SA - Downtown has lost its last bookstore

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

I can't remember the name of it, but there is a book store downtown between Main Plaza and the River that closed down during construction of Main Plaza. For all I know it is still supposed to reopen.

that "bookstore" at main plaza is not a bookstore. it is a religious knick-knack and "media" shop. it has some books, but they are generally about catholics, for catholics, or aimed at convincing you to be catholic.

so, in summation, it doesn't count as a bookstore.

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by sakyle04

that "bookstore" at main plaza is not a bookstore. it is a religious knick-knack and "media" shop. it has some books, but they are generally about catholics, for catholics, or aimed at convincing you to be catholic.

Shouldn't visiting San Fernando do that?

[The Nano]

Theres a quasi bookstore in Ruta Maya called "underground books". Its hard to catch because it has funny hours, so ive never been.

[Paul in S.A TX]

Originally Posted by alexjon

Because literacy has nothing to do with the success of a city

San Antonio is the epitome of a successful city, a couple more bookstores downtown won't change things for better or worse. It would be nice to have more, i'm sure more will materialize.

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by alexjon

Because literacy has nothing to do with the success of a city

I agree but also, but you can't make a big assertion like that because of a single book store closing in a downtown area with a very small population. Realistically, San Antonio's success isn't juxtaposed with that of downtown.

But as for downtown, let that population materialize and then the demand for a bookstore or bookstores will be there.

[alexjon]

People work downtown, people travel through downtown on buses, people from the town visit and it should be a center of culture and commerce.

Having few bookstores is one thing, but having none is an entirely different thing

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by alexjon

People work downtown, people travel through downtown on buses, people from the town visit and it should be a center of culture and commerce.

Having few bookstores is one thing, but having none is an entirely different thing

It's the center of culture but sadly not for commerce.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that it should have a bookstore, several, but I'm not going to make assumptions from or interpret the closing of a bookstore because the building its leased in is being completely redeveloped as something negative for downtown.

Has it been confirmed they won't reopen elsewhere? No. So who knows what happens.

[KeepSanAntonioLame]

I highly doubt they'll re open. They're a mall only outlet of Barnes and Nobles, and they already refused new space at Rivercenter.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by The Nano

Theres a quasi bookstore in Ruta Maya called "underground books". Its hard to catch because it has funny hours, so ive never been.

ya i donated a bunch of chomsky books to them when i moved to africa. it is a sweet co-op if you can get involved.

[Paul in S.A TX]

Originally Posted by ydoc14

Paul, your avatar, where'd you get that pic???!!!!

I enlarged a pic, and ,zoomed in with cam phone. I added San Antonio with colors from, paint. I wish I could make it a bit bigger, but, it didn't work. I guess it stayed as original size.

[STLtoSA]

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

San Antonio is the epitome of a successful city, a couple more bookstores downtown won't change things for better or worse. It would be nice to have more, i'm sure more will materialize.

Do you really believe that San Antonio is the epitome of a successfull city.

It is a great city for suburban sprawl and tourism/conventions, but "epitome of success" it is not.

[ydoc14]

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

I enlarged a pic, and ,zoomed in with cam phone. I added San Antonio with colors from, paint. I wish I could make it a bit bigger, but, it didn't work. I guess it stayed as original size.

What area was that picture taken from? Looks like a great view to check out in person

[Paul in S.A TX]

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

Do you really believe that San Antonio is the epitome of a successfull city.

It is a great city for suburban sprawl and tourism/conventions, but "epitome of success" it is not.

A Strong diversified economy compared to most U.S. cities. Pretty much all big Texas cities are sucessful. Tourisim is huge in S.A. but it happens to be the 5th largest industry, so it's not only a tourisim driven city.

[Paul in S.A TX]

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

Do you really believe that San Antonio is the epitome of a successfull city.

It is a great city for suburban sprawl and tourism/conventions, but "epitome of success" it is not.

A Strong diversified economy compared to most U.S. cities. Pretty much all big Texas cities are sucessful. Tourisim is huge in S.A. but it happens to be the 5th largest industry, so it's not only a tourisim driven city.

[STLtoSA]

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

A Strong diversified economy compared to most U.S. cities. Pretty much all big Texas cities are sucessful. Tourisim is huge in S.A. but it happens to be the 5th largest industry, so it's not only a tourisim driven city.

