SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 100

KevinFromTexas · #**1981** Posted **May 28, 2009, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

Cool video, but San Antonio's first urban living high rise? I would say not!

Ditto. I would believe that statement at least if properties like La Casada and Vidorra didn't exist. There aren't a huge amount of residential highrises in downtown, and while there are others in the city, those outside of downtown aren't exactly urban. But yeah, Vistana is hardly the first urban residential highrise in downtown, and certainly not the last!

ydoc14 · #**1982** Posted **May 29, 2009, 5:35 AM**

Check out the Vistana at night

Taken by Heart of Texas UT @ Flickr

sakyle04 · #**1983** Posted **May 29, 2009, 10:56 AM**

beautiful.

The Model · #**1984** Posted **May 29, 2009, 5:22 PM**

The skies have been awesome this past week. This is an Excellent, well taken photograph.
I wanted to go to UTSA to take the same picture, but since the semester is out, I didn't think I could get access to it. I guess this photographer did. The photographer must have not had a wide angle lense because you can get the Santa Rosa Hospital on the far left all the way to Las Cascada on the right with a normal wide angle lense. I want to take this photo again, since mine is pre-Vistana. Also the Grand Hyatt is behind the Tower Life Building, my plan is to go the Radison Hotel next door, shoot the Hyatt, and then photoshop it next to the Tower Life Building from the UTSA view which is better, stay tuned.

KevinFromTexas · #**1985** Posted **May 29, 2009, 6:40 PM**

Beautiful. I can't wait to see it.

The Model · #**1986** Posted **Jun 2, 2009, 2:59 PM**

Ok, I have posted my website on my user name.
Since my site is more for weddings, you will have to click on the skylines.
I have three links from there, SA photos, SA skyscrapers, and City Skylines.
I hope you enjoy.

JACKinBeantown · #**1987** Posted **Jun 3, 2009, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ydoc14

Check out the Vistana at night

Taken by Heart of Texas UT @ Flickr

Nice shot. I especially like the fact that you can't see the Bland Hyatt.

oldmanshirt · #**1988** Posted **Jun 3, 2009, 7:35 PM**

It'll be interesting to see what sort of effect the Bexar County justice center has on that view, it should slot in nicely between the TLB and ToA.

sirkingwilliam · #**1989** Posted **Jun 4, 2009, 1:37 AM**

When development in River North gets going, it's going to be one long skyline.

sirkingwilliam · #**1990** Posted **Jun 4, 2009, 4:19 AM**

I love the clouds/sky in that picture!

Lando · #**1991** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 8:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinNYC

Nice shot. I especially like the fact that you can't see the Bland Hyatt.

I actually like the Hyatt from that view. Doesn't look like a big wall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanshirt

It'll be interesting to see what sort of effect the Bexar County justice center has on that view, it should slot in nicely between the TLB and ToA.

Yeah it'll be interesting to see the skyline once the justice center and the new sapd headquarters are done.

tgannaway89 · #**1992** Posted **Jun 5, 2009, 9:29 AM**

According to their website the new public safety headquarters should be finished in 2012.

http://cosapublicsafety.com/

sirkingwilliam · #**1993** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 3:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by miaht82

Yeah, they also just ran it on KSAT, talked of an IHOP Cafe (mentioned it by name) and of course possibly a dry cleaner and grocery store.. First I've heard of the IHOP Cafe being there though.

An IHOP Cafe in the Vistana is confirmed.

Quote:

The Vistana's developer Ed Cross said this morning that they've signed an IHOP Café into one of the apartment building's retail spaces, street level on the corner of West Houston and North Laredo streets.

Construction begins in three weeks.

IHOP Café is smaller than your average IHOP in both space and menu. The first of this kind opened recently in Castle Hills, 2195 N.W. Military Hwy. Based on a recent Express-News review, it's heavy on the beverages and quick bites.

