SAN ANTONIO | Thompson Hotel and Residences | 314 FEET | 20 FLOORS | U/C - Page 7

AwesomeSAView · #**121** Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 2:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

Comment of the Year

DUMB COMMENT OF THE YEAR!

wwmiv · #**122** Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 2:23 AM**

I actually love this design.

JACKinBeantown · #**123** Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 1:17 PM**

^^ Either way I'm honored.

I give the overall design a 6 out of 10. The fact that there is no ground level retail takes it down to a 4.

Sigaven · #**124** Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 3:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Woof.

This thing is a discombobulated mess of a building with multiple intersecting shapes that don't play well with one another at all. That weird glass dome thing going up the side, the boxes of windows within other boxes. Curves meeting sharp angles in weird ways.

This is just a building that looks awkward from almost every angle.

The street level interaction is really nice. But everything else is just a mess of ideas with no cohesion at all.

I was thinking the same thing. I like the facade at the bottom with the "undulating" squares, it's a nice texture. But the rest of the building above is pretty blah and boring. Huge flat wall, reminiscent of the Hyatt (but less nice looking). Stucco wall with too many control joints. A huge blank spot at the top. Glass cones that make no sense with the rest of the building. The building doesn't even know what it's trying to be.

Sorry I'm being such an architecture critic but I guess that's part of the reason I read these forums - to appreciate new architecture that's going up.

Anyway, like someone else said in this thread, at least it's better than a parking lot.

jaga185 · #**125** Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 4:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I was thinking the same thing. I like the facade at the bottom with the "undulating" squares, it's a nice texture. But the rest of the building above is pretty blah and boring. Huge flat wall, reminiscent of the Hyatt (but less nice looking). Stucco wall with too many control joints. A huge blank spot at the top. Glass cones that make no sense with the rest of the building. The building doesn't even know what it's trying to be.

Sorry I'm being such an architecture critic but I guess that's part of the reason I read these forums - to appreciate new architecture that's going up.

Anyway, like someone else said in this thread, at least it's better than a parking lot.

Your analysis is perfect.

Fryguy · #**126** Posted **Jan 31, 2018, 10:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

^^ Either way I'm honored.

I give the overall design a 6 out of 10. The fact that there is no ground level retail takes it down to a 4.

Not everything has to have ground retail, a prime example of that would be the Vistana – many of those spots have been empty since it opened.

JACKinBeantown · #**127** Posted **Feb 1, 2018, 12:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fryguy

Not everything has to have ground retail, a prime example of that would be the Vistana – many of those spots have been empty since it opened.

But they're there, they planned ahead. And when Frost opens and has five ground level retail spaces and hundreds of people working in the building, suddenly the neighborhood will be thriving on a different level, and because those retail outlets are in Vistana they will get new and/or better tenants and be part of a thriving neighborhood. That wouldn't be possible if they weren't there in the first place. Then other buildings will be built in what is suddenly a desirable location and if done properly they will add more retail to the area thus making it even better and more inviting for humans. So yes, in an urban area, as a general rule (with exceptions of course) every building should have ground level retail when possible.

I spent some time in a co-working space in Cambridge today. It was in a building that had been vacant for thirty years. Then a couple years ago they renovated and put the work space in and now it's thriving. If that space hadn't been there in the first place it would just be another uninviting block a la downtown Houston. And I think pretty much everyone knows what I mean when I compare something to downtown Houston.

Go, Vistana! Great job including the ground level retail. Others, please do the same.

Fryguy · #**128** Posted **Feb 1, 2018, 2:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

But they're there, they planned ahead. And when Frost opens and has five ground level retail spaces and hundreds of people working in the building, suddenly the neighborhood will be thriving on a different level, and because those retail outlets are in Vistana they will get new and/or better tenants and be part of a thriving neighborhood. That wouldn't be possible if they weren't there in the first place. Then other buildings will be built in what is suddenly a desirable location and if done properly they will add more retail to the area thus making it even better and more inviting for humans. So yes, in an urban area, as a general rule (with exceptions of course) every building should have ground level retail when possible.

I spent some time in a co-working space in Cambridge today. It was in a building that had been vacant for thirty years. Then a couple years ago they renovated and put the work space in and now it's thriving. If that space hadn't been there in the first place it would just be another uninviting block a la downtown Houston. And I think pretty much everyone knows what I mean when I compare something to downtown Houston.

Go, Vistana! Great job including the ground level retail. Others, please do the same.

Well, let's remember Vistana was forced by HDRC. And I meant some areas are meant to be strictly residential or strictly commercial, and not multipurpose. That area, where Vistana is, is meant to be strictly one over the other. The apartment complex I live in doesn't need a restaurant or grocery store, there are areas for that always designed in the planning and development, not thrown in last minute as new plans "dictate" in accordance to other's view.

Spoiler · #**129** Posted **Feb 1, 2018, 2:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fryguy

And I meant some areas are meant to be strictly residential or strictly commercial, and not multipurpose. That area, where Vistana is, is meant to be strictly one over the other.

That is strictly not the case.

Fryguy · #**130** Posted **Feb 1, 2018, 3:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoiler

That is strictly not the case.

I myself walked out of Jumanji feeling the need for more comedy in my life.

Fryguy · #**131** Posted **Feb 1, 2018, 4:11 AM**

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...tml#g/428340/2

JACKinBeantown · #**132** Posted **Feb 1, 2018, 2:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fryguy

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...tml#g/428340/2

(like button)

From the article: "This project will be the most important and significant architectural improvement to our skyline in decades, and it's about time we had something that will help San Antonio keep its cool," Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert said.

Um... have you seen what Frost Tower will look like, Mr. Calvert?