I like it. But I feel like it doesn't fit the area. It looks like it has a parking garage in the back and that it belongs in either Stone Oak or out towards Boerne somewhere.

I agree. That said, I think they had major budgetary constraints with this project.

Very true, but still disappointing that this major project wasn't given the proper funding.

What I have really become tired with is the denigration of the old courthouse (the Confluence Theatre) by both the Rivard Report and (especially) the Express News. Is it time for a replacement? Yes. But at least it had PRESENCE. You could tell it was an important building, and I really hope it finds a third life.

Rivard has his agenda, just like the Express News. I'm fine with the old courthouse being torn down if that's the ultimate direction. That plot of land presents a lot of opportunity for some great design.

They're building that tiny building on that huge lot in downtown San Antonio?! What a waste of space.

https://media.giphy.com/media/Ob7p7lDT99cd2/giphy.gif
https://media.giphy.com/media/Ob7p7lDT99cd2/giphy.gif

AND there is nothing one can do about it, but complain! :cheers:

GO SPURS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheers:

It's going to look fantastic next to San Pedro Creek.

That changes quite a bit actually ^^^^^

I think it’s an attractive design.

You need lots of space for all the surface parking!

That creek side will look nice though.

Very disappointing. No different than that of something found off 1604.

Three words:

Security. Risk. Management.

This is MUCH better than you'll find out on 1604, with a vastly superior design, plays to the local vernacular rather than just being "any city USA" and we should expect the federal government to foot the bill for a local project (e.g. the interaction with the river should and will be payed for by local governmental entities and nonprofits as part of the larger redevelopment of San Pedro Creek). Having green space around the building is actually quite nice in an urban core that is almost entirely still devoid of large public parks. Try to see the positives in things, people, rather than just focusing on the negatives (negatives that I just can't see with this project anyway).

edit: wrong thread.

Totally agree!!!:cheers:
It is going to look awesome!!!!

I vastly disagree. It plays so well with San Pedro Creek and I’d have to think they designed it with that key element in mind. The water, the walk ways, the trees, etc. it also seems the land to the west of the building will be very park like in nature as well. I like it.

It is my understanding that the feds are no longer pursuing improvements to the creek and that they're leaving that to the city and county. In general, though, I do agree that this will be a courthouse in a park. I like that.

I’m not sure I understand. The San Pedro Creek improvement/revitalization was always a city/county funded project. Maybe the creek was talked with this courthouse about before the county decided to improve the entire urban stretch. But the SPC will be improved adjacent to the courthouse.

You can't go to a meeting and voice your opinion about how your tax dollars are spent? I can.

But I'm confused about this one. This looks great, but if it's on San Pedro Creek, it's clearly not on the huge lot at 214 W. Nueva. Are there two buildings in play here?

It most definitely is being built on that big block of land. The San Pedro Creek abuts that piece of land.

Definitely! This is the picturesque view they should have shown off from the very beginning. It would certainly have assuaged all the previous misgivings about how it's fortress-like architecture had been delayed, redesigned, and scaled-back.

The federal government's original plan was to pitch in for the redevelopment of the creek in that section during construction of the courthouse. IIRC, because of funding constraints they are no longer doing that.

Please tell me where you are able to go to a meeting complaining about how your FEDERAL tax dollars are spent anywhere in this country and then actually have anything changed about the way it is being spent. Local and state dollars, sure... Federal dollars are much harder to do anything about unless they're transfer down funds (I.E. being spend by the local or state government in direction of the federal government), which these aren't.

Well, that section (and phase) have funding, so it’s irrelevant now.

You're right.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/La...!4d-98.4889019

The landscaping next to the creek looks really nice, but I think otherwise such a huge piece of land would be better utilized with a building that houses more. What will people think about that issue in 30 years or more when downtown San Antonio looks more like downtown Austin or Houston?

Was the 30 year comment supposed to be exaggerated humor?

That deserves another :???:

No, it was a comment on (my) projection of SA's potential population in 30 or more years and the effect it will have on land value in human-use terms. Let's say the metro population is 4 million in 30 years and the trend of people moving back into the city continues... buildings will go up, not out, due to supply and demand. Land will be valuable monetarily too, and the need for courthouse space will inevitably rise. Who knows. But on the flip side, it's always nice to have some open public space in a downtown, so there is that.

They might be happy that there was green space preserved for citizens to enjoy.

Yes, see my above comment please. :cheers:

But thirty years to have downtowns like those two cities? In what sense? Also, why such a long time frame? The core has greatly changed in the last five years alone. Thirty years, twenty years, ten years... who even knows.

30 years is VERY exaggerated, but to be fair, Jack doesn't live here & see what is going on here day to day.

https://i.pinimg.com/236x/0e/80/0e/0...8722cce212.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/0e/80/0e/0...8722cce212.jpg

Wasn't meant to put you down Jack, by any means, just saying there is so much more going on here than what is on these forums. & sometimes you just have to see it to fully gage it.

