SAN ANTONIO │ Frost Bank Headquarters │ 386 FEET | 23 FLOORS │ Complete

[WorldTexas]

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

Over my dead body will it be less than 400 feet tall!

Unless you're a principal at Weston Urban, this one might be out of your control, Paul. If you are a principal, I'd love to talk!

I'm hopeful it'll be tall, but prepared for it to be shorter considering market trends.

Before I left SA, I worked with a lot of companies looking at opening offices in the city. When we'd discuss downtown locations, the lack of large floor plates was an issue. They didn't like the smaller footprints and sometimes awkward arrangements in older buildings like Tower Life.

Now doing the same work in the Seattle area, companies here are also looking for bigger floor plates.

While Graham is doing this partially for philanthropic reasons, it's still a business decision. Heck, he wouldn't have started Geekdom if Rackspace wasn't having recruiting problems. He's not going to build a tower that doesn't fit what the market wants.

Unless this is going to be a reliever building for Rand, it'll have floors that are as big as the industry average, which will make it shorter.

[The ATX]

I think this has been a good discussion even though posts have been deleted. Scraperwill has a short, but good track record with his height info, and SKW is adamant that it will be taller. Neither will reveal their sources, so let's see who is closest when the details come out! Open discussions like this are what make sites like SSP fun.

[Austinite101]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

This is San Antonio, and unless he can provide reasoning for said comment, it smells of trolling. Especially with how he worded the first comment I deleted.

I know for a fact he's incorrect. So, as I've said, it smells of trolling to me. May be playful, but trolling nonetheless.

That's just the way he posts. He's been reliable before.

If you know for a fact he's incorrect, please provide proof. Otherwise, your word is just as good as his.

[The ATX]

Here's a brief interview with the CFO and soon to be CEO of Frost in a BisNow article from yesterday. There's some building talk, but no specifics.

https://www.bisnow.com/dallas-ft-wor...il-green-53472

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

This is San Antonio, and unless he can provide reasoning for said comment, it smells of trolling. Especially with how he worded the first comment I deleted.

I know for a fact he's incorrect. So, as I've said, it smells of trolling to me. May be playful, but trolling nonetheless.

I'm working under the impression and assumption that he may have insider info in the industry based on his history. If that's true, i wouldn't matter what city it's in. By the way, I hope he's wrong.

None of this should be taken as negative competition. There is no competition. I feel that whatever good comes to San Antonio is good for both regions. And I certainly want to see a new building rise in San Antonio. Whatever is built I'll enjoy seeing it happen. I think just about everyone can agree with that.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm working under the impression and assumption that he may have insider info in the industry based on his history. If that's true, i wouldn't matter what city it's in. By the way, I hope he's wrong.

None of this should be taken as negative competition. There is no competition. I feel that whatever good comes to San Antonio is good for both regions. And I certainly want to see a new building rise in San Antonio. Whatever is built I'll enjoy seeing it happen. I think just about everyone can agree with that.

This is fun.

(Thanks, Kevin.)

Can I make a prediction with NO insider information and NO sources? It'll be brown. Ha.

In all seriousness, When do we expect details to emerge publicly?

[Spoiler]

Yes, but which shade of brown?

[AwesomeSAView]

BUT, I find it amusing that plenty of "Austinites" put "more" than there two cents worth in the discussion!!

[kornbread]

I'm an Austin resident from San Antonio but usually only post here. I think many who do post here are actually former SA residents, so they may have local ties as well.

The numbers never added up to the originally posted 50 floors. They were always closer to the Frost building in Austin. Also, the lot is pretty large, which usually suggests adjacent parking. And, given the information provided from those who are familiar with leasing requirements and the importance of larger floorplates it seems as if this will not be a very tall building.

However, for downtown San Antonio it will be a significant addition. The design team choice gives hope that it will be a nice addition. They talked about the challenge of working with a big lot and having an impact on the skyline, so we'll see. It almost certainly will not be square on top. (How could it be?)

Is it possible that part of the lot may be reserved for future development? So they use it as motor banking now so no one will miss it if they decide to add more space? I would be okay with reserving part of the lot as green space with a nice courtyard. That with the adjacent lot would be nice for future residents if those projects ever come around.

Basically, it doesn't matter how tall the building is. I would like to see this set a new standard for downtown development and see this be a catalyst for the west end of downtown.

[tsm]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

This is San Antonio, and unless he can provide reasoning for said comment, it smells of trolling. Especially with how he worded the first comment I deleted.

I know for a fact he's incorrect. So, as I've said, it smells of trolling to me. May be playful, but trolling nonetheless.

