Palmer Events Center
Losing Old Austin
RECEIVED Thu., Oct. 9, 2008
Dear Editor,
We all know the tragic stories of old Austin disappearing, from the hacking of pecans trees at the Shady Grove RV Park to the demolition of Liberty Lunch and all of the others. Like so many Austinites who have been around for a while, it makes me sick to my stomach. I guess we are supposed to just buy all of the great excuses and live with them, especially when the city gives its OK or stamp of approval. While having cold beers at the Ginger Man on Sunday evening with friends, I thought about how things used to be. You know, the good old days of El Mercado, cold beers at Waterloo on Wednesday nights, picking up day labor behind Liberty Lunch, Peter Murphy at Liberty Lunch, etc. I could go on forever. Then it occurred to me after a brief conversation with a young easygoing bartender that the bar, building, and patio are going down in a week or so, and no one is saying a damn thing about it in the news or in the local papers. What the hell! I guess the papers are too busy covering other things, like who Lance is dating or why Palin is blinking, winking, and smiling. To my understanding, this building is older than 100 years. The next day, I immediately e-mailed and called the City Council, Heritage Foundation, Texas Historical Commission, and countless others and received only one response indicating that the city of Austin did not deem the building worthwhile to save. Why haven't the taxpayers and citizens been involved in such a decision by vote? We can form huge lines around a future potential Wal-Mart (which should only be located on highways) for months, but we cannot protest to save a small, beautiful building that is older than most of us (the developers could probably build over it or around it). Nowadays we have these so-called beautiful condos towering (which most of us cannot afford or care to try to afford) over us, and we are supposed to just live with it? This is total BS, and we should all demand that the city stop any demolition until the citizens have their say, other than just speaking at a City Council meeting. The city could easily print a list of potential tear-downs online so that everyone is educated. If the city can offer Las Manitas (no offense, I love the migas con queso) more than $700,000 to move, we sure as hell can afford a study to see if it makes sense to save an amazing and beautiful old building. Why not make a list of potential endangered local historical sites and let the citizens vote on the demolition or right to survive, especially the ones that are more than 100 years old?
We all know the tragic stories of old Austin disappearing, from the hacking of pecans trees at the Shady Grove RV Park to the demolition of Liberty Lunch and all of the others. Like so many Austinites who have been around for a while, it makes me sick to my stomach. I guess we are supposed to just buy all of the great excuses and live with them, especially when the city gives its OK or stamp of approval. While having cold beers at the Ginger Man on Sunday evening with friends, I thought about how things used to be. You know, the good old days of El Mercado, cold beers at Waterloo on Wednesday nights, picking up day labor behind Liberty Lunch, Peter Murphy at Liberty Lunch, etc. I could go on forever. Then it occurred to me after a brief conversation with a young easygoing bartender that the bar, building, and patio are going down in a week or so, and no one is saying a damn thing about it in the news or in the local papers. What the hell! I guess the papers are too busy covering other things, like who Lance is dating or why Palin is blinking, winking, and smiling. To my understanding, this building is older than 100 years. The next day, I immediately e-mailed and called the City Council, Heritage Foundation, Texas Historical Commission, and countless others and received only one response indicating that the city of Austin did not deem the building worthwhile to save. Why haven't the taxpayers and citizens been involved in such a decision by vote? We can form huge lines around a future potential Wal-Mart (which should only be located on highways) for months, but we cannot protest to save a small, beautiful building that is older than most of us (the developers could probably build over it or around it). Nowadays we have these so-called beautiful condos towering (which most of us cannot afford or care to try to afford) over us, and we are supposed to just live with it? This is total BS, and we should all demand that the city stop any demolition until the citizens have their say, other than just speaking at a City Council meeting. The city could easily print a list of potential tear-downs online so that everyone is educated. If the city can offer Las Manitas (no offense, I love the migas con queso) more than $700,000 to move, we sure as hell can afford a study to see if it makes sense to save an amazing and beautiful old building. Why not make a list of potential endangered local historical sites and let the citizens vote on the demolition or right to survive, especially the ones that are more than 100 years old?
Bobby Tillotson
Eastside resident
Eastside resident