BUDA, Texas — While Buda grows, city leaders want to maintain the town's historical roots by matching the investment in improvements made downtown. The importance of that work is really in the spotlight now, after one historic building recently fell down.
"These buildings all tell a story," said David Marino, who works for the City of Buda. "This building right here used to actually be a filling station."
It's a small town, filled with history that the City is looking to protect, trying to keep other buildings from falling into the same fate as the one that used to stand on the corner of FM 967 and Austin Street.
"It was a really old building and basically one of the walls just caved in and the roof came down," said Jon Halverstadt, the manager of the Budaful Hiker. "I think it was like 110 years old."
The Budaful Hiker is in the building behind the one that fell down a few weeks ago. The same owner owns both his building and the one that fell down.
"We're on the main corner, and you come to work one day and then three hours later it's gone," said Halverstadt "We knew the building was old but we weren't thinking anything was going to fall down – it didn't look like it was in that bad of shape."
So while rubble remains, owner Sandra Grizzle says it will stay empty for the time being. In a statement to KVUE she said the following:
"Not sure what the town thinks about it, but for me it is very sad," she said. "The building was built in 1917 by Dave Garison, who was my husband’s grandfather. Mr. Garison also built the building facing Main Street along with a number of houses in Buda. His brother, John, owned the land that is now Garison Park on Garison Road. Lots of history and I had hoped to restore the old red brick building, just didn't happen that way. Not sure at this time what will be built there but something will."
She also wanted to extend her thanks to the people at City Hall for their help and concerns, as this has been a very hard time for her.
While that building can't be saved, now the City is looking to preserve the history of other buildings. Marino said the City is protecting this historical downtown because they're a part of the Texas Main Street program.
"We've already had four roofs repaired in our downtown as part of our downtown improvement grant – Old Town Antique Mall and this 1898 building right here," he said.
It's the work they hope helps keep Buda, Buda.
"One of the things we're proud of in Buda is our downtown area," Marino said. "It's really what gives Buda that small-town feel."
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