[San Antonio] - Embassy Suites Riverwalk - 164 ft - 16 floors

[ydoc14]

As seen on next week's HDRC Agenda for Feb. 6!
http://www.sanantonio.gov/historic/d...DRC_AGENDA.pdf

[starvinggryphon]

I'm not crazy about how small this will be, when huge hotels could have been shooting up in such a desired property, but at least it will pair well with Piazza Lorenzo across the street (if it is ever built) and add somewhat to the density of the area.

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by starvinggryphon

I'm not crazy about how small this will be, when huge hotels could have been shooting up in such a desired property, but at least it will pair well with Piazza Lorenzo across the street (if it is ever built) and add somewhat to the density of the area.

Yeah, it should add some density when looking up the river toward the Weston from Houston St.

[JACKinBeantown]

I think it's cool to have well-designed, mid-rise hotels along the river. They keep the vibe cool and take up space, so the land behind and around them becomes scarcer and therefore more likely for taller buildings in the future. Downtown SA is a cool place, partly because of the Riverwalk. Don't want it to end up like Houston.

[jaga185]

I totally agree Jack, I'm loving all these thoughtful mid-rises that are starting to grace us.

[KevinFromTexas]

ydoc14, where was the height listed? I had added the building to Emporis last year, but didn't have the height listed yet. I need a source to be able to enter the height.

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

ydoc14, where was the height listed? I had added the building to Emporis last year, but didn't have the height listed yet. I need a source to be able to enter the height.

I got the height by totaling the all the heights of the different sections of the building listed on the blueprints in the PDF. It's a little hard to read, but the first two floors look to be 14'-8". The next 13 floors look like they say 8'-8". The 16th floor looks like 11'-8". The very top doesn't have a height listed, but if you pull out a ruler and base it off of the sections that are marked, you get 10'-2". Add everything up and it comes out to 163'-10".

However, nowhere in the PDF or on the blueprints does it give a single figure for the height.

[verbl]

The design looks dated already lol

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by verbl

The design looks dated already lol

Idk, I think it will look good depending on the colors. I'm hoping for dark red w/ yellow or tan lol.

I also agree that new midrises along the river are nice, and density can be just impressive as tall buildings imo.

[BigBird9]

Nice! I mean.... it's not super great or anything, but hey, a 16 floor hotel downtown can't hurt anything! It looks like it will be a pretty good looking building, and it will continue to add density to the area.

Is it me, or is SA undergoing a mini-boom of sorts with buildings downtown? I lived there from 01 to 04 and I don't think any high rises were built downtown during that time. However, now we have the Hyatt, Vidorra, Vistana, Broadway, and hopefully this all right now.

[oldmanshirt]

Originally Posted by ydoc14

I got the height by totaling the all the heights of the different sections of the building listed on the blueprints in the PDF. It's a little hard to read, but the first two floors look to be 14'-8". The next 13 floors look like they say 8'-8". The 16th floor looks like 11'-8". The very top doesn't have a height listed, but if you pull out a ruler and base it off of the sections that are marked, you get 10'-2". Add everything up and it comes out to 163'-10".

However, nowhere in the PDF or on the blueprints does it give a single figure for the height.

ydoc, are you sure those measurements don't refer to ceiling height? It just doesn't seem possible for any 16 story building to average just over 10 feet of height per floor, let alone a hotel. On the other hand, those heights you listed sound just like ceiling heights you'd expect for the lobby, regular rooms, and "whatever" top-floor suite respectively.

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by oldmanshirt

ydoc, are you sure those measurements don't refer to ceiling height? It just doesn't seem possible for any 16 story building to average just over 10 feet of height per floor, let alone a hotel. On the other hand, those heights you listed sound just like ceiling heights you'd expect for the lobby, regular rooms, and "whatever" top-floor suite respectively.

The measurements were on an exterior elevation, and for the most part divided into equal, adjacent with no gaps sections of 8'-8". 8' is likely the interior ceiling height, with the other 8" accounting for the floor thickness. Ceiling heights are usually whole numbers, such as 8'. The ceiling height of the lobby then is 14', with another 8" floor plate separating it from the first level of hotel rooms. I generally wouldn't expect a standard hotel room to have a ceiling higher than 8'.

[STLtoSA]

Originally Posted by ydoc14

The measurements were on an exterior elevation, and for the most part divided into equal, adjacent with no gaps sections of 8'-8". 8' is likely the interior ceiling height, with the other 8" accounting for the floor thickness. Ceiling heights are usually whole numbers, such as 8'. The ceiling height of the lobby then is 14', with another 8" floor plate separating it from the first level of hotel rooms. I generally wouldn't expect a standard hotel room to have a ceiling higher than 8'.

I'm not arguing with you so don't take it that way. Most hotels, older hotels and and your dime a dozen Interstate "insert number here" hotels have an average ceiling height of about 8 feet.

With this said, and I know that this is only an Embassy Suites, there are a lot of hotels out there especially in downtowns around the country that have ceiling heights of at least nine feet.

I have to agree that it is odd to see a 16 story 160' building.

[sirkingwilliam]

I count 17 floors. With that said, Houston Street is shaping up nicely. Now all we need is the Plaza san Lorenzo to be built and for Frost to build a new HQ, also can't forget the aloft (14 stories I believe) and the (not much known about) W hotel.

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

I count 17 floors. With that said, Houston Street is shaping up nicely. Now all we need is the Plaza san Lorenzo to be built and for Frost to build a new HQ, also can't forget the aloft (14 stories I believe) and the (not much known about) W hotel.

It's 16, I think you miscounted haha

[sakyle04]

Construction on this site may be getting closer.

According to Friday's SA Business Journal, a building permit was recently issued by the San Antonio Building Inspections Department....

Bill Roberts, commercial building at 125 E. Houston, (hotel-historic preservation), $38,000,000.

[sirkingwilliam]

Aside from the actual hotel high-rise, what will the rest of the structuregoing to be? Meeting space? Parking garage? Both?

[DougRockstead]

I was reading everyone's comments complaining about the lack of height for the new Embassy Suites, but 16 floors is pretty darn big for an Embassy Suites. I worked for them for 13 years and they average about 9 floors per hotel. They did try a hotel that was close to 40 floors in new york and it failed miserably. I think they've (Hilton Corp) made a decision to stay away from high rises with that brand of hotel. It's aimed at families with children on the weekend and business travellers during the week. highrises and families with children don't mix.

just my opinion, coming from the hotel business...

Doug

[KeepSanAntonioLame]

I was downtown today, and it looks like they're gonna break ground soon.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by KeepSanAntonioLame

I was downtown today, and it looks like they're gonna break ground soon.

any particular resaon why you say that? fences, dirt, equipment? any little morsel helps.