Willie's Playing Deep Ellum's Bomb Factory Tonight.

Willie Nelson is at the Bomb Factory Tonight. There is not a ticket to be had. Sold Out Performance and the Buses just hit the parking lot. It's cold today and the streets in Deep Ellum were packed. The lines at Pecans was out the door, down the street and around the corner.Tower Cranes are taking the Ellum to new heights! Twenty Years ago when I was doing marketing studies for a Fortune 100, things were quiet the difference than today, but it was apparent  even then, that  Deep Ellum was coming to what is happening now, then. It's nice to know that I was on target then and have been able to watch the development  rise to the top.

Willie Nelson Plays The Bomb Factory Tonight

This Sky Crane is getting engine work done. It's been flying over my house for a couple of months, now. Out of sight is two massive HVAC systems that seem to be heading to the rooftop. That is---when the three workers are done. There were some 20 workers in neon yellow vest and hard hats in the parking lot huddled in  a tight group---waiting for some kind of signal  that the work was complete.

This is the Canton Street Side of the Bomb Factory. The busses are on the other side of this view.

Original Hypermart USA Disappearing By The Truck Loads

Most have not noticed that the car agency that sat at the corner of  Shiloh and Garland Road at McCree was replaced by a big flower planter  with the City of Garland Logo on the side. Nor, if they did notice, most did not know that Garland has been planning to make it the Gateway to the City at LBJ 635 although there are no service roads on that stretch of 635 at the moment.

But, that is about to change with the project to widen LBJ from Interstate 20 to where the High 5 had ended, a billion dollar plus re-due for LBJ's third section, as the I-35 stretch to the west side of the High 5 has just completed. It's been a big debate over toll lanes and the final plan promises no toll lanes on that stretch of 635. That puts Garlands Gateway Project front and center.

In the mean while by the by, in May,2008, Walmart Stores closed the forerunner to the Super Center that had been built as an experimental store and called Hypermart USA. That store today is considered to be the store that fostered the rise of the Super Centers for the retail giant. It was a 26-acre plot of land with a store that covered inside, five and one third acres of sales floor space. Sitting vacant for 12 years, the building began to fall into disrepair like all buildings that die on the vine...they wilt away and are  reclaimed by nature if someone doesn't step in and change their demise. Already, weeds and grass were filling cracks in the parking lot by nearly two feet in some places.

The City of Garland purchased the building from Walmart for a little less than $7 million last year and Walmart had to demolish the structure. That officially began this week with a Garland City Council member slinging the first strike with a 12-pound sledge hammer followed by a track back hole typically used to level structures one would not think that they could The process is scheduled to take about 5 weeks to complete.

Garland will develop the property in relationship to their planned Gateway Project. It was a "do it now or miss the opportunity" kind of thing. Ironically, that city council member that got in the first strike with his sledge, had run for the city council post specifically because of the elephant eye sore that covered the 26 acre track of land.

There are two arches across the front and two even larger at each end of the building.

The destroyer following the escort.

The job begins here as the red tin roof tumbles in 20 foot sections

Last Weekend of Summer in Downtown Garland

The Marketplace DFW that forms a horseshoe of vendors of farmers & artisans, on the square in downtown Garland, is nearing the end of another season with the last two trip to Garland on October 7th and 21st. The final weekend this year will be in Mesquite on the 28th of October. The schedule alternates one week Garland one week Mesquite each Saturday from April through October.

Usually, there is something that always catches my eye and this week it was several things. The old Library buildings that held the Theater company is now gone and the empty space is a grassed over green space with some interesting outdoor past times. The first thing that caught my eye was the arrangement of colorful slat-back chairs in the center of the green space. I had to try them out! I love those chairs. Many may know them as adirondack's named for the mountains in New England or Cape Cod's beaches. The classic is, of course the white and the red. Some like the cedar stained. But, they are very comfortable and I do enjoy them. These, along with the view, might find me here more often when the cooler fall weather sets in just around the corner. The ping pong table and the corn hole bean bag game boards (there were a set of three) were interesting as well.

When I started my walk around the horseshoe, some of the vendors I recognized from trips past. The thing that I look for is the unusual, the well displayed and organized tables as well, of course, something of a bargain or new source of healthy foods and the like. Then, I go sit down and just observe where the people gravitate toward. All in all, this weeks pick would be a thumbs up to the Wholesome Farms and Gardens of Van Alstyne, Texas. Wholesome Farms and Gardens 

A  blue gingham table cloth covering the table. It reminded me of my paternal grandmother's kitchen table. She had both the red and the blue. The blue was always my favorite. Next, the young man at the booth was polite and knew his product well. I ask a few basic questions and he answered those questions straightforward and articulated his take on the products well. The egg cage was a clever and creative display of fresh eggs and he proudly produced the carton of fresh grass raised free range chicken eggs in brown shell. When I ask about the meats that he had mentioned in his presentation, he immediately produced  packages of fresh ground beef and pork brats frozen and did not hesitate to mention the companies that dressed out their beef and made their brats for them. I ask if they raised the beef themselves and he answered that clearly as well. Yes, they raise their beef on their farm in Van Alstyne and then provided me with a folded 8 1/2 x 11 pamphlet printed on both sides with information on what we discussed and contact information phone number, Email, website and both face book and twitter social media addresses. The well cared-for frozen meats were solidly frozen and when people take care to store there products on the road well, they do the same when producing them as well. That impressed me a lot.

