SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 127

miaht82 · #**2521** Posted **Feb 22, 2010, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by robcortez1787

How many floors does that new HYATT have?

It kinda look short on the pictures, or is it only in the picture?

34.

It depends on the angle you look at.

PartyLine · #**2522** Posted **Feb 23, 2010, 4:32 PM**

Is the highrise on Broadway where Earl Able's was finished? i'm shure it looks awsome.

KevinFromTexas · #**2523** Posted **Feb 23, 2010, 10:30 PM**

Yeah, it's finished. It does look nice. I haven't seen it since it was finished, except in pictures on the forum. It's a nice building.

PartyLine · #**2524** Posted **Feb 24, 2010, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Yeah, it's finished. It does look nice. I haven't seen it since it was finished, except in pictures on the forum. It's a nice building.

Yeah me either might have to drive down there and see it

The Model · #**2525** Posted **Feb 24, 2010, 6:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by max777

I think that every city in Texas has something to boast about. San Antonio has the tallest structure in the state, tallest structure/building in Central Texas which is The Tower of the Americas at 750 feet, the oldest/tallest building in the State of Texas which is the Tower Life Buillding made of neo-gothic brick and terra-cotta (complete with gargoyles) coming in at 403 feet(30 stories) built in 1929, and arguably one of the most unique sports stadiums in the country, the Alamodome. I would say that these are buildings, in my humble opinion, that the City of San Antonio is proud of! Congratulations!

The Grand Hyatt had a chance too, but I guess there was to much protest from the organizations that are trying to keep SA Lame!

car2004 · #**2526** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 7:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Model

The Grand Hyatt had a chance too, but I guess there was to much protest from the organizations that are trying to keep SA Lame!

Agree!

car2004 · #**2527** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 8:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

^Bingo. If someone thinks the Tower of the Americas is the most beautiful structure in Texas, that's fine with me. Just don't say it's the tallest. Heck, it's my favorite observation tower too. And while I've heard/read some people saying it's ugly and plain, I've always liked it and thought is even beautiful. The enhanced lighting they've done on it really shows how nice looking it actually is. Besides, you can't beat the view. I really think the view from the ToA is at least one of the best views in North America from an observation tower. I would hold off on saying it's the best though, I mean you can see a volcano from Seattle's and Toronto's is more than a quarter of mile off the ground. Still though, that's good company.

I am very happy to see (or that is read) that people understand the differences between opinions and facts!

car2004 · #**2528** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PartyLine

They all look better than the Sunsphere in Knoxville lol

Too funny! I first saw that when I was little on the Simpsons. I thought it was a made up place. It isnt! sadly.

ydoc14 · #**2529** Posted **Mar 2, 2010, 7:08 PM**

had some spare time to drive around dt today...hadn't ever looked at the GH from the S. Alamo / St. Mary's area at daytime...pretty impressive from that view imo...this building has its moments

Also, nothing new w/ regards to the flagpole on TL. The top signage crown is going up on the Embassy Suites...still no facade work on the building though...Durango Commons no apparent signif. changes

The Model · #**2530** Posted **Mar 2, 2010, 10:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by car2004

Too funny! I first saw that when I was little on the Simpsons. I thought it was a made up place. It isnt! sadly.

Little fun fact that some people may not know. In 1968 San Antonio hosted the Worlds Fair. The Swiss Skyride at the fair, built by Von Roll was moved from Hemisphere to Knoxsville, Tennesse for there Worlds Fair. In todays times Von Roll sky ride can not be dismantled and moved to new locations for safety reasons. There used to be Six Von Roll sky rides in Texas, now there is just one left. It is waiting demolition in San Marcos at the old theme park Aquarena Springs. I love sky rides because they gave good vantage points for photographing skylines!!!!

car2004 · #**2531** Posted **Mar 5, 2010, 1:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Model

Little fun fact that some people may not know. In 1968 San Antonio hosted the Worlds Fair. The Swiss Skyride at the fair, built by Von Roll was moved from Hemisphere to Knoxsville, Tennesse for there Worlds Fair. In todays times Von Roll sky ride can not be dismantled and moved to new locations for safety reasons. There used to be Six Von Roll sky rides in Texas, now there is just one left. It is waiting demolition in San Marcos at the old theme park Aquarena Springs. I love sky rides because they gave good vantage points for photographing skylines!!!!

Yeah, all I can say is that remember seeing the Von Roll Sky Ride in the pictures they have on display when you visit the top of the Tower of Americas. Thank God you can still experience one of these rides at San Diego Zoo!

