A piece of land that goes back eight generations could be impacted once again if Highway 83 in southern Zapata County expands.

The home on El Milagro Ranch has been here for nearly a century.

"More than likely it's going to be demolished,” Rene Ramirez said.

The property is 1,200 acres, but it used to be more than double its current size.

Ramirez said over the years, land from the property has been taken to make way for public projects.

Ramirez and his wife, Suzanne, said they’ve put a lot into the property and home.

“When my father passed away, we felt obligated to restore, revitalize the ranch,” Ramirez said. “So we put a lot of work into it."

Ramirez expressed concerns for the upcoming project from the Texas Department of Transportation that aims to turn the four-lane highway into a divided four lane route from the Starr County line to the Webb County line.

The project is slated to start in 2027.

"With that divide, that's going to put the edge of the right of way that would run right across the front door of the house,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said he learned about the plan in April 2024, after much of the work they put into the property. 

Channel 5 News reached out to TxDOT was told the agency has been in contact with Ramirez and is looking at alternatives.

Ramirez said his family previously gave up some of their property years ago so utility poles to provide electricity to Zapata County could be built there.

Decades ago, original Spanish land grant owners gave up land to build Falcon Dam.

"But when Lake Falcon was built in the early 1950s, the family was forced to relocate, and relocate to higher ground, which is this spot here,” Ramirez said. 

The creation of the Falcon Dam led to the need to build what became Highway 83, in front of Ramirez’s home.

“Only about 12 years ago they expanded Highway 83 from two lanes to four lanes, and so here we are only a dozen years later,” Ramirez said.

Now, these descendants of the family line are faced with another possible change.

Watch the video above for the full story.