As Olympic venues fall into disrepair and aging stadiums become eyesores across the globe, many municipalities are left wondering what to do with the vacant facilities left behind for the latest and greatest in stadium/arena technology.
It’s taken nearly three years, but the fate of the Houston Astrodome is finally known. It will be protected as a state historical landmark after a unanimous vote of the Texas Historical Commission was taken on Friday.
Officials in Houston and Harris County were long in favor of the status, especially when one considers what the Astrodome did for the sports venue game in America when it was built. It wasn’t just iconic in size, but it was iconic as the first completely indoor stadium in the United States of America when it was built back in 1965.
Even local county judges noted the significance of the landmark status for the Astrodome.
“Aside from being the first indoor stadium, it is an iconic structure,” Emmett said, via the Houston Chronicle. “The Astrodome literally changed the world of sports and entertainment and it helped put Houston and Harris County on the global scene.”
Ironically, that status designation won’t damper plans for the site. That’s because it appears the county is going to raise everything in the Astrodome to ground level and build a parking garage underneath the structure.
Yes, you’ve heard that right. In the relatively near future, those of you taking in contests at the adjacent NRG Stadium will be able to park underneath a state historical landmark.
Imagine being able to do the same thing at the Alamo or under the Cotton Bowl or the State Capitol Building.
This is just the local step to help keep the building around, but it was already protected thanks to a fan-led effort back in 2013 to get the site on the National Register of Historic Places. It actually works in favor of the planned effort to make changes inside the Astrodome, as the site will qualify for federal funding for changes as needed.
However, the latest move makes things crystal clear about what can and can’t be done to the building. Mainly, it isn’t going anywhere without the commission saying it can:
The new designation means that the property cannot be removed, altered, damaged, salvaged or excavated without permission from the state commission.
Once the engineering is done, Harris County officials will make a final presentation to the commission and will get going on the construction of an additional 1,400 parking spots. There are also plans to make seven floors of covered space with walkways according to the report.
You know, because there’s nothing more iconic about a stadium than ripping its guts completely out and leaving the shell to marvel at. Why not tear it down and enjoy the parking space and not have to keep up the maintenance on the building. Let people keep their memories of a once iconic building instead of ripping its soul and having them see a horrifically altered building that just looks like the Astrodome. But welcome to local politics 101, right?
[Houston Chronicle/Photo: Smiley N. Pool]