♫ Slat-backs in Fall Colors for relaxing--they ain't for sale! ♫

♫ I like this company! ♫

Chalk Board for Freshness!

Being an old marketing guy...this guy was a winner hands down. With the holidays coming along soon, I have a heads up on some healthy eating of locally grown foodstuff that I already feel comfortable with even before trying it out the first time. As Arnold is so well know for: "I'll be back!"

McGillicuddy's in Downtown Garland

Many times while in downtown Garland most of the businesses have been closed because it was either a holiday or a Sunday. Today was the first time that a trip has been planned during normal business hours. It was an interesting day about architectural history and to me, it was worth every minute hearing about the history on the west side of the square. Not only was there oral history, there was an amazing image from the early part of the 20th century c1920 with Model T's/A's parked, where today's hybrids and electrics now park. The shop that was the focus of today's visit was an Antique shop. Getting past the front window and a select few items sitting outside the door on the sidewalk was enough to keep me busy talking to the owner of the shop and doing a visual inspection of the architectural elements of the building today with the old image of the building as indicated above. In short. the stock within the shop was picking my attention with such interest for a return trip. It's going to be just an insane walk down history lane. This is one of the finest antique shops that I have seen in the past 15 years. The last one that I browsed a shop that was this fine was on the outskirts of downtown Denton. The collection of antique cloths and artifacts of the same periods was wild. Today, my viewing experience was limited. It just blows my mind with the things that I saw this afternoon from a quick browse from the front of the store.

Being a creative person has run deep in my veins ever since 4th grade. With my interest in fabrics the blue and white pattern outside the shop was enough to draw me in to talk to the owner about the fabric. Immediately, she had me involved in helping to identify an old and small picture of a British Royal Guard. It's just one of those things that draws me into a creative mode that sometimes last for weeks. So, if you are looking for a unique antique shop in the Dallas Metroplex, start out in downtown Garland on the west side of the town square; the shop: McGillicuddy's, and it's well worth the trip to go check it out. You will no doubt want to return many times afterwords. 

I was so geeked up, the two main focal points of todays visit were put into a product that will help you appreciate what excellent inventory is part of their displays inside and out!

Horizontal Greeting Card by sam6372
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Life Recycles, But At What Cost?

 

 The original post with shots before any work done can be seen in the Archive of this blog dated April 04,2013, "The Last to go for Buckingham."
The former mail box seen below this photo, stood on the driver's side of the white pick-up truck at the end of the driveway. The street seen in the mailbox picture runs perpendicular to the truck.

The past 10-days have been a lot of discomfort for me. I have been under the weather, so-to-speak. Some of that feeling has been  a reaction to my medication. The pharmacy info sheet calls it "side-effects". I'll be nice and not mention what I call it, however. Never-the-less, the cat has been happy to have me "in-house" but she still does not like to share "her" chairs. Every now and then, I feel a paw lightly touch my back and claws begin to find the nerve endings. She's just letting me know that she is "sharing" her chair with me. I don't own a single chair in this house. I only "lease" them from the cat, don't you see?

But, I have been able to get some reading done. I've had  some enjoyable listening to some old symphonies that I haven't heard in some time. My Mahler collection is nearly complete. And, Richard Wagner -- my Lord, the man composed for the angles.

Also, I have been reviewing my complete portfolio. The one common factor that appears throughout the time line of shooting  seems to be that more and more of the images seem to be disappearing at the original shoot locations. Time causes things to change, sure, but man seems to be at the mercy of the "new age developer" that  has no interest  nor care about historic values in structures than the wrapper from a burger or a Starbucks  container that held his latte earlier in the day. The bottom-line mentality has spread to the proving grounds of bulldozers and water-tank trucks. Nothing drives home that point more than the text that I just got from long-time friend, Jamal, who just informed me that he has closed his C-store. The  post-office behind him is gone. It's now condos. The retirement village across from his side-street entrance is closing for re-development, but the kicker is that the Blockbuster store across the street was re-developed and leased by Walmart and that set the stage for Jamal's business could not last. The property under the Walmart is one of many owned by a former Dallas City Councilman, no less. 

The house is long gone. The street is nearly gone and the developer has cleared all the trees, excavated the property from one end to another and laid all the sewers and  drains and made water connections for several new homes that will now stand behind the formal Buckingham, Texas  city hall. Buckingham was annexed by the City of Garland. All that remains today is a park on the corner with a historical marker. 

The original post with shots before any work done can be seen in the Archive of this blog dated April 04,2013, "The Last to go for Buckingham."

The Moving Gingerbread Houses

 The moving gingerbread houses (c.1890s) didn't move far, but it can be confirmed that they moved from where they were originally. Another piece of the puzzle was also revealed. As in any state, but Texas especially, land is like Fort Knox and it's prized dearly. It wasn't hard to figure out that the reason for the move of two old houses and a railroad depot and rail car was for the land they occupied. Call it progress. Some still do.  I'm not so sure that progress wasn't more about trying to preserve face for  the miscues of  others over the years.

There is no doubt that the new office buildings going up on the land will complete the look for  civic services for the city. The real question is why the city built the original building on the same block as the old railroad station and the two historic houses built when Garland had not yet  seen its first fifty years. However, what ever the real reason, the moves have been made and the excavating equipment was puffing smoke with every blade of dirt pushed out of the way to put in a foundation for a three story building today.

The houses looked sad as they faced where they once lived.     

c.1890s

Gingerbread Architecture