If you've been downtown lately, you may have noticed some changes taking place. The new baseball stadium is going up on the east side while throngs of people go to the new Bayou Place entertainment complex on the west side every night.
In between, many of the historic buildings on the north end of downtown are being renovated and converted into shops, offices, restaurants and nightclubs.
With all the redevelopment and preservation happening on the north end of downtown, it seems no one paid much attention to what happened a few blocks south on Main Street, where the First City National Bank building's glass pavilion was torn down a few days ago to make space for a parking garage.
The banking pavilion adjoined the First City tower, which gave the Houston skyline a new look when it was completed in 1961. Whereas most previous skyscrapers in Houston had been built of tan brick, concrete and ornamental stone or terra cotta, First City was a striking tower of white marble and glass.
The pavilion, which housed the banking lobby, was revolutionary. Its simple, elegant steel and glass construction made it a prime example - downtown's first - of high modern architecture.
Unfortunately, times change. The bank moved out and the deserted pavilion was no longer needed - only infrequently used for social functions. By and by, the owner of the building decided the space would be better used as a parking garage, and the pavilion was destroyed and carted away.
Why did we lose the First City pavilion, a unique example of the early days of the modern architecture that has made Houston's skyline famous? Because it wasn't old enough.
It's pretty difficult to demolish an old building - one that's been around for 75 or 100 years. But not so many people care about buildings like First City, which have been standing for less than 40 years, particularly when they don't realize their inherent artistic and architectural value.
As a work of art and a symbol of Houston's progress, the First City pavilion cannot be replaced.
But we hope everyone learns a lesson from this and makes a move to protect the buildings on which we might otherwise turn our backs.
As a modern urban university that's an integral part of this city, we think it would be admirable if the University of Houston were involved. But no matter who heads the effort, the city should not lose any more of its modern landmarks.
Otherwise, we'll have quite a demolition job on our hands when the gleaming towers of the past decade become obsolete.
The gray-box editorials reflect the opinion of The Daily Cougar editorial board and editorial staff. All other opinions, letters, commentaries and cartoons reflect the viewpoint of the writer. Letters to the editor reflect only the opinion of the individual writers. No opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston administration or the student body at large.