SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 234

maxus · #**4661** Posted **Jun 26, 2016, 5:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rynetwo

https://sanantonio.legistar.com/Legi...tions=&Search=

Thanks!

Paul in S.A TX · #**4662** Posted **Jun 26, 2016, 5:17 AM**

http://www.base-4.com/portfolio/dual...-suites-home2/

kornbread · #**4663** Posted **Jun 26, 2016, 2:34 PM**

So that's the old Solo Serve building site. This only includes that building which was already given the green light to be demolished.
It's 9 stories on river level and 8 street side.

The street view doesn't seem to match the scale of the space (to me)
(Google map view of Solo Serve site)
The distance occupied on Soledad St. is about 200'.

(Is the guy across the street from the building taking a picture

)

This isn't a bad looking building. It similar to some of the recent additions (generic?), and it would remove that building and make use of space that has been empty for years.

Obviously we don't know if this is something that will ever happen, but if they did go forward I would consider it another lost opportunity for a prime location (like the proposed parking garage near the Westin). This would be a great site for some future residential, considering all the recent activity on Houston Street.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**4664** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 1:32 PM**

Wow, even worse than the last proposal for that site. It's like a mini version of the horrible Embassy Suites. I wouldn't be so bent out of shape about this, but being the location of the former Veramindi Palace, it is such a significant site. It deserves better.

The Model · #**4665** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 2:34 PM**

From the riverwalk side, I'm ok with it. From the Soledad street side it's awful. This is what I'm worried about. It is happening in Austin. These big hotel chains building their brands in downtown areas, extra tall, but extra boring, with no design at all.

kornbread · #**4666** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Model

From the riverwalk side, I'm ok with it. From the Soledad street side it's awful. This is what I'm worried about. It is happening in Austin. These big hotel chains building their brands in downtown areas, extra tall, but extra boring, with no design at all.

But that's already been happening for years, right?
- Holiday Inn Riverwalk
- Marriott Residence and Fairfield Inns
- Hyatt Place (on the Riverwalk!)
- La Quinta
- and whatever the new one on Houston street is

...and not extra tall.

Now there are design guidelines in place, but I think that building reflects that.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**4667** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 6:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

But that's already been happening for years, right?
- Holiday Inn Riverwalk
- Marriott Residence and Fairfield Inns
- Hyatt Place (on the Riverwalk!)
- La Quinta
- and whatever the new one on Houston street is

...and not extra tall.

Now there are design guidelines in place, but I think that building reflects that.

How does this building reflect new guidelines? Because it has balconies?

kornbread · #**4668** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 6:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

How does this building reflect new guidelines? Because it has balconies?

I seriously doubt buildings are required to have balconies.

The point is that design guidelines are not going to address what some feel is aesthetically pleasing or creative. It's more best practices for functional spaces and how it looks and interacts publicly.

If you want, you can look for yourself and see if you're correct about why you think it does not reflect the guidelines.

jaga185 · #**4669** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 7:05 PM**

I'm all for that solo serve building getting torn down and something going in it's place it's kind of shady at night. But that design is just so... bland. The design of the building before it was nice.

Oh well, something is better than nothing.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**4670** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

I seriously doubt buildings are required to have balconies.

The point is that design guidelines are not going to address what some feel is aesthetically pleasing or creative. It's more best practices for functional spaces and how it looks and interacts publicly.

If you want, you can look for yourself and see if you're correct about why you think it does not reflect the guidelines.

I think we're having a misunderstanding. I'm not saying that it does or doesn't reflect the guidelines. I thought you were contending that there were new guidelines in place to prevent new hotels like the ones you listed from being constructed.

kornbread · #**4671** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 9:39 PM**

No, I was just trying to show:

that the brand hotels have already plopped down the way worse cookie cutter hotels in SA
that we have guidelines to prevent some of those mistakes now, but that they allow for the generic look of Embassy Suites, Marriott Courtyard, Hotel Contessa
and that this one falls into that category and was likely designed following the now in place guidelines.

