METRO PRESERVES A PIECE OF EAST END HISTORY

The hands of time will move forward again as a beloved clock tower in the city’s East End has been saved.
 
METRO partnered with the city of Houston and the East End community to find a new home for the facade of the old Sterling Laundry and Cleaning Company at 4819 Harrisburg, located just feet from the light-rail line now under construction. 
 
The distinctive art deco piece of 4819 has a new address - Eastwood Park, where it will be moved in the future when plans are finalized.

METRO purchased the 1930-era building about two years ago with plans to demolish the property to make way for the rail line, which will run from downtown Houston along Harrisburg to the Magnolia Transit Center.
 
At that time, talks of preserving the art-deco facade were broached with interested community representatives, but efforts faded soon after. Though METRO did not commit to preserving the facade, it did try to find someone willing to buy or fund its removal by working with the chairman of the Greater East End Management District. The agency passed on the single offer made as it shifted too much of the cost to METRO.

The issue resurfaced last month with news that the building would be razed.
 
“We respected that the community felt this building was important, and we wanted to do our best to support its efforts,” said Kim Williams, associate vice president of corporate programs at METRO.
 
After successful meetings - spearheaded by Councilwoman Sue Lovell, along with council members Melissa Noriega and Ed Gonzalez, county officials, METRO staff, East End community leaders and preservation groups - the parties formed a solution.
 
“METRO provided the conceptual designs, engineering and pricing of various options for the community to consider,” added Williams. “In the end, a consensus of elected and community leaders developed a plan that would not only preserve the building facade, but also support on-going efforts to beautify Eastwood Park.”

METRO carefully removed the clock tower, the most recognizable portion of the facade, last week. With the help of the Greater East End Management District, the façade was then transported to a facility, offered by the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, where it will be stored until it’s ready to be moved to the park. METRO has made a financial commitment to the effort to later relocate the facade, which will be used to create a permanent monument or gateway to the park.

Williams says the move honors the history of the area, while creating a tourist and neighborhood attraction for the park.
 
“This effort is one example of how METRO will be working closely with the communities along the light-rail corridors during construction to mitigate impacts,” said Williams. “While we won’t have the perfect solution in every situation, METRO is committed to being a valued partner in the communities that we serve.”

Williams notes that the East End line represents more than $300 million in public investment in the community, and the potential to spur economic growth through transit-oriented development.
 
The 3.34-mile rail line will better connect the community to employment centers, educational facilities, health-care centers and recreational activities.