San Antonio | Presidio Tower | 25 FLOORS

[KevinFromTexas]

This deserves its own thread. Maybe with it having its own thread we can find more info about it.


http://www.sprinkleco.com/presidio.html

PRESIDIO TOWER

This 25-story condominium project will contain the full amenities necessary to accommodate a high-end project such as this. These include a concierge, parking, a top-level restaurant/lounge and a private rooftop pool and garden area. The site is a small parcel in downtown San Antonio that will be connected to the Riverwalk through the smaller existing mixed-use project called Presidio Plaza. The design features balconies, pergolas and materials that are indicative of the materials commonly used in this area but combined into a modern composition.

http://www.sprinkleco.com/presidio.html

[KevinFromTexas]

Where would this be exactly? At what intersection?

[Boquillas]

On the corner of E. Commerce and Navarro. The view in the render is looking W/SW. It'll be in the lot immediately to the right of the buildings shown here (my photo). This is looking north.



The building in the center is currently the Law Offices of Pat Maloney.

[miaht82]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Where would this be exactly? At what intersection?

This pic shows that lot a little better.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Google street view to the rescue!

[KevinFromTexas]

Cool. Thanks guys. That intersection gets a good amount of foot traffic. I hope they wrap this building with retail.

[imthrowed94]

When are they going to bulid it

[jaga185]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Cool. Thanks guys. That intersection gets a good amount of foot traffic. I hope they wrap this building with retail.

That's what I said in the other thread, this is a prime location for a grocery store. Hopefully Castro will put the incentives he was proposing into this building.

[necropolis]

At least this building didn't have to compete w/ historic designations unlike the propsed one a block up...unless the hdrc finds that the parking lot was paved w/ ultra special, no longer made, asphalt hahaha. Hopefully this building gets off the ground and shows others that (hopefully the downtown incentives are employed) w/ incentives, buildings other than hotels downtown is a feasible goal.

[tgannaway89]

Originally Posted by necropolis

At least this building didn't have to compete w/ historic designations unlike the propsed one a block up...unless the hdrc finds that the parking lot was paved w/ ultra special, no longer made, asphalt hahaha. Hopefully this building gets off the ground and shows others that (hopefully the downtown incentives are employed) w/ incentives, buildings other than hotels downtown is a feasible goal.

It is in a "historic" district so it will still face the HDRC. I bet this building is looking at a lengthy approval process... The proposed hotel was not approved because:

"The character of San Antonio's unique downtown is in part due to the juxtaposition of small and large buildings. The small buildings reinforce the pedestrian scale of the block and allow for light and air at the street and river level."

The HDRC is probably not thrilled about the idea of a 25-story (which would probably be one the 10 tallest) building going up.

[miaht82]

Originally Posted by tgannaway89

It is in a "historic" district so it will still face the HDRC. I bet this building is looking at a lengthy approval process... The proposed hotel was not approved because:

"The character of San Antonio's unique downtown is in part due to the juxtaposition of small and large buildings. The small buildings reinforce the pedestrian scale of the block and allow for light and air at the street and river level."

The HDRC is probably not thrilled about the idea of a 25-story (which would probably be one the 10 tallest) building going up.

It was approved 3 years ago. jaga185 first posted about it then and this was the pic for the 300 foot concept as it was presented to the HDRC.

Commission OKs high-rise concept for Planet Hollywood site

Web Posted: 02/21/2007 11:36 PM CST

Scott Huddleston
Express-News

The city's Historic and Design Review Commission gave conceptual approval to a 300-foot high-rise that could replace the downtown complex that once housed Planet Hollywood.
The four-story Rio Plaza, formerly called Presidio Plaza, functions well at the River Walk level as a dining and retail complex, and is a "handsome building," Andrés Andújar, architecture leader with 3D/I, told the commission on Wednesday.


But it's uninviting to visitors, with a parking lot facing Commerce Street, and isn't performing well at street level or above. Working with the owner, Rio Plaza LP, 3D/I has studied designs for a hotel-condo complex that would stand 165 feet, 200 feet or 300 feet high.

This was the request:

HDRC CASE NO: 2007-50

Address: 245 E. Commerce Street

REQUEST:

1) Demolish an exisiting non-historic structure in the RIO District (Rio Plaza/Planet Hollywood)

2)Contrcut a new high rise with hotel, retail, meeting rooms, parking and residential (optional).

At the time, they wanted to demo the existing structure, the old Planet Hollywood, and it was approved.
These were the words of a commision chairman at the time, someone who is still on the board today.

