What once hosted many retail car operations such as 'The Used Car Lot', then 'Tito Kustoms', and then possibly 'Fat Pop's Shop' is now the future site for the San Angelo Area Foundation's new office building. There is something unique and almost humorous about the tiny, asymmetrical 50's shack plopped on the spacious corner lot of Concho and Irving St. downtown. It seldom gets noticed. Now it is about to be demolished to make room for the San Angelo Area Foundation. We wanted, however, to document what we believe is a vintage piece of architecture.
'The Used Car Lot' in all its vacant, rundown glory. The flat, straight lines in the building recall a bygone era...and echo the West Texas landscape.
There are still spare parts laying around. Anyone need a windshield replacement?
The great, bold shapes give the building forward momentum. We are hoping to translate this momentum and sense of place into the new foundation offices. We intend to reuse the red roman brick in the new facade for the foundation.
The graffiti and paint jobs remaining gave us a taste of what the building's past lives may have been like.
We feel that it was important to document these buildings and the site so that they can help to inform what happens in the future.
From one life and generation to the next - such is the nature of buildings... and people! Much excitement comes from being able to be a part of these transitions as architects.
- Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:24PM