urbgal Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Hi! There is a white 1 story CMU building near the corner of McKee and Nance. The Terrazzo Floor has a poured- in mosaic that says "Texas Studios". I'll try to get a picture.... but does anyone know what this used to be or anything about Texas Studios? EDIT: It says Tony's Tortillas, not Texas Studios 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Urban Genesis owned it but recently sold to someone that is going to build retail. Urban Genesis bought 3/4 of that block a while back except the 3 houses on Charles St. that people live in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbgal Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 Well, it’s not gonna be retail because the guy fronting Nance Street (the corner parcel) was not a seller. :) it was me that bought it. That’s why I’m doing research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 10 minutes ago, urbgal said: Well, it’s not gonna be retail because the guy fronting Nance Street (the corner parcel) was not a seller. :) it was me that bought it. That’s why I’m doing research. I just talked with an Urban Genesis guy while I was at the Co-Op Waterworks II on Shepherd St., he told me they sold some parcels they own to someone that will build retail. He said they don't do retail only apartments. He didn't mention which parcels because they owned lots on both side of the Parole building on Nance and Hardy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbgal Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 Oh yes, the east side of McKee will have some retail I believe. :) I'm on the west side. I'm trying to build something that will be true to the "warehouse" nature of the area and pay a little homage to what was there previously, which is why I'm looking for details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbgal Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 (edited) Oh I went and got a picture. Clearly I need memory pills. Heres the floor- Tony's Tortillas. I'm going to save it for sure but now struggling to incorporate it into that name of the small development. 😆 Edited October 24, 2022 by urbgal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbgal Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 OK and now that I have this.....I found that it was owned by Tony Villesana. Tony Villasana started Tony's Tortilla Factory, Inc. (the Factory) as a sole proprietorship in 1935. His wife, Emma, and children, Ray, Betty, Gudelia, Henry, Mary Esther, Aurora, and Linda at various times worked in the factory, which produced tortillas and other Mexican foods. Tony died in 1974; sometime later, the family formed a corporation. Emma owned 51 percent of the corporation; it is not clear from the record how the remaining percentage was distributed. By 1985, Emma and each of the children drew a salary from the Factory. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbgal Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 OK and I guess he had a dynasty in ATX. The business belonged to Antonio Villasana, who came to Austin as a child in 1912 when his family fled the turmoil of the Mexican Revolution. He grew up to found an Austin restaurant dynasty. Villasana began his family’s contribution to Austin’s culinary culture in the 20’s with a small restaurant called Tony’s Café near what is now Austin City Hall. Later, his Tony’s Tortilla became one of Austin’s first tortilla factories. Tony’s daughter, Carmen Vasquez, went on to operate the legendary Tamale House at the corner of Congress Avenue and W. First St.(now Cesar Chavez). Carmen’s son Robert Vasquez carries on the tradition with Tamale House #3 (5003 Airport), while her daughter Diane Vasquez-Valera created Mexico Tipico, which closed in 2000. Most recently, Tony’s great-grandchildren are welcoming Tex-Mex loving Austinites to the new Tamale House East (1707 E. Sixth)in the old Mexico Tipico location. The actual tortilla factory burned some years ago, but even though all that remains of Tony’s is the retail building and the old corn silo, it’s great to see an important piece of Austin’s culinary history getting a new lease on life. Surely there’s some good culinary karma still alive in that spot. According to Rightmer, Silo on Seventh will offer “adventurous burgers” and a full bar with plenty of Texas craft brews on tap and an all-Texas liquor well. Raise a glass to Tony Villasana while you’re there. Here's a pic of Tony in ATX 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted November 25, 2022 Share Posted November 25, 2022 On 10/20/2022 at 12:50 PM, urbgal said: Hi! There is a white 1 story CMU building near the corner of McKee and Nance. The Terrazzo Floor has a poured- in mosaic that says "Texas Studios". I'll try to get a picture.... but does anyone know what this used to be or anything about Texas Studios? EDIT: It says Tony's Tortillas, not Texas Studios From the newspaper Southwestern Times dated Thursday, April 10, 1947. Tony's Sanitary Tortillas had their factory at 1010 KcKee Street. Phone nunber C. 4-1922. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DotCom Posted August 29, 2023 Share Posted August 29, 2023 Ran across this TDLR filing for a multifamily development at this location. https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Project/TABS2023005181 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.