SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 94

Complex01 · #**1861** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 12:34 AM**

There is all the attention i was looking for. Very Nice.

Hmm they pulled it off the agenda, very interesting. Will have to watch this one for sure...

miaht82 · #**1862** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 2:15 AM**

Found this pic... a clear example that SA has old incorporated with newer buildings.
Texas Theatre facade on southwestern corner of Whitacre Tower.
I'm sure the Texas Theatre wasn't built with the intention to be a "corner" of an office building.

History lesson:

Quote:

Architect: Ford Powell & Carson and Fisher & Spillman
This is the site of one of San Antonio's better known preservation struggles. A Dallas bank, now long gone, acquired the entire block for a three -building high-rise complex. The Hertzberg Building, an architectual balance to the Gunter, across the street, was demolished, as was a good bank building and the Texas Theatre. The Conservation Society weighed in, retaining Michael Graves to design a scheme with the same square footage of office space while retaining the Texas Theatre. The bank won.

Hopefully, the hotel wins in our scenario.

oldmanshirt · #**1863** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 3:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by salaverryo

Can you believe that in Houston there's not a single major street called "San Antonio"? Not even a minor one, as far as I know.

That's because there was no Texas founder who's last name was "San Antonio"

Then again, there's a Dallas street in downtown SA, yet no SA street in downtown Dallas

imthrowed94 · #**1864** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 4:35 AM**

I Called The Hdrc This Morning And I Told Them That I Don't See Anything Special About The Building That They Are Trying To Save I Don't Know If I'm The Only One That Called But If More People Did Call I Think That It Might Send A Message To Them That The Citizens Wanna See Development Downtown

jaga185 · #**1865** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 5:32 AM**

^^^ Good job man, hopefully tomorrow I'll get an email from Douglas architects about what we can do as a group.

sakyle04 · #**1866** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaga185

^^^ Good job man, hopefully tomorrow I'll get an email from Douglas architects about what we can do as a group.

i am waiting on their direction as well. taking it to the streets!!

sirkingwilliam · #**1867** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 9:30 PM**

Spoke to Andrew Douglas.

Pulled it from agenda because they want to work with the city so they can get it to pass.
No significant changes expected. They won't relent on the height.
Current look was a result of working with the city and a lot of what you see reflect comments made by the city.
Developer and architect want the hotel to have the look and feel of a the ultimate destination location in San Antonio.
Will be an independent boutique hotel most likely though there is a possibly a big hotel company could put their flag on the building.
After design concept approval sometime this year, it'll be a year before construction begins.
In terms of voicing your support, Andrew said they (Douglas Architects) have to be careful in working with the city so that they can get to a place where everything works. That any support should come when the design is presented, that people who support it should speak in front of the city and voice their support.

miaht82 · #**1868** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

Spoke to Andrew Douglas.

Pulled it from agenda because they want to work with the city so they can get it to pass.
No significant changes expected. They won't to relent on the height.
Current look was a result of working with the city and a lot of what you see reflect comments made by the city.
Developer and architect want the hotel to have the look and feel of a the ultimate destination location in San Antonio.
Will be an independent boutique hotel most likely though there is a possibly a big hotel company could put their flag on the building.
After design concept approval sometime this year, it'll be a year before construction begins.
In terms of voicing your support, Andrew said they (Douglas Architects) have to be careful in working with the city so that they can get to a place where everything works. That any support should come when the design is presented, that people who support it should speak in front of the city and voice their support.

Good.

Take a look at the other bookend of the same block. Now this makes sense closer to Main Plaza . I think there is some old, abandoned Chinese Restaurant building in that spot right now. Taken from Douglasarchitects.com

imthrowed94 · #**1869** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 10:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

Spoke to Andrew Douglas.

Pulled it from agenda because they want to work with the city so they can get it to pass.
No significant changes expected. They won't to relent on the height.
Current look was a result of working with the city and a lot of what you see reflect comments made by the city.
Developer and architect want the hotel to have the look and feel of a the ultimate destination location in San Antonio.
Will be an independent boutique hotel most likely though there is a possibly a big hotel company could put their flag on the building.
After design concept approval sometime this year, it'll be a year before construction begins.
In terms of voicing your support, Andrew said they (Douglas Architects) have to be careful in working with the city so that they can get to a place where everything works. That any support should come when the design is presented, that people who support it should speak in front of the city and voice their support.

Are you saying that they won't relent on the height? or they want to relent on the height? I just asked because you wrote won't then put to.

oldmanshirt · #**1870** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 11:06 PM**

^^^I was wondering that too, the context suggests they won't relent, but please clarify.

jaga185 · #**1871** Posted **Feb 19, 2009, 11:19 PM**

Just checked my email here is what Andrew Douglas said...

Thank you for your interest. Is there a blog on this project? We do need
community support for this project. We have pulled the project from the
hearing and are working to resolve city concerns.

Andrew T. Douglas, AIA, Principal

This is exciting, I feel like we can actually accomplish something by working together.

