The building itself isn't that bad. It could be better. The most obvious problem is it doesn't fit with the Joskee's building at it's base.
This building would do better across from the Hilton Palacio Del Rio or next to Rivercenter.
Another problem is the idea of adding more rooms to the downtown market. There have already been a number of foreclosures because existing hotels have not been able to get enough room revenue to pay their debts (17% tax and $20 parking don't help).
So they weren't able to do anything else with the space? Not a good sign for retail downtown.
Wouldn't this be a good space for the Institute of Texan Cultures? Now, I don't know what they actually have there anymore, how much space and what they do with it. Not to mention the complexity of exchanging properties, but the proximity to other attractions would cetainly help them, I would think. They could give their old property to the city/hemisfair and the city could give an equal amount of property on market & alamo to the mall owners (if they're really serious about building a hotel).
What?
I've heard crazier ideas.
