SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread

[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by JACKinNYC

Randolph Taj Majal?

I lived about 2 blocks from here across from the Manpower building where my father worked. The Taj also had a movie theater in it that sat/sets over 1,000. Saw Empire Strikes Back there.

[NBTX11]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The first one. Does anyone know if that building is accessible to the public? I'd love to see it in person, but I'm not sure I'd want to bother with the hassle of getting through the security.

I work at Randolph, I'll get some pictures of this beautiful building one of these days and post. By the way, you can clearly see this building from off base (and take pictures of it) from the visitors center of Randolph AFB, which is open to the public, near the intersection of FM 78 and Pat Booker in Universal City.

[miaht82]

Originally Posted by miaht82

Looks like the Springhill Suites on 411 Flores got final approval yesterday as seen on page 202 of the HDRC agenda.
It looks nice, and 6 floors will add nice height in that section.
also on page 145 is a cheesy motel near the Mission Power Plant redevelopment and on page 150 is the rendering of the new terminal at the airport.

Quoted myself to show link to hotel, drove by earlier and saw fence being put up at site of construction.
Hotel is by Alamo City Hotels.

I guess that area will be getting a facelift with this going up, the Justice Center expansion, parking lot expansion, and hopefully soon the Federal Courthouse and Police and Fire HQ's.

[jaga185]

posted on facebook by Eric Alonzo

I thought this pic looked really nice, I wish it was posted in color so we could at least see it.

[sakyle04]

...

[ydoc14]

Cool pic.

[oldmanshirt]

For those of you (including myself) wondering if Vistana is going to have an impact on the skyline, here's this pic from the transguide traffic cam page:

[ydoc14]

Maybe I missed it...but uh...what is COGSADCAJA?

[The Model]

Actually the transguide camera is not giving the Vistana justice.
I drove IH 10 w/IH 35 north last week, and the Vistana, really stands out.
The Vistana looks good from the Buena Vista street bridge, by the downtown campus also.

[ydoc14]

This may be old news, but I just discovered a little while ago that going south on Blanco Rd. toward 410 offers a nice view of the skyline at one point.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by ydoc14

Maybe I missed it...but uh...what is COGSADCAJA?

That is the "Crusty Old Grumbling San Antonian Drinking Coffee at Jim's Association"...

You are welcome to join. We need a secretary and a Chief Flickr Officer (CFO). I think you would qualify for one of those roles.

All you have to do is complain about some development issue in San Antonio or make a general statement about how great things "used to be".

oldmanshirt is our President at Large in KC.
miaht82 is the Treasurer.
I, sakyle04, am the Chief Grumbling Officer (CGO) after I railed on a northside parkway.
we're waiting on jaga, ksal, and sirkingwilliam to complain about something. then we'll get t-shirts and go to jim's together.

have i taken this too far?

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by sakyle04

That is the "Crusty Old Grumbling San Antonian Drinking Coffee at Jim's Association"...

You are welcome to join. We need a secretary and a Chief Flickr Officer (CFO). I think you would qualify for one of those roles.

All you have to do is complain about some development issue in San Antonio or make a general statement about how great things "used to be".

oldmanshirt is our President at Large in KC.
miaht82 is the Treasurer.
I, sakyle04, am the Chief Grumbling Officer (CGO) after I railed on a northside parkway.
we're waiting on jaga, ksal, and sirkingwilliam to complain about something. then we'll get t-shirts and go to jim's together.

have i taken this too far?

HAHA, well I try not to complain about SA, but in the event that something serious and dire happens here, like a city resolution to demolish the Weston Centre, then I'll join

[jaga185]

I hate that we don't have enough options on downtown living and we really don't have much culture downtown, contrary to popular belief!!! I'll be secretary, haha.

[oldmanshirt]

Originally Posted by ydoc14

HAHA, well I try not to complain about SA, but in the event that something serious and dire happens here, like a city resolution to demolish the Weston Centre, then I'll join

Maybe you can be Officer for Weston Center Preservation

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by jaga185

I hate that we don't have enough options on downtown living and we really don't have much culture downtown, contrary to popular belief!!! I'll be secretary, haha.

Jaga is in!! Secretary it is!! welcome to the club. (we're really going to have to meet at Jim's one day to grumble...)

I hate that we don't have a unified program to better downtown for residents.

I read the IDP report linked on MYSA's downtown blog and one thing I totally agree with it on is this:

San Antonio should be giving away downtown land (and exempting it from taxes) in order to lure developers to build another couple of downtown office towers. If the market doesn't demand them at current market rates (expensive land means hotels make the most financial sense), then screw up the market by giving away the land for a 30-40 story office tower. take an existing surface parking lot or garage and get the developer to agree to provide a few hundred spaces in their garage for public parking and then go nuts.

i know that someone approached NuStar with some land out I-10 for a potential HQ...and they wanted $22 MILLION. if the city is serious about luring people downtown (much less companies), they have to start by making it a commercial center again. imagine what a game-changer it would be...

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by oldmanshirt

For those of you (including myself) wondering if Vistana is going to have an impact on the skyline, here's this pic from the transguide traffic cam page:

Minimal effect. I guessing (since I haven't seen it in person yet) that it's more of a building to admire up close than from a distance.

[adtobias]

would love to live d/t

[KeepSanAntonioLame]

Originally Posted by sakyle04

That is the "Crusty Old Grumbling San Antonian Drinking Coffee at Jim's Association"...

You are welcome to join. We need a secretary and a Chief Flickr Officer (CFO). I think you would qualify for one of those roles.

All you have to do is complain about some development issue in San Antonio or make a general statement about how great things "used to be".

oldmanshirt is our President at Large in KC.
miaht82 is the Treasurer.
I, sakyle04, am the Chief Grumbling Officer (CGO) after I railed on a northside parkway.
we're waiting on jaga, ksal, and sirkingwilliam to complain about something. then we'll get t-shirts and go to jim's together.

have i taken this too far?

I've already grumbled about The Broadway in another thread. Does that qualify me for Platinum Level membership?

[tgannaway89]

UTSA really needs to expand their downtown presence. A few mid-rise housing buildings would be a nice addition. If the LRT line from The Rim to downtown happens then it would be heavily used by UTSA students/faculty commuting between the two campuses.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by KeepSanAntonioLame

I've already grumbled about The Broadway in another thread. Does that qualify me for Platinum Level membership?

Well, with a name like KeepSanAntonioLame, I think you qualify as "Publicist". Welcome to the club. See ya at Jim's.

COGSADCAJA!!