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  #21  
Old Posted Oct 28, 2015, 5:35 AM
kornbread kornbread is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam View Post
It's apples and oranges.

One was built from the ground up whose design started from scratch while the other is an expansion whose design had to play off an already established look.
Not at all, it's a valid comparison. I'm comparing how the buildings look from and interact with the street. The San Antonio convention center expansion has a grand opening next to the Hyatt with a lot of windows that is not very interesting and then there is nothing but a long flat blank wall. There is little concern for aesthetics.

The original expansion didn't look anything like the original space; It was nicer and more interesting; even more so than this latest expansion. They could have taken design elements of the first expansion and done much better. The new look reminds me more of the Grand Hyatt which was mostly terrible.

I walked by the Nashville building in the evening not knowing what it was and it was pretty grand. The San Antonio location really sucks because it's on the edge of a highway and there is no attempt to conceal that and there is also no reason for anyone to walk around the east side of the building.

I'm not sure if they ever had a budget to make something interesting, or if the that was spent moving the street. I always thought the better direction to expand was towards the park and Tower. That would helped both the convention center and park. That was one problem with the first expansion, there wasn't enough of an opening towards the park.
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  #22  
Old Posted Oct 28, 2015, 6:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kornbread View Post
Not at all, it's a valid comparison. I'm comparing how the buildings look from and interact with the street. The San Antonio convention center expansion has a grand opening next to the Hyatt with a lot of windows that is not very interesting and then there is nothing but a long flat blank wall. There is little concern for aesthetics.

The original expansion didn't look anything like the original space; It was nicer and more interesting; even more so than this latest expansion. They could have taken design elements of the first expansion and done much better. The new look reminds me more of the Grand Hyatt which was mostly terrible.

I walked by the Nashville building in the evening not knowing what it was and it was pretty grand. The San Antonio location really sucks because it's on the edge of a highway and there is no attempt to conceal that and there is also no reason for anyone to walk around the east side of the building.

I'm not sure if they ever had a budget to make something interesting, or if the that was spent moving the street. I always thought the better direction to expand was towards the park and Tower. That would helped both the convention center and park. That was one problem with the first expansion, there wasn't enough of an opening towards the park.
In the post that I quoted, you made no mention of comparing the interaction at street level for both structures.

It was a simple this building looks better than that building type post, which I agree with, but I made my post with that understanding.
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  #23  
Old Posted Dec 18, 2015, 5:07 PM
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GM Financial to create nearly 500 jobs in San Antonio
By MICHAEL LOCKLEAR
Fox San Antonio
Updated: Thursday, December 17 2015, 10:13 PM CST
http://www.foxsanantonio.com/news/fe...l#.VnQ7Sb9AriQ

Quote:
SAN ANTONIO – The financing arm of General Motors will create at least 490 jobs in San Antonio over the next five years, city leaders announced Thursday.

There’s no sign yet of the future GM Financial call center at the intersection of North Ellison Drive and Westover Link on the Far West Side, where construction is set to begin early next year.
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  #24  
Old Posted Jan 1, 2016, 6:29 PM
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Benavides has big vision for city’s tricentennial

By Josh Baugh
Senior Reporter | San Antonio Express-News
December 27, 2015
http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...-s-6722882.php

This is one of many articles out there on this subject. Only two years left!

Quote:
By May of 2018, San Antonio will have spent many months celebrating its 300th birthday.

A yearlong tricentennial celebration doesn’t just happen, though, it takes years of planning. And it’s up to Edward Benavides to ensure that it’s all pulled off without a hitch.

Benavides was recently appointed to serve as the chief executive officer of the San Antonio Tricentennial Commission, a local government corporation created by the City Council. He and his small staff, which includes Chief Operating Officer Asia Ciaravino, have a lot to do before the opening celebration of the tricentennial, set for Dec. 31, 2017.
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  #25  
Old Posted Jan 1, 2016, 10:58 PM
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San Antonio's convention center will also have lots of windows its not just walls. The existing riverwalk that runs through it will be expanded into Hemisfair Park through the convention center lagoon and open up to the new civic park area and new planned themed areas at Hemisfair, there will be lots of nice areas but Its a convention center it will have sections that aren't all that aesthically pleasing, the loading docs and service areas.
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2020 S. A. Pop 1.59 million/ Metro 2.64 million/ASA corridor 5 million Census undercount city proper. San Antonio economy and largest economic sectors. Annual contribution towards GDP. U.S. DOD$48.5billion/Manufacturing $40.5 billion/Healthcare-Biosciences $40 billion/Finance-Insurance $20 billion/Tourism $15 billion/ Technology $10 billion. S.A./ Austin: Tech $25 billion/Manufacturing $11 billion/ Tourism $9 billion.
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  #26  
Old Posted Mar 4, 2016, 9:21 PM
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San Antonio to spend $100,000 on a public toilet
By Michael Locklear
News 4 San Antonio
Thursday, March 3rd 2016

http://news4sanantonio.com/news/loca...wn-san-antonio

Quote:
"Inside is the actual toilet," Treviño said. "Outside, you actually wash your hands. It's as simple as that. There's nothing fancy about it. It's not self-cleaning so we will provide cleaning services twice a day."

