"Seeing old buildings are getting new lease on life feels good" by: Jessica Shepard

   So, I got a chance to tour the new plasma donation center – Parachute – last week.
   I’ve got to say that the facility is amazingly bright and more comfortable than I expected.
   My favorite part of the tour was the freezers that they store the plasma in – it was cold, crisp, and totally beat out the heat we’ve been experiencing.
   I told the employees that they could just charge someone $20 to hang out in the freezer for 15-20 minutes and provide another unique service to Bay City!
   Overall, I was impressed with the facility and am glad to see that end of the block come alive again.
   Especially since I recall the days of the old Golden Corral buffet that once stood on that same lot.
   After all, that was also where I got to experience my first-ever defensive driving class, too!
   When it transitioned into a Chinese buffet place, I only visited it maybe twice before it became a vacant, haunted thing.
   I mean, I don’t think it’s really haunted, but it did waste away under the elements here and was a sad, pitiful sight to see when heading east.
   Then, Parachute came in and made an investment into the building lot and our town.
   I’m always glad to see old buildings get a new lease on life.
   Especially ones that hold fond memories for citizens young and old.
   There are a few other spots that I’d like to see get their own rejuvenation.
   The primary example is the old Texas Theater downtown.
   It’s got a gorgeous Art Deco feel and structure that could really be a beautiful addition to Bay City - if it ever gets off the ground.
   The city’s already poured money into it to repair the roof and add air conditioning – two major steps towards making it easier to do work inside the buildings.
   Historic theaters in downtown Wharton and Port Lavaca have been updated and are a large focus for tourists and locals alike.
   While I know there’s a lot of work to be had, I can almost see the full-fledged beauty that was once the Texas Theater if I take off my glasses and squint.
   It could be that awesome again!
   But, realistically, I also know there are more important matters to take care of at hand and you can’t save every old building.
   Construction materials supply chain issues have hit residential consumers and industry partners already.
   That’s definitely making it hard for everyone all the way around and I don’t know if it’ll relieve itself soon or not.
   I couldn’t even begin to understand the complexities and logistics that these delays put on projects.
   I do know that we’re also experiencing a similar issue with pool maintenance chemicals at our house.
   It seems like every time we need something to shock or treat our pool water it’s out of stock.
   It doesn’t help that the heat is feeding the algae in our water either!
   So, we’ve gotten to the point where we shop around and try to buy things in advance, bulk, or online.
   I’m not sure how well that works for the construction materials shortage, but, I’m hoping that the supply issues work themselves out and that everyone’s needs can be met.
   Until then, I’ll keep dreaming of how awesome it would be to have businesses or organizations filling old buildings and bringing back some vibrancy that’s sorely missed.