KevinFromTexas · #**2532** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 6:14 AM**

LSyd did a very nice photo thread on San Antonio.

You can see it here:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=180023

UrbanTrance · #**2533** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 1:05 AM**

Did Cevallos Street Lofts project die?

Edit: No wait, it says project completion 2011. I thought is said 2001. http://www.alamoarchitects.com/proje...vallos-Street/

miaht82 · #**2534** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice93

Did Cevallos Street Lofts project die?

Edit: No wait, it says project completion 2011. I thought is said 2001. http://www.alamoarchitects.com/proje...vallos-Street/

It could get started up soon. They've recently been on the agenda at council meetings for funds, and on the list for HUD funds. Since they are mixed-income, they depend on tax credits, tax abatements, grants and other $$ out there that could help their bottom line. Its taken them a couple of years and this is why the city needs and wants Centro Partnership and the Center City Development Office to streamline the process for developers so that hopefully one day, we can get multiple projects running at the same time and moving quickly.

Now if we can just get some activity at Big Tex, Lone Star, Clay St. and some new projects, we'll be in pretty decent shape in Southtown.

UrbanTrance · #**2535** Posted **Mar 29, 2010, 10:45 PM**

It looks like a pretty good project and says it will be a bridge for those artists and the community. This doesn't seem like a project that I'd be worried about the city not funding, but I noticed sometimes projects like these start to sit in the dust. I can't wait until some activity starts either.

Has anyone gotten recent updates in case a project downtown has been canceled? I've notice things are quiet but I am concluding that it is just due to financing. Hopefully the can work out the whole downtown partnership thing.

necropolis · #**2536** Posted **Mar 30, 2010, 5:00 AM**

Has anyone seen a rendering for the hotels going up by the Bonham? I just wanna know what they will look like...they're just going to be a few stories tall, correct? Also has a final design been released for the new police/fire headquarters? I think the one posted before was just a preliminary idea of how it will lay out. I assume work should be starting soon to have the new structures up in time to have the old police hq demolished and cleared.

miaht82 · #**2537** Posted **Mar 30, 2010, 2:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by necropolis

Has anyone seen a rendering for the hotels going up by the Bonham? I just wanna know what they will look like...they're just going to be a few stories tall, correct? Also has a final design been released for the new police/fire headquarters? I think the one posted before was just a preliminary idea of how it will lay out. I assume work should be starting soon to have the new structures up in time to have the old police hq demolished and cleared.

Although I (and I'm sure others too) would love to see something like the Fairfield Inn Manhattan

I'm going to think realistically and assume that it's probably going to be more like this one

.
Just by eye-balling it, something of similar size to the Residence Inn next door could fit in that space fairly easily. The fact that the address on file is still 411 Bowie, it might have it's entrance facing the Hampton Inn, similar in style to the entrance of the Residence Inn.

And it shouldn't be long before a final design is shown and ground is broken. The old K-mart still has to be demo'd and with a projected completion by Oct. 2011, (to give time to demo the Police HQ's and start on the Fed. Courthouse by Jan. 2012) they need to get a move on. They've been working on the Justice Center Expansion for 18 months now and that is still a few months from completion. We're (just shy of) 18 months til Oct. 2011. I hope this isn't an indication of the simplicity of the design and the intention of a brown box going up. I know the JC Expansion was a little more difficult since construction involved connection to the existing building.

JACKinBeantown · #**2538** Posted **Mar 30, 2010, 4:14 PM**

It can't be too tall since it's behind the Alamo.

tgannaway89 · #**2539** Posted **Mar 31, 2010, 12:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinNYC

It can't be too tall since it's behind the Alamo.

With only 98 rooms it will only be about 4 stories tall.

car2004 · #**2540** Posted **Mar 31, 2010, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgannaway89

With only 98 rooms it will only be about 4 stories tall.

Honestly, a four story hotel in today's world of cities (limited downtown lots) is extremely efficient. You might as well put a parking garage in place. I would never allow anything less than 20 stories to be built in a downtown like San Antonio.

This is just my thought. If, however, the building were different like the tower of life than I can see justifying 4 stories or even a museum like the field museum (its 4 but a big four), but that's not going to happen. We really needed more living downtown. We really need more affordable tall living spaces. A lot of people I know, included myself, travel to and through downtown and would love to live in that area, but not in a house or crime riddled area.

This is just my view. Love the new Marriott courtyard and Embassy Suites. Now those are different, well at least the Marriott Courtyard

(reminds me of NYC). Cannot really tell yet with the Embassy Suites.