The UHV announcement of purchasing two old apartment complexes kinda got to the A&M take over of UHV people again.
After the last attempt of a the take over, the UH system has built brand new dorms on 59 business, and it is just my opinion, has led to a revitalization of that area of town, Houston Hwy, Bus 59, does look a hell of lot better than it did 5 years ago.
Commenting about the purchase of land Claude Jacobs used the same old excuse for switching UHV to the A&M system...
He questioned why the university would buy property and tear down building when it was offered property five years ago.
"I don't think that's a very wise move at all," Jacobs said.
A comment on the VicAd site mentions that they feel sorry for the people that have lived in the Arlington and Casa Del Rio apartments being displaced a year or so from now. Yet when Citizens Hospital purchased the Continental apartment to build a office building for doctors no one cared at all about the displaced residents.
As near as I can remember UHV spent $9M for the land the dorms are on plus $4M or so because one the building was mold infested, plus another $6M or so to buy and build the third dorm.
That's about $19M, UHV will ask the state of Texas for a $80M for their planed expansion, so $99M.
Now let me ask all of the people that supported the "free land" deal what it would cost to extend Airline road about four miles, install water and sewer lines, cable, phone, fill the use to be rice fields land in with dirt and build new buildings, you know replace the current three academic buildings, a student union, a library,(they can't hardly share with VC being 10 miles away), Dorms? or just bus the students back and forth every hour for ten hours a day?
Is it more than $99M? I would think a hell of a lot more.
I will also take a shot in the dark and think that some citizens of Victoria are also already bending the ear of our local state representative asking that she/him oppose the $80M bond and again push for a system switch and the creation of the Paco Cabanas.
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I hope that it would never come to this; truly I do. But I wouldn't blame UofH system if they eventually decided to pack up and leave, lock, stock and barrel, after tolerating such a hostile environment in Victoria for years. Not all the populace has been giving UH-V the cold shoulder, of course, but the ones who do - yeah, YOU, Claud Jacobs, and the entire Buhler clan who are pushing your own agendas - are vocal enough to make us all appear to be spoiled brats. UofH has brought as much or more to this little backwater town than any home-grown business, and the more UofH looks to improve Victoria's future, the more the town appears to fight against it. I simply do not understand.
ReplyDeleteJacobs and the Buhlers, you can take your toys and go home, now that you've thrown (hopefully) your last tantrum. Your hidden agendas and power plays do not work anymore. You won't get your way. To try to force out a fine institution of higher education that has served this area honorably for over 40 years is SHAMEFUL. I am just exceedingly glad there are at least a few that have more sense and less ego than the Jacobs and Buhler clans (among other assorted riff-raff). I do believe they, and UofH, will prevail.
Great post, Legion. As always, you have said so eloquently what needed to be said. Wish you were still posting on VicAd. More Victorians need to see this.
Have a good one, sir.