^^ Like button.

View from Nueva
https://i.imgur.com/1n3sNOP.jpg

What's going to happen to the old court house?

nobody knows!

The old court house needs to be torn down. It is absolutely disgusting. The bathrooms, the asbestos, the mold, it's not salvageable. I have had to be in that building a few days for work, and it's GROSS. I feel bad for the permanent staff on site. :uhh:

And I disagree. The building is a fine example of mid-century design and is one of the only remaining iconic pieces from Hemisfair.

Has it been maintained? No, but that isn't a reason for tearing it down. The Pearl's buildings were in worse shape, but they were restored and repurposed. The theatre's structure is sound, the design is good, and the historical significance is high.

I don't know what you are talking about with regard to the Pearl. Majority of the existing buildings at the Pearl were demolished; much of the add-ons, such as the inside of the Emma Hotel, are fake old. None of it was ever real. The Pearl Stable, however, was real. So, that's something. lol

Seems a bit hyperbolic to describe a currently occupied federal courthouse as not salvageable. People on this forum used to say the same thing about the Hedrick building, with more justification.

I walked by the courthouse today. The '68 apartment building right next to it looks nice and has tenants now. The rest of Hemisfair park still looks like a bombed-out abandoned city with weird sculptures everywhere.

It's not. I worked there. I have friends that work there. It's horrible. And it stinks to high Heaven.

Not all buildings, especially government buildings, are worthy just because they are occupied. This new courthouse is years, maybe decades, overdue.

The Brewhouse (Emma) at the Pearl wasn't torn down. Yes, the interior was completely gutted, but that happens with most historical repurposing.

The problem with the courthouse is two-fold: 1. It was never designed as a courthouse, and 2. It has never been maintained. Repurposing (or restoring it back to its original function) would fix both problems.

Spoiler mentioned the Hedrick building as an example of a structure in worse shape. Look also at what they did with the Savoy Building on Houston Street. Yes, old doesn't necessarily mean historic, but I think it would be a shame to tear down the old "courthouse" just because it wasn't maintained.

My biggest fear is what would replace the building - wood framed apartments? While many of these new apartment buildings we see sprout up around downtown currently look nice on the outside, their design, quality, and method of construction is not meant to last.

Yes, wooden apartments are not built to last longer than about a decade or so. I live in Regufio Place and the apartment is not that great. If we tore down the courthouse. I would want them to propose something grand. It doesn't have to be tall. But I feel an 8 story apartment building with retail facing Cesar, with wonderful architecture would do wonders for this spot. If we kept it, we would need to build something towards the street, a plaza of sorts, that brings people in. I feel an amphitheater would be great, but again, it needs to connect to the street.

Every frontage of Cesar should have apts with retail that are well done to create an interesting streetscape. This should feel like the entry point for downtown. With Alamo and Cesar being a major intersection we build towards.

There's several original brewery buildings at the Pearl that were repurposed besides the Stables. The building Cured is some old administrative offices from around 1900, part of hotel Emma is the original 1890s brew house that has appeared on cans of Pearl beer for years, the 1930s era old garage/motor pool building at Avenue A/Grayson is offices now. The Full Goods building is technically a repurposed building as well, though it's basically unrecognizable from the plain 1970s metal frame warehouse it used to be. I guess you could also count the old Liberty Bar building as well that they're in the process of moving and fixing (not really willing to give them full credit here, that building was such a landmark on its old corner, plus they've now had it up on blocks for years, probably robbing its ground floor of its unique slant) Next time you're at Schilo's check out the panoramic photo of the old brewery on the wall and you'll recognize a lot.

Edit: Also the little old house the Granary is in.

https://i.imgur.com/le1sGwp.jpg
Federal Courthouse Construction by Raul Medina III, on Flickr

Didn't realize this was so far along, I never go down Santa Rosa. It'll look really nice from the creek. Thank god we got this going before Trump's "all new federal buildings must be neoclassical" edict kicked in :barf:

I kind of would have been here for that. But I'm happy we are getting this regardless.

Take a look inside the modern federal courthouse now open in downtown San Antonio

https://sanantonioreport.org/take-a-...n-san-antonio/

The last of 300 employees began relocating Saturday into the new federal courthouse on West Nueva Street.

The move takes them from a windowless, repurposed rotunda and other aging buildings at Hemisfair to a modern, custom building in scale with the massive judicial district it serves. In recent weeks, nine federal judges and the probation and pretrial employees have set up shop in the new facility.

The building itself looks nice. The sign out front, the first thing you see, looks like 1968 Bulgaria.

https://i0.wp.com/sanantonioreport.o...g?w=2560&ssl=1
https://sanantonioreport.org/take-a-...n-san-antonio/