Walter Mischer, one of Houston’s best-known real estate developers and banking investors over the past generation, died yesterday at the age of 83 after a long illness. The Houston Chronicle story on Mr. Mischer’s life is here.
Mr. Mischer’s most interesting venture was his acquisition in the 1970’s of the town of Lajitas, near the Big Bend National Park on the southwest Texas border with Mexico. Mr. Mischer initially planned to develop Lajitas into a Palm Springs-type resort, but the remoteness of the location ultimately undermined that plan. Nevertheless, Lajitas over the years has developed into a unique getaway spot in one of the most beautiful areas of the nation.