He's not trolling.

[21bl0wed]

Originally Posted by tsm

He's not trolling.

Can someone post what figures the poster listed before they were deleted accordingly or not. Thanks!

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by tsm

He's not trolling.

He has yet to explain himself. Still smells like trolling.

[arkitekte]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

He has yet to explain himself. Still smells like trolling.

Someone is trolling because they post information that's concluded from existing information? Or are they trolling because they've posted information that is out of line with what you've heard/speculated/believed?

This is a message board where basically everything is speculation until confirmed via a news article, public notice or construction. Why should he have to explain himself?

This is what it boils down to: A poster from Austin who is posting information about a project in San Antonio that's logical and because it doesn't fit the mood, it's automatically trolling.

Don't delete this either.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

He has yet to explain himself. Still smells like trolling.

You haven't explained your source either. What's this difference between your "trolling" and his?

[sakyle04]

Related to the topic, I'll ask again - anyone with sources have informed speculation* on actual official announcements?

(*informed speculation is still speculation, but is more fun to read since it helps me believe that this won't be a 380' brown building.)

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by The ATX

You haven't explained your source either. What's this difference between your "trolling" and his?

I have. Multiple times.

Aside from that, I've always prefaced any of my claims with the fact that they come from sources within the real estate industry. Always.

I never make a baseless claim then ignore posters who ask where I got the information from.

Imagine if I did that in your city's section. I doubt I'd be received with unskeptical warmth.

Now, will people please get back to the discussion of the tower and enough with the off topic moderation discussion.

[jeffreininger]

Originally Posted by sakyle04

Related to the topic, I'll ask again - anyone with sources have informed speculation* on actual official announcements?

(*informed speculation is still speculation, but is more fun to read since it helps me believe that this won't be a 380' brown building.)

sakyle04 - Nice try to get us back on topic, but apparently the topic is to banter and argue back and forth with who's anonymous information is more credible. This thread is a rich, captivating read lately. *yawn*

Also, I claim to have no sources and know no one related to this project, so I won't speculate on what it's going to be - I will however agree with you that anything other than a squatty brown building would be preferred. Fingers crossed.

[Fireoutofclay]

If Weston were to occupy the remaining 150,000 sq ft. of the new building with his own affiliates (Geekdom, Rackspace, Cloud Academy), he should have more flexibility/creativity in terms of floor plans, and may be able to go taller and thinner. He could then sell the Rand Building or convert it into residential. I'm sure they've considered this at some point. In any case, I believe the look of this building should be more important than the the height. Having said that, I think I may still simultaneously laugh and cry if the height is below 400ft.

[jaga185]

Originally Posted by Fireoutofclay

If Weston were to occupy the remaining 150,000 sq ft. of the new building with his own affiliates (Geekdom, Rackspace, Cloud Academy), he should have more flexibility/creativity in terms of floor plans, and may be able to go taller and thinner. He could then sell the Rand Building or convert it into residential. I'm sure they've considered this at some point. In any case, I believe the look of this building should be more important than the the height. Having said that, I think I may still simultaneously laugh and cry if the height is below 400ft.

I know for a fact that Geekdom, Rackspace, ETC will not go there. The Rand is Geekdom's permanent home for the foreseeable future. Cloud Academy could go to the Rand. I haven't heard anything about them moving there.

[sakyle04]

You know when you're having a conversation and you have a tangential conversation that runs parallel to the main conversation for a short time before fizzling out? And then you get back to the main conversation as if you never left it?

That's how forums work. And I love them.

Unfortunately, every time we over-moderate and amend the discussion and eliminate the personalities, we slowly reduce this to an impersonal information dump-site.

That's fine. I like the information that shows up - you guys have great sources and are faithful to post new stuff all of the time. But having been a poster here for almost 10 years and 1300+ posts, the elimination of the human element is driving me away.

If I swear, edit it.
If I call someone else a name or make a personal attack, delete it.
If I try to sell something, ban it.

But if I opine and complain and speculate and engage in argument...then let's embrace that.

If we see this like a long bar where we all drink a beer and talk about the city we love, then most of the side conversations die out within a few posts (while keeping it interesting during the lulls along the way). We agree collectively to not feed the trolls. We laugh together when one of us is wrong and gets group-shamed for it later.

This has been a really fun corner of the internet for a long time for me. Can we not kill it with the strict on-topic, chamber of commerce, optimists-only posturing?

Thanks,
Kyle Burkholder

PS - For those interested, I appreciate SKW and all he does around here. I certainly don't want the moderator job - thankless gig. Still, I want to recognize the hard work and say thank you to SKW. Cheers.