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Postcards, Pt. 5 - Medical Arts Building/Burnett Park


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#1 Fort Worthology

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Posted 05 December 2006 - 05:17 PM

Alright, so maybe the last two here aren't technically postcards, but I'll never pass up an opportunity to show off the Medical Arts Building, my absolute favorite old Fort Worth building and one of our biggest historical preservation losses.

First, this postcard, complete with the obligatory incorrect hand-coloring. In reality, as far as I've been able to tell the Medical Arts Building was buff/tan brick with a green roof. Still a great shot, of course:

IPB Image

Next, a shot from down in the old Burnett park, looking up at the tower. The Medical Arts Building, if it had survived the '70s, would have made a killer loft conversion. It even had an observation deck:

IPB Image

A shot from higher up, looking into the park and showing off the building and its extended base/parking structure. Also note the Fire Station on the left, and off in the distance the tower of the Public Market on Henderson. What's that building immediately next to the Medical Arts on the left side?

IPB Image

I miss this building a great deal. For those unfamiliar with the history here, the Medical Arts Building was demolished to build Burnett Plaza.

--

Kara B.

 


#2 John T Roberts

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Posted 05 December 2006 - 06:42 PM

The building to the left of the Medical Arts was St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. You can find more information and photographs of that church within the Jack White Collection at http://www.fortworth...venthchurch.jpg and http://www.fortworth...thodistmove.jpg. This was the church's second home. The first building was demolished to build the Electric Building and Hollywood Theater.

#3 Jack White

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Posted 25 April 2007 - 02:11 PM

QUOTE(John T Roberts @ Dec 5 2006, 06:42 PM) View Post

The building to the left of the Medical Arts was St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. You can find more information and photographs of that church within the Jack White Collection at http://www.fortworth...venthchurch.jpg and http://www.fortworth...thodistmove.jpg. This was the church's second home. The first building was demolished to build the Electric Building and Hollywood Theater.


John...thanks for the plug. Everyone should know there are about
a hundred new pages.

And thanks for the outstanding new (to me) view of the Medical Arts!

Jack

#4 safly

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Posted 25 April 2007 - 10:49 PM

Love that postcard pic.

What kind of stone was used?

What on earth were these people thinking going with the demolition???
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#5 John T Roberts

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Posted 26 April 2007 - 09:31 PM

I think that the "stone" used on the building was either cast stone or terra cotta.

Cast stone is a mixture of concrete, stone particles, and stone aggregate that is cast into molds which give it some of the properties of both cut stone and concrete.

Terra cotta is a masonry ceramic product that is made from clay. It was also poured into molds and mass produced for building facades. It is lighter in weight than real stone or concrete.

The Medical Arts Building was imploded in order to build our current Burnett Plaza. This was done in the early 1970's before there was interest in downtown residential conversions and the First National Bank stated that it would be too costly to convert to modern office space. The bank was outgrowing their location at 500 W. 7th, so there was a need for a new bank building. However, through the series of bank failures and takeovers common in the 1980's, they never moved the bank into Burnett Plaza, and the original bank actually shrunk in size at the 500 W. 7th Street building.

Jack, you are welcome.

#6 gdvanc

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Posted 27 April 2007 - 11:03 AM

QUOTE(safly @ Apr 25 2007, 11:49 PM) View Post
What on earth were these people thinking going with the demolition???


You didn't watch the movie, did you? I keep linking to it; if you'll just watch it, you'll know why buildings like the Medical Arts Plaza have to go! Progress, friend! Progress!

"...large-scale demolition is the first step in building modern cities."

"Often the substance of our urban structures is such as to resist the power of the demolition hammer. As a people, however, we are steadfast as we tackle problems and the hammer of demolition will be sure to swing with determination. In this Jet Age, events move fast – faster, indeed, than we sometimes realize – and our progress is certain to be steady as we clear away the structures that block Progress."

Care for some Kool-Aid? Cherry. Hint of Amaretto.


#7 krob

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Posted 30 April 2007 - 09:21 AM

I remember being there with my dad the Sunday morning the Medical Arts Building was demolished

#8 safly

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Posted 30 April 2007 - 06:48 PM

Is there a YOU TUBE of it being demo'ed? dry.gif
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