Tuesday, January 23, 2018

WATER TOWER – AND S-MOST LANDMARK – TO BE DEMOLISHED

By Juan Montoya

If you climb to the top story of the Brownsville Housing Authority's High Rise on St. Charles Street, the only way you can know where the Southmost area is located by looking east and seeing the Public Utility Board's #4 Water Storage Tower off in the distance.

There are literally no other high buildings or landmarks to determine the location of the area.

In fact, many residents give directions based on "la tinaja de agua" to guide people to the barrio. The  1.0MG multi-column elevated storage tank was constructed in 1969 and was judged to be in "poor" condition by Brad McCrea–Dunham Engineering on March 2016.

At that time, the engineering firm recommended that "the tank should be rehabilitated, repaired or demolished within the next 12 months."

Well, more than 12 months have passed, of course, but since that time, the PUB has issued Requests For Qualifications (RFQs) to demolition firms and have settled on Hunter Demolition & Wrecking (from Poteet, south of  San Antonio) and the amount of the award was $109,000.

The tower was erected in 1969 on land belonging to the Brownsville Independent School District on the Cromack Elementary School campus. Since then, it has fallen on hard times and has not been in use for more than a year now.

During the inspection, engineers noted that there was "widespread corrosion damage. Water compartment ladder and roof ladder is unsafe. Roof hatch is not locked. Holes in roof. Overflow flap valve does not function properly."

Additional problems existed of  "overflow flap valve does not function properly, there are holes in roof, pinhole leaks due to corrosion damage, and the top hatch is not locked."

The streets (Southmost and Lima) will not be closed and the demolition will be contained in the fend off area where the tank is currently located. The demolition company will be allowed to keep all the scrap metal to dispose of as it sees fit (scrap, salvage?). The only think the PUB will keep will be the antennas at the top of the structure.

The company feels it can accomplish the demolition within 120 days weather permitting.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob Sanchez sentenced to jail!

Anonymous said...

The tank is reflective of this city; old, rusted, creaky, out of use and neglected until it was too late. Brownsville, during the tenure of Tony Martinez has continued to rust, fall apart and while other cities in the RGV progress, Brownsville is falling apart. Time for new officials, time to choose someone who can lead, not just sit on top of the organization chart and do nothing. And while this city struggles with what to do about a rock in Washington Park, having a live racist and bigot making policy for the city doesn't seem to have an impact. Cesar de Leon is a racist...he isn't a rock...he's a real live racist; and what does this city take its time with...a rock.

Anonymous said...

Get over it you psycho cyber stalker.

Anonymous said...

@1:19 PM is Cris Valadez. Loser!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like this memso has the hots for a commissioner. Ya pusistes gorro pinche pendejo o pendeja

Anonymous said...

Nah, it is the marrano de monte con el culo ardido. Get over it fatso.

Anonymous said...

I too think that these racist Cesar Deleon and and pot head Ben Neece and slut Jessica tetraue are doing a damn thing for this town. So keep the good work up and don’t let the people of Brownsville forget these bad commissioners.

Anonymous said...

Are they going to sell the land where the water tower was, or give it away with to the scrape metal company? It's easy to give things away that are not yours. When is this going to STOP?

Anonymous said...

It is also easy to assume things when you are not well informed. WHEN is this going to STOP?

Anonymous said...


Not having checks and balances people will assume things, why because they are not well informed. It's like living in a glass house.

Anonymous said...

Where there's smoke you assume there's a fire. If you hide something you assume it's because there's something wrong, or illegal.

Anonymous said...

They better take that water tower down before the next hurricane hits.
Jude.

rita