The Portland Loo's location has yet to be determined, he said, although several parks are among the options being considered. The cost is $97,700, according to the city council agenda. If approved, the restroom would arrive in about three months.
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  #27  
Old Posted Mar 5, 2016, 5:55 PM
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Talking About time

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Originally Posted by Fireoutofclay View Post
San Antonio to spend $100,000 on a public toilet
By Michael Locklear
News 4 San Antonio
Thursday, March 3rd 2016

http://news4sanantonio.com/news/loca...wn-san-antonio
It's long past due we get to the bottom of this dire situation. Was kinda looking forward to the one way mirror type, though.
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  #28  
Old Posted Mar 18, 2016, 7:58 PM
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Tricentennial group targets city’s history
By Scott Huddleston
San Antonio Express News
March 15, 2016

http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...ry-6891092.php

Quote:
One of the more ambitious projects discussed last week is an interactive website timeline of the city’s evolution from a Native American village and Spanish settlement to a major modern city. It could be broken out by topic, such as milestones in transportation or military occupation.

Other proposed elements include a celebration of water and early settlements at San Pedro Springs and the San Antonio River; an exhibit of objects tied to key periods of history; and a “passport” for youth to get stamped at various events, redeemable for a prize. Also under discussion are a “teacher institute” in summer 2017; walking and cycling tours; lectures, films, musical performances and storytelling forums; and planting of 300 native trees citywide.
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  #29  
Old Posted Mar 24, 2016, 9:10 PM
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2015 population numbers are out and San Antonio increased the growth
San Antonio passed Pittsburgh and is passed Portland by now.

Atascosa County 48,435 +623

Bandera County 20,916 +353

Bexar County 1,897,753 +37,479

Comal County 129,048 +5,609

Guadalupe County 151,249 +3,977

Kendall County 40,384 +1,623

Medina County 48,417 +541

Wilson County 47,520 +1,080

Total 2,384,075 +51,285
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  #30  
Old Posted Mar 27, 2016, 5:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Rynetwo View Post
2015 population numbers are out and San Antonio increased the growth
San Antonio passed Pittsburgh and is passed Portland by now.

Atascosa County 48,435 +623

Bandera County 20,916 +353

Bexar County 1,897,753 +37,479

Comal County 129,048 +5,609

Guadalupe County 151,249 +3,977

Kendall County 40,384 +1,623

Medina County 48,417 +541

Wilson County 47,520 +1,080

Total 2,384,075 +51,285
Got a feeling that Medina county will see considerable growth in the next five years or so.
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  #31  
Old Posted Mar 29, 2016, 5:39 PM
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Final designs for San Antonio river barges revealed
KSAT TV
ksat.com
Posted: 10:17 PM, March 28, 2016
Updated: 12:03 PM, March 29, 2016
http://www.ksat.com/news/final-desig...rges-revealed#

Quote:
The winning river barge design will be chosen Tuesday morning by a panel of 11 judges. Designers from across the U.S., and even China, submitted entries in the competition.

But all three finalists are from Texas.

The city will unveil the winning design on April 1. The barges are expected to be in the water by 2018, to coincide with San Antonio's Tricentennial celebration.

from: http://sanantonio.suntimes.com/sa-ne...arges-revealed
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  #32  
Old Posted Mar 29, 2016, 9:18 PM
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Three Finalists Vie To Design River Walk Barges
By Louisa Jonas
Texas Public Radio
http://tpr.org/post/three-finalists-...er-walk-barges




Last edited by Fireoutofclay; Mar 29, 2016 at 11:10 PM.
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  #33  
Old Posted Mar 29, 2016, 9:41 PM
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Prefer elements of the first two, provided the cover on the first one doesn't impede the veiws.

