New Owner for 'Empire State Building of the Valley'?

New Owner for 'Empire State Building of the Valley'?
The Brownsville Herald

HARLINGEN (Brownsville Herald) – Some call it “the city’s biggest eyesore.” Others say it’s the Empire State Building of the Rio Grande Valley.

But the 81-year-old Blaschka Tower has survived three hurricanes and served as a fallout shelter in World War II. And now the nine-story, mostly vacant structure may get a new owner.

Grupo Ayusa, a Brownsville-Matamoros development company, has approached owner Wayne Blaschka and the city about purchasing the 40,000-sf building.

Officials said the group wants to rename it Centennial Tower and use the top two floors for its own office. Grupo Ayusa also plans to turn the first floor into a restaurant or café and lease the remaining floors as office space.

Downtown District board member Bill DeBrooke said it would cost about $4 million to clean and inspect the inside of the building to make it inhabitable for business.

Click Here to Read More from The Brownsville Herald