaca and the booming northwest section of town. Although I would have preferred it to be located in downtown, I welcome any new high-rise in or outside of downtown. I believe that within ten to twenty years, a second downtown will begin to emerge between FM 802 (Ruben M Torres Blvd) and Alton Gloor. This area has seen explosive growth in just the last five years unparalleled since the early 1900s.

Some may say that a second “downtown” with its own skyline will overshadow the current downtown and be forgotten but I don’t think it’s true. If anything, it may help it in the long run. Unfortunately at this time, the current downtown will not attract people from the north part of town simply because there’s hardly any national brand retail or restaurants to shop, which is the reason people are flocking to the north part of town. Also, people from our area do not have the money to renovate the existing mid-rises located in the downtown area to help bring back the people.

So how is it that a second downtown will help resurrect the current downtown? As Brownsville grows and attracts people and businesses from out of town, they will undoubtedly move into the new subdivisions and high-rises that will be popping up in the next five to ten years. But with the infusion of wealthier people to our area, will come more money and also attract people who would love the historical part of town. Our city can support two downtowns as our population grows. The people who begin to move to our area and unfamiliar with this city will be attracted to the modern side of the city but eventually, they will venture into the historical section of the city and fall in love with its architecture of the buildings and homes, proximity to the border and the university, and the culture within the downtown. It’s these few percentage of people that will see the value in restoring these buildings and have the capitol to invest in such ventures, thus bringing people back to downtown and maybe even seeing new mid and high-rise buildings being built in about twenty years.

Before you know it, Brownsville will have a nice small skyline that will be on par to what South Padre Island has right now. I wont be surprised if a high-rise (12-stories + or 150 feet) gets built between now and 2015. The one mentioned above is 11-stories, one shy of being called a high-rise unless the height (unknown at this time) is at least 150 feet, which it may since the design has a mission style roof that may put it above 150ft. In any case, if this building doesn’t count as a high-rise, others may soon follow that may be taller. This is an exciting time for Brownsville since for so long it has lacked any kind of sizable skyline. The tallest building is 14-stories while the next tallest is at 8-stories, the rest of the buildings are less than 6-stories, which makes our downtown look sparingly in height.

I predict that the next ten years will see 15 mid-rises (4 to 11 stories), two 4-story hotels have already been built or is in construction, three high-rises, and no skyscraper (40+ stories or 500ft +). I don’t see a skyscraper happening before 2025. There would have to be Fortune 500 companies and much wealthier people living in Brownsville for this to happen.

Both McAllen and Brownsville are poised to see their cities grown up like their bigger counterparts such as San Antonio and Austin and enter into a new era of skyscrapers. With a plethora of people from the north relocating to the southern part of the country such as the RGV for its temperate weather, it is only natural to see taller buildings being built to accommodate businesses, tourism, and people. Brownsville will definitely be in the receiving end.

Rescuing the Original Fort Brown

The drawing shows the original Fort Texas, later remaned Fort Brown in honor of Maj. Jacob Brown who was killed during the Mexican-Ameriacn War, at the left with the six-pointed star shaped fort. To the left and bleow of the fort is the once mighty Rio Grande River. Matamoros is below the river and Brownsville is at the upper, left hand corner.

When one thinks of Fort Brown in Brownsville, you envision the building that is currently still standing at UTB/TSC with its beautiful arches and gabbled roof, which is now called Gorgas Hall (The President of UTB/TSC’s oofice). You may even remember the Morgue, and the Regiment House and maybe even the Cavalry building. These structures form part of the ever expanding university and its history as many of the newer buildings were and continue to be built in the same style.

But what many people fail to realize is that these buildings were built roughly 23 years after the original fort was built. This fort was called Fort Texas and was built right along the Rio Grande River where the UTB/TSC golf course now resides. Fort Texas (later renamed Fort Brown, in honor of Maj. Jacob Brown, who died during a Mexican attack on the stronghold during the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848) was mostly a 9-ft high mound of dirt in the shape of a five-pointed star. It was built to fend off the Mexican army that laid claim to the land south of the Nueces River near San Antonio. General Zachary Taylor was sent to this region to keep the Mexican army from claiming this land because the Americans considered the Rio Grande River the official border between Mexico and the United States.

Fort Texas (Fort Brown, as I will call it from now on) held off the Mexican army’s attempt to take over the land north of the Rio Grande River until the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe that stipulated that the border between the US and Mexico would be the Rio Grande River. The war was over. Fort Brown then saw action once again during the Civil War and the Confederates holding off Fort Brown eventually had to leave before the Yankees took over the fort blowing up the fort with explosives.

After the Civil War was over, a new fort was built next to the “horseshoe” shaped resaca (oxbow lake) and closer to the downtown. The fort was once again called Fort Brown and its duty was to make sure that the Mexicans stayed on their side of the border and to bring back law and order that was threatening the area. One historical fact is that the first US military aircraft to be shot at by enemy fire happened close to the old fort near the Rio Grande in the US presumably from Matamoros.

The original Fort Brown was completely abandoned and left to the elements of time and weather where it still remains today in the UTB/TSC golf course. From my understanding, a levee now runs through it cutting it nearly in half with overgrown grass. The mound must now be about three to four feet high and could easily be mistaken for a hill. UTB/TSC nor the City of Brownsville have taken steps in rescuing this incredibly historic, albeit made of dirt, fort from disappearing altogether. It’s interesting to note that Brownsville likes to advertise the city’s and university’s historical roots but ignores the fact that many of the historical buildings, homes, and even the original fort lie near ruins.

It is also interesting to note that UTB/TSC has done an incredible job in restoring a few very old buildings like the Cueto Building, Alonso Building, and the buildings at UTB built in the 1860s to 70s and soon the Kraigher House but has either forgotten or ignored the original fort; Fort Brown (Fort Texas).

This past weekend I went to San Antonio (been there many times before) but have never been to the Alamo. It was a great experience as the Alamo was in very good conditions with hundreds of visitors at any one time. I was also happy to see that San Antonio takes pride in maintaining its history and can boast of being a historic city as many of its historical buildings have been restored or are in the process of.

Which brings be back to Brownsville. Why can’t we (B’ville) do the same with our ruined fort? It can easily be rebuilt since it was primarily made of dirt and only stood about nine feet high. One problem with this idea though is the levee running through the fort. That would required the approval of a few governmental agencies to be able to move the levee away from the fort. But I don’t think this is an obstacle since it was done when the Veteran’s Int’l Bridge was built. Another problem that I see is who would pay for the removal of the levee as well as the restoration of the fort? I know that Senator Eddie Lucio owns or is a part owner of the golf course that is present there and that the land is also on TSC land. It may just be possible to notify the Senator about this and maybe, with his help, get the approval for the removal of the levee and the funding to restore the old fort.

Once this has been completed, a museum should be built on site next to the fort and show the history and any artifacts that were found in the area; similar to the Palo Alto National Battlefield Park. I mean, if that park can be registered as a national battlefield park, why not the original Fort Brown? I don’t know but maybe the Senator may look down on this idea because he really likes this golf course and uses it regularly.

This may be a job for Preservation Brownsville and all those interested in rescuing the original Fort Brown. Just imagine the amount of tourism that could be created by just restoring the original Fort Brown with its canons and all and the view that would be created by standing at the top of the old fort. You would easily see into Matamoros and Brownsville. It would be a beautiful site, indeed. Then Brownsville can boast its history to for all to see, just like San Antonio.