Zang Triangle Restos Could Have A Decidedly Different Neighbor If The Humble Oil Building Is Razed

Ah, it'd been too long since the city had gone without a historical building uproar. Or had it really? This week it seems boozy profit threatens a historical building -- namely one of two Humble Oil (founded in Texas) buildings still standing in our large state.

Many Oak Cliff dwellers, especially those who frequent Spiral Diner and Campo Modern Country Bistro, will recognize immediately the description of a 1929 gas station of white brick with blue tile at the corner of Zang and Beckley. Others still (extras and crew, mostly) might recognize it from shooting Oliver Stone's JFK.

But no one will actively recognize it any more if the owner of the Zang Triangle building gets the go-ahead to demo the old Humble and put in its place a beer and wine store.

Michael Amonett, former prez of the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League, not only questions the owner's claim of asbestos in his Advocate item, but also urges Dallas to examine what's working at the Zang Triangle: businesses and restaurants ensconced in renovated 1920s buildings.

DMN editor Bruce Tomaso, while pointing out that the Humble building provided it's own controversy among neighbors when it was built, just wants someone to squirrel away those blue tiles for him.

Eater has inquired with area restaurants as to their opinion on the matter, but received no response as of time of publication.

· 2012 Architecture at Risk List [Old Oak Cliff Conservation League]
· At Zang triangle: Preservation or drive-through beer store? [Advocate]
· Before they tear it down, can I have those blue tiles across the front? [The Scoop]

The Humble Oil building at Zang Triangle. [Photo: Photo courtesy of Old Oak Cliff Conservation League]