Vistana San Antonio
 

I didn't really want to start a whole thread for this, but seeing in how it's been real quite in San Antonio lately, I thought, what the hell.

Anyway, I don't know if many of you have been down town lately but the building located at the corner of Commerce and Santa Rosa has been torn down. This can only mean that the Vistana project will soon get under way. Its weird because only a week ago I passed by the building and it was still being used. I can't wait for this project to be done, it will be a great addition to that part of town.

For those of you who might have forgotten here is a rendering.
http://img328.imageshack.us/img328/2783/vistanaki3.jpg

Cool.Thanks for the update.

I drove by it last week and the entire lot was shut down (buildings closed) and gated. Which made me think they were getting ready to demolish the building.

Does anyone know when construction will actually begin?

Sweet. I can't wait to see this one to go up.

I remember reading somewhere that construction was going to begin in January of '07. Which would make sense since they already started demolition of the buildings. If I find where I read about the construction start date I will post a link.

Really elmariachi? They started demolition of the buildings? They were quick on that; good to know, I'll have to watch the slow construction of this project while attending school. It's really gonna change the area. Every time there's an event at Market Square they close the road and I have to drive right by Vistana's construction site so I should be able to stay updated on this one. Great apartments and great location, it's really gonna change the area. High quality project; I love it!

BTW...is it just the Amegy Bank building they're tearing down? Or does this project move more far east, to also be built over that street and what's on the other side of it?

Vidorra starting construction, Vistana starting construction next month, the Riverwalk expansion (museum reach/north river reach) starting next month and River North becoming a TIRZ.

Fantastic things are just beginning for downtown.

Sorry,I'm a n00b at all this,but what does TIRZ mean?

:shrug:

It's a TIF.

TIRZ stands for: Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.

tax increment reinvestment zone. which pretty much means that developers don't have to pay certain taxes on properties within the established zone. it is to help entice developers to build in an area that the city feels would benefit from such development. vidorra received certain tax breaks and grants because of its proximity to the amtrack rail and the bus terminals.

Also, River North (59 blocks; 150 acres) will be designated mixed-use zoning.

Thanks for the info guys.:cheers:

It'll be amazing to see when the projects start rolling out for River North.

The Vistana heights
 

Thanks to a certain forumer, (you know who you are), I've obtained the heights for The Vistana. Unfortunately, they don't show the entire height, since they don't show the very top height.

The highest height shown is 209 feet, 2 inches. However, measuring the height on a different point and comparing it, it equals 224 feet, and slightly higher than that, maybe by a couple of feet. The 209 foot height on the building is to the bottom of the cylindrical "lattern". Not the entire crown itself, just that cylinder near the very top.

179 feet, 2 inches to the top of the 1st setback in the crown. (First from ground).

The mainroof "floor" is 153 feet, 2 inches high. The parapet, or barrier wall, is 155 feet, 2 inches high.

The top floor, the 14th floor, is 142 feet, 6 inches high.

The 12th floor setback is 125 feet, 0 inches high.

The 11th floor setback is 110 feet, 4 inches high.

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5...istana3ax0.jpg

Not quite. The property does pay taxes but is "reinvested" into that specific area and as more new development is built, the property appraisals go up but the taxes are again reinvested into the area to help pay for improvements, projects and such. That's why it's called a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.

Man this building really does it for me. I can get enough of it. Cant wait to see the finished project. Would have been great if it was 10 more floors. But it will do alot for that area as it is.

Okay i know i will hear it, but i have to say it. I think the building is ugly, i see nothing great about it. It looks old and and thats really about it. That is my honest impression based on the rendering. Maybe it will look a lot better in reality. But i just dont like it, Granted they are building up and doing something with the land, which i think is great, i just think they could have gone withe a better design. The last thing i want to do is start a long drawn out episode about this project, but i just had to say it...


:shrug:

Maybe art deco's not your thing. This building has a great "golden-era Los Angeles or Miami" thing going for it, especially with the pink and rose color scheme and the palm trees. I love it.

