600 Elsbeth St
A piece of north Texas history is coming down this week. Monday, Dallas began demolition on an apartment building at 600 Esbeth St in the Bishop Arts District. Lee Harvey Oswald lived there for a few months back in the 60′s.
There’s been a big legal battle between the city and the building’s owner, Jane Bryant. Today, the city said enough is enough. It’s starting by having a crew test for asbestos, then it’s going to knock it down.
“I bought this building first in 2007 because I fell in love with it,” said Bryant. “I bought it with the hope of renovating it.”
Lee Harvey Oswald lived in apartment two of the complex at the end of 1962 and the beginning of 1963.
Recently, a judge ruled the building a ‘nuisance’ and ordered Bryant to demolish it by November 30, 2012. Despite an extension to January 4, 2013, Bryant didn’t make the deadline.
Monday, the city of Dallas sent Bryant’s attorney a letter, saying “The structure still remains in a similar condition as it was on November 30, 2012…” “The city plans to begin demolition work today.”
Crews were on site, knocking down walls, when we stopped by Monday afternoon.
“What it makes me feel like is that I failed history and that the community has failed history,” said Bryant.
If crews work fast enough, the building could be razed by the end of the week.
1 Comment to “Dallas Demolishing Lee Harvey Oswald’s Old Home”
March 4, 2013 at 10:35 PM
I don't get how it can be that much of a nuisance building. Sure it needed repairs here and there, but why take down a building with a significant spot in history instead of restoring it?