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Progress rips through history - San Antonio
Progress rips through history - San Antonio
San Antonio Express-News
December 10, 2000
This story is not new. Many of you have been through it before.
You moved to an area of this city you loved. You particularly loved the trees, many of them stately and far older than any member of your family.
Eventually, the bulldozers came. Whether plans call for a new housing development, a grocery store, a car lot or even a mall, the bulldozers always come first.
This is, you see, "progress."
The latest setting is the northeast corner of IH-10 and Callaghan Road, an area of town soon to be overtaken by concrete and asphalt, from widened freeways to auto dealerships and shopping centers.
This story's leading character is Lowe's, a home-improvement chain that is clearing 16.7-acres for a 143,000-square-foot store.
But, first, a bit of history.
Until recently, a stately white mansion surrounded by lovely old oaks stood on a hillside overlooking the city. Yellow wildflowers dotted the hillside each spring.
Called the Strauder-Nelson estate, it represented an era when wealthy families moved to "country estates" in the hills north of San Antonio. They had deed restrictions protecting their view of downtown, according to the city's historic preservation officer.
The home sat neglected, but when a Phoenix firm sought to have it demolished, members of the historic review commission, the Conservation Society and the city's preservation office tried to have it declared historic.
They failed.
We sadly watched as it was dismantled, leaving a scar on the landscape. But the lovely old trees, one in particular, remained, silhouetted against the morning and evening sky, appreciated by many of us on our daily drives. I had hoped that the new owner would treat them lovingly. Perhaps they would be in the courtyard or by the swimming pool of a tasteful hotel. Fool that I was.
When Lowe's purchased the property, I watched the bulldozers come, and I feared the worst.
But a number of trees on the periphery were encircled in orange netting, indicating they had been spared. And the orange netting went up around a majestic live oak that was hundreds of years old.
I wondered if a beneficent Lowe's ownership had spared it (fool that I was), or if our pathetic tree ordinance finally had actually saved a tree. After all, this live oak had to merit a heritage designation.
Then Friday morning a week ago, I headed for work extra early. From the darkness, a beam of light shone from the area of the tree. A bulldozer was at its gruesome work.
Because the dirty deed was done in the dead of darkness rather than the light of day, I know "they" knew this was wrong. Of course, those with "sap" on their hands only were following orders.
The lifeless oak remained uprooted on site for several days - mocking those sickened by the desecration.
Councilwoman Bonnie Conner went to survey the "crime" scene on Sunday after calls of outrage from her constituents. She said the sight left her sick.
A Lowe's spokesperson assured Express-News reporter Bill Pack that Lowe's is a good citizen. Soon its store will open amid much hoopla. I won't be there - then or ever.
Copyright 2000 San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
December 10, 2000
This story is not new. Many of you have been through it before.
You moved to an area of this city you loved. You particularly loved the trees, many of them stately and far older than any member of your family.
Eventually, the bulldozers came. Whether plans call for a new housing development, a grocery store, a car lot or even a mall, the bulldozers always come first.
This is, you see, "progress."
The latest setting is the northeast corner of IH-10 and Callaghan Road, an area of town soon to be overtaken by concrete and asphalt, from widened freeways to auto dealerships and shopping centers.
This story's leading character is Lowe's, a home-improvement chain that is clearing 16.7-acres for a 143,000-square-foot store.
But, first, a bit of history.
Until recently, a stately white mansion surrounded by lovely old oaks stood on a hillside overlooking the city. Yellow wildflowers dotted the hillside each spring.
Called the Strauder-Nelson estate, it represented an era when wealthy families moved to "country estates" in the hills north of San Antonio. They had deed restrictions protecting their view of downtown, according to the city's historic preservation officer.
The home sat neglected, but when a Phoenix firm sought to have it demolished, members of the historic review commission, the Conservation Society and the city's preservation office tried to have it declared historic.
They failed.
We sadly watched as it was dismantled, leaving a scar on the landscape. But the lovely old trees, one in particular, remained, silhouetted against the morning and evening sky, appreciated by many of us on our daily drives. I had hoped that the new owner would treat them lovingly. Perhaps they would be in the courtyard or by the swimming pool of a tasteful hotel. Fool that I was.
When Lowe's purchased the property, I watched the bulldozers come, and I feared the worst.
But a number of trees on the periphery were encircled in orange netting, indicating they had been spared. And the orange netting went up around a majestic live oak that was hundreds of years old.
I wondered if a beneficent Lowe's ownership had spared it (fool that I was), or if our pathetic tree ordinance finally had actually saved a tree. After all, this live oak had to merit a heritage designation.
Then Friday morning a week ago, I headed for work extra early. From the darkness, a beam of light shone from the area of the tree. A bulldozer was at its gruesome work.
Because the dirty deed was done in the dead of darkness rather than the light of day, I know "they" knew this was wrong. Of course, those with "sap" on their hands only were following orders.
The lifeless oak remained uprooted on site for several days - mocking those sickened by the desecration.
Councilwoman Bonnie Conner went to survey the "crime" scene on Sunday after calls of outrage from her constituents. She said the sight left her sick.
A Lowe's spokesperson assured Express-News reporter Bill Pack that Lowe's is a good citizen. Soon its store will open amid much hoopla. I won't be there - then or ever.
Copyright 2000 San Antonio Express-News
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