The Lim family sue the city of San Antonio over the fate of the historic Whitt Printing building
The owners of the Whitt Printing Co. building in the downtown west end are suing the city over the fate of the historic structure.
“We refuse to bear the cost of preserving a building for public purposes at our expense,” attorney Peter Stanton, who represents the Lim family, said at a press conference Tuesday outside the hotel. city. “All we ask of the city is that if they are to own and operate our property for the benefit of the public, they pay for it. “
The Lim family are demanding over $ 1 million in damages and seeking a court ruling preventing the city from imposing fines over $ 2,000 per day due to the condition of the property.
In addition, the family wants an article of the city planning code, which obliges them to repair the building, declared invalid and inapplicable.
“We are not against preservation, but we need viable options and flexibility with the property we own ourselves,†said Bo Lim. “Working with the city on this got us nowhere. We’re stuck in limbo. I ask, how would you feel if you couldn’t keep your property and your loved ones safe? “
In a statement, City Prosecutor Andy Segovia said the historic designation process is aimed at protecting important buildings.
“Maintaining public safety, as well as protecting the historic fabric of our community, are two priorities for the City of San Antonio,†he said. “The city has been in communication with the Lim family and their lawyers in an attempt to preserve historical significance and virtually address structural integrity.”
“We hope that a suitable plan can be worked out instead of a protracted litigation,” added Segovia.
The lawsuit is the latest twist in an ongoing building dispute around 1930 on Frio, Commerce and Houston streets, pitting the Lim family against city officials and conservation advocates.
In June, a city committee approved plans to demolish parts of the building and preserve other components. But the Lim say the work ended with the collapse of a beam that was supposed to be preserved.
The family accuses the city of taking, damaging and destroying their property without fair compensation in the lawsuit, which was filed in state district court on Monday by Yuen King Lim Family LLC.
‘Dangerous situation’
The Lim family immigrated from China and have operated a restaurant in San Antonio since 1932. They opened the Golden Star Cafe next to the Whitt building in 1983 and then bought the adjacent property, according to the lawsuit.
The building was “designated as of historic interest” in 1985 and is located in the historic district of Cattleman Square.
The family used it for storage. An engineering company she hired in 2017 to assess the structure said it was in “a dangerous situation” due to its poor condition and warned the frame could fall, a danger to the safety of those standing. or walking nearby, according to a letter provided by the Lim family. .
The roof was further damaged during the winter storm in February and the family were told they could lose their insurance, according to a letter Stanton sent to the city. They said they couldn’t afford to renovate it and demanded that the building’s historic designation be removed and demolished.
Prospective buyers were also unwilling to buy the property without knowing what they could do with the Whitt Building, lawyer Patrick Christensen, who represented the family in Commission proceedings, told the panel in May. history and design review.
But city staff recommended that the panel reject the applications on the grounds that the owners had neither provided evidence that the building no longer met the criteria for a landmark designation nor showed that the building could not be adapted. or sold, which would mean that it would pose unreasonable economic hardship. .
Neighbors’ concerns
Commissioners and representatives from West Side organizations said they were concerned about the permission to raze more historic buildings in the area, as well as the lack of plans for the property’s redevelopment and integration. of the building. The HDRC rejected the proposal.
In an unusual move, the family then sought approval from the zoning commission to withdraw the building’s historic designation in June.
But the city received an anonymous call regarding the deteriorating condition of the building, prompting staff to initiate a process of “emergency demolition by negligence” due to public safety concerns, director Michael Shannon told HDRC. of the Department of Development Services.
At an emergency hearing in June, a number of local organizations – including the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, LULAC, Historic Westside Residents Association and Tier One Neighborhood Coalition – said the building’s history is important and that alternatives to his shaving should be considered.
The HDRC then voted in favor of the city’s recommendations regarding the maintenance of the building’s concrete frame and facade and the removal of the roof and wall infill. But after a beam collapsed, this work stopped.
Politician, publisher and author Gilberto Whitt started a printing press in the building after fleeing to San Antonio during the Mexican Revolution.
It printed publications in Spanish, and at the time, San Antonio had more Spanish publishing houses than any other American city, according to city staff. The company remained in business until the late 1970s.