Landmark Building Being Vandalized
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Sep 28, 2010
Story Updated:
Sep 29, 2010
“This is used to be the entrance for the Webb County Courthouse Annex Building and several years ago the County had to boarded up, because the vagrants would come inside the building. Nowadays this problem is still occurring with graffiti outside the building."
Recently this window was broken and the wiring outside of the building has been ripped out. This is just more signs of vandalism to a building that many years ago was used as courthouse and law offices.
"It is still in very good shape at least on the exterior and we are hoping it can be secured adequately enough so that there isn't further damage to it."
The Webb County Heritage Foundation says a few years ago they went inside the annex building to save old documents in the basement. They say then there was already signs that vagrants were taking over the historical place. The Heritage Foundation says this could get worse as the weather will change and the homeless could start fires inside the building.
"That’s what has happened in other abandoned building in the past, especially here in downtown."
There is a fire escape that makes it very easy for somebody who wants to get in from the outside. Meanwhile the County says they will do whatever possible to make sure the vandalism stops.
"Our building department will be securing the rest of the area to try to keep the vandals out."
The County says for now that is all they can do since there is no money to restore the place.
"The building is considered a historical building so we have to preserve the building, but due to the current budget we are not able to do any kind of remodeling or restoration."
"It's a priceless part of downtown. You can't build something like that anymore and it’s definitely worth saving."
