Whenever I walk downtown I tend to pass this building. It's located in the northern part of downtown, roughly in what I call the "dead zone". The Sunset Heights neighborhood overlooks downtown -- the buffer between my neighborhood and the real downtown is the dead zone. First you got the interstate (built in the 60s) that severed the neighborhood from the commercial center. Over time, the old buildings in this roughly 18 block area just south of the freeway took a dirt nap. Currently there are about 10 or so vintage buildings in this area. Think about that for a sec. The vast majority of the dead zone is parking lot or insignificant modern construction. Looks like we can scratch another building off the list.
The other day I was floored when I saw this cool old building missing its hat. At first I was optimistic and thought "oh they're just going to put on a new roof, no big deal -- it's about time". Alas, it was not to be. Today I passed by again and a substantial part of the brick walls are torn down. Now the building itself isn't a particularly amazing piece of architecture. A late victorian apartment building with some neat features. I liked the bay windows and the turned posts on the porch. Years ago there was a fire here, not sure if it was also when the victorian house next door burned down.The building at 419 El Paso St was built in 1898 for Sarah Gist as a boarding house. Several of the tenants were doctors associated with one of the first hospitals in el paso. As far as I can remember this building has been abandoned and in shambles. There is development going on just south of this block so there may be interest to sell. However, my guess as to why it's coming down now is it was a preemptive move. The city is getting serious with abandoned buildings and is on the verge of unleashing a new ordinance to enforce the codes that downtown building owners have been ignoring the past 30 years. On top of that, the Historic Landmark Commission had an interest in this particular building for a historic overlay. With the building gone, the owner won't have to worry about getting visits from city inspectors and/or historic preservation. Part of the charm of downtown is all the old buildings. You'd never know it by walking through the dead zone though. Here's hoping the property owners who still own the handful of vintage buildings in this area consider the value of the brick and mortar, not just the land underneath them.
Not to be all doom and gloom, I'd like to highlight other buildings that are actually getting fixed up -- possibly by the threat of the same city ordinance. I'll save that for next time.
2 comments:
I do appreciate your post. We still mourn the loss of this historic gem that was taken down. It is sad because the actual physical structure that contains such neat old and invaluable architectural content that can never be reproduced was destroyed. A City that invests in and embraces the old ghosts, and historical buildings and districts that have laid the foundation of its communities will certainly attract an audience for tourism. El Paso is rich and vibrant in history that shouldn't be laid to rest.
Thanks -- it was sad to see this building go down. I would pass it often and would always imagine the possibilities. Oftentimes, to me the character of a row of buildings is worth more than any single one. Once you start destroying everything in one fell swoop you get something that is entirely devoid of character. A dead zone. There isn't much reason to do anything but keep on walking. I think that's a shame. And it's a big reason why downtown doesn't encourage the street life from the (northern) neighborhoods adjacent to it. Two or three blocks may as well be two or three miles. Thanks for stopping by. :)
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