Commission members raised concerns about aesthetics from street level, but gave their blessing to the concept.

"I'm supportive of the 300-foot project that I think really speaks to the future," said Xavier Gonzalez, commission chairman.

and others

"Let's go do it. Let's rehab downtown," member Mark Wohlfarth said.

Now they just want to build on the parking lot next to it. However, the concept of a 300 foot structure has been approved for that site and since then, this is the design that they have come up for that site. This is years ahead of the "fish market" hotel; a concept hasn't been approved yet.
So we could see it alot sooner than we think.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by HDRC

"The character of San Antonio's unique downtown is in part due to the juxtaposition of small and large buildings. The small buildings reinforce the pedestrian scale of the block and allow for light and air at the street and river level."

If anything, tall buildings create more wind since they help to channel it. It's kind of like putting your thumb over the nozzle of a garden hose.

[UrbanTrance]

Originally Posted by miaht82

It was approved 3 years ago. jaga185 first posted about it then and this was the pic for the 300 foot concept as it was presented to the HDRC.



This was the request:


At the time, they wanted to demo the existing structure, the old Planet Hollywood, and it was approved.
These were the words of a commision chairman at the time, someone who is still on the board today.


and others



Now they just want to build on the parking lot next to it. However, the concept of a 300 foot structure has been approved for that site and since then, this is the design that they have come up for that site. This is years ahead of the "fish market" hotel; a concept hasn't been approved yet.
So we could see it alot sooner than we think.

So this building is 300 feet? That's good because I was expecting a little lower and thought maybe it could be decent height. I'd say the next few proposed buildings downtown need to be more than 200 feet(hopefully). Can't wait to see this get started.

[max7]

I like the building's design. However, I think there are too many International Style buildings. I want to see more buildings in San Antonio along the lines of The Renaissance Tower in Dallas, The Frost Tower in Austin, and the Heritage Plaza in Houston. I think this is more the trend domestically as well as internationally. Its like using the analogy of a birthday cake without the candles on top. The candles on top are what makes a landmark building in my opinion. Even what you would put on a cake itself makes a cake more aesthetically pleasing such as the frosting and the icing on a cake which would represent the exterior of a building as in this case with the Presidio Building which they have done very well. And to get a better perspective, this building would be about 5 stories taller than the Frost Building here in downtown San Antonio.

[Dom"n"Converse]

I don't think it's possible for those types of buildings to be built in downtown, the HDRC banned mirrored glass panels awhile back.

[max7]

The glass is not what I am talking about, however, it is a shame that glass exterior skyscrapers CANNOT be built in DOWNTOWN San Antonio. What I am talking about is what the Renaissance Tower in Dallas, the Frost Tower in Austin, and Heritage Plaza in Houston all have in common and that's what's on top of them adding to the distinction of a skyline. For example, it could either a feature or a crown on top of a building.

Examples:

Dallas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Tower_(Dallas))

Austin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost_Bank_Tower

Houston:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Plaza

[jaga185]

Oh snap, it is the same proposal! I definitely agree with Miah, all that needs approval now is the design right, is there another step after architectural approval?

[KevinFromTexas]

Wouldn't it still need approval from city council? We don't have a historic design board in Austin, but stuff always goes through the zoning/planning commission first, and then gets final approval from city council.

[Lando]

Originally Posted by max7

I like the building's design. However, I think there are too many International Style buildings. I want to see more buildings in San Antonio along the lines of The Renaissance Tower in Dallas, The Frost Tower in Austin, and the Heritage Plaza in Houston. I think this is more the trend domestically as well as internationally. Its like using the analogy of a birthday cake without the candles on top. The candles on top are what makes a landmark building in my opinion. Even what you would put on a cake itself makes a cake more aesthetically pleasing such as the frosting and the icing on a cake which would represent the exterior of a building as in this case with the Presidio Building which they have done very well. And to get a better perspective, this building would be about 5 stories taller than the Frost Building here in downtown San Antonio.

The Weston Center is somewhat of a landmark with its open box like structure on top.

I understand what you're saying but I think a crown like structure on top of a building would be better ona a building taller than this proposal. I would say at least 400+ feet to make an impact and a landmark building IMO.

[tgannaway89]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Wouldn't it still need approval from city council? We don't have a historic design board in Austin, but stuff always goes through the zoning/planning commission first, and then gets final approval from city council.

It is likely already properly zoned and platted. It may not take long to get off the ground.