They're not going to spend the money to get a great design. They're just trying to fit in with their surroundings and budget, and get approval.

UrbanTrance · #**4672** Posted **Jun 27, 2016, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

http://www.base-4.com/portfolio/dual...-suites-home2/

The river part is better than the street side, but I am pretty disappointed that they are going with another generic hotel. I mean, I'd rather there be activity than dilapidated buildings, but I was hoping for something taller and with residential on that site.

Spoiler · #**4673** Posted **Jun 28, 2016, 12:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UrbanTrance

The river part is better than the street side, but I am pretty disappointed that they are going with another generic hotel. I mean, I'd rather there be activity than dilapidated buildings, but I was hoping for something taller and with residential on that site.

It's probably just a sloppy rendering, but there's no hotel/riverwalk access...?

SAtown · #**4674** Posted **Jun 28, 2016, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

No, I was just trying to show:

that the brand hotels have already plopped down the way worse cookie cutter hotels in SA
that we have guidelines to prevent some of those mistakes now, but that they allow for the generic look of Embassy Suites, Marriott Courtyard, Hotel Contessa
and that this one falls into that category and was likely designed following the now in place guidelines.

They're not going to spend the money to get a great design. They're just trying to fit in with their surroundings and budget, and get approval.

Is there a way for citizens to protest design? I feel like that is the only way we're going to get something better than these unimaginative boxes. I'm tired of saying "it's better than nothing"--I agree wholeheartedly with that statement, but that doesn't make it okay. There is such a critical mass in the Downtown community of people who are tired of the "same old, same old"--I think we have enough of a voice to make something happen!

jaga185 · #**4675** Posted **Jun 28, 2016, 6:18 PM**

I think we'd have to go to the meetings and comment on it. At least that's my understanding. But i mean, how many people can collectively get off of work at 3pm on Wednesdays?

jaga185 · #**4676** Posted **Jun 28, 2016, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

I think if they were to match the buildings around it with brick it could work better and have a different feel to it.

Fireoutofclay · #**4677** Posted **Jul 1, 2016, 5:51 PM**

Three downtown San Antonio developments coming before HDRC next week
By Richard Webner, Staff Writer
mysanantonio.com
Published 10:16 am, Friday, July 1, 2016

http://www.mysanantonio.com/real-est...photo-10475422

Quote:

The HDRC will vote Wednesday on a proposal to demolish the Solo Serve building at 114 Soledad St. and replace it with a nine-story hotel on the River Walk, as well as a plan to build a 225-foot-tall hotel tower on a vacant lot at 100 North Main St.

The commission will also consider a proposal by local developer David Adelman of Area Real Estate to build a 150-unit apartment building with a 415-space parking garage at the southwest corner of Hemisfair. City Council chose Adelman to develop the site in January; it is part of a multistage effort to redevelop the park.

Commerce St & Main Ave.

Rynetwo · #**4678** Posted **Jul 1, 2016, 6:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaga185

I think if they were to match the buildings around it with brick it could work better and have a different feel to it.

The have replaced the green area with red brick.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/real-est...ng-8336406.php

Fireoutofclay · #**4679** Posted **Jul 1, 2016, 6:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rynetwo

The have replaced the green area with red brick.

Rynetwo & me = same wavelength

llamaorama · #**4680** Posted **Jul 6, 2016, 7:14 PM**

New rendering looks way better! Something I noticed is a new side alley that goes to the riverwalk. While I guess its on the property of the hotel, I'm assuming the public could use it. Maybe that could help with foot traffic flow and get more people down in that area.

I hope that whole block of Soledad cleans up. It's such a nice contiguous piece of historic downtown, and with river frontage to boot. I'd hate for it to remain vacant any longer and possibly be lost.

The proposed tower kitty corner from it behind riverview towers might also bring a bit more energy to that immediate vicinity too, I'd hope.