This news article will explore and expose the ill repute behind Granados Park Community Senior Center. There were many illicit activities that went on behind the confines this guest house. These walls hold many secrets. Not many people knew what went on behind these walls.
Granados Park Community Senior Center was actually once the Gillespie Mansion guest house. Now the guest house was a smaller house that was a single story structure built on a concrete slab foundation in 1935. There never was a basement. This house was built and designed to be handicap accessible for the physically disabled. Many of the ceilings were low. The guest house remodeled and modified in 1943. The guest house was located close to Freiling Drive. The guest house had a road that lead to another mansion. This mansion was located on a hill. (Ref: http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=489485)
The Gillespie Mansion guest house was quite an impressive house. However the Gillespie Mansion guest house was a house of ill repute. It served as a road house during Prohibition in the mid-30s where bootleg liquor and beer were served.
The Gillespie Mansion guest house also served as a gambling hall. This gambling hall operated for decades before being shut down by the family. The Gillespie Mansion guest house burned down in the 60's but was later remodeled.
This large house was used as a restaurant in the mid-70s. This restaurant shut down in 1980 and became a March of Dimes Haunted House. However the March of Dimes Haunted House would not operate for very long as the inside caught on fire in 1981 thus leading the business to shut down immediately. Unsurprisingly this house became abandoned. The house became a hot spot for vandalism and arson. So much illegal activity took place there. Not too surprising since a lot of craziness happened at the home at one time. The Gillespie family sold all the land except the 40 acres that remained as the Gillespie homestead in 1992.
San Antonio citizens still call the guest house the Gillespie Mansion to this day. This is due to the guest house being located on the same property. The guest house was never the Gillespie Mansion.
The property for the Virginia Marie Granados Community Center and Park was donated to the City of San Antonio by the Frank Gillespie and Granados family in 2002. The guest house was used as a city office for a short time before relocating.
On the date of 11/25/2002, Frank Gillespie and Zelime Vance Gillespie had the guest house property deeded to the City of San Antonio. The guest house was used as a city office for a short time before relocating. The guest house became abandoned sometime around 2004. This house sat abandoned for less than a decade. No significant changes, remodeling, or modifications were done to the house after being abandoned. (Ref: http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=489482)
City of San Antonio remodeled the former guest house in 2008. A food-preparation area, meeting room, classrooms, wheelchair-accessible restrooms and an exercise room were installed inside the former guest house. The renovation and remodeling costs were $1,465,346 dollars from a HUD housing grant. (Ref: San Antonio Express-News, New senior center, park coming to S.A., January 11, 2008)
A 5-acre park called Virginia Marie Granados Community Center and Park was later established on the same property with help from San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department in 2008. City of San Antonio remodeled the former Gillespie Mansion guest house in 2008. A food-preparation area, meeting room, classrooms, wheelchair-accessible restrooms and an exercise room were installed inside the former guest house. The renovation and remodeling costs were $1,465,346 dollars from a HUD housing grant. A construction ceremony was held on the date of January 11, 2008. District 1 City Councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros, celebrated the groundbreaking for the renovation of the existing home as an adult and senior citizen activity center. (Ref: San Antonio Express-News, New senior center, park coming to S.A., January 11, 2008)
This senior center has now been renamed to Granados Park Community Senior Center. Granados Park Community Senior Center owned and operated by the City of San Antonio. The former guest house is now owned by the City of San Antonio. (Ref: https://www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec/Parks-Facilities/All-Parks-Facilities/Facility-Details/ArtMID/16234/ArticleID/2639/Granados-Adult-and-Senior-Center?Park=87&Facility=22)
The center is named in memory of Virginia Marie Granados. The senior center was originally named Virginia Marie Granados Senior/Adult Activity Center and Park when first opening to the public. This park has now been renamed and shortened to Granados Park. The park is owned by City of San Antonio and is maintained by San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. (Ref: https://www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec/Parks-Facilities/All-Parks-Facilities/Facility-Details/ArtMID/16234/ArticleID/2639/Granados-Adult-and-Senior-Center?Park=87&Facility=22)
Granados Park Community Senior Center is located at 500 Freiling Drive, San Antonio, Texas, US 78213.
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