SAN ANTONIO – The 15th Court of Appeals denied the Conservation Society of San Antonio’s emergency injunction to stop the demolition of the now-former Institute of Texan Cultures building.
This decision made Friday follows the Conservation Society’s ongoing battle against the University of Texas at San Antonio and the City of San Antonio.
The Conservation Society expressed frustration over the court’s decision, emphasizing that the merits of its case were not heard.
“Once again, a public building is being destroyed with public dollars and no public hearing. This bodes poorly for the other historic properties owned by UTSA, including the Kallison Block across from City Hall and the former Southwest School of Art. If they did it once, they can do it again,” said Conservation Society President Lewis Vetter.
Since the lawsuit was filed in March, demolition has progressed significantly, with most of the building’s wall panels removed and iconic features like the bridge and fountain already dismantled, the Conservation Society said in a news release.
“Even if we were to succeed in our appeal, there is little left to save. It is already gone,” Vetter said.
The original lawsuit, filed on March 26, sought to halt the demolition, arguing that it violated the original 1967 deed and required federal reviews under the Texas Antiquities Code and the National Historic Preservation Act.
The Conservation Society had advocated for the pavilion to be included in Project Marvel, a multi-billion-dollar development initiative, rather than being demolished.
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