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Good news! The long vacant Republic Building (originally the Paul Building) at the corner of Fannin and Preston has been purchased and will be renovated and occupied by a division of MVL Group, a contractor that does government work worldwide. It sounds like they are doing this the right way: “We will be immediately implementing a series of beautification projects such as replacing the missing cornice, artwork on the walled up exterior sides of the building, and removing the entrance, as well as a complete overhaul of the HVAC system and elevator,” said Abie Musa, founder of MVL Group, a global defense contractor and construction management firm. This is in contrast to other nearby renovation projects, such as the State National building (412 Main) a few years ago where the developer ran out of money for the cornice and just took it off instead of repairing it, severely compromising the architecture. The Scanlan Building (405 Main) next door also lost a cornice at some point. Just think, a renovation project that restores a cornice instead of taking it off - we're almost starting to get civilized around here! They are also adding murals to the blank walls on the south and west sides, which will be visible from a wide area along Main and Prairie. Here is hoping that the new cornice will be made from quality materials, and that the GFR, currently housing the Fannin Corner Store, will get some love. https://realtynewsreport.com/2020/06/26/the-historic-republic-building-in-downtown-houston-has-been-sold/

Woah! I found one of the first rodeos of Houston! I was browsing the newspaper The Houston Informer dated February 23, 1924 and came across a business ad for Cattlemen's Rodeo at the End of South Main Street. This was before the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition in the 1930s. I believe. Bassett Blakely & Frank Y. Dew Present. Under Personal Direction Tom L. Burnett. The Most Thrilling, Sensational, and Grueling Contests o.f Cowboy Sports Ever Staged In Texas The Cattlemen's Rodeo. Special Arena Seating 10,000- End of South Main Street. You could buy the tickets at downtown's Rice Hotel. Cattlemen's Rodeo Headquarters - Second Floor Republic Building. Phone - Preston 3327. From what I read, Tom L. Burnett was a wealthy rodeo businessman. A Hollywood Star. The Houston Post dated February 25, 1924: Others I found during the same time period. Sakowitz Bros. ad.