For one I was referring to the central city not San Antonio as a whole, as the thread was centered around a downtown bookstore.

I could sit here and argue what things about Greater San Antonio bother me, but that is for a different thread.

The real question you have to ask is...what sort of downtown do you want? I here people all the time say that San Antonio needs taller building (at least something over 500'), but you have to ask yourself why would anyone build a 500'+ building in downtown San Antonio. There is hardly a corporate presence in downtown. Other than Frost, AT&T, CoSA, CPS, and Bexar County, there are not many major employers other than Tourism Downtown.

Everyone is so exited about the Vidorra and the Hyatt, for good reason, its so nice to see something new in the skyline. I for one would like to see some more residential for the young professional, something that is reasonable. I believe That Downtown needs an apartment market, not just condos.

I like the Vistanna developement alot, eventhough it is a little more expensive. The San Pedro Creek District (where the Vistanna is) is a key area. UTSA wants to expand there downtown campus including housing/apartments. There is a lot of other developement planned and proposed in this area including: Federal Courthouse, Bexar County 10-story office building, Police Headquarters, and W Commerce street redevelopment. This should be a busy area for the next 5-10 years.

Hopefully River North will spawn a more mixed residential neighborhood developement, but the verdict is still out on that.

I just realized that I am ranting like crazy, so I will stop.

Downtown is not the epitomy of a successfull downtown of a major city. It is tourism and local government dominated, but needs more private businesses and housing.

How you view San Antonio's Downtown or the city as a whole depends on your perspective.

[alexjon]

San Antonio has 5 million square feet of office space downtown, so the worktime population that doesn't work in the service or tourism industry is very VERY tiny.

To put it into perspective, Bellevue, Washington has 6 million square feet of office space downtown and employs 35k. Seattle, Washington has 28 million square feet of office space and employs around 250k (office space will hit 30 million square feet in mid-2010). Austin has 8 million square feet of office space downtown and employs 90,000.

Downtown is one big historic district and it sucks for that. There needs to be more to do on the street level, more to do on the edges of downtown and more to do in the center.

[miaht82]

It all has to do with land availabilty. World Savings/Wachovia, Valero, USAA, NuStar, Tesoro, WaMu, all have certainly more than enough of a presence and # of employees to need space for tall, but why build up when you can build out in the outskirts (near your employees) for much cheaper.
I only really have D.C. to compare it to. D.C. has a large government and tourism presence, and most of the major corporate presence were in McLean,VA, but I would say that Downtown DC was great in the neighboring areas right outside of the "downtown" area.
River north will hopefully create the "infill" that is needed to help out neighboring areas and connect downtown to the rest of SA. San Pedro, Main St, St. Mary's St. and Broadway are all going to benefit from the expansion of the River.
We will probably see more residential high-rise or hotel before we see another office building go up. Once(/hopefully) the young professionals live downtown, we might see another tall go up. Maybe 15+ years?
We can't even get a good stretch of downtown with restaurants and retail in the immediate downtown area that doesn't have the riverwalk as a sidewalk and entrance.

[sirkingwilliam]

To put it into more of a perspective. Stone Oak has more office space than downtown! STONE OAK!

[sirkingwilliam]

I floated this idea by sakyle via PM.

Whether it's Harberger or any future Mayor, one of them needs to convince Valero and NuStar to both build headquarters downtown maybe even possibly USAA. Throw whatever you need to at them to make it happen. Having them commit to downtown would not only change the skyline of downtown but also the dynamics of the Central Loop area. The mindset would change of downtown from one of being a tourist trap to that of a burgeoning work place hub. From that will come the residents and retail and etc.

Create a "Energy District" with Valero and NuStar. Maybe even have CPS build a new mid-rise-small high rise HQ as well in said District.

[miaht82]

Isn't that now 1604?
It would probably be easier to move the Alamo and Riverwalk to Camp Bullis.
But seriously, that is a great idea. Also could get another regional bank HQ, Jefferson Bank or even Broadway Bank to move out of that old building on NE Loop 410 and build or move in across from Frost and add to the "financial district." Maybe if World Savings/Wachovia sell their space to someone looking to buy and move to the "Data Center District" in Westover Hills they could also relocate downtown.