HIDALGO, Texas, Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA Compass
announced the donation of multiple historic properties and the
corresponding land to the City of
Hidalgo during a ceremony on Friday. The donation from the
bank includes the city's historic courthouse, jail and post office,
each of which is included on the National Register of Historic
Places and recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark. BBVA Compass
President and CEO, Manolo Sanchez,
presented keys to the historic buildings to Hidalgo Mayor John
David Franz in a ceremony which included State
Representative Sergio Munoz, Jr. and
Hidalgo County Commissioner
Hector Palacios.
(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110131/DA39519)
Each of the historic buildings were constructed in the late
1800's. The buildings and the parcel of land on which they sit are
often referred to as the "Birthplace of Hidalgo County" as their location comprised
the county seat. When other townships began to develop as a result
of the railroad in the early 1900's, support was generated for a
more central location for the courthouse. In 1908, the courthouse
records were moved, leaving the courthouse and jail unoccupied.
"Our donation today ensures that the Hidalgo community and future generations will
be able to enjoy these valuable treasures that have played a
significant role in their history," said Manolo Sanchez, president and CEO of BBVA
Compass. "The three historic buildings are clearly a public
treasure and an asset not only to Hidalgo residents but also the surrounding Rio
Grande Valley community; their inclusion on the National Register
of Historic Places and recording as Texas Historic Landmarks
signifies this fact. With this donation, BBVA Compass stands firm
in its commitment to be a valuable member of the business community
and to serve the Rio Grande Valley community in meaningful
ways."
Hidalgo Mayor John David Franz said, "For more than 25 years
it has been a dream of the City of
Hidalgo and the Hidalgo
Chamber of Commerce to be able to acquire the Old Hidalgo County
Courthouse and restore it to its original state in order to
preserve the history of the City and County. This generous donation
is the first step in achieving this dream. The Birthplace of
Hidalgo County will soon be one of
the major destinations in the Rio Grande valley for all residents
and tourists to enjoy and learn about its important history."
With the donation of the historic buildings and the land on
which they reside, Hidalgo, along
with area partners, will invest nearly $3
million dollars to preserve, restore and establish Hidalgo
Viejo and the old river channel as a central entertainment tourist
destination. The Courthouse when restored to its original state
will be open year round as a museum showcasing the history of
Hidalgo and Hidalgo County, an area which was once the
center of commerce and trade in the Rio Grande Valley.
ABOUT BBVA COMPASS
BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that
operates more than 715 branches including 380 in Texas, 92 in Alabama, 65 in California, 77 in Arizona, 45 in Florida, 36 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass is the 15th largest
U.S. commercial bank based on deposit market share and ranks among
the largest banks in Texas (4th),
Alabama (3rd) and Arizona (5th). For the second consecutive
year, BBVA Compass was named as a "Lender of the Year" by the Small
Business Administration (SBA). Additional information concerning
BBVA Compass can be found on our website www.bbvacompass.com.
BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of Compass Bancshares, Inc., a
wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a
financial services group with approximately $760 billion in total assets, 48 million clients,
7,400 branches and approximately 105,000 employees in more than 30
countries. BBVA ranks among the top 20 largest financial
institutions in the world based on market capitalization and 21st
in Global Finance magazine's list of the "World's 50 Safest
Banks" for 2010. BBVA provides its customers around the world with
a full range of financial services, including commercial and
wholesale banking, retail banking services, consumer loans,
mortgages, credit cards, securities brokerage, wealth management,
pension plan management and insurance. The BBVA Group maintains a
leadership position in Spain,
Mexico, Latin America and the Sunbelt Region of
the United States as well as
operations in China, France, Germany, Hong
Kong, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. More information about the
BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.
Editor's Note:
BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank. Compass Bank,
member FDIC.
SOURCE BBVA Compass