Will the Como Motel Come Out of Its Coma or Is the Plug About to Be Pulled?
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There seems to be a trend when a popular historic building like the Como Motel is purchased. First,the owners waffle on divulging their plans. Then, everyone gets worried and finally, a movement to preserve begins, as it should.
But it’s hard to sustain movements. So, owners will often just let properties sit until the public hue and cry begins to die down. Sometimes, buildings sit for years, as in the case of the fabulous Mediterranean mansion on Buckner Blvd. Then, when you least expect it, boom, the bulldozers show up and our architectural and cultural history are lost in a matter of hours, if not minutes.
While the fate of the Como Motel is yet to be sealed, the sudden disappearance of its iconic midcentury 1950s sign has certainly raised eyebrows. It’s a move that has caught many by surprise and hints at potential changes on the horizon.
“My guess is that the sign came down Saturday evening,” preservation activist Lindsey Sherritt said. Sherritt initiated a campaign last year to save the Como Motel, amassing over 5,000 signatures on a petition, talking with Richardson city officials, and reaching out to the new owners of the site. It’s been a true labor of love because Sherritt fell for this cool 1950s motel the moment she laid eyes on it. I get it. Some buildings simply speak to us.
In September of 2023, Pappas Restaurants confirmed their purchase of the iconic site of Candy Montgomery and Allen Gore’s affair. If you are new to Texas, Montgomery was accused of murdering her lover’s wife, Betty, by hitting her 41 times with an ax. She was acquitted. Go figure.
That bit of history and the fact Captain Sully Sullenberger, who famously guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency landing on the Hudson River after birds struck both engines, should make anyone think twice about demolition. I mean, stories like these are marketing magic.
Sherritt talked with the permits department Monday morning, but no demo permits were showing up.
“They installed a large camera device months ago, so I highly doubt the sign was stolen,” Sherritt said. “The signposts were left, and the building’s roof doesn’t seem scratched. There was no glass or broken material in front, and the roadblocks were still up in front of the driveway. I don’t know, but it seems most likely they took it down. The question is, why?”
