Touring 508 Park Ave., But Is It Love in Vain?

By Robert Wilonsky Wed., Jun. 10 2009 at 11:39 AM

Categories: News

Photos by Dan Finnell

The third-floor recording studio at 508 Park Avenue in which Robert Johnson recorded

At this late date you're surely aware of the plight of 508 Park Avenue, the site of the makeshift studio in which Robert Johnson, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and perhaps even Charlie Parker recorded. The owners of the building are still fighting with the City Attorney's Office over bringing it up to code; meanwhile, it's still on the market, begging for a buyer.

Count among the interested parties Central Dallas Community Development Corporation, whose John Greenan only yesterday toured the building to, ya know, kick the tires. He doesn't know what he'll do with the building, only that he wants to do ... something, somehow. Local architect Dan Finnell, who works with Brent Brown, accompanied Greenan and took the photos, some of which he generously provided to Unfair Park.

"It's not actually an enormously large project," he tells Unfair Park, certainly not when compared to, oh, Citywalk@Akard. "But what's the end use of the building? It's too small for housing. The natural thing is some kind of a face lift that marks its history as a blues center. That could be wonderful. Whether that can work financially, though ..."

His voice trails off. And we are where we are.