Wednesday, June 18, 2014

WILL EFFORTS TO REVIVE EL JARDIN HOTEL PAN OUT?

At one time the hulk of a building depicted in the photo above was the top-of-the-line hotel and destination for any number of celebrities.
A Facebook Page doe an outfit called Blue Ravine describes the effort to refurbish the structure like this: (see link http://eljardinproject.com/  )

"Historic El Jardin Hotel

Located in downtown Brownsville, Texas, El Jardin once was a premiere hotel in the Rio Grande Valley. Since its opening in 1927, it has boasted such guests as Howard Hughes, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Joan Crawford. The building has a wealth of stories and hype from the prohibition era that includes bootlegging, celebrity scandals, and important dignitaries. It was the place to be during the roaring 20s, and a well-known hotel through the 1960s, but became sadly neglected starting in the mid 1980s.

In 2013, Blue Ravine acquired the property. Blue Ravine intends to turn the eight story historic building into an apartment complex with ground floor commercial applications, such as stores, a coffee shop, an ice cream parlor, a restaurant, etc – all with a shared 1920s theme to celebrate the hotel’s history. The second floor has ample space to use for a community clinic. Soon to be registered as a historic landmark, the building will also feature historic exhibits.

The location is ideal as it is in downtown Brownsville; less than a 20 minute drive from South Padre Island, blocks from the University of Texas, Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. Located downtown, the building is also near amenities that include shopping, movie houses, and easy access to the expressway."

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

To revive the El Jardin Hotel will take millions of dollars and if you add "Historical compliance" by Peter Goodman and the Brownsville Hysterical Assoc. into play...more millions. With the situation on the border these days....it is a target for anyone with a rifle or any group that doesn't like us. As a hotel....why would you want to visit there? As apartments, why would anyone want to live there? Not much hope as far as I see for putting out millions to renew a building that isn't even in the mainstream of the city anymore.

Anonymous said...

In order to revive the El Jardin Hotel, we would have to revive downtown Brownsville....that ain't going to happen. The El Jardin Hotel will stand as a relic of the past...one Brownsville cannot recover.

Anonymous said...

Just to get rid of the Asbestos in that building will take over 1 million dollars.

Anonymous said...

What to do, what to do.? The restoration will cost million, no doubt. I do hope they know the financial risks , investment returns etc. Good luck !

Anonymous said...

That worthless garbage that only the "Mexicans" call downtown should be completely torn down and renovated. Downtown is the Sunrise Mall area, not Third-Worldville by the university. Why people continue to love squalor and filth when living in the US says a plethora about their culture and inferiority of the same to the culture of the mainstream American. Offended? I could care less. I'm not a pussy liberal, I tell it like it is.

Anonymous said...

JUST THE ABESTOS PROBLEM WITH THE BUILDING WILL COST MORE THAN TO RESTORE THE BUILDING...I SEE NO PROFIT FOR THE OWNER IN ANY SHAPE, FORM OR FASHION!!!! I THINK THAT IT SHOULD COME DOWN JUST LIKE THE OTHER HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT STOOD NEXT TO IT AT ONE TIME!!!! A BEAUTIFULL TRAIN STATION ONCE STOOD NEAR THE BUILDING...AGAIN OUR FORE FATHERS (COMMISSION) DECIDE TO DESTOY THESE HISTORIC SITES.ITS TIME FOR IT TO GO BEFORE IT COMES DOWN ON ITS OWN AND HURTS, INJURIES OR EVEN KILLS SOMEONE. JUST LIKE THE BUILDING THAT CAME DOWN ON ELIZABETH STREET WHERE IT KILLED MANY PEOPLE...ITS AN EYE SORE. SOME OF THE BUILDING HAS ALREADY BROKEN OFF AND CAME PRETTY CLOSE IN STRIKING THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR. ITS JUST NOT SAFE ANYMORE...WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE CITY TO DESTOY THIS...SOMEONE GETTING KILLED???? I HOPE NOT!!!

Anonymous said...

BROWNSVILLE — Children's faces pressed against glass. Hundreds of young boys and girls covered with aluminum-foil-like blankets next to chain link fences topped with barbed wire. The pungent odor that comes with keeping people in close quarters.
These were the scenes Wednesday from tours of crowded Border Patrol stations in South Texas and Arizona, where thousands of immigrants are being held before they are transferred to other shelters around the country.
It was the first time the media was given access to the facilities since President Barack Obama called the more than 47,000 unaccompanied children who have entered the country illegally this budget year an "urgent humanitarian situation."
The surge in minors, mostly from Central America, has overwhelmed the U.S. government. It also prompted Texas officials Wednesday night to order a surge in state law enforcement resources to the border in an effort to help stop the influx. Details of that surge are still to come.

Anonymous said...

Another Browntown pipedream. Browntown deserves NOTHING! Bola de jambones!!!

Anonymous said...

Bro City. An All Congo City.

Anonymous said...

Not a feasible investment .; unless you get Da Mayor and groping Galzhunki to foot the bill using taxpayers monies.er....pass a bond issue.

Anonymous said...

Stick to the subject.....your info has nothing to do with the story....you're not the only one who knows about the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding.

Anonymous said...

Humanitarian crisis should began in the All-Ameican city of Brownsville by doing a good Job in paving the damn streets.

rita