SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Oh god. The back... it's so ugly I think I'm going to die.

[JACKinBeantown]

I'm glad others agree. I didn't want to be the only naysayer. I think the new structure clashes with the old towers in the front. But I DO think it's a great use of space on the interior and is something that will certainly help San Antonio's cultural groups.

[sirkingwilliam]

I gotta disagree with. I like the way it looks, esp at night. The first design for the center was boring as all heck.

The second design was better.

But this final design stands out and makes the building unique. I like that. Like the main library.

BTW, here's the second design:

[JACKinBeantown]

The back is definitely better than the front.

[miaht82]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

The back is definitely better than the front.

Great..... we have a "butter" face Performing Arts Center.

[kornbread]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

I gotta disagree with. I like the way it looks, esp at night. The first design for the center was boring as all heck.

The second design was better.

But this final design stands out and makes the building unique. I like that. Like the main library.

Standing out and unique does not necessarily equal attractive. The main library should have been the green light for San Antonio buildings to break out of their sand castle mode. In this case with the facade coming into play they were certainly restricted.

My biggest problem is the majority of the building is covered with something that is generally reserved for concealing parking garages, water tanks or utility structures. That basically says this is ugly and should be covered. It's too overwhelming; no imagination. It's like a monolith on the riverwalk. Can you imagine walking by that?

It will certainly glow at night; we should get to see a nice ballet between bat and bug. I know the back of the building was certainly a challenge, but there should be better ways to solve this: Build around it; install some type of public art; vary the outside some. I guess they ran out of time.

[WorldTexas]

The short term plan for the space across from Main Plaza is a food truck space, but it sounds like the owner would like to see residential there in the long term.

Food truck court in the works for Wolfson site
Posted on 09/19/2012 by Benjamin Olivo

Carter said he prefers constructing Brownstone houses like what you would find on the East Coast. But, he said, at this point that that’s just one of many possibilities.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...-wolfson-site/

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by miaht82

Great..... we have a "butter" face Performing Arts Center.

Like button

[sirkingwilliam]

KGBTexas is relocating their HQ from the north side to the Pearl.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni...ocate-its.html

[UrbanTrance]

I hope that there is still some talk about that parking garage and mixed use development for the Tobin Center.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...030.php#page-2

[JoninATX]

Pearl Brewery Update





http://sanantoniorealestate365.com/c...-at-the-pearl/

[sirkingwilliam]

The redevelopment of Rivercenter Mall is finally back on with some note worthy changes. Rivercenter Mall is dropping the use of mall from its name. Signs reading Rivercenter Mall will be changed to read just "Rivercenter". Good branding move IMO.

The currently empty Joske's building (550,000 square feet) will be turned into a new retail development called The Shops at Rivercenter and will be part of the greater Rivercenter.

Confirmed tenants will include Armani Exchange, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Dave and Busters, Apple Store, Lego Store, Five Guys, It'sugar, Froyo Yogurt.

[adtobias]

There is a building downtown near a part of the River Walk. by the Westin Center that is vacant. That is some prime property.Wonder why that has not been turned into some condos. Any clues.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by adtobias

There is a building downtown near a part of the River Walk. by the Westin Center that is vacant. That is some prime property.Wonder why that has not been turned into some condos. Any clues.

How is that lot zoned? If not residential, condos can't be built on it.

[Spoiler]

Originally Posted by adtobias

There is a building downtown near a part of the River Walk. by the Westin Center that is vacant. That is some prime property.Wonder why that has not been turned into some condos. Any clues.

I bet you're talking about this building.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll...6.88,,0,-14.89

It's a ten-story office building that was built in the 1920's. A modernist veneer got attached to two sides of it at some point. It remains vacant because the owner does not want to develop it, he wants to sell it for a very, very high price.

It would be a shame if the building was knocked down. There aren't very many buildings like it in San Antonio anymore.

Same guy also owns the building right next to it.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll...,0,-10.81&z=18

[adtobias]

Yes that one. What was the last place of business that was in that building.

[Spoiler]

Originally Posted by adtobias

Yes that one. What was the last place of business that was in that building.

Here's a little more info.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...ed-until-july/

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...ck-buil-1.html

Both articles are from 2008. Apparently nothing has happened since then.

Here's an informative thread on the subject.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=152826

[SAguy]

From San Antonio Business Journal:

San Antonio has 'Mass Appeal'
San Antonio leaders believe visitors will flock to a more populated downtown
DAN R. GODDARD is a San Antonio-based freelance writer.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni....html?page=all


“We have about 1,000 new apartments being built around the Pearl Brewery and another 252 new mixed-income apartments at the Cevallos Lofts,” Houston says. “It’s important to have a good mix of units for different income levels. We want more affordable housing for people who work downtown and want to walk or ride their bike to their workplace.”

City Council has assisted in the creation of 2,463 housing units that represent a total investment of $349.8 million, Houston says. Since its adoption of the Inner City Reinvestment Infill Policy, Council has authorized $34.7 million in incentives for 11 housing developments, representing a 1-to-10 ratio of public to private investment.

For example, City Council approved a $5 million incentive package for NRP Group’s $42 million Blue Star Arts Complex development. That incentive package includes a $2.3 million tax abatement, a $750,000 property tax rebate and a $1.28 million economic development grant. That residential development is expected to be completed by fall 2014 and will add 320 new residential units to the center city landscape.

Houston says city leaders want to make it clear with these incentives that “San Antonio is serious about developing downtown housing.”

Houston adds, “We’re already No. 1 in tourism in the state, but having a more livable downtown should make us even more appealing to visitors and make them want to stay longer.” San Antonio’s planners looked at what other cities are spending as part of Castro’s SA 2020 initiative. For example, since the 1970s San Diego has leveraged $1.5 billion in public investments into $12.8 billion in private development, transforming its downtown.

Cincinnati has invested $319 million into key downtown neighborhoods during the past seven years, while St. Louis has generated $4.5 billion in private investments.

[jeffreininger]

Originally Posted by Spoiler

Here's a little more info.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...ed-until-july/

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...ck-buil-1.html

Both articles are from 2008. Apparently nothing has happened since then.

Here's an informative thread on the subject.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=152826

Watch KSAT news tonight (11-01-12) at 10pm for an update regarding the eyesore that is the Hedrick Building. Hopefully this report will drum up some new interest in this property and finally get the ball moving to develop this long forgotten area.

[WorldTexas]

I was up in Austin for F1 this weekend and my buddies and I were commenting on the lack of students living in our downtown, and then this popped up yesterday!

I think this is exactly what the city and UTSA needs to attract more high quality students. It should also help spur some more activity around Cattleman's Square.

City mulling downtown ‘student village’
Posted on 11/20/2012 by Benjamin Olivo

...
Downtown can support the addition of 775-1,100 of those students over the next 10 years. Assuming an average of two students per unit, that translates to 388-550 new units.
...
The best place for this new development is the western edge of downtown, the report concludes, because of its proximity to UTSA’s downtown campus and the West Side Multimodal Center.

The first development is envisioned as 3-4 stories and costing $17 million. The second would be 4-5 stories, costing $33.4 million.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...udent-village/

My only question, why put it in two 3-5 story buildings instead of in one 7-9 floor building like they're doing up in Austin?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=193138

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=193755