First crossing

Even though Public Accountant Alberto Escourido had managed to intervene with legal protection, and made the Architectural Director of National Institution of Fine Arts, Dolores Ramírez, address a letter to the Secretary of Communications and Transportation, Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, where he requested a meeting to talk about the Puerta Mexico issue and weigh in the options the site's preservation, offering council to find a proper solution, and although architect, Alfonso Padrés Pesqueira, delegate of Baja California's SCT, offered a "recess" to analyze the petitions and try to reconcile the matter's posture, this past January 30th the demolition of this site began.

We have to say, that the site could surely be integrated to the urban image that Tijuana projects, so how is it that stubbornness and stupidity overpower the most fundamental of logic? Why is it the once more the citizens of Tijuana are witnesses of an urban symbol's demolish? Why disqualify a place that is over 50 years old and that was maintained with public funds, just to embellish the city's entrance? Was it really that complicated to seek an integral solution to respect this site, rehabilitate it and give it new usage? You want options?

Build a museum, a technology center, a citizen interaction place, new INAMI government offices. There were tons of options.

Defending Identity

I have to insist, it isn't about defending the city's historic sites as it were an obsession of an old antiquities preserver. This is an anachronistic vision of history and cultural heritage, and it's about trying to preserve and integrate the city's heritage to an economical development status. If urban administration thought of the city the way they do regarding all historical sites, we wouldn't be envying our neighboring city, San Diego.

Regarding the subject, I've read some social media that say: "now you defend it but you never did anything for it" or "it was a nest of drug addicts and a poor people's restroom". That makes you think about what kind of society we are and how we live inside this urban landscape. The defense of Alberto Escourido and Grupo 100 por Tijuana isn't something new, they been in siting on the matter for a long time. In any case, if the site was abandoned then it shows the authorities negligence to preserve governmental spaces.

This is where state authorities have a lot to say, due to the fact that it's not possible that there isn't any public policy of integral research, rescue and preservation of the city's historical heritage, also the Mayor, Dr. Jorge Astiazarán, has yet to make a statement regarding the his vision of having "a beautiful Tijuana". Surely, he thinks that the city is reduced to Zona Río and its chic areas. Baja Governor, Kiko Vega, is more concerned about enjoying his six years scholarship than actually ruling the state. As long as our city is ruled under a "fancy" perspective, we won't just demolish Puerta Mexico, we could also just sweep away anything "ugly". We could even disappear poor people, to avoid having a "bad image" but still doing "something good" for our city.

What's local identity for?

As if it wasn't enough, and as proof that local identity is worth for nothing, for this recently demolish area, it has been planned that one of the very "exquisite" and expensive works of art of sculptor Sebastian will be placed, of whom we were already aware of his prices.

We have yet to see how far can stubbornness and ineptitude can go against Tijuana's identity. To sum up, it's not only about the site's preservation, which is over 50 years old and requires a statement from local authorities to be considered historical heritage, the problem here is much bigger given that it wasn't taken into consideration to be integrated in an optimal manner for the reconstruction of the San Ysidro Port-of-Entry, since the Mexican side has gone forward with urbanization with pastiches and quips. We just have to look at how El Chaparral's door is designed right at as you enter the country. Any architect noticing such chaos could also see that it was dine in a hurry.

Alberto Escourido is constantly posting one Facebook the progress that are being made in order to preserve and rescue the site. It's very noticeable that he doesn't only has arguments on why the site must be preserved, but he also proposes several alternatives for the sites usage. It would be very worth it to see Tijuana's society involved in the city's identity and habitability.

Original post from our friends at binomio (1+4).

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zyanya.figueroa@sandiegored.com