More on the Gatesville Collapse

I drove through Gatesville today. Just east of the courthouse square, right on US Highway 84, is the collapse site. I took some pictures.

As you can see, not only is the originally collapsed building gone, but also the one to the east.  I suspect the building to the west may also have to come down.  Notice the major sag in the roofline and the large blue tarps covering some significant damage to the bearing wall.  At the very least, I suspect major damage to the plaster of the interior walls.

If you look carefully, the brickwork of the remaining wall segment between the originally collapsed building and the one to the east is not in good shape.  It displays a very definite westward bow.  All that remains of the original building is its back wall.

I wonder how they will rebuild this space.  If this area has been declared a historic distirct, it will have to be rebuilt within the district's rules.  In most places in Texas, this means that the building front must be restored. Whatever they do, they must do it quickly. Further rain will very quickly cause the buildings on both sides to deteriorate.