Preservation board approves demolition of building

The Brownsville Historic Preservation and Design Review Board earlier today granted the owner of the former Model Laundry building a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of the structure.

Evangelina Treviño is the owner of the building, which is located at 314 W. Elizabeth St. In recent years, the structure has been overrun by graffiti.

Her son, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, and attorney Conrad Bodden spoke on her behalf during the hearing.

Myrna Leal, a planner for the City of Brownsville, told the board the structure’s historical status is medium priority, meaning it could potentially be a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark if work goes into it.

The old Model Laundry building has a Spanish Mediterranean architectural style.

Its main area was built in 1940, according to the Cameron Appraisal District website.

The applicant’s proposal is to demolish the structure, which has no roof and only three walls, as well as level the ground.

According to the City of Brownsville’s Code of Ordinances, Section 348-1524, when the board recommends approval of demolition for buildings designated as historic, or for resources in the historic district, permits shall not be issued until all plans for the site have received approval from all appropriate city boards, commissions, departments and agencies.

During the meeting, the Planning and Development Services Department recommended the approval of the request for demolition, as long as a future plan is presented to the city; that plan must include a design for a building in which the main façade is preserved.

Moreover, the original entrance and arch would need to be stabilized before demolition.

Leal said a city inspector went to the building and determined the structure could be considered condemned but is not calling it so as it can still be repaired.

However, after the meeting, the Cameron County judge told The Rider the City of Brownsville condemned the building several years ago.

“What everybody doesn’t seem to recall is that a few years ago, the City of Brownsville was ready to condemn this building and we had to fight in order to try to keep it,” he said.

Eddie Treviño’s father, Ediberto Treviño, who died in 2010, purchased the building from Texas State Bank in 2006.

He explained his father’s plan was to redevelop the building to relocate the Treviño’s Furniture store and Eddie Treviño’s law office as well.

However, those plans never came to fruition. Instead, the façade, or front wall of the building, has been a hazard for the surrounding community, Bodden said.

“The wall is a hazard and is a hiding place for bad element,” he said during the meeting. “I’ve had the opportunity to be at this location during the day, daylight hours. There’s just bad characters around.”

After the meeting, The Rider asked Bodden for an interview but he declined.

Eddie Treviño told the board he appreciates what the building, from a historical standpoint, represents.

“I wish I could tell you that we can keep the façade, but it makes no sense with the intention of trying make it safer, healthier,” he said during the hearing.

The Cameron County judge also told the board he was there as a representative of his mother, not as an elected official or lawyer.

Trey Mendez, the chairman of Brownsville’s Historic Preservation and Design Review Board, asked Eddie Treviño for a timeline for redevelopment, to which the Cameron County judge replied, “within the year.”

After more than 30 minutes of discussion, in which the applicants were asked to commit to rebuild the façade of the property using the same architectural style, the board approved the demolition of the building.

In an interview with The Rider after the meeting, Eddie Treviño, who asked for the interview not to be on camera, said he and his family will try to incorporate the Spanish Mediterranean design going forward.

“Right now, we haven’t made a definite decision with regards to our future plans, but we’re looking at different redevelopment ideas,” he said.

The Rider also spoke with Mendez after the meeting. He said he was disappointed another historic structure was lost.

“I think my opinion is different, maybe, from the [board’s] opinion,” he said. “Me, personally, I was not in favor of the demolition itself, but I only vote when there’s a tie.”

Mendez is a founder and vice president of the Brownsville Preservation Society, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring structures within the city’s historic districts.

“If there’s a way to preserve something, you should really try and preserve it as much as you can,” he said. “Ultimately, our goal as the [board] is to try to preserve and protect as much as possible.”

Mendez said he hopes the Treviño family redevelops the area as discussed during the meeting.

“If they do redevelop the area, it’s right next to the [Belden] Trail,” he said. “It’s going to be a destination point for a lot of people. So, I really hope they make that investment and keep that in mind because we need that area to be redeveloped.”