By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
The building that once housed the San Benito Land and Water Company and Cameron County Irrigation District is pictured. (Staff photo by Robert Perez)
The historic building that once housed the Cameron County Irrigation District downtown San Benito continues to enjoy a resurgence of sorts.
Ensure Driving School will be bringing its business to the facility, located at 216 S. Sam Houston Blvd. in San Benito, which also once served as the San Benito Land and Water Company in 1910.
“(I) was attracted to the San Benito area after touring the downtown district,” said Oralia De La Cruz, owner of the driving school, in a prepared statement. “The location was the deciding factor. It is conveniently located and I am so proud to be in such a beautiful and historic building. I want to offer my students the best learning environment.”
Local citizens now have a place in San Benito locally owned and operated to serve their drivers’ education needs,” De La Cruz added.
The old irrigation district building was declared a historic landmark by The Texas Historical Commission in 1999. Thanks to efforts by San Benito businesspersons Pablo and Shirley Vega, owners of the building, the 103-year-old edifice has now been fit for modern use, serving as the Vega Professional Building following renovations, then the home of The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, before Ensure moved in.
2 comments
SB…Home of Auto parts, machintas, sno-cone stands and pay loans !
Cisco,
You’re being much to kind,” a resurgence of sorts”.
If anyone cares to look at san benny’s true history,they would see that at one time,in the early days of the Valley,it was a key link for the growth of the whole area.This old building was somewhat of a anchor,in the days of early water usage,for agricultural.Didn’t it have a historical marker on it ?
Now it’s being degraded,to a driving school,guess there was no need for another auto parts store so close to the competition.This shows disrespect for our history,it might even continue to make us the laughing stock of the whole valley,and this all for monetary gain.