That third one...Yeeesh!
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  #34  
Old Posted Mar 30, 2016, 6:33 PM
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MacDougal to leave “preservation heaven”
By Scott Huddleston
San Antonio Express News
February 29, 2016 Updated: February 29, 2016 7:06pm
http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...#photo-9477262

Quote:
“It’s the most intact World’s Fair site in the nation. People take it for granted,” MacDougal said of the courthouse in HemisFair Park, to be replaced, with an unknown future, by a new federal courthouse recently awarded federal funding.

The Woolworth’s Building at 518 E. Houston St. is at risk of being considered for relocation or demolition as part of an Alamo area master plan, even though its lunch counter was the first to racially integrate in the South in 1960 — “a major achievement that San Antonio can be proud of,” MacDougal said.

San Antonio also needs to reinforce the importance of preservation as a value tied to the city’s distinct history as the city grows, MacDougal said.
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  #35  
Old Posted Apr 1, 2016, 2:03 PM
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San Antonio artist’s ‘Kinetic Skyline’ lights up downtown building Thursday

This is a welcome addition to the skyline of my fave city in Texas!

Quote:
An appreciative whoop went up from the crowd gathered Thursday night as the switch was flipped on the latest light installation by San Antonio artist Bill FitzGibbons.

From a vantage point on the 21st floor of the Frost Bank Tower, members of the arts community and city officials watched as “Kinetic Skyline” illuminated the Bank of America Plaza with a display of blue and green light.
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  #36  
Old Posted Apr 4, 2016, 7:06 PM
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Winner of River Barge Contest Announced
Posted By Mark Reagan
San Antonio Current
Fri, Apr 1, 2016 at 2:16 PM
http://www.sacurrent.com/Blogs/archi...test-announced

Quote:
And the winner is ... METALAB.

The City San Antonio and San Antonio chapter of The American Institute of Architects have chosen the winner of the competition to design a new river barge for the San Antonio River.
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  #37  
Old Posted Jun 3, 2016, 10:39 PM
whatdoyouwantandwhy whatdoyouwantandwhy is offline
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Here is a commentary piece I wrote recently on the Rivard Report. I was wondering what y'all thought about these ideas:

http://therivardreport.com/commentar...e-of-downtown/

For some context, I understand these ideas may seem ambitious or unfeasible by our current political governance of mediocracy; however I believe our city is beginning a cultural Tejano renaissance as more people are obtaining a college education and expecting more from our city. These ideas may not happen in the near future, but I think they may become easier to implement within the next 7-12 years.
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  #38  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2016, 12:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whatdoyouwantandwhy View Post
Here is a commentary piece I wrote recently on the Rivard Report. I was wondering what y'all thought about these ideas:

http://therivardreport.com/commentar...e-of-downtown/

For some context, I understand these ideas may seem ambitious or unfeasible by our current political governance of mediocracy; however I believe our city is beginning a cultural Tejano renaissance as more people are obtaining a college education and expecting more from our city. These ideas may not happen in the near future, but I think they may become easier to implement within the next 7-12 years.
I liked your ideas. they mirrored many of mine, especially relocating VIA headquarters. In my version, the block between Jackson and San Pedro is developed business/residential, but the rest would be parkland.

San Pedro has received so little attention.
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  #39  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2016, 12:53 AM
whatdoyouwantandwhy whatdoyouwantandwhy is offline
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Yeah I agree, I think it would be cool to see a village style area on that lower corner. I didn't elaborate on it in the article enough, but I would like to see the city push urban development that reflects our historic architecture. Using adobe and stone like the missions, and adding Spanish architecture and smaller human-scale footprints for buildings as we did before WWII.

I think there are many advantages that we would see if we "went back to the basics". Especially since these types of developments are more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient.

Also reintroducing public spaces into our urban fabric would strengthen our communities and provide better connectivity for our neighbors to meet each other. I Purposed the paseos to be expanded near El Mercado, but I can see many other areas where these paseos can also be implemented. on the bottom line, These areas would become cash cows for any properly managed business.
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  #40  
Old Posted Jun 8, 2016, 2:53 PM
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San Antonio Zoo CEO pursuing historic expansion plan (slideshow)
W. Scott Bailey Reporter/Project Coordinator
San Antonio Business Journal
Jun 7, 2016, 2:19pm CDT Updated Jun 7, 2016, 4:44pm CDT

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni...expansion.html

Quote:
Tim Morrow has been CEO and executive director of the San Antonio Zoo for less than 18 months, but he and his team are already engaged in preliminary work on what could prove to be one of the largest expansion projects ever for the park.

“This could be between a $50 million and $100 million project — something bigger than anyone has ever seen at this zoo,” Morrow told me during a tour of the grounds on Monday.
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