Remembering the Belt Buckle Building
I started writing this last November but never got around to finishing it. I was reminded of it this morning when I received an email from a friend and former ARCO co-worker providing a link to this video of the building's demolition.
An article on the front page of yesterday's newspaper trumpeted the pending demolition of what many people consider to be the city's biggest architectural eyesore, the so-called "Belt Buckle Building" located downtown at 300 N Pecos.
The building was constructed in 1969, and a fourth floor was added in 1976, about six years before I arrived in Midland and made that floor my home-away-from-home for almost fifteen five years as an employee of what was in 1982 the Permian District of the North American Producing Division of Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO).
The building is a fairly wretched example of groovy Sixties architecture, with big yellow concrete "buckles" bolted onto the exterior serving not only to offend passers-by, but also to provide cozy nesting places for pigeons, swallows, and even the occasional bat, if the stories are to be believed. What you can believe is that there's little that's more unappetizing than having as the primary view from your office the resting place of birds with questionable digestive efficiencies. Building management would occasionally rise up in arms to combat the rats with wings by spreading -- presumably without informing local bird activist Midge Erskine -- poisoned corn around the buckles, so that we were then feted with dead and decaying bodies accompanying the poop.
But, at least the buckles weren't dangerous -- except to aesthetic sensibilities -- unlike the windows, especially those on the west side of the building and on the fourth floor, where I happened to office. This may come as a surprise to many, but we occasionally play host to wind storms in this part of the country. When the wind was blowing out of the west and at a vigorous rate, one could see the window panes bulge inward like some possessed edifice out of a horror movie. On at least one occasion, a window shattered, shredding an accountant's chair in the facing cubicle. Fortunately, the occupant of that cubicle was out at the time. Building management got a clue and reinforced the windows with sheets of Plexiglas. They still bulged and sighed during windstorms, but at least the office furniture was safe.
I have many fond memories of the people and experiences from my time in that building, but the structure itself? Nah, I'm not going to miss it. However, I do hope plans by a couple of locals to save some of the "buckles" and make them into an art project work out. That would be a fitting use for one of the Tall City's more distinctive architectural features.
I agree with you on the building…
The other thing I remember is being able to eat a “full” breakfast of boiled eggs, melba toast, and “tomato” soup…in that area on the second floor. I was still a growin' boy of 23 or 24 in '79 and the early 80's. Of course, that was in the "good old days". I dont remember when/if they ever took it out.
Phyllis, one implication is that an office chair was worth more than an accountant. ;-)
Mark, I don't remember that break area, but I didn't arrive until June of '82.
I do remember when the beginnings of the Midland Community Federal Credit Union were in one tiny office on that second floor.
Posted by: Eric at February 11, 2008 06:14 PMWho says accounting isn't dangerous? ;-)
We had a similar bird problem at our building and there was much ado about killing the eggs of a protected species (a protected species that had taken over the entire parking lot, sidewalks and streets).
Posted by: gwynne at February 11, 2008 06:17 PMI am sad to see this buidling go. My mom worked in it for years, and so did I as a student in between my junior and senior years of high school. The architecture with the "buckles" was just amazing. Too bad we don't cherish things that are old.
Posted by: Ken Brooks at February 11, 2008 06:59 PMGwynne, you have to sometimes wonder how those endangered species ever got that way, given how prolific and tenacious they now seem to be.
Ken, while I agree with you in principle about cherishing old things (since I fall into that category), I respectfully disagree that that should apply to this building. It has absolutely no redeeming value other than quirky aesthetics (and that's a diplomatic way of saying "butt ugliness"), and it certainly wasn't up to modern office standards as far as being a good place to work. I think the memories are more important than the structure.
Posted by: Eric at February 12, 2008 10:59 AMWow, that's one of the mugliest buildings I've ever seen. ('mugly' meaning 'really really really really really ugly'). And for some reason, I can now access your blog from work now. I'm happy!
Posted by: Stephen at February 13, 2008 11:25 AMStephen, I've decided that your company's firewall was filtering out content, and once it determined that the Gazette is Content Free™, it no longer saw a need to block it!
Posted by: Eric at February 13, 2008 12:07 PMEric, as you probably know, Ken Brooks is my son, and I share his fond memories of the company, not necessarily the building. But, when we moved into the Belt Buckle building, we were so proud to have our own building. It was the Atlantic Richfield Building and we were moving from the Midland Savings Building. Now there's one that should come down! It was horrible when we moved into it when it was new. My memories of ARCO and the people are priceless, but I won't miss the building.
Posted by: Yvonne Brooks at February 13, 2008 04:38 PMYvonne! No, I didn't make the connection between you and Ken, but I'm happy to be reminded of it. Thanks for sharing.
I managed to office in four different building in Midland while with ARCO (but never the MSB), and the Belt Buckle was my least favorite. But, like you, the memories of the people and the experiences transcend the building, and even the "eccentricities" of that building make those memories more special.
Posted by: Eric at February 13, 2008 04:50 PMAbout the publisher
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Yesterday when I read that article, I was hoping you would post about this. Thanks for your take on it! That was fun reading! (I can't imagine the implications of the shredded chair!)
Posted by: Phyllis at February 11, 2008 06:06 PM