Friday, September 14, 2007

Crestwood Place Apartments, R.I.P.


Kevin, you ruined my morning.

Fort Worthology reports that the Crestwood Place Apartments on White Settlement Road will be demolished to make way for single-family homes. That was my first apartment in Fort Worth, to the left of the door on the right in that picture. When I lived there, it was still very much like it was when it was built in the 1940s. Some of my neighbors were original residents. Boy, I loved that place. I hate to see it go. Just another example of a change not-for-the-better in Fort Worth.

UPDATE: I really didn't get in all I wanted to say about my old apartment. My wife and I have talked a lot about the old place. I lived there when we first met. The first time I kissed her was on the lawn in front of that door on the right. For both of us, the Crestwood Place Apartments are special because that's where we were when we fell in love.

We both held the same thought in our minds -- this was the place we would go back to if everything went to hell. This was basecamp. This would be the place where we would go where everything would always be OK. Other things could come and go, but we would always have each other and we would always have that place to go back to. Stupid thought, maybe, but a critical part of the mythology that holds two people together.

The other night, I saw a documentary about Tony Bennett and someone asked him about the success of his song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." He explained that the reason that song is so beloved is that it really isn't about San Francisco, it's about wherever your heart is. San Francisco can be anywhere. Paris, Manhattan or an old apartment on White Settlement Road in Fort Worth, Texas.

I guess the Crestwood Place Apartments is San Francisco to us. A little bit of our hearts will always be there, and a little bit of that place will always be in our hearts. They can build million-dollar homes on that land, but they will be unable to build a more beautiful building to me.

9 comments:

LPJ said...

That's depressing. I dig the window units, too. Looks like a cool first pad. But let's not fret too soon; they could divide that space and build a string of identical, oversized, Tuscan-inspired houses surrounded by a tiny ribbon of lawn. Now that would be progress ...

Steve-O said...

Good to have you back, Paul. Hadn't heard from you in a while.

Anonymous said...

Sad to hear this. Such a wonderful and distinct place showing that what is good for the community can be affordable to so many. I lived there for awhile many,many years ago.

From Out West

VinnyV said...

I think that was well put: "...change not-for-the-better...".

It seems to me that there is a lot of this happening in Fort Worth since I moved back from Boston. In the Northeast they seem to have this crazy idea of not destroying things of historic and/or sentimental value to the public. Crazy "liberals", I say.

I wish we could have bulldozed the Science and History museum sooner - too many people have memories there! I wish they would have blown up each Tandy trolley car publicly so my childhood could have officially be eradicated with a bang! I wish Panther Hall... Ah - what's the use!

I wonder if 'ol Jungus can introduce a city ordinance that requires an establishment be annihilated the exact minute it begins to mean something to the people of this great city.*

*And by people, I mean actual honorable residents - not the douche-bags that own rental property and condos.

Steve-O said...

Well, they don't call him Jungus Khan for nothing.

That was one hell of a comment, Vinny. I have nothing to add to that. Dead, solid perfect.

Pete said...

Dammit, Steve, crying at work makes me look like a wussy girl. Save your sentimental sob stories for the podcast!

I guess for Jenna and I that place would be Twentynine Palms, CA. Yeah, it's a craphole, but it's kind of our sentimental home. Or Vegas. Probably Vegas. But we both liked Oceanside, too.

Aw hell, we've lived too many places.

Steve-O said...

Sorry, Pete. I hate to make grown Marines cry.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

"Move In Specials: Property Was Removed From Demolition List Has Returned To Renting $189 Total Move In 6/12Mls 1Brs M/I By Sept 30 $289 Total Move In 6/12Mls 2Brs M/I Sept 30
(Updated: 09/23/2008)"

http://ftworth.cities4rent.com/cgi-bin/aptraps.pl/crestwoodplace