No word when it opens. Like always, I'll update this blog when I learn more.

ydoc14 · #**1994** Posted **Jun 6, 2009, 6:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Model

Ok, I have posted my website on my user name.
Since my site is more for weddings, you will have to click on the skylines.
I have three links from there, SA photos, SA skyscrapers, and City Skylines.
I hope you enjoy.

Awesome pics

miaht82 · #**1995** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 12:51 AM**

from mysa.com

Quote:

Six architectural firms have made the short list of companies vying to design the new federal courthouse in San Antonio, but the government will not divulge their names.

Representatives of the six firms will be interviewed in person in mid-August by the courthouse's architect selection committee, which picked the finalists this week in Fort Worth, according to U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who's on the five-person committee.

Rodriguez said he could not release the names of the firms because the process is ongoing and the companies have not been notified by the U.S. General Services Administration, which has three staffers on the committee.

The GSA's courthouse project manager, Tim Thury, referred questions to spokeswoman Shala Geer-Smith, who did not respond to messages seeking comment.

“We received almost three times the number of usual applications,” Rodriguez said. “They came from virtually every prominent national architectural firm in the United States. There were even some international architectural firms represented. The firms that submitted applications have projects that everybody will well recognize — from major airports to major buildings across this country — many with various experience in courthouse and embassy building.”

Rodriguez said he could not say if any of the six finalists are based in San Antonio or Texas.

The finalist selection is the latest step for the new courthouse, which is expected to cost well over the estimated $115 million to $125 million cited in the solicitation issued by GSA in April.

“Funds are currently available for design, but may not be adequate,” the solicitation states.

The GSA and the city of San Antonio are working on a land swap. The GSA would get 6 acres where the San Antonio Police Department headquarters sits at Nueva Street and Santa Rosa Boulevard and possibly some cash. In exchange, the city would get property at HemisFair Park where the federal courthouse and its adjacent judicial training center are located.

The city is planning to build a $100 million public safety building (for police and fire) on one of three possible sites, according to Deputy City Manager Pat DiGiovanni. One is city-owned property at Santa Rosa and Nueva, across the street from the existing SAPD headquarters.

“The other two are not in the city's control,” DiGiovanni said, declining to identify them.

Separately, the GSA is negotiating with the city about another land swap involving HemisFair. The GSA would give the land occupied by the seven-story federal office building — which is next to the courthouse — and its parking lots across Durango Street in exchange for city land somewhere else. If that happens, the federal government would move completely out of HemisFair Park.

sirkingwilliam · #**1996** Posted **Jun 7, 2009, 4:22 AM**

Once the swaps are complete redevelopment of Hemisfair can really begin!

Also, without knowing two of the three locations for the safety complex, I'd say across from the current Police HQ is a great idea.

The Model · #**1997** Posted **Jun 12, 2009, 2:37 AM**

Anyone notice there building a parking garage off of IH 37 and Durango, in the old Victoria Courts district. (Instead of a garage, they should have built the Arena there instead of out there were the deer and the antelope play.

miaht82 · #**1998** Posted **Jun 12, 2009, 8:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Model

Anyone notice there building a parking garage off of IH 37 and Durango, in the old Victoria Courts district. (Instead of a garage, they should have built the Arena there instead of out there were the deer and the antelope play.

Its the interior parking garage for the apartments that are going to be built; similar to the Quarry Village. Around 250 units in 2 buildings. Like I said, the housing is slowly creeping in.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1999** Posted **Jun 12, 2009, 5:41 PM**

Instant apartment complex!

miaht82 · #**2000** Posted **Jun 14, 2009, 10:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Model

Anyone notice there building a parking garage off of IH 37 and Durango, in the old Victoria Courts district. (Instead of a garage, they should have built the Arena there instead of out there were the deer and the antelope play.

There will be a new garage in St. Pauls Sq. though, close to the Vidorra garage. Maybe that will help get some tenants over in that area.

The things just keep piling on. Maybe I should leave country more often, I'm excited with anticipation to see how things have changed by the time I get back.
Side note: Tokyo is amazing!! It feels surreal walking around the city.