We live in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.
I wrote about it last year, and how much we love this diverse and strange, weathered old neighborhood.
In a time before highways, Ft Worth ave was once the main drag from Oak Cliff into downtown Dallas.
In its heyday, Ft Worth ave was littered with shops, restaurants and motels to service the tourists visiting Dallas. As with any neighborhood, time lead people in other directions, and the stores and restaurants were replaced with mechanics and bail bondsmen. A few of the motor courts and motels remained…at least, their shells remained.
My favorite has always been The Alamo Plaza.
The architecture borrowed just enough camp from the real Alamo to make me smile every time I drove by. Even if it was painted “pistachio” green for some reason.
The building, long abandoned, came down in a pile of bricks about 2 years ago. A new developement, the Sylvan Thirty – named for the cross streets – was scheduled to be erected on the site someday.
On April 11, the Alamo Court sign came down as well.
Sylvan Thirty spokesman Cooper Smith Koch said the dismantled marker will be stored in West Dallas until its future home is determined.
When the project was under city review, developer Brent Jackson told planners, preservationists, and the Fort Worth Avenue TIF board that the iconic sign would remain at the ST site.
It looks like Mr Jackson has backed away from those words and is considering other options.
We just want it back.
There is Facebook campaign for people eager to preserve this beautiful sign, please “like” them.
There is also a website, savethealamo.org for neighbors concerned about the missing sign.
When I searched the internets, I found several pictures of the beloved landmark.
I found this photograph available for sale on Etsy.
Dallas based artist Jeb Matulich painted this one a couple of years ago.
It’s good to know that I’m not the only one in Dallas who has been touched by this beautiful reminder of lost era.
Hopefully, it will be back soon…..