P.s. I'm also wondering what you mean SKW. And also, what do you do as a profession, you seem to know quite a bit of what happens here in our precious city.

sirkingwilliam · #**1872** Posted **Feb 20, 2009, 3:28 AM**

They won't. My mistake on the typing error.

Complex01 · #**1873** Posted **Feb 21, 2009, 12:43 AM**

Good to hear. Time for a drink, its friday...

MABottz · #**1874** Posted **Feb 22, 2009, 3:26 PM**

Scores on points but no concrete solutions offered in this particular article.....

Strolling in Market Square, a place of unrealized possibilities
by Robert Rivard

Web Posted: 02/22/2009 12:00 CST
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/col...ibilities.html

There isn't a locally grown fruit or vegetable for sale in the old San Antonio Farmers Market on West Commerce Street, and too many of the Mexican goods for sale there and at the adjacent El Mercado are inauthentic and cheaply rendered.

What once was “hecho en Mexico” is too often made in China.

Like most locals, I don't get there very often, so I spent a few hours Friday strolling through the properties, visiting with shop owners, talking up customers and examining merchandise.

The city of San Antonio owns and manages Market Square, as well as La Villita and The Spanish Governor's Palace. The Cortez family is the dominant private-sector operator at Market Square, home to their wildly popular Mi Tierra restaurant and bakery and La Margarita cantina.

My visit came in the wake of the disclosure a little more than a week ago by Express-News reporter Guillermo X. Garcia that city officials were engaged in private discussions with the Cortez family about the possible sale of Market Square.

Why, I wondered, was the city willing to part with such a historically significant downtown property, even if the buildings and much of what is housed in them lacks historical or cultural significance?

It's not my intention to slam the dozens of small-business owners who have shops and stalls at Market Square. Most are hanging on by a thread, especially in this declining economy, and all the shop owners I spoke with said they felt undermined by a disinterested city government.

I did find exquisiteartesanía in a few shops: Day of the Dead dolls from Guanajuato, Oaxacan animal fantasias, authentic Talavera from Puebla, and delicate, hand-sewn baptismal gowns for infants.

But most of what is for sale gives the place the telltale look of a tourist trap. Visitors leave with trinkets or a fake Mexican blanket. For a city that serves as a gateway to Mexico and is defined in large part by its Mexican roots, the message to tourists is one of cultural devaluation.

I am an unabashed aficionado of mercados and farmers markets. Years living and working in Latin America left me with a deep love for meandering through warrens of stalls, sampling new foods, chatting up farmers and vendors, savoring caldos and tacos and pupusas prepared over open fires.

Even in the United States, the market experience can be an extraordinary one. Pike Place Market in Seattle and the Portland Farmers Market in Oregon attract locals and visitors alike, as does my favorite, the historic Los Angeles Farmers Market, where one can enjoy the best taquitos outside Mexico City and then stroll a few yards to a first-class wine shop.

Google any of these markets and enjoy a well-designed virtual tour if you have never been, then check out this city's utterly phony Web page maintained by its Downtown Department:

“Welcome to San Antonio's most unique and exciting shopping, dining and entertaining experiences. Here in the romantic center of the Mexican Culture, discover a land of treasures, bright, bold and beautiful. Market Square... authentically Mexico and enriched with a fascinating legacy of public markets.”

There is nothing authentic or accurate about any of that.

Unless the city steps back and completely rethinks Market Square and the possibilities there, the place is doomed to economic drift. The Cortez family will fare well because they are superb operators, but the public will only see unrealized possibilities.

Many of us await the opening of the much-anticipated Farmers Market at the Pearl Brewery, between the San Antonio River and Broadway. But Market Square is the public gateway to this city's West Side. People should be able to stroll to the markets from Main Plaza or other nearby venues and, once there, enjoy a truly memorable experience.

Robert Rivard is the editor of the Express-News. E-mail him at rrivard@express-news.net.

sirkingwilliam · #**1875** Posted **Feb 22, 2009, 11:43 PM**

What we needed, an honest article like that. It's shame what MS is and what it's promoted as. The city needs to really think about the massive potential there in west downtown.

sirkingwilliam · #**1876** Posted **Feb 23, 2009, 12:06 AM**

If anyone is interested in joining MOVEMENTFOR, please pm.

adtobias · #**1877** Posted **Feb 23, 2009, 5:31 AM**

i do go to a veg/fruit vender on the west side and they are cheaper than in the super markets

salaverryo · #**1878** Posted **Feb 23, 2009, 5:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanshirt

That's because there was no Texas founder who's last name was "San Antonio"

Then again, there's a Dallas street in downtown SA, yet no SA street in downtown Dallas

You're implying that city streets have to be named after Texas founders, which is not the case at all. There was no Texas founder named "Main", for instance.

oldmanshirt · #**1879** Posted **Feb 23, 2009, 7:23 PM**

^Are you saying Houston street was named after the city and not the founder? Does that mean Crockett was named after the East TX town?

ydoc14 · #**1880** Posted **Feb 23, 2009, 8:02 PM**

Most probably Houston St. was named after Sam Houston, and not the city.