SAN ANGELO, TX — It’s been a year since the McDonald’s Restaurant at 4330 Southwest Blvd. was closed and demolished. On June 7, 2022, we reported the restaurant’s closing and by the end of June, we reported that the old building, built in 1979, was being demolished to make room for a new and modern McDonald’s.
Usually, McDonald’s is quick to demolish and rebuild a new store. After all, the days the McDonald’s can’t open add up to a great deal of money. One year later, the re-opening date for the McDonalds on Southwest has not been announced. Why?
The brand new, modern building stands where the old one once stood. Inside, the furniture is already set and arranged. Kiosks where one can order without counter help awaits. But outside, it’s a different story. The parking lot remains unpaved.
The new parking lot was poured and shortly thereafter demolished over quality concerns.
A wide shot of the unpaved parking lot at the brand new McDonalds at 4330 Southwest Blvd. in San Angelo.
Brand new and modern drive-thru lanes await throngs of customers should the frontside pavement ever get fixed.
The new McDonalds is ready to open if not for the parking lot issues. Meanwhile, a help wanted sign promises jobs starting at $14 an hour.
The parking lot area contains two levels. In the left background you can see the new City Southwest Blvd. Red Arroyo crossing bridge.
The franchiser of the three McDonald’s locations in San Angelo, Eric Wilson, said the new pavement that was poured many months ago did not meet his expectations for quality and that he was concerned that the engineering for the two-level parking lot was inadequate. Wilson said he hired his own engineers to evaluate the parking lot. Once poured, however, the issues were so profound that it required a complete demolition at Wilson’s orders. The new parking lot has remained untouched since it was demolished.
“We were supposed to open on November 7, 2022,” Wilson said.
Wilson said the discussions between the himself, the contractors, and the engineers remain cordial but as of today he is reluctant to estimate a date when the restaurant will open.
“Too many things are still up in the air,” Wilson said.
“One thing I want San Angelo to know, though. The City of San Angelo had nothing to do with the problem. In fact, the City of San Angelo coordinated the rebuilding of Southwest,” Wilson added. “Whenever I needed something, the City of there for us.”
The City has spent millions re-imagining, re-engineering and constructing the new bridge across the Red Arroyo draw. For years, the crossing turned into a low water crossing with enough swift current to sweep a small, compact car down the Red Arroyo to the Loop 306 frontage road. Today, the roadway was raised and this problem no longer exists.
Wilson and the City coordinated the date for the demolition of rebuild of the restaurant to coincide with the temporary closing of Southwest. Now Southwest is re-opened and the McDonalds is plagued with the parking lot engineering challenge.
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