Complex, I don't think it's that great either. Maybe it will look better when built, but why is thing so long and blocky. Another low rise brown building for San Antonio, just what we need.

I love it. Heck, I'd love it in Austin. It would look great in Austin's West End.

I think it's pretty cool. SA has a lot of old art deco-ish buildings and this fits in very nicely. So what if it's not tall or modern.

you know... they fucked up the hyatt more than anything with all their damn rules and regulations! i'm not gonna beat my meat over this building... but it beats beating it over an asphalt covered parking lot.

i don't love it, but i am happy that something new is happening1!

You spoke what all of us were thinking...lol. But I'm still glad we are getting something from the Hyatt even if it is our Wall. This can be our Deco-Box.

I believe they are beginning to assemble a crane on the southeastern end of the block. The steel base is up already.

Check out the live camera for Vistana. Hit “view” when it opens up. The tower crane is scheduled to go up the third week in july. Rain is slowing process...

http://76.228.88.17

that is way too cool

Crane is going up today. Check out the web cam.

Ah that is very kewl...

do you know if they are going to put up a camera for vidorra

From a different prespective. I likes it...

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...4ever7/Vis.jpg

took these yesterday...
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_017.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_016.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_015.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_012.jpg


i got 13 more or so on vistana to post but i gotta go to the gym really quick.... i have new ones for vistana, vidorra, grand hyatt and a little surprise thread... gonna have to wait...???

thanks, matt

is this building going to make a impact on our skyline

Not from far away, but you will definately be able to see it from the 10/35 freeway.

here are the other photos of the crane at vistana... gotta start on vidorra's photos now... enjoy!!!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_011.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_018.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_020.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_021.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_022.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_023.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_024.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_025.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_026.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_027.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_028.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_029.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...072907_030.jpg

Have Cross and Co. disclosed when redevelopment of the stalled project at Broadway and 12th?

Will this be visible from I-35 and I-37? I assumed it wouldn't be since it'll be on the other side of downtown. There sure are a lot of buildings between that view.

Great to see that the crane is up. I love this building. Can't wait to see it.

They have updated their website to include floor plans and more renderings!

http://www.thevistana.com/

Sweet!

Is this going to be 17 floors and not 14? By looking at the floorplans it seems that way. The units on floor 13 are two floors and the tower unit which would be floor 15 is three floors. Anybody know for sure?

....wow.....absolutely amazing..

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1594/vistanatr6.png

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9889/vistana0dw4.png

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/5972/vistana4yq0.png

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/4490/vistana2gb8.png

That yellow really does stand out in these renderings. Ah not all the spaces have balconies, they are the best part...

I wish they got rid of thatnasty brown and yellow and had the whole building look like the tower portion...oh well still nice

...but then that would look like what they are building in Austin... I love the colors, very art deco, and Im sure the colors will be better looking in person than on a rendering. Love this structure, going to be very exciting to see it complete! Im just glad it doesn't look like every other urban highrise going up in the state right now!

Which is better than what's being built in SA. And anyway there isn't really a building in austin that looks like this u/c right now at all? So i don't understand your comment.

I just wish it had more of that bad ass chromed out look that is has on top..all over...The puke orange and yellow takes some points off but its still pretty cool.

21blowed: Yuck! If the entire building looked like the crown and higher floors, it'd just look like another suburban 410 building. Yuck yuck yuck! Those colors give it a unique look and not just another generic suburban mid/highrise.

I agree. I love the colors of the building.

Im referring to the fact that its not all glass....All glass gets old IMO. The Colors...once again are computer colors...not actual colors. I like them anyway. They are about the same colors as the Tower Life building actually and it doesn't seem that there are a ton of people on here calling the tower life building's colors "ugly" or "gross". Im glad SA developers are distinguishing their designs from other projects in the state. Vistana WILL stand the test of time in its design as the glass structures with no REAL architectural interest will age and fade into history as uninteresting and bland. This is in IMO of course.

Is it just me or does the Vistana resemble this other building in DT